Preheat the oven to 180°C /fan 160°C/ gas 4. Lightly butter the baking trays. Measure the butter into a bowl and beat to soften. Gradually beat in the sugar and then the flour. Bring the mixture together with your hands to form a dough. Form the dough into 16 balls about the size of a walnut and place spaced well apart on the prepared baking trays. Dip a fork in a little water and use this to flatten the biscuits. Bake in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes until a very pale golden. Lift off the baking tray and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. To make Chocolate Fork Biscuits, follow the recipe above, but use only 120g (4½oz) self-raising flour along with 15g (½oz) cocoa powder. Bake until browned.

To make Orange or Lemon Fork Biscuits, follow the recipe above but add the grated zest of 1 small orange or lemon when you beat in the caster sugar. Bake until very pale golden.