Berries and Cherries Biscuits/ Cookies

One thing that took getting used to when I moved over here to the UK was the fact that they call cookies biscuits . . .  whereas biscuits to me had always been a type of quick bread not dissimilar to a scone in many ways.   I still struggle with calling cookies biscuits . . .  but biscuit or cookie . . .  no matter the name, the fact remains that they are much beloved by most people.

 

I can't think of a glass of milk or a hot drink that doesn't taste better when accompanied with a good cookie!  I have my favourites as I am sure you also do.  I've never met a cookie that I didn't like!  Peanut butter are right up near the top of the list, but I have to confess . . .  of all my favourite cookies, oatmeal are the number one in my books!



These cookies/biscuits here today have it all . . .  nutty oats, wholesome whole wheat flour, a bit of spiciness from the cinnamon and scads of dried berries . . .  cherries, blueberries, cranberries . . .  for just the right touch of sweetness!

 

The recipe makes only fifteen large cookies . . .  which may not sound like a lot and it isn't, but once you taste how good these are, you will be glad there aren't more because you will be sorely tempted to scarf down the lot!  They are very moreish.



Very moreish indeed, but don't hold that against them.  These are bound to become favourites in your home also.  If you don't have dried blueberries or cherries or cranberries . . .  just use what you do have, even chopped dried apple or apricots or dates are good, as well as sultanas.   This cookie is guaranteed to become a firm family favourite.

 

*Berries and Cherries Biscuits/Cookies*

Makes about 15 good sized cookies

Printable Recipe  

Delicious fruit packed oaty soft cookies.   Easy to make and very moreish. 

60ml of sunflower oil (1/4 cup)

75g of butter, softened (6 TBS)

110g of soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)

1 large free range egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

100g of jumbo oats (3/4 cup)

150g of plain flour (1 cup )

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

75g of dried cranberries (1/2 cup)

75g of dried blueberries (1/2 cup)

75g of dried cherries (1/2 cup)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Line a baking sheet with baking paper.  Spray the paper with some nonstick cooking spray.

Cream together the oil, butter and sugar until well blended.  beat in the egg and vanilla.   Sift in the soda, baking powder and cinnamon.   Stir in the flour and oats, until well blended.  Drop by dessertspoonfuls onto the baking sheets leavign space between each.

Bake for 10 minutes until well risen and pale golden brown.  Allow to cool on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.  Store in an airtight container.

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Puffy Peanut Butter Cookies . . . the chewy ones.

I came across a peanut butter cookie recipe the other day that looked pretty good, on a blog called Julia's Album .  I like puffy peanut butter cookies.   I prefer my peanut butter cookies to be a bit soft and chewy rather than hard and crunchy.   These looked perfect and not only that, but her recipe only made between 12 and 15 cookies, which is just the perfect amount to have here in this house because we are only two.  People that is.

 

These turned out really nice.  Soft and puffy, with a nice crisp sugar coating on the outside which contrasted very well with the almost gooey insides.



If I had to try to describe the consistency of these cookies, I would say they are somewhere between a cake and a brownie.  Somewhat fudgy and quite moreish.



I'd go so far as to say it's a probably a good thing there are only 12 of them, because that limits the damage I can do with them.  ☺

 

*Puffy Peanut Butter Cookies*
Makes 12 

Printable Recipe  

Soft and puffy with a nice sugar crunch coating. 

45g of creamy peanut butter (1/4 cup)

2 TBS unsalted butter at room temperature

100g soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)

pinch of salt
1 medium free range egg

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

105g of plain flour, sifted (3/4 cup, do see note below)

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 TBS of granulated sugar for coating

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Line a large baking sheet with some parchment paper.  Set aside.  (alternately butter the pan well.)

Cream the butter and peanut butter together well with a wooden spoon, beating until smooth.  Beat in the brown sugar and salt.  Beat in the egg and vanilla.  Sift in the baking powder.  Gradually beat in the flour.   Shape into 12 equal sized balls, rolling them between your palms.  Put the granulated sugar into a bowl.  Drop each ball into sugar and roll it around to coat and then place on the baking sheet, leaving 2 inches in between each. 

Bake until the cookies are nicely puffed and beginning to brown around the edges.  The tops will look crackly.  This will take about 12 minutes.   Allow to sit on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes prior to lifting off to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.

Note:  To measure the flour.  Sift your flour well and then spoon it into the measuring cup.  Carefully remove any excess with a knife, sweeping it evenly across the top of the measuring cup without pressing down.



Allow me to have a bit of a moan here.   This is the peanut butter I used.  It's quite tasty actually.  Very peanutty.  My moan is about the shape of the jar . . .  those bulging shapes on the top and bottom of the jar make it damn near impossible to clear the peanut butter out of them.   I did manage to get it out of the top curve by using my finger (best tool ever invented) but my fingers were not long enough to reach the bottom . . .  and I could not get a rubber spatula to bend into the curve enough to scrape the peanut butter out.  Most annoying, which meant that probably about a quarter cup or so of the peanut butter in the jar went to waste.



I decided to give the jar to Mitzie  to clean out.  I figured she would enjoy the challenge, and she did, but even she couldn't get most of the peanut butter from that bottom bulge.  Sigh . . . 

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Strawberry Macaroon Slices

If you have a jar of jam in the cupboard you have the makings of quite a few things.  Delicious Cookies and Tarts . . . Muffins and Cakes  . . . and of course that favourite tea time treat . . . . Bread and Jam!  One of my favourite things to make is my Lemon and Jam Slices . . .  but I also love making these delicious Strawberry Macaroon Slices!



They have a rich and buttery cake/shortbread type of base  . . .  and everyone's favourite . . .  coconut macaroon topping . . .  with sweet strawberry jam baked into the centre.





Altogether they make for a most delightful teatime treat that everyone loves.  Perfect for Elevensies . . .  for wrapping up and sticking into lunch boxes . . .  enjoying during your afternoon break . . . afterschool with a nice cold glass of milk.  There is no time when they won't go down a real treat!



They're super easy to make and store well.  You can also freeze them if you don't think you can have them all eaten up within a few days.   Not a problem really . . .  as they probably won't last long enough . . .  but if you have any worries that they won't get eaten up right away, freeze away!



They are not the easiest things to photograph, but don't hold that against them.  I think you'll find that once baked these will be sure to become a family favourite!

 

*Strawberry Macaroon Slices*
Makes 16 servings

Printable Recipe 

A short cakey base, topped with strawberry jam and a sweet coconut macaroon topping!  What's not to like? 

90g butter, softened (6 1/4 TBS)

110g of golden caster sugar (1/2 cup)

1 large free range egg

100g of plain flour (2/3 cup)

35g of self raising flour (1/4 cup)

1 TBS Birds Custard Powder (you can use 1 TBS vanilla pudding mix, but not the instant one, use the one you have to cook)

1/2 jar of strawberry jam loosened with a fork (a generous 1/2 cup) 

For the topping:

2 large free range egg whites, lightly beaten

190g of shredded coconut (2 1/2 cups)

55g of golden caster sugar (1/4 cup) 

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Butter an 8 by 12 inch rectangular baking pan with sides.   Line with some baking paper, leaving an overhang over the long edges to lift them out when done.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.   Beat in the egg.  Sift the flours and custard powder together.  Stir this into the creamed mixture.  Spread into the prepared pan.   Spoon the jam over top and spread it out thinly.





Whisk together the egg whites, coconut and sugar for the macaroon topping.  Dollop evenly over top to cover the jam.  I like to just dollop it in small bits and then spread it gently with a fork.


Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean and the macaroon topping is golden.  Allow to cool completely in the tin before cutting into squares to serve.   Storer any leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week.

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Tuna, White Bean and Potato Salad

We have a lovely girl staying with us at the moment from Spain.   She is working at the hospital and so I have been making her a lunch to take with her each day.  Today, in my quest to get away from sandwiches, I made her a deliciously different salad for a change.


 

Brown bagging it can get quite boring if you don't make an effort to shake things up once in a while and this delicious salad is the perfect way to do just that.   It makes good use of store cupboard ingredients such as tinned Cannellini Beans  and tinned tuna.   The flavours of the tuna really shine in this salad, so you really want to use a better quality one.  I like to use Albacore tuna for a dish such as this.



Along with the beans and tuna I made good use of the fresh ingredients I had to hand . . .  lovely baby new potatoes, fresh sweet bell peppers (in this case green), ripe baby plum tomatoes, a shallot . . .

 

A handful of green olives . . .  I like the Crespo ones which come in a little foil pack which are pitted and have been marinated with garlic and herbs . . .  and a punchy vinaigrette dressing. 




The dressing is made using extra virgin olive oil, sherry vinegar, garlic, ground cumin and some tasty Spanish smoked paprika for a bit of punch and a subtle smokey flavour.   I also seasoned the salad well with some fine sea salt and cracker black pepper and threw in a small handful of chopped flat leaf parsley.



Altogether I was quite pleased with the results and I hope that she was too.   I really felt it was a nice combination of flavours, colours and textures.   It was also really tasty.  Much better than another ham sandwich, I thought.  Plus, it's also good for a packed lunch as there is no mayonnaise in it and as long as it is well chilled when you put it into your brown bag and keep it in a dark cool place it will be just perfect at room temperature for lunch time.

  

*Tuna, White Bean and Potato Salad*

Serves 4  

Printable Recipe  

A delicious salad, perfect for packing into lunches, with beautiful flavours and a tiny bit of spark. 

 

500g baby new potatoes (1 pound)

1/2 a green pepper, deseeded and finely chopped

8 baby plum tomatoes, chopped coarsely and drained

1 small shallot, peeled and finely chopped

12 whole pitted green olive

1 400g tin of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (14 ounce tin)

180g of albacore tuna packed in oil, drained and broken into chunks (6 ounces)

2 TBS finely chopped flat leaf parsley

4 TBS extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 TBS sherry vinegar

1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp Spanish Smoked Paprika

1 tsp salt

1/3 tsp freshly ground black pepper 

Cook the potatoes in a pan of lightly salted boiling water to cover, until fork tender.  Drain and cool.  Peel and cut into quarters.  Place the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper into a jar.  Cover and shake to combine.  Place the potatoes into a bowl along wit the green pepper, chopped tomatoes, beans, tuna, olives and parsley.  Gently toss to combine.  Serve at room temperature.

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Raisin Puff

If you don't like raisins, you best look away now because today is all about Raisins!  I just adore raisins.  I love eating them out of hand, baking them into cookies and cakes, pies . . . and tasty squares like these Raisin Puff ones here today.  



This is an old recipe that my ex mother in law gave to me about 34 or 35 years ago now. It was always my ex's favourite and one of my favourites too.  And, I'm happy to say . . . tis also a favourite of the Toddsters!  



I think I get my love of everything raisin from my father.  He adored raisin pie.  I think to this day it is one of his favourite pies.  I wish I lived close enough to him to be able to make one for him now.  I used to make him one every now and again when I did live closer.  



I can 't remember if my mom likes raisin pie or not, but I know my sister does.  We were talking about it just today and then I remembered these tasty bars and thought I would share them with you, because I just no that whilst there may be some raisin haters  amongst you, there are sure to also be some raisin lovers just like me!  



These are so easy to make.  You simply make a cooked filling and then bake it in a square pan between two sheets of pastry.  I like to brush the top with a bit of milk and dust with some Turbinado sugar for a bit of sweet crunch.  



I do hope that you will bake them and that when you do you come back to tell me just how much you loved them!  Now, that would make me very happy indeed!    These are also great cut up, wrapped rightly and stogged into lunch boxes!

    



*Raisin Puff*
makes one 8 inch square pan, about 12 squares
Printable Recipe

Another gem from my big blue binder.  Crisp pastry filled with a lovely raisin filling, brushed with milk and glazed with sugar. Delicious.

For the filling:
200g of soft light brown sugar (1 cup packed)
3 TBS cornflour
300g of raisins (2 cups)
295 ml cold water (1 1/4 cups)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp of lemon extract

To finish:
Shortcrust pastry enough for two layers
to fit in an 8 inch square pan
milk
demerara sugar to sprinkle (turbinado sugar)





First make the filling.  Whisk together the brown sugar and cornflour in a saucepan.  Stir in the water and raisins.  Bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Cook for one minute after it boils, stirring, until you have a thick and glossy mixture.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and lemon extracts.  Set aside to cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 230*C/450*F/ gas mark 8.  Roll out half of the pastry our large enough to line an  8 inch square pan.  Top with the raisin filling.  Roll the remaining pastry large enough to to fit over the top.  Place on top of the raisins.  Seal the edges.  Brush with milk and sprinkle with demerara sugar.

Place in the heated oven to bake.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Reduce the temperature to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Bake for a further 20 to 25 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and cooked top and bottom, and lightly browned.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before cutting into squares to serve.

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