The original recipe for these delicious, crunchy, gluten free chocolate biscuits came from Rachel Cooke’s wonderful book Kitchen Person (Notes on Cooking & Eating). The book was a present from my brother and is now one of my MANY treasured possessions.
Within Kitchen Person, Rachel shares her Granny Godson’s recipe for chocolate biscuits. It’s a delightful simple recipe, and upon reading I knew that one day I’d have to make a gluten free version.
I’m thrilled to say that my gluten free version of Rachel’s granny’s biscuits turned out an absolute treat. I made a few tweaks, in addition to making them gluten free – such as switching from margarine to butter and adding a touch more cocoa powder, for a more intense chocolatey flavour.
I feel privileged and humbled to be able to share a recipe that meant so much to Rachel. And it’s lovely to know that the chocolate biscuits were something she loved to eat.
Hope my gluten free variation of these lovely biscuits become to be a family favourite in your house!
Ingredients (makes about 16)
175g (6oz) softened butter (I used salted butter, but unsalted would be OK, just add a pinch of salt)
110g (4oz) light brown muscovado sugar
1 teaspoon *vanilla extract
225g (8oz) gluten free self-raising flour (add ¼ teaspoon of xanthan gum if the flour doesn’t already contain this or guar gum.
25g (1oz) really good quality *cocoa powder (I’m smitten with Food Thoughts organic cocoa powder)
50g (2oz) gluten free cornflakes, crushed (I used my hands to crush, but a better idea would be to either give them a very quick whizz in a food processor, or a gentle bash with a rolling pin)
100g (3½oz) *chocolate of your choice, to melt and drizzle or spread over the finished biscuit (I like the intensity of M&S 70% cocoa)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/350C/Gas 4/160C Fan.
Prepare three large flat baking trays, by lining with baking paper, if not non-stick. If you’ve only one baking tray, bake the biscuits on repeat.
In a large mixing bowl cream together the softened butter, sugar and vanilla extract. I used an electric hand mixer for this, but a large spoon would work if you don’t have one.
Sieve the gluten free flour and cocoa powder into another bowl. Add the crushed cornflakes and stir until evenly blended.
Add these dry ingredients to the butter and sugar and mix well with a fork or large spoon. Once the biscuit dough starts coming together get your hands in to gather everything up into one large ball.
Break off small pieces of dough and roll into balls and place onto the baking trays. The biscuits won’t spread much, but give them plenty of wiggle room just in case.
Press a fork onto each biscuit to slightly flatten. Should the fork stick, dip it into a drop of water.
Pop the biscuits into the oven and bake for approximately 17 minutes or until they look as they do here. Be prepared for the delicious chocolate aroma to fill your kitchen as these biscuits bake!!
Remove from the oven and leave to cool for around 15 minutes on the tray, and then using a palette or round bladed knife, gently transfer them onto cooling rack to cool completely.
Whilst the biscuits are cooling, break up the chocolate and place it into a heatproof bowl and nestle it over a pan of simmering water to slowly melt the chocolate. Once melted carefully remove the bowl from the pan… do watch out for the pesky steam as you lift the bowl off!
Now it’s up to you how you’d like to decorate your biscuits. I went for a fine chocolate drizzle (I used a piping bag with the end snipped off) over the top. But you may prefer to fully dunk yours in chocolate instead.
Leave the chocolate to fully set before squirrelling your yummy gluten free chocolate biscuits into an airtight container. In readiness to grab and enjoy one with a nice hot cuppa, as and when you fancy!
Recipe notes and suggestions
These biscuits should be good to go for 4-5 days when stored in an airtight container and in a cool spot. Not in the fridge.
Should you be unable to get your hands on gluten free self-raising flour, then gluten free plain/all purpose flour will do fine, Just add a teaspoon of gluten free baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of xanthan gum if the flour doesn’t already contain this or guar gum.
My gluten free variation of Rachel’s granny’s chocolate biscuits, is dedicated to Rachel Cooke, in her memory.
For now,
Liz x
*Check this product to ensure that there are no gluten containing ingredients, ‘may contain’ or ‘not suitable’ for a coeliac/gluten free diet warnings on the pack.
