Did you grow up with a family favourite bikkie*? I'm sure we all have at least one of these favourites. I grew up with a mother that made everything from scratch, including biscuits and cookies. Those packets of biscuits at the supermarket were a rare treat...making them that much more enticing! As I was grew up and spent more time at friends' homes and then after flying the nest, I became something of a bikkie aficionado. Arnotts were the reliable favourites - from the Butternut Snaps to the Monte Carlos, to the Lemon Crisps, to the Kingston Creams. And the Tim Tam. But there were also lesser known goodies to be discovered...particularly the perfect morsel that is "The Coffee Scroll". The coffee scroll was a crisp, round flat biscuit embossed with a scroll pattern, that contained cinnamon, allspice/cloves and maybe nutmeg, as well as tiny black currants. Each biscuit had a dollop of hard pink icing in the centre top. In fact, it was only after we were engaged that I discovered my husband also had an appreciation for this lovely bikkie. Legend has it that Arnotts once made these, but my memories are that they were made by Lanes or Nabisco. Whenever the husband and I would set off on a road trip, I would make sure that we had packed at least a couple packets of these pink-topped, scrolly delights! We even ate them up and down the east coast of Australia on our honeymoon in 1998. Whilst I had by that time (back in the Nabisco Coffee Scroll era) expressed my inevitable genetic tendencies to make everything from scratch, I was more than happy to buy them off the shelf and delight in their spicy, crunchy, currant-y goodness from time to time. You can imagine how unhappy I was when I found the 'Big Two' had stopped stocking them. For a while I could find them at the questionable discount stores (what I call the $2 shops), no doubt imported from Asia. Then, just like that, they were a thing of the past. Instead of lamenting the loss of this classic, I set about creating the same taste sensation from scratch. And because I know that there are other people who miss this bikkie, I am now sharing my tried and true recipe so that you too can recreate this perfect coffee accompaniment. Read on! *"Bikkie" is a typically Australian contraction of the word "biscuit", which is the thing that Americans may call a "cookie". They are usually crisper and smaller than a typical American-style cookie. RECIPE: Coffee Scrolls, Reincarnated Makes around 48 completed biscuits Ingredients: 3 cups plain/all purpose or cake flour, sifted 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature 1 cup brown sugar 1 large free-range egg (at room temperature) 1/4 cup small dried black currants^ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2-3 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp allspice or 1/2 tsp cloves 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/2 tsp salt (omit salt if using salted butter) Egg wash: 1 free-range egg whisked into 1/4 cup milk 375 grams (13.5oz) white chocolate Red/pink oil-based powdered food colouring (optional, available at cake decorating stores) (^note: it is tempting to add more than 1/4 cup of currants. I know. Trust me, you will cause your bikkies to break apart as the currants expand in the oven, so keep it to a maximum of 1/4 cup. If you must, eat a handful of currants as you're waiting for the bikkies to bake). Special equipment: Egg whisk - spiral style (while not great for whisking eggs, this tool remains in my tool drawer only for making these biscuits) Silicon (non-stick) baking paper - use each sheet more than once with successive trays going into the oven. 2 1/4" (57mm) or thereabouts cutter Method: Step 1: Using a mixer, beat (with paddle) the butter, brown sugar, vanilla and spices until light and fluffy. Use a hand whisk or wooden spoon if you do not own a mixer. Step 2: Mix in egg on low speed. Step 3: Add in flour and baking powder, mix on low until blended. Scrape down bowl, mix again. Step 4: Add currants, fold or knead in. Dough will be soft. Let rest for 30 minutes in fridge, covered in cling film in a flattened round shape. Step 5: Preheat oven to 160 deg C/320 deg F. Roll out around 1/3 of the dough between two sheets of baking paper until around 4-5mm thick. Step 6: Cut out 2 1/4" (57mm) rounds, place on silicon-papered biscuit/cookie baking sheets. Each unbaked biscuit should weigh about 20 grams maximum (0.7 oz) Press spiral egg whisk into top to emboss your spiral. Dip the flat spiral end into flour before pressing into the top of each cookie. Don't worry about the "e" shape in the middle of the bikkie; it will be covered up later. Step 7:Continue rolling out dough and cutting rounds, and embossing scrolls. Optional: glaze top of biscuit with egg wash. (NB: I did not glaze this batch). Step 8: Bake at 160 deg C (320 deg F) for approximately 15 minutes until golden brown. Let sit on trays a few minutes before cooling on racks completely. These biscuits should be crunchy when cooled. The Icing Clearly the iconic part of the biscuit, but also an essential part of the Coffee Scroll experience when eaten all together. It took me a while to work out the best way to replicate this hard pink icing, and this is what I came up with. Method: Step 1: Melt your chocolate. Microwave method: Place your 375g of white chocolate (chopped or buttons) into a large pyrex bowl or microwave-safe jug. Heat at 100% for 30 seconds, stir. Repeat until chocolate completely melted and smooth. Double boiler method: Place white chocolate into a pyrex bowl, a metal bowl or the top saucepan of a double boiler. Place over a saucepan containing 1cm of simmering water, ensuring complete seal around edges of your top bowl/pan. Don't let bottom of your bowl/pan touch the water. Do NOT let steam condense and run into chocolate; it will seize. Stir occasionally until melted. Step 2: Add in a smidge of red or pink oil-based powdered food colouring. Truly, just about 1/8 teaspoon. Mix thoroughly. If you only have water- or alcohol-based liquid or gel food colouring, leave it out. Step 3: Using a teaspoon or disposable piping bag, place a blob of pink-tinted white chocolate in the centre of each bikkie. Do not go to the edges. Actually, to be authentic you don't even have to put as much as I have shown in the photo below (what can I say? I like chocolate). Step 4: Allow to cool completely until icing has set hard. Enjoy with your favourite hot bevvie beverage! Do you have a long lost favourite? Have you ever tried recreating it from scratch? Please feel free to comment, or ask any questions about my Coffee Scroll recipe!
Hast Du Lust auf köstliche Leckerbissen und unsere besten Tipps zum Kochen? Hier klicken Our Guacamole Recipe Favourites
These are an old fashioned, mouth-watering biscuit filled with raspberry jam and a vanilla cream.
Korean cheese pancakes are a popular street food in South Korea. It is made with a mixture of various kinds of cheeses, eggs, and flour.
Jam drop biscuits are an old-fashioned childhood favourite! Soft and buttery vanilla biscuits topped with a sweet raspberry jam filling, these easy cookies are made with only 6 easy pantry ingredients and can be ready in 20 minutes. These jam drops make the perfect sweet afternoon tea treat to share with a cuppa.
This Finnish salmon soup also called Lohikeitto is so delicious and easy to prepare. It's become one of my absolute favourites!
Melt-in-your-mouth shortbread with the nutty crunch of coconut and sweet tartness of jam. As pretty as they are delicious.
A fantastic chocolaty treat. Great dipped in tea!
A brilliant quick midweek vegetarian curry, this recipe from Nadiya Hussain's new cookbook, Nadiya's Family Favourites is served with a flavour-packed homemade coconut sambal.
A quick and easy gingernut biscuit recipe that is quite simply, THE BEST. Crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy in the centre with a delicious hit of ginger.
Growing up in Australia, pikelets were a treat we enjoyed for breakfast or any time of the day! Plus, learn the secret tip for the first batch to come out perfectly golden, rather than splotchy like they usually are! This recipe makes 12 pikelets. Don't bother counting the number of pikelets in the photos, I ate one. You should just be surprised that I managed to stop at ONE!
Chocolate roulade, pork pie with quail's eggs, tarte au citron: Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood choose their all-time favourite recipes from The Great British Bake Off
Kick your morning off with Nadiya Hussain's spinach-packed smoky shakshuka recipe, as seen on her BBC series, Nadiya's Family Favourites.
Explore Rome's culinary gems on the go! Uncover the city's Best street foods. Your guide to Rome's authentic flavors awaits. Buon appetito!
There's a reason this dessert is an Aussie classic!
These traditional sweet Greek honey puffs are one of my favourite desserts. So I was excited to prepare this dairy free Lenten alternative, which is just as delicious as the traditional Greek honey puffs!
Chewy, crisp and soft all at once, these Buttery Sultana Cookies will become a family favourite. Taking around 30 minutes and with only 7 ingredients these copy-cat British fruity biscuits are incredibly easy to make and perfect for gifting too.
This hearty and healthy stew is perfect to share with your friends and family
Crispy gyozas in a 15 minute homemade chilli noodle soup. Vegan and really easy to create.
These Australian Lamingtons are a classic for a reason. Fluffy, buttery sponge cake, dipped in a chocolate glaze then coconut. Easy and delicious, this recipe is an Aussie favourite.
Okonomiyaki are Japanese savoury pancakes packed with flavour and SO easy to make! Ready in less than 30 minutes, these 'as you like it' pancakes are sure to be the new family favourite.
My favourite Chinese restaurant treat, made at home! So easy, and unbelievably good. The roll out dough will keep in the fridge for a couple of days, or you can freeze them, then pop them in the pan when you are ready to cook (you don't even need to defrost them). They are best eaten fresh off the stove!
No baking expertise required. What I love about making these is you don’t need to be an expert baker to make frangipane. Being moist, it’s very forgiving to work with and can be cut into dainty slices without the risk of them falling apart.
Making pikelets is one of my favourite childhood memories. My sisters and I would hover around while Mum dropped judicious amounts of batter into the electric frying pan. Soon bubbles would appear, which meant it was time to carefully flip them over to reveal their golden bases. A few more minutes and then they were ready to be buttered and drizzled with honey or golden syrup or maybe just eaten plain before they hit the plate. This is the classic pikelet recipe of my youth. It all comes back, the aroma of the pikelets as they sizzle in the buttered pan, to making batch upon batch, more than you could possibly eat, but eat we did. Why is this our best pikelet recipe? All you need is a handful of staple ingredients and twenty minutes to take you from a craving to a plateful of light, fluffy and irresistibly cute pikelets ready to be devoured morning, noon or night! For a savoury version, try our corn and chive pikelets, and if you need a gluten-free pikelet recipe, we have you covered too. Key ingredients in this pikelet recipe Milk: this unassuming ingredient adds moisture to the pikelets, ensuring there's no rubbery result! Egg: this clever little binding ingredient contributes to the structural integrity of your pikelets. Flour: self-raising flour helps to give your pikelets a little height, plus a soft and airy texture, without needing to add baking powder. It also provides structure to the batter, so the pikelets hold their shape while cooking. Sugar: while enhancing the flavour of your pikelets, sugar also helps to caramelise the outside of your pikelets in the pan, giving them a golden hue. Melted butter: this nifty ingredient helps to prevent sticking and provides a beautiful golden crust when brushed onto the cooking surface. It also adds to the flavour of your pikelets. Honey: Adding natural sweetness and a hint of floral flavour when drizzled over the warm pikelets, honey is a perfect match for pikelets. We also have a winning fluffy pancake recipe, and a fabulous crepe recipe you can try this weekend. Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams - Food Writer and Recipe Tester How to make pikelets: full recipe below
Learn how to cook the original Santorini tomato fritters. Simple recipe to create the most delicious Santorini tomatokeftedes from the comfort of your home!
This is one of my favourite special suppers, and it's a fantastic way of making the treat of a steak go a lot further. And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding. For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
If you’ve ever wanted to know how to make crumpets, this is the recipe for you. Perfectly soft and spongey with all those signature holes to soak up all the butter, this recipe for homemade crumpets will become a breakfast favourite.
Think sausage roll, but bigger. Filo pastry is used to create a light, yet oh-so-satisfying pie that is perfect for entertaining or a comforting meal with friends. Roll up, roll up! All our irresistible sausage roll recipes are right this way...
These Australian Lamingtons are a classic for a reason. Fluffy, buttery sponge cake, dipped in a chocolate glaze then coconut. Easy and delicious, this recipe is an Aussie favourite.
This Lemon Yogurt Chicken has lots of Greek-inspired flavors that are always a hit on the table. These chicken thighs are super juicy thanks to the yogurt marinade which is the ultimate tenderizer.
A traditional Greek Giouvetsi (youvetsi) recipe made with orzo pasta, beef and a delicious tomato sauce. This is the perfect dish for your Sunday family dinner!
If you’re not a Marmite lover, use pickle or your favourite chutney instead.
An oat, coconut and golden syrup sandwich biscuit (cookie) full of chocolate cream. Reminiscent of an Anzac biscuit, it makes a quick, easy and satisfying snack. This is a scheduled post as I’…
*UPDATED* This is the “most read” recipe on my blog => but not because it is a favourite – but because of the ongoing discussion about “flapjack” versus “crum…
Super easy homemade noodles made with just one ingredient! Chewy, bouncy and perfect with your favourite noodle sauce. I’ve been…
Forgive the tweeness of the title, but this is a soup of such sunny, mood-enhancing yellowness that it overcomes even the most pervasively innate cynicism. To eat this is to feel cheered; even cooking it gives me a lift. It's incredibly easy to make, but that's not the clincher. This golden broth, rice-thickened and studded with a confetti dice of yellow courgettes and sprightly with lemon is pure joy. You only have to see it to believe it. And not surprisingly in some Middle-Eastern cultures, it is believed, in Claudia Roden's words, that 'eating yellow foods will result in laughter and happiness'. This, then, is a yellow soup to banish the blues. For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
This dish is also known as Red Tomato Stew or Nigerian Red Soup and it consists of a cooked then broiled protein of your choice which is then stewed fresh fried tomatoes, onions, garlic and red bell peppers. You can also add an array of meats such as beef, chicken or fish. My recipe here uses goat meat.
This will become your favourite, because it's a taste sensation. You can even substitute the beef for chicken breast tenderloins if desired. The lemon zest, peanut and creamy sauce is easy, tasty and so delicious!
Indulge in Galatopita, a Greek delight featuring creamy custard in a golden crust. With milk, semolina, and citrus zest, it's perfect for any occasion.
Braising steak is slow to cook but quick to prepare in this rich, traditional dish from The Hairy Bikers.
You don't actually need to have a hangover to enjoy this for breakfast (or anytime), but there is something about this easy and quick dish of eggs cooked in a fiery tomato sauce that just hits the spot when you're in need of morning-after succour. And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding. For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
You'll love this Italian biscotti recipe because it's easy to make, crisp, crunchy, and with a pleasant almond flavor.The recipe is without eggs and butter, so anyone can eat them. The biscotti are perfect for dipping in sweet dessert wine or eating alone.
