Join our newsletter and get 15% off your first order.
Blogs

Gaby's Bakery - Bath Oliver Biscuits

January 01, 2019

Gaby's Bakery - Bath Oliver Biscuits

The secret Bath Oliver recipe goes back 250 years to a venerable physician Dr William Oliver. He invented this popular Regency diet biscuit to help sustain his patients while he treated them for stomach ailments. The very name seems to evoke a bygone gentility, but sadly, United Biscuits, who owns the brand have stopped production.

Perhaps the quietly refined taste and texture could no longer compete with the onslaught of razzmatazzy new biscuits for cheese, that need a field of dry herbs and spices ploughed into the mix to make them marketable. Amongst all the biscuits for cheese it was the one that seemed the most unique, so I’m surprised a culinary cultural icon like this can just disappear.

Here’s a version of the recipe you might like to try. Slightly less brittle, more meltingly chewable according to Michael who said he preferred it to the original.

Bath Oliver Biscuit


Ingredients:
400g plain flour
100g unsalted butter (cold, cubed)
110-120ml tepid water or milk
½ tsp quick yeast
½ tsp sugar
½ tsp salt

Method:
In a jug, add the yeast and sugar to the water and mix to dissolve.

In a large bowl, place the flour and salt and with your fingertips rub the butter in until you have a breadcrumb like texture. Make a well in the middle, add the yeast mixture and mix until ingredients come together to form a dough, then knead it lightly.

Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with oiled clingfilm and place in a warm place to rise (prove) for an hour and a half.

Knead again for a few mins and leave to rise (as before) for half an hour.

Place on a lightly floured work surface and roll out to a thickness of 1cm, then use a 12cm round cookie cutter to make 24 biscuits. Place on a lined baking tray and prick them all over with as fork. Leave again to rest for half an hour.

Preheat oven to 180⁰C (fan). Place in the oven and bake for 15 mins, or until they are lightly golden. Take out the oven and allow to cool.

 Gaby Van Clarke



Also in Blogs

What’s Hot for Summer 2026 by Lamphane
What’s Hot for Summer 2026 by Lamphane

June 12, 2026

For a long time, the ‘Butterfly’ haircut reigned as the most requested style. But in 2025 and the early months of 2026, ‘Bobs’ took over, and we loved seeing Lily Collins, Ji-young Yoo and Kathy Bates embrace different versions of the trend. From French bobs to blunt cuts and box bobs, each of them wore the style beautifully.

Continue Reading

Gaby's Bakery - Gluten Free Peach & Olive Oil Cake
Gaby's Bakery - Gluten Free Peach & Olive Oil Cake

June 12, 2026

“The pictures are a bit boring but the cake is nice.” I said to Michael as he advanced to taste it. “Wow! That’s fantastic." He replied. "The perfect balance of lightness, moistness and crumb. The sweet peach plays nicely off the

Continue Reading

Myths & Misunderstandings - Can I over-protein my hair?
Myths & Misunderstandings - Can I over-protein my hair?

June 11, 2026

 

Healthy hair is essentially 97% protein and 3% water. The protein provides the structural strength, the water gives flexibility and shine. Hair cannot be overloaded with protein but it can become so dehydrated with heat styling, colouring, and siliconised hair products that you end up losing the 3% water of fresh root hair, and then what is left of the shrunken hair towards the ends is 100% protein and too porous to hold moisture.

Continue Reading

Subscribe