Custard Powder as a main ingredient in biscuit recipe - help needed?

[taliac]

So, I've got my brand new "Essential Baking Cookbook" full of lovely looking recipes. I turn to the biscuits section - the reason I got it really - and see that all their "basic" biscuit recipes include Custard Powder. This seems a bit mad to me - any thoughts? And what exactly is Custard Powder made of anyway?? All I can find on the internet is a reference to cornflour.. Is it all additives etc as instinct says it surely must be?? Shall I send the damn cookbook back?

Questions questions.

I think it's mainly cornflour, milk proteins, sugar, and some vanilla flavour, maybe with dried eggs. Since most of these are just dried forms of what you'd use in bicuits/cakes anyway I can't see that it would be a problem!

thanks shrooms.. I just associated it with the bright yellow gunk that we were served at school when I was a kid I think!

Just checked the Birds Custard Powder in my cupboard and the ingredients are:

Cornflour
Salt
Colour (amaretto - I think it said)
Flavouring (vanilla)

In that order

I can't say I'd make biscuits with it (too much salt?) but they might be nice!

mmm custardy biscuits

any chance of you typing a recipe out on here...?

Do you think the colouring might be annatto? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annatto

Well.. The basic biscuit recipe is as follows:

Makes about 30 biscuits
Line 2 trays with baking paper, preheat oven to hot (210C, 190C for a fan oven)
Cream 125g butter with 125g caster sugar. Add 60ml milk and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence and beat until combined. Add 185g self raising flour, and 60g custard powder and mix to a soft dough. Roll level teaspoons into balls and place on the trays leaving 5cm between balls. Flatten the balls lightly then press with a fork - they should be around 5cm in diameter. Bake for 15-18 minutes until lightly golden.

Looks like the author is Australian, wonder if custard powder is a more usual ingredient there??

I'm going to give it a try at the weekend..

yes - annatto (didn't pay much attention before!)

Sounds nice really - looks good

thanks taliac