Chocolate fork biscuits

chocolate fork biscuits

At the Beaches Farmers’ market last week I spotted this wonderful Falcon baking tray at the Lost and Found department. It immediately sparked in me a desire to bake, particularly some chocolate fork biscuits. I have a fondness for kitchen equipment of a bygone era. It seems to speak of the values of cooking in which I believe. Quality ingredients made by skilled, passionate producers, food grown in accordance with nature and things done in a time honoured, patient manner. So I bought the blue rimmed tray and went home to make a batch of chocolate biscuits.

chocolate fork biscuits

I’m not the biggest baker. I prefer to roast and stew. That said, I do have a tried and tested collection of baking recipes which I return to again and again. Chocolate fork biscuits is among that collection. They are very easy to prepare with just four ingredients and a batch of these crumbly little morsels can be whipped up with very little notice. Romantically, I imagine in the not too distant future, making them with Thea, her getting as much mixture around her little mouth as she makes into balls for biscuits. Taking a fork and pressing it into the chocolate dough to squash it onto the baking tray. Chomping on them straight from the oven, crumbs dropping everywhere, her fist wrapped round a glass of ice cold milk.

Falcon mixing bowl

The recipe is from Constance Spry’s cookery book, a tome published in the sixtes and now widely regarded as somewhat of a kitchen bible. The name Constance, or rather the diminutive Connie, is the name I affectionately gave Thea when she was still a tiny image on the sonographer’s screen. Knowing that she was going to make a very early appearance, I wanted to give her a name that would foretell of the qualities that I hoped she would possess as a premature baby.  It seems some nine months later that she does indeed boast the characteristic of steadfastness, Constance’s meaning. I think it’s rather nice that the inspiration for her now middle name came from an esteemed cook. One whose recipe for Chocolate fork biscuits is a firm favourite of mine and hopefully will be one of hers.

chocolate fork biscuits

chocolate fork biscuits

Chocolate fork biscuits 

Adapted from a recipe by Constance Spry.

  • 120g soft butter
  • 60g sugar
  • 120g self raising flour
  • 30g cocoa

Cream together butter and sugar using an electric whisk. Sift in flour and cocoa and whisk again to combine all ingredients.

Take small pieces of the mixture and form into rough balls. Place the balls on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper allowing enough room for them to spread during cooking. Take a fork and a bowl of water. Dip the fork in the water and then press in into the biscuit mixture to slightly flatten the balls and make fork indentation in the dough.

Bake at 180 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Cool on a wire baking tray.

kangaroo cuddles with Thea

Having kangaroo cuddles with Thea Connie, September 2013, 1117g.

2 thoughts on “Chocolate fork biscuits

  1. Beyza

    The recipe is caleld “Granny Boyd’s Biscuits”… it’s from Nigella Lawson’s book “how to be a domestic goddess” but I guess you may be able to find it online somewhere?They’re a great “emergency” biscuit recipe as you just need store cupboard things + butter. I overcooked them a bit as I’ve not baked in this oven before but they were still very tasty 🙂

    Reply
    1. clare Post author

      Hi, it is a great recipe isn’t it, easy and delicious. And yes, I believe that the recipe is also listed in Nigella’s book and I think that as she lists it as her Granny’s recipe that it would have originally come from Constance Spry’s cookery book. In Constance Spry’s book the recipe is called fork biscuits and it is where I first came across them. There is also a lemon version. Just omit the cocoa and add the same weight in self raising flour and the zest of a lemon.

      Reply

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