They’re buttery and sweet like all shortbreads. But a special ingredient adds that extra “melt-in-your-mouth” appeal to YoYo Biscuits. It also gives them their gorgeous golden appearance.
Recipes for YoYo Biscuits started appearing in Australian newspapers in the 1930s – about the same time that the toy “yoyo” started gaining in popularity.
Similar to Melting Moments, their simplicity and texture is a big part of their continued popularity both in Australia and New Zealand.
But it’s that ingredient you don’t usually find in shortbread biscuits that makes YoYo’s so special.
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Ingredient notes
Custard powder is the special ingredient that adds the magic to these old-fashioned biscuits. This recipe calls for custard powder in both the biscuits and the cream filling.
You’ll also need the following ingredients:
- butter
- plain/all purpose flour
- icing sugar
- vanilla extract
- lemon juice.
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient quantities.
How to make YoYo Biscuits
You can make these biscuits in well under an hour. You’ll end up with 16 individual biscuits or 8 biscuits sandwiched together with creamy custard filling (to resemble a toy “yoyo”).
Prepping
Start by pre-heating your oven to 180 degrees celsius/355 degrees fahrenheit (fan forced).
Prepare two baking trays by greasing lightly with butter and lining with baking paper.
Making the biscuits
Beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract together until the mixture reaches a pale colour (see images 1 and 2).
Stir in the sifted custard powder and flour using a butter knife or spatula (see images 3 and 4).
Next, flour your hands by sprinkling a small amount of flour onto your palms and then rubbing your hands together so they are lightly covered in flour. With floured hands, roll the mixture into small balls (about 1 tablespoon full) (see image 5).
TIP: Weigh the balls using kitchen scales to ensure they are all the same size – they should be 20 grams each.
Place the balls onto prepared baking trays, leaving room for biscuits to spread a little.
Using a floured fork, flatten each ball slightly. The resulting fork pattern on the top of each biscuit one of the trademarks of these biscuits (see image 6).
Bake the biscuits for 15 minutes or until they are are firm to touch.
Allow to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
The filling
Once the biscuits are completely cooled, start making the filling.
Simply beat all the ingredients together until the mixture is soft and fluffy (see image 7).
Spoon about a tablespoon of filling mixture on the flat side of one biscuit and sandwich another on the top, flat side down (see image 8). Gently squeeze together until the filling reaches the edges of the biscuit (see image 8).
Tips and variation ideas
- Let the butter soften out of fridge for about half an hour before starting the recipe.
- Don’t skip the sifting step – sift the flour and custard powder together
- Remember to flour your hands when rolling the balls and the fork before pressing into the top of the biscuit
- Let the biscuits cool completely before attempting to fill otherwise the filling may melt
- If your biscuits spread and don’t retain the fork mark, either your oven is a little too hot or you need to add a little more flour to the mixture next time.
- You can change up the filling by using chocolate cream cheese or the passionfruit buttercream I use in my Passionfruit Melting Moments recipe.
Storage
Once filled, YoYos should last a few days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge or a cool place. Unfilled, they should last a week and don’t need to be stored in the fridge.
You can also freeze these biscuits for up to three months in an airtight container.
More beautiful biscuits
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
YoYo Biscuits
A melt-in-your-mouth experience that is both nostalgic and indulgent. YoYo’s are crumbly, buttery snd smooth.
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InstructionsÂ
Biscuits
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Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees celsius/355 degrees fahrenheit (fan forced).
-
Prepare two baking trays by greasing lightly and lining with baking paper.
-
Beat butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract together until the mixture reaches a pale colour.
-
Stir in sifted custard powder and flour using a butter knife or spatula.
-
Using floured hands, roll mixture into small balls (about 1 tablespoon full or 20 grams).
-
Place balls onto prepared baking trays, leaving room for biscuits to spread a little.
-
Flatten each ball slightly using a floured fork (making a fork pattern on the top of each biscuit).
-
Bake for 15 minutes or until the biscuits are firm to touch.
-
Allow to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Filling
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Once biscuits are completely cooled, make the filling.
-
Beat all ingredients together until the mixture is soft and fluffy.
-
Spoon about a tablespoon of filling mixture on the flat side of one biscuit and sandwich another on the top, flat side down. Gently squeeze together until the filling reaches the edges of the biscuit.
Nutrition
Calories: 144kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 1gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 80mgPotassium: 18mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 300IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.1mg