Digestive Biscuits

I know. How very nana of me! My favourite way to eat these is with an aged cheddar, but sandwiching them together with a bit of melted dark chocolate or salted caramel, even plain with a cup of tea … winning!

MAKES ABOUT 24 BISCUITS

INGREDIENTS

150 g (5½ oz) wholemeal (whole-wheat) flour + extra, for dusting

150 g (5½ oz) oatmeal

50 g (1¾ oz) soft brown sugar

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

100 g (3½ oz) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1 cm (½ inch) dice

2–3 tablespoons milk

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) fan-forced. Line two baking trays with baking paper.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a food processor, and pulse very briefly to mix. Add the butter, and pulse until you have a sandy texture. Tip the mixture into a medium mixing bowl, and add only 2 tablespoons of the milk first, then the remainder if the mixture feels a little dry. Patiently squeeze the mixture together until it all binds into a firm dough. Shape the dough into a disc, and flatten to about 1 cm (½ inch) thick. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.

Lightly flour your work surface and the top of the dough, then roll out until 3 mm (¹/₈ inch) thick. Using a 5 cm (2 inch) pastry cutter, cut out circles to make the biscuits. Space them 1 cm (½ inch) apart on the prepared baking trays, and bake for about 15 minutes until golden.

These will keep well for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.