Scottish Cookies

A number of my stories are set in Scotland and I've been researching specific Scottish recipes, especially cookies—or what we in the UK call biscuits—and trying them out.

The obvious first choice was Scottish shortbread that I made a few weeks ago. I'm not a great cook or baker, or I don't think I am, anyway. But these shortbread fingers did turn out rather well. So well I ate too many and felt rather queasy. (The downside of baking cookies!)

I made them into a dessert with whipped cream and strawberries on top (which didn't help with the queasiness) and the whole family enjoyed them.

The next recipe I tried was something called Scottish Parliament Cakes or Scottish Parlies. Despite the name, they are definitely biscuits and not cakes.

I followed the recipe, which was very easy, and had a wonderful surprise. My mother used to make sublime ginger biscuits when I was a child and I've never had them since. As I followed the recipe to make Scottish Parlies, it seemed familiar. It turns out I'd discovered the recipe for my mother's wonderful ginger biscuits. She is part Scottish, so I can only assume she learned the recipe from her mother.

I had to give away most of the Parlies as they were so moreish I was in danger of adding a few pounds to my waistline.

For all you cookie lovers, here is the recipe to try.

Traditional Scottish Parlies

(Scottish Parliament Cakes)

8 oz plain flour

4 oz butter

2 oz caster sugar

1 egg

2 Tbsp golden syrup or treacle (molasses)

2 tsp ground ginger

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Sieve the flour, sugar and ground ginger together into a bowl.

3. In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the golden syrup or treacle. Bring to the boil, stirring continuously.

4. Turn off the heat and add the flour, sugar and ground ginger to the saucepan, a little at a time, mixing well with a wooden spoon. When half the dry ingredients have been blended with the butter and golden syrup, add the egg and mix well before adding the rest of the dry ingredients.

5. Drop dessertspoonfuls of the mixture onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool.

6. Will keep for a week in an airtight container.

Helen lives in South West England near Plymouth in Devon between the windswept expanse of Dartmoor and the rocky Atlantic coast. As well as her wonderful, long-suffering husband, she shares her home with a Westie a Shih Tzu and a burmilla cat. Helen's latest book is a prequel to  the Army Doctor's series, The Army Doctor's Forever Baby. Find Helen on FaceBook and Twitter, or visit her website.