Arnott’s releases secret biscuit recipes

Baking is good for the soul. And during a pandemic, it’s also a great way to spend some quality time at home. Consumer research has found that home baking product sales have risen dramatically, as people with more time on their hands rediscover the joys of getting into the kitchen and covering those hands in flour and sugar. Now Australia’s largest biscuit producer has decided to get in on the act, opening its secret vault and sharing its biscuit recipes with the public. Arnott’s Big Recipe Release will be sharing several recipes every week to give inspiration to bakers stuck at home in lockdown.

The first recipe Arnott’s released was the classic Monte Carlo – that delicious cream biscuit with the chewy jam. Next up, the timeless Scotch Finger biscuit, which one in four people voted for in an online poll, choosing the buttery shortbread over the Tim Tam, the Kingston and even the one and only Iced VoVo.

Arnott’s Master Baker Vanessa Horton has adapted the “secret” Scotch Finger recipe for one that pretty much any home baker can make with ingredients from their pantry. While it’s not an exact replica, the recipe does give you an option of imprinting your own word onto the biscuit, just like the Arnott’s version*.

“With only four ingredients, this recipe is an easy way to get that classic shortbread biscuit using items that most people have in their pantries,” Horton says. “It’s a delicious biscuit recipe that will fill your kitchen with the smell of home-cooked goodness.”

Scotch finger biscuits

(inspired by Arnott’s Scotch Finger and adapted for home bakers)

Makes 16
Prep time 10 minutes
Cooking time 25 minutes

You’ll need:

170g salted butter, softened
⅔ cup soft icing sugar
1 cup plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease a 30cm x 20cm rectangular slice pan and line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 2cm above edge of pan.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and icing sugar for 2 minutes or until pale and creamy. Sift the flour and baking powder over the butter mixture and mix on low speed or with your hands until combined.

3. Press mixture into slice pan and smooth over with a pallet knife. Bake for 25 minutes.

4. Remove from oven and, using a small sharp knife, immediately slice into rectangular pieces 5cm crossways x 7.5cm lengthways. Then run the knife gently halfway into the shortbread pieces, not touching the bottom, to make the finger indent. Let the biscuit cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

5. Trim edges, if desired, before serving.

*If you’d like to imprint “SCOTCH”, another word or your name into the biscuit, this should be done at step 4, before the biscuit cools.