Digestive Biscuits

from ButterYum

makes 24 cookies

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup wheat bran (see substitutions below)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/8 teaspoon fine salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed

1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

5 tablespoons light brown sugar

3 tablespoons half and half

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flours, wheat bran, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt until combined. Add butter, shortening, and brown sugar; pulse until combined. Add half and half and vanilla; pulse until combined. Press dough into a ball and wrap well with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.

To bake, preheat oven to 350F. Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness between two sheets of wax paper (use 1/8-inch dowels as a guide). Cut cookies using 2 1/2-inch round cutter. Prick the cookie cutouts evenly with a fork or skewer. Slide the wax paper onto a sheet pan and chill for a few minutes before transferring cutouts to a silicone or parchment lined sheet pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely on a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.

Note: ground bran cereal, wheat germ, oat bran, ground flax seeds, or any combination thereof, can be used as a substitution for the wheat bran.

recipe adapted from Serena Weber