VegetarianNorth West English cuisine Baking

Goosnargh Cakes

Name: Goosnargh Cakes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: North West English
Ingredients: 175 g Unsalted butter; 85 g caster sugar; 225 g Plain flour; 25 g cornflour; 1 tsp Caraway seeds; 0.5 tsp ground coriander; 0.25 tsp Fine sea salt; 2 tbsp caster sugar

These buttery, pale Lancashire biscuits are delicately spiced with whole caraway seeds and ground coriander, finished with a generous dusting of sugar.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· North West England

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 45 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 255 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

175 g Unsalted butter — softened at room temperature
85 g caster sugar — plus extra for dusting
225 g Plain flour — plus extra for dusting the worktop
25 g cornflour — for a delicate, crumbly texture
1 tsp Caraway seeds — whole seeds
½ tsp ground coriander — finely ground
¼ tsp Fine sea salt — enhances the buttery flavour
2 tbsp caster sugar — for sprinkling after baking

Equipment

•Baking tray
•Greaseproof paper
•Mixing bowl
•Rolling pin
•7cm round cutter

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 255 kcal
fat: 13.5 g
carbs: 31 g
fibre: 1.2 g
protein: 2.5 g
calories: 255 kcal

Instructions

1
Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper.
2
Preheat your fan oven to 140°C (160°C conventional).
3
Beat the softened butter and caster sugar together in a mixing bowl until pale and creamy.
4
Sift the plain flour, cornflour, ground coriander, and fine sea salt into the bowl.
5
Add the whole caraway seeds to the mixture.
6
Stir the ingredients together until a soft dough forms, bringing it gently together with your hands.
7
Lightly dust your work surface with plain flour and roll the dough to 1cm thickness.
8
Cut rounds with a 7cm fluted or plain biscuit cutter and transfer them onto the baking tray.
9
Re-roll any dough trimmings once to cut the remaining biscuits.
10
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until firm to the touch but still very pale.
11
Sprinkle the warm biscuits generously with the extra caster sugar immediately upon removal from the oven.
12
Leave on the tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chef's tips

Do not allow the cakes to brown; Goosnargh cakes are traditionally baked very gently to remain pale. If the dough feels too soft to roll cleanly, chill it in the fridge for 15 minutes before cutting.

Ingredient substitutions

cornflour → rice flour for a traditional sandy crunch
unsalted butter → salted butter, omitting the additional fine sea salt

Storage

Store in an airtight tin lined with greaseproof paper for up to two weeks.

Reheating

These biscuits are best enjoyed cold at room temperature without reheating.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Baking at too high a temperature which causes browning
•Rolling the dough too thinly, losing the characteristic thick, crumbly bite
•Overworking the dough, resulting in a tough rather than short texture

Serving suggestions

Serve with a freshly brewed pot of Lancashire teaPair with a slice of creamy Lancashire cheese for a savoury contrastEnjoy alongside poached orchard fruit or berries