Afternoon Ruby Tea Biscuits

  

One of my favorite stories from my childhood has to be Anne of Green Gables.  I just adore this wonderful little girl  created by Lucy Maud Montgomery.  She is feisty and full of character and full of love.  

I think she reminded me a bit of myself.  I was also born on Prince Edward Island not far from the Green Gables homestead.   

 

 

We moved away from the Island when I was about 18 months old and so the only way I could know the Island was largely through the books by Lucy Maud Montgomery and Anne.  

To a little girl with a vivid imagination who loved to read, the book opened up a whole new world to me, and one which I had a connection with in many ways.

As an adult I have visited PEI many times. My middle son lives there and my ex husband's family was from there so we often went to visit the in-laws. My son married a PEI girl.

 

The recipe which I am sharing today for Afternoon Ruby Tea Biscuits comes from the cookbook entitled, The Anne of Green Gables Cookbook, charming recipes from Anne and Her Friends in Avonlea by Kate MacDonald and LM Montgomery.

As soon as I saw this book I wanted to buy it.  As a child, I often noted the foods mentioned in the Green Gables book and used to dream about what they might taste like.  

 

They had such fanciful names . . .  Raspberry Cordial, Marilla's Plum Pudding,  Matthew's yummy Biscuit Sandwich, Orange Angel Cake.

I was a child who read voraciously and even then food interested me. I used to dream about Midnight feasts and picnics, cherry cakes, ginger beer (from the Enid Blyton Books), and the birthday cake that was made for the mother by the children in the Five Little Peppers and How They Grew.

 

"Mrs. Rachel and Marilla sat comfortably in the parlor while Anne got the tea and made hot biscuits that were light and white enough to defy even Mrs. Rachel's criticism." ~Chpt. XXX

How could I resist such a recipe as these Ruby Tea Biscuits.  Just the name was enough to intrigue me, and they sounded perfect to sit down and enjoy with an afternoon cup of hot herbal tea.

Do take note that these are not British Biscuits, but North American Biscuits. (In the UK a biscuit is a cookie, not a tea biscuit such as you see here.)

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE AFTERNOON RUBY TEA BISCUITS

Ordinary kitchen baking cupboard ingredients and some jam. 

• 2 cups (280g) plain all purpose flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 2 TBS sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup (48g) white vegetable shortening
• 1/4 cup (65g) butter
• 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
• 1/2 cup (160g) red jam or jelly

I took the liberty of adapting the recipe a bit.  I chose to use half butter and half shortening. I am trying not to use shortening these days if I can. I would have used all butter, but because I was making these for the first time, I used half and half.

I do think they would work well with all butter, and would be even richer.

In the UK vegetable shortening can be found in the chiller cabinet. The brand I used to use was called TREX.

 

HOW TO MAKE AFTERNOON RUBY TEA BISCUITS

These were very simple to make. I was a bit concerned that the ring tops would not adhere to the bottoms but they stuck beautifully without adding any water or egg to moisten the edges.  I dare say to do so would mean they did not rise as beautifully. 

Preheat the oven to 425*F/220*C/ gas mark 7. Line a large baking tray with some baking paper. Set aside.

Sift the flour and baking powder together into a bowl. Whisk in the sugar and salt.

Cut both fats into bits and drop them into the bowl. Cut them in using a pastry blender or two round bladed knives until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. 

Stir the milk in with a fork until you have a soft ball of dough. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly 10 to 12 times.

Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness using a lightly floured rolling pin.

Use a 2 1/2 inch round cutter, stamp out 24 rounds, trying to cut them as close together as possible. Use a sharp up and down motion and do not twist the dough. If you need to gather the scraps to roll out and cut out more rounds to make the 24 you have to do what you have to do. The second cuts will not be as nice for the first. (I suggest you use the second cuts as bottoms.)

Place half of the rounds (12) onto the baking sheet, leaving at least an inch in between each.

Using a 2 inch cutter, cut a two inch circle out of the middle of the remaining rounds. (Set these aside.) Place one of the rings on top of each of the 12 biscuits on the baking sheet. Spoon 1 tsp of jam into the center of each.

 

The rounds you cut out can be stacked together in pairs and baked separately as small biscuits. 

Bake all of the biscuits for 12 to 15 minutes until puffed up and golden brown. Leave to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Serve warm or cool. These are delicious.

 

Just look at how light and flaky these turned out!  They were beautiful and rich with the butter and the jam provided a lovely sweet touch.

I sat here with my cup of Orange & Honey  tea,  wishing I had some clotted cream to enjoy with them, but enjoying every mouthful regardless! 

 

Some other North American Biscuit Recipes you might enjoy are:

MILE HIGH GREEK YOGURT BISCUITS -   When it comes to flaky, biscuits don't get much flakier than these delicious morsels! 

CHEDDAR, BACON & CHIVE BISCUITS - Rich and flaky and filled with lots of tangy cheddar cheese, smoky bits of bacon and herby chives. 

EASY 7-UP BISCUITS - These are the BEST biscuits!  So easy to make and quick to make as well. Light and fluffy!

Afternoon Ruby Tea Biscuits

Yield: Makes 12 tea biscuits

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 35 Min

A delicious jam centered tea biscuit adapted from the Anne of Green Gables Cookbook by Kate MacDonald.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (280g) plain all purpose flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 2 TBS sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup (48g) white vegetable shortening
• 1/4 cup (65g) butter
• 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
• 1/2 cup (160g) red jam or jelly

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425*F/220*C/ gas mark 7. Line a large baking tray with some baking paper. Set aside.
2. Sift the flour and baking powder together into a bowl. Whisk in the sugar and salt.
3. Cut both fats into bits and drop them into the bowl. Cut them in using a pastry blender or two round bladed knives until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
4. Stir the milk in with a fork until you have a soft ball of dough.
5. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly 10 to 12 times.
6. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness using a lightly floured rolling pin.
7. Use a 2 1/2 inch round cutter, stamp out 24 rounds, trying to cut them as close together as possible. Use a sharp up and down motion and do not twist the dough. If you need to gather the scraps to roll out and cut out more rounds to make the 24 you have to do what you have to do. The second cuts will not be as nice for the first. (I suggest you use these as bottoms.)
8. Place half of the rounds (12) onto the baking sheet, leaving at least an inch in between each.
9. Using a 2 inch cutter, cut a two inch circle out of the middle of the remaining rounds. (Set these aside.) Place one of the rings on top of each of the 12 biscuits on the baking sheet. Spoon 1 tsp of jam into the center of each.
10. The rounds you cut out can be stacked together in pairs and baked separately as small biscuits.
11. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until puffed up and golden brown. Leave to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
12. Serve warm or cool. These are delicious.

Did you make this recipe?

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I think mine turned out pretty good as compared to the photograph in the book, don't you think?  I thought so, and they're really good too! 

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