Best summer biscuit recipes - Telegraph 225g plain flour 25g demerara sugar Lightly grease three large baking trays. Put the softened butter and the lavender into a mixing bowl and beat together (this will obtain the maximum flavour from the lavender). Beat the caster sugar into the butter and lavender and then stir in the flour, bringing the mixture together with your hands and kneading lightly until smooth. Divide the mixture in half and roll out to form two sausage shapes 15cm (6in) long. Roll the biscuit "sausages" in the demerara sugar until evenly coated. Wrap in baking parchment or foil and chill until firm. Pre-heat the oven to 160C/Fan 140C/325F/Fan 275F/Gas 3. Cut each "sausage" into about 10 slices and put them on the prepared baking trays, allowing a little room for them to spread. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 mins, until the biscuits are pale golden brown at the edges. Lift them off the trays with a fish slice or palette knife and leave on a wire rack to cool completely. Extracted from "Mary Berry's Baking Bible" (BBC Books, £20) 125g flaked almonds, toasted, plus extra to finish 125g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 185g caster sugar 2 tbsp brandy 2 tbsp milk 200g plain flour 25g cornflour Icing sugar for dusting Blitz the 125g flaked almonds briefly in a food processor until coarsely ground. Cream the butter in a large bowl until pale, then slowly add the sugar, alternating with splashes of the brandy, and then the milk. Keep going until everything is well combined. Gently fold in the almonds, then sift over the flour and cornflour and mix gently. Use your hands to bring the mixture together into a dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 mins. Heat your oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3. Lightly butter two baking trays or line with baking parchment. Take teaspoonfuls of the chilled dough, shape into balls and put them on the trays. Flatten a little, allowing space between the biscuits for spreading. Top each biscuit with a couple of flaked almonds. Bake for 20 mins or until just firm to the touch. Leave on the trays for a few minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar before serving. Will keep in an airtight tin for three to four days. Extracted from "How To Bake" by Paul Hollywood (Bloomsbury, £20) Variety is the spice of life. This biscotto recipe can be adapted to feature virtually any combination of ingredients you can find in your larder, from fennel seed and pecan nut to crystallized ginger with nuggets of dark chocolate. To make the basic dough: beat together 2 whole eggs and 2 whites, 225g /8oz sugar and 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Add 450g/1lb plain flour, a teaspoon of baking powder and a pinch of salt and your choice of flavouring - 100g/3oz walnuts and a little fresh rosemary is a fine start. Mix to form a stiff dough and shape into four logs. Place on an oiled tray and bake for 15 minutes at 170C/325F. When cool, cut into inch thick diagonal slices and re-bake for 45 minutes at 130C/250F.