Bath Oliver Biscuit Recipe

Edible Gifts Series

Episode 3 

After a very relaxing and enjoyable trip to Bath i stumbled across this recipe in the medical museum. I've enjoyed the shop bought version before but never thought to make them.

The ingredients were selected by Dr. Oliver to create '…the only biscuit that is fermented, and on that account is good for invalids suffering from acidity of the stomach, for which yeast is a corrective."

Georgians would eat these biscuits, along with drinking the Roman Bath mineral water, for a cure to many ailments. With 43 minerals in the water and a fairly bland cracker, it would have acted as a sort of detox during an era of rich diets.

Recipe (makes approx 24)

2 tbsp water
1 tsp dried yeast
50 grams butter or cooking margarine or olive oil
150 grams skimmed milk or plant based milk
1/2 tsp salt
340 grams plain flour
Sea salt to sprinkle on top
Caraway seeds or any seed of your choice

Method

1. Combine the yeast and water and set aside for 10 minutes to bloom.

1. Gently heat the milk and butter together over a low heat, just warm enough to melt the butter.
2. Combine the yeast and liquid in a bowl and add half the flour.Mix to a smooth paste, cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.
3. Combine the yeasted mixture with the remaining flour and salt to form a ball of dough.
4. Knead the dough until smooth, allowing it to rest now and then.
5. Place into a clean bowl and cover tightly, allow it to rest for about 30 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 160ºC, and set up a rack in the top third and another in the lower third.
7. Roll out the dough into a rectangle about 2cm thick.
8. Fold into thirds and roll back out, repeat this 6 times. You will need to rest the dough every 2–3 folds as it will start to shrink and tighten up.
9. Roll the dough out to 5mm thick, dock the pastry all over, then using a cutter press out large circles.
10. Arrange on lined trays, brush the rounds with a little water and sprinkle over some sea salt.
11. Bake for 25 minutes, swap the trays over halfway through, until golden and crisp, this may take a little longer sometimes.
12. When cooked move the biscuits to a cooling rack and then store in an airtight container.