Tea Room Tales & Tidbits
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Rosemary Manx Biscuits
The original recipe came from a Celtic cookbook with vague measures and instructions. It was somewhat bland for our Western World palette. This is the tearooms bumped-up version of a very old recipe named Quocunque Jeceris Stabit meaning Whithersoever you throw it, it will stand.
This saying also applies to the biscuit dough and it will be very stiff while kneading.
- 7 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp Baking soda
- 1 tbsp cream of tartar
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh rosemary
- 1/2 cup butter (soft)
- 3-1/2 cups buttermilk (enough to form an elastic dough)
- In a large bowl fluff together dry ingredients with a fork.
- Cut in cutter until mixture resembles small peas.
- Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in buttermilk. Mix with a fork being sure to gradually pull dry ingredients into the centre until they form a lumpy ball.
- Dust a rolling pin and a clean, flat, dry surface with flour.
- Place the dough ball into the centre of the prepared work surface.
- Knead dough approximately four times until dough feels elastic. This recipe appears more smooth than the others. Overworking the dough will take away the fluffiness.
- Roll out dough to the length of space between the tip of your index finger and your first knuckle (3/4 inch).
- Cut out chosen shapes with a cookie cutter.
- Place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Bake at 400 F oven for 16 minutes.
- Cool on rack
Makes about 28 biscuits.