These are as fuss-free and fun to make as they are tasty. Using simple store-cupboard ingredients and requiring you to roll the dough into a long sausage, they’re an entertaining baking activity to do with kids. If you can resist eating all the dough before it’s baked, we’re sure you’ll love the malty milk-chocolate reward that comes out of the oven.
MAKES 24 SMALL BISCUITS
125g unsalted butter, softened
60g light brown sugar
125g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
50g malted milk powder (we use Horlicks)
20g cocoa powder
a pinch of fine salt
Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/Gas Mark 3 and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Cream together the softened butter and light brown sugar until pale and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, malted milk powder, cocoa and salt.
Gently mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture until a soft dough forms, being careful not to fling flour everywhere in the process!
Once a soft dough has formed, tip it out onto a clean work surface. Roll the dough into a long sausage, about 2cm thick and 1m long (or do it in sections, rolling a quarter of it at a time).
Using a sharp knife, cut the dough sausage into 24 even pieces, each 4cm long (during baking, these mini logs melt down to make rounded rectangular biscuits). Lift each piece onto the lined baking tray, spacing them 2cm apart.
Bake for 15–20 minutes until firm to the touch.
Leave to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.