richard I realise the photo below looks like an unappetising plateful of deep-fried Spam fritters, however they are actually a tasty full-fat medley of oat biscuits heavily laden with blue cheese.
Preparation time: 15 minutes plus 4 hours chilling
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Skill level: Easy
Makes: about 20 biscuits I think
Ingredients
- rolled oats – 75g
- blue cheese (your choice) – 200g
- unsalted butter – softened – 100g
- spelt (or wholemeal) flour – 50g
- plain flour – 100g
- 2 egg yolks
- mustard powder – 2 level tsp
- cold water – 1tbsp
- salt – 1/2 tsp
Firstly the dough should be prepared in advance as it needs to chill for 4 hours (or overnight).
Start by toasting the oats on a baking tray in a preheated oven at 180C (mark 4) for 20 minutes. They should be golden brown (texture like sun). Set aside to cook.
Mash together the cheese, butter, mustard powder, egg yolks and water either manually or in a food processor. Add the oats, flours and salt and form a dough.
Line a 2lb bread tin (or similar) with cling film and add the dough. Push down the dough so it is flat in the bottom of the tin. Cover with more cling film.
Chill for about 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 160C.
Remove the dough from the tin, trim the ends square and cut into 7.5mm slices. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 25 minutes. Ensure there is a bit of space between the biscuits as they spread when cooking
By now the kitchen should smell delicious and the biscuits crisp and golden brown (finer temptress).
Cool.
Eat. With a hearty red.
Verdict: Duchy Originals? Kiss my arse.
Drink: Significant quantities of El Coto Crianza Rioja, 2004.
Entertainment: A TV-free family Christmas in Berlin. So carols around the piano, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, skating on a frozen Spree, and midnight mass.
