Recipes for Tararua Biscuits
All of the recipes make about 30 biscuits per batch. For the blokes in particular, the consistency for all the recipes, before baking, should be the same as mixing concrete, that is. not too runny. To harden your biscuits leave them on the tray in the oven after you have switched the oven off. I find cutting the biscuits after they have finished baking, but before they cool down, to be the best.
Recipe 1
| Coarse creamota or oatmeal | 4 oz (100 g) |
| White flour | 8 oz (200 g) |
| Butter | 6 oz (150 g) |
| Sugar | 5 oz (125 g) |
| Salt | 1/3 teaspoon |
| Malt extract or golden syrup | 1 tablespoon |
Melt butter with the syrup and rub into flour, oatmeal, sugar, and salt. Add water, a little at a time sufficient to make softish dough. Roll out and shape into biscuits. Bake in a moderate oven at about 350 degress F (180 degrees C) for 20-30 min until golden brown.
Recipe 2
| Butter | 6 oz (150 g) |
| Malt | 2 tablespoons |
| Baking soda | 1 teaspoon |
| Flour | 1 breakfast cup |
| Rolled oats | 1 breakfast cup |
| Oatmeal | 1/2 breakfast cup |
| Sugar | 1 breakfast cup |
| Salt | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Mixed fruit and currants |
Melt together butter and malt. Add baking soda. Then add rest of ingredients. Press mixture into 2 Swiss roll tins. Bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 30 minutes. Cut while hot, but leave in tins to cool. You can add coconut and you may omit sugar for a true Tararua biscuit.
Recipe 3
| Fine ground wholemeal flour | 1 lb (500 g) |
| Butter | 1/2 lb (250 g) |
| Honey | 1/2 lb (250 g) |
Melt butter and honey together and mix in flour to give a pastry consistency. Bake slowly for 1/2 hr until golden brown after cutting biscuits into shapes. Nuts and raisins may be added.
Recipe 4
| Brown sugar | 6 oz (150 g) |
| Butter | 4 oz (100 g) |
| Milk | 1/8 pint (75 ml) |
| Wholemeal flour | 12 oz (300 g) |
| Baking powder | 1 tablespoon |
| Rolled oats | 6 oz (150 g) |
| Creamota | 2 oz (50 g) |
| Dates, ginger, spices |
Cream brown sugar and butter together. Add 1 egg and 1/8 of pint of milk. Sieve together and add the rest of the ingredients into the above. Mix thoroughly and knead until solid. Roll flat and cut into shape for convenient packing about 2 1/4" x 2 1/4" x 3/8". Bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 45 to 60 minutes until golden brown.