Recipe: Macroom Oatmeal Biscuits

Recipe by Myrtle Allen from Ballymaloe House, Co. Cork, Ireland

This is one of the simplest and best biscuit recipes ever. It was developed by Myrtle Allen of Ballymaloe House in Shanagarry, Co. Cork in Ireland for the Walton Mills oats from Macroom. The biscuits are outstanding on their own with afternoon tea, and equally excellent eaten with cheese. In truth they're just plain good pretty much any time. Thing is that you really have to use the Macroom oatmeal or the recipe just won't be the same. I prefer that they not be too sweet, but if you like you can add a bit more sugar.

Makes approximately two dozen biscuits.

• 3/4 cup Walton's Mill oatmeal from Macroom
    • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
    • 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons Irish butter--I prefer the unsalted, cultured Kerrygold butter from Ireland (in the silver foil)
    • A pinch of salt (or if you're using salted butter you can leave this out)
    • 1/4 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix together the oatmeal, salt and the flour. Cut in the butter and add the sugar. Knead the mixture to a pliable dough. Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness.

Cut the dough into rounds or rectangles, about two inches across. Place the biscuits on a floured baking sheet and bake for about 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned.