Cookie Magic!

Jammy Splodgers

There have been so many good new cookbooks coming out lately, I’m trying hard to work my way through my to-read pile. Don’t get me wrong, I love cookbooks (no surprise there then…), but of late my pile is so high and I just can’t seem to get to the bottom of it. Please tell me it’s not just me!

Mildon Flapjacks

Anyhow a few weeks ago after some internet bookshop surfing I came across and bought Cookie Magic by Kate Shirazi, a follow up to her Cupcake Magic. It’s a lovely little book, with a donation going to the Battery Hen Welfare Trust, and I do think that if I can donate to them by buying the book and have a gorgeous cookie book it’s got to be a good thing. Don’t let its size fool you, it’s a treasure trove to be sure. I have a number of cookie cookbooks, and this one falls into the use-me type. I would absolutely have bought this for the children chapter alone. It contains a number of home-made versions of bought biscuits such as jammy spoldgers and party rings the pictures just look so fabulous! Though if you don’t have little ones to feed there is a lot more in there for adults and children alike. My only irk with this book is the recipes all say "makes one batch" maybe it’s just me but I like to know a rough guide of how many delectable cookies I am likely to end up with. That aside it’s a prefect little cookie book.

Oo-oo Biscuits

Anyhow, normally I make chocolate biscuits first from cookie books, but I gave up cooking with chocolate during lent, so had to look at other first-bakes, and what a first bake they were. The Jammy Splodgers were delicious, and very pretty indeed. I followed this up with Mildon Flapjacks, which I’ve baked again since, we have a flapjack monster in our house (you know who you are sweetie!) and these had just the right crispy edges and slightly chewy insides. Then there was Oo-oo Biscuits, cinnamon, pecan swirls, crisp and yummy, then once lent had ended Chocolate Orange Biscuits a la Terry, these when they have been just baked, and let cook a little (say half an hour), but still squidgy inside were a chocoholics delight. When they are cold they are hard-ish cookies, still good but good in a different way.

Chocolate Orange Biscuits a la Terry

Next I have my sights set on cheddar and thyme savoury cookies and white chocolate and cardamon cookies, watch this space!

Chocolate Orange Biscuits a la Terry
From Cookie Magic by Kate Shirazi published by Pavillion in 2009
Makes 1 batch

125g butter, softened
200g caster sugar
1 free range egg
finely grated zest 1 large orange
225g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 table spoons cocoa powder
175g Terry’s Chocolate Orange, in gravel sized chunks

Preheat the oven to 190/375/gas mark 5 and line 2 baking sheets with silicone liners
Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add egg and orange zest and beat well. Sift over the flour, baking powder and cocoa and mix well. Lastly mix in the chocolate orange chunks. Form into balls and bake for about 15 minutes.

My note: my balls were like large walnuts in size.