These are very easy to make. The recipe makes quite a large quantity, about 40-60 depending on how big you make them! When I make these, I bake 1/3 of the mixture, and freeze 2/3 (divided into 2 packages).. If you don’t want many biscuits at a time, then bake 1/4 and freeze the rest divided  into 3 separate packages. You could just make half the quantity!

Ingredients

2 cups plain flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup oil (vegetable or sunflower)

1 cup soft brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 cups porridge oats

1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

How to make them

Preheat the oven to 350F/ 175 C/ 165 C Fan Oven/ Gas Mark 3

1. Put margarine, oil, brown sugar and white sugar in a bowl and beat until smooth.
2. Beat in eggs one at a time.
3. Gradually stir in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix until well blended.
4. Now mix in the porridge oats. The mixture will be fairly stiff by now.
5. Pull off small balls of dough and roll quickly between hands or scoop a large teaspoonful and scrape off onto baking tray with another spoon.
6. Place the balls of dough onto the lined baking tray. They will spread out flat as they bake, so don’t place too close together. You can gently flatten then a little with a fork if you like. Do not grease the tray if you haven’t got any lining paper or silicone sheet as there is enough fat in the biscuits already.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes in the oven until the edges are golden.
8. Allow to cool a little, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Tags: baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, chocolate chips, cookies, Cowboy, eggs, granulated sugar, margarine, oil, plain flour, porridge oats, salt, soft brown sugar
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This is very straightforward and easy to make and tastes just as good as the complicated versions. It can be made plain, or pineapple and nuts may be added.

Ingredients

150g plain flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

100g soft brown sugar

2 eggs

125 ml oil (vegetable or sunflower types, not olive oil)

1/2 zest of one lemon and 1/2 zest of one orange ( or just use one orange OR lemon)

100g carrots, finely grated

75g chopped walnuts if desired

110 g pineapple pieces, drained and finely chopped, if desired

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

60g butter at room temperature

25g icing sugar

125g cream cheese (like Philadelphia)

How to make it

Heat the oven to 150C / 130 C fan oven / Gas Mark 2. Line a cake tin about 20cm across or aBOUT 7″ square.

1. Sift flour, cinnamon, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda together and stir in the sugar.

2. Beat the eggs together with the oil and citrus zest.

3. Stir the carrots into the oil mixture.

4. Stir the carrot and oil mixture into the flour mixture and combine as evenly as possible.

5. Fold in the nuts and pineapple if used.

6. Spoon the mixture into the tin, level out the surface and bake for about 1 hour – 1 hr 20 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin.

To make the icing.

1. Beat together butter and icing sugar until soft.

2. Beat in the cream cheese.

3. If you have time chill the mixture in the fridge until it’s thick and spreadable, and then spread a thick layer on top of the cake.  If you are in a hurry you can just spread the icing straight on top of the cake, but it might be a little runny.

Tags: baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, butter, cake, carrot cake, carrots, cinnamon, cream cheese, eggs, icing sugar, lemon, orange, pineapple, plain flour, soft brown sugar, sunflower oil, wallnuts
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Makes about 36 cookies

Ingredients

2 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 cup soft brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

3 cups porridge oats

1 1/2 cups raisins or sultanas

How to make them

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butter, caster sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla essence. Start with a slow speed and gradually increase. Beat until mixture is light and fluffy and mixture lightens in colour.

Stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture until no flour is visible. Don’t overmix – just stop when the flour is mixwd in.

Now add oats and raisins and stir until mixed in.

Divide the mixture into 3 and form 2 parts into, wrap in clingfilm and freeze.

Using a cookie scoop (holds about 2 tablespoons dough), put scoopfuls on lightly greased baking sheet about 2″ apart. Or roll into balls.

Bake for 10 – 13 minutes at 350F until golden brown.

Cool on wire rack.

Store in airtight tin.

Tags: baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, butter, caster sugar, egg, plain flour, porridge oats, raisins, salt, soft brown sugar, vanilla essence
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Ingredients

4 oz margarine

4 oz sugar (brown or white)

12 oz mixed fruit (8 oz will be enough)

8 fl oz water

1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 level teaspoon mixed spice

2 beaten eggs

4 oz plain flour

4 oz self raising flour

Pinch salt

How to Make it

1. Set the oven to 350F, 180 C, 170C (fan oven), Gas Mark 4
2. Put margarine, sugar, mixed fruit, water, bicarbonate of soda and mixed spice into a large pan. Bring to the boil, stirring as the ingredients melt to blend gently together.
3. Once boiling, simmer for one minute.
4. Allow to cool while you prepare the tin:
5. Line a 7″ square or 8″ round tin.
6. When mixture has cooled a little, add the eggs, flour and salt and mix well. If you add the eggs while the mixture is really hot you’ll have scrambled eggs! Pour the mixture into the tin.
7. Bake in the centre of the oven for 1 – 1 1/4 hours. Test with a skewer to see if it comes out clean.

Tags: bicarbonate of soda, egg, margarine, mixed fruit, mixed spice, plain flour, salt, self raising flour, sugar
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