I have loved English tea biscuits ever since I was a little girl and they were handed to me in Sunday School along with a paper cup of grape juice. These days I prefer them with a large mug of black tea sweetened with honey and whitened with a bit of milk. They are the perfect dunking cookie and are just the thing when you want “a little something” with your afternoon tea.
Until this week I’d only ever had the store-bought version, long rolls of perfectly round biscuits in cellophane wrappers. But after tasting this homemade English tea biscuits recipe, I can’t imagine ever going back.
Digesting History
English tea biscuits, or digestive biscuits, were first developed in Scotland in the early 1800’s by a couple of doctors who wanted to aid the digestion of their patients. The combination of whole wheat flour (to keep things moving) and baking soda (to keep things calm) apparently did the trick.
Nowadays they are lovely as a not-too-sweet treat with a cup of tea, served as part of a cheese-platter, or used in place of graham crackers to form a base for creamy cheesecakes. You can also serve them with an array of sweet accompaniments such as our Mixed Summer Berry Tea Jelly, raw honey, or Spiced Pear Jam.
English Tea Biscuits Recipe
Traditionally, these digestive aid biscuits were made with whole grain flour, vegetable oil, baking soda, sugar, and malt extract. While this recipe has certainly stood the test of time, I’m a firm believer that every baked good tastes better with butter, so I substitute it for the vegetable oil. If you want to be a purist, by all means, stick to vegetable oil.
Whole wheat flour is a must for these biscuits. It provides the grainy texture and unique flavor that is the hallmark of a proper digestive biscuit. Malt extract is another important ingredient, but I can't find malt extract in my part of the world. Instead, I substitute with either vanilla or maple extract, and they are both perfectly scrumptious. As mentioned above, real butter gives these biscuits a new depth of richness with beautiful layers of crispy goodness. For me, substituting butter for the vegetable oil is a much more delicious option.
If you have a food processor, this dough will be ready for shaping and baking in just a few minutes. Start with the flour and baking soda, pulsing just enough to combine. Add the butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the powdered sugar and pulse a few times to mix. Turn out the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and add the milk and extract of your choosing. Stir well with a wooden spoon until the dough forms, then press dough into a mound and turn out onto a floured surface. Cover with a piece of parchment paper and roll until about 1/8th of an inch thick.
The traditional shape of tea biscuits is round. You can make them with smooth edges or scalloped, whatever takes your fancy. Place the biscuits onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, then prick the top of each one all over with the tines of a fork. This gives the biscuits their instantly recognizable look.
Some cookies are best slightly-undercooked, but that is not the case with this English tea biscuits recipe. They are at their best nicely browned so they cool to a nice, crispy biscuit. Once they’re cooled, store them in an airtight container or well-wrapped in the freezer until you’re ready to use. Serve them with one of our beautiful breakfast teas such as our House Blend vanilla black tea, Heritage Blend Scottish Breakfast maple black tea, or Fog Cutter lemon peel black tea.
English Tea Biscuits
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup butter, cut in pieces
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar (1/2 cup if you prefer less sweet)
- 1/4 cup cold milk
- 1 teaspoon malt extract (vanilla or maple are other good options)
Directions:
Preheat to 350F. Cover baking sheets with parchment and set aside.
Place flour and baking powder into bowl of food processor and pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles crumbs. Add powdered sugar and pulse to mix.
Pour dry ingredients into medium mixing bowl, add milk and malt extract, and stir until dough forms.
Turn mixture out onto floured surface and knead just until dough is smooth and holds together well.
Roll out dough to about 1/8 inch thick and cut into circles. Place cookies on baking sheets and prick them all over with a fork.
Bake until nicely browned, about 15-20 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool on pan until cool and crisp.
Krista Bjorn
Canadian born Krista Bjorn has been traveling and exploring for over 20 years and loves every crazy, embarrassing, and wonderful moment. She's lived in Russia and Portugal and now makes her home in beautiful Queensland, Australia, saving her pennies for her next trip. Her food, photography and travel blog is Rambling Tart.
FAQs
To the British who probably originated tea biscuits a biscuit is a crisp small treat. 'Biscuit' is from old French for “twice baked” hence crisp. What Americans call biscuits the British would probably describe as a savory scone. A biscuit is any small crisp treat, a tea biscuit is one made with tea in mind.
What is the secret to an excellent biscuit? ›
Do not Overwork Biscuit Dough. Handle the dough as little as possible. Every time you touch, knead and fold, you are developing gluten. The more developed the gluten, the tougher the biscuit.
Why are rich tea biscuits so good? ›
Rich Tea's have a plain flavour which makes them ideal for dunking and getting the flavour of your hot drink soaked into the biscuit. Scientists also proved in may last year that Rich Tea biscuits are in fact the superior dunker. This because of its close texture and lower fat and sugar content.
How is a rich tea biscuit made? ›
Perfect with a cup of Rye Bay Tea ! Add the caster sugar, flour, baking powder and butter into a large bowl and rub together with your fingers until you create a breadcrumb texture. Add the 1tbsp of milk and 0.5tsp of vanilla extract. Knead into a firm dough.
What are Tea Biscuits called in England? ›
In Britain, what Americans refer to as “biscuits” are known as “scones.” British biscuits are actually what Americans call “cookies.” The term “biscuits” in the United Kingdom typically refers to sweet, crumbly, and sometimes buttery bakes treats, distinct from the soft, bread-like biscuits found in the United States.
Why are Tea Biscuits so dry? ›
Be sure to mix the dough just until it comes together and avoid kneading or overworking the dough. Overbaking: Biscuits can become dry and hard if they are overbaked. Follow the baking instructions on the store-bought mix and be sure to check the biscuits a few min.
What type of flour makes the best biscuits? ›
White wheat in general is around 9-12% protein, while the hard reds are 11-15%. As far as brands of flour, White Lily “all-purpose” flour has been my go-to for biscuit making. It's a soft red winter wheat, and the low protein and low gluten content keep biscuits from becoming too dense.
What is the best type of flour to use for biscuits? ›
Cake flour will give you a lighter, fluffier biscuit, but the outer crust won't have as much bite to it. Conversely, all-purpose flour will provide more bite, but it'll be a drier, less airy biscuit. The solution: Use half cake flour and half all-purpose flour.
What kind of flour is best for biscuits? ›
Self-rising flour is great for biscuits for a number of reasons: It's often made with soft (low protein) Southern wheat. Look for White Lily or Martha White flours. I haven't tried King Arthur self-rising flour but their products are usually excellent.
What is the American equivalent of rich tea biscuits? ›
Rich Tea Classic
Description: A plain cracker. American equivalent: A Saltine without the salt. My thoughts: If you tap one of these biscuits against the table, it makes a hollow knocking noise like a piece of plywood. I feel like that's everything you need to know about these.
That slightly bitter, kinda “tinny” flavor you often experience when biting into a muffin, biscuit or scone is the result of using a baking powder in high quantities — as is needed for these quick-rise treats — with aluminum in it.
How unhealthy are rich tea biscuits? ›
A good old-fashioned rich tea is a healthier choice as they're low in sugar and saturated fat. This is because, unlike most biscuits, they are made with vegetable oils rather than butter. Nairn's biscuits are low in saturated fat and sugar, and are a source of fibre thanks to the oat base.
Why do you put cream of tartar in tea biscuits? ›
As the biscuits rise, the carbon dioxide gas expands, creating pressure on the dough. This pressure can cause the dough to collapse without proper support. Cream of Tartar helps stabilize the dough structure, ensuring the biscuits maintain their shape and rise uniformly.
What does cream of tartar do in biscuits? ›
In the presence of a liquid, the acidity of the cream of tartar activates the baking soda, causing it to start bubbling away, and that, in turn, is what makes the biscuits rise.
Who makes Aldi rich tea biscuits? ›
Specifications
| Ingredients | 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫, Sugar, Palm Oil, Invert Sugar Syrup, Raising Agents: Sodium Carbonates, Ammonium Carbonates; Salt. |
|---|
| Legal name | Rich Tea Biscuits |
| Brand name | Belmont |
| Manufacturer | Specially Produced for Aldi Stores Ltd., PO Box 26, Atherstone, Warwickshire, CV9 2SH |
| Maximum purchase quantity | 15 |
6 more rowsAs their name suggests, rich tea biscuits are designed to work well with tea. They have a mild taste and nice consistency that enables them to snap without becoming too soft when they are exposed to tea.
What do Tea Biscuits taste like? ›
These are delicious, light cookies with a hint of vanilla. Crunchy,with many layers, they satisfy our taste buds by themselves and with just a few calories. They are also a sophisticated addition to a dessert of ice cream, pudding, or fruit.
What is a tea biscuit made of? ›
Traditionally, these digestive aid biscuits were made with whole grain flour, vegetable oil, baking soda, sugar, and malt extract. While this recipe has certainly stood the test of time, I'm a firm believer that every baked good tastes better with butter, so I substitute it for the vegetable oil.
What is a plain tea biscuit? ›
The humble, plain tea biscuit is usually made up of only a handful of simple ingredients. This uncomplicated treat is often overlooked in favour of its glamorous cousins filled with jams and creams and doused in chocolate.
