FLY BISCUITS

As interesting as these biscuits sound, I can reassure you there were no flies harmed in the making of these delectable goodies and nor were there any flies incorporated into them either! A timeless classic, these fly biscuits, as they are so quaintly called are because of the luscious juicy currents that sit embedded in the folds of buttery shortbread, therefore giving the humorous appearance of flies caught in said biscuit! But all jokes aside, these delightful little delicacies will indeed brighten up anyone’s lunchbox, just give the necessary touch up to your teatime rendezvous and is a comforting treat for any hungry child. With the kids at home, get them involved in the mixing and shaking and why not rustle up a batch of these goodies, these are definitely some flies you wouldn’t mind having in your kitchen.

INGREDIENTS

● 225g (8oz) butter, softened

● 175g (6oz) caster sugar

● 2 eggs, separated

● Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

● 400g (14oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting

● 1tsp baking powder

● ¼tsp salt

● 110g (4oz) currants

METHOD

1. Beat the softened butter in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer to soften a little more, then cream with 150g (5oz) of the sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat the egg yolks lightly and stir them into the mixture along with the lemon zest. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, add the currants and mix to give a smooth dough. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge for 20–30 mins.

2. Preheat the oven to 180ºc/350ºc/ gas mark 4.

3. Roll the dough out on a floured work surface to a thickness of 5mm (¼in) and or cut into the more traditional rectangles with a knife to stamp out the biscuits. Arrange on a couple of large baking sheets and place in the fridge for 10 mins before baking in the oven for about 12 mins or until just turning golden.

4. Meanwhile, lightly beat the egg whites.

5. Remove the biscuits from the oven and, working quickly on 4-5 at a time, brush lightly with the egg whites. Sprinkle with a little of the remaining sugar and repeat until all are done. Return the biscuits to the oven to bake for a further 4–5 mins or until golden (this gives a crunchy top). Remove and leave to cool on the baking sheets for a few mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.