Almond Crescents

A good friend of mine had a knee replacement done about a week and a half ago.  We were going to visit her today to see how she is doing and help break the monotony of being largely immobile and so I decided I wanted to bring her some little treat. 

 

At first I was going to bake her some muffins and then I thought . . . maybe muffins would be too much . . . or they would get all squished in the car, or not be at their best by the time we got there.  I love muffins best when they are fresh out of the oven.



That's when I decided to bake her some cookies.  Not kid cookies.  Grown up cookies.   Cookies meant for dunking.   Out of the ordinary cookies.  Not a chocolate chip in sight.  (Although I am a big fan of those myself!)

 

I decided to make these lovely almond crescents.  They're buttery and crisp  and stogged full of almonds. . . with a crunchy sugar coating of granulated sugar, which bakes on whilst they are in the oven . . . but that is not all . . . no . . . that is not all.



They are deliciously rolled in vanilla flavoured icing sugar when they come out of the oven and are still hot, so that the sugar kinds of melts into them.   Another layer of scrum.  Then, there is a final dusting of plain icing sugar that makes them all pretty and nice.   Let's just say they were very much welcomed!

   

*Almond Crescents*
Makes about 2 dozen

Printable Recipe  

Buttery and crisp, with a crisp granulated sugar coating and almost shortbread-like texture.  Nutty and sweet.  

65g of ground almonds (1/2 cup almond meal)

65g of sifted icing sugar (1/2 cup)

115g of unsalted butter, room temperature (1/2 cup)

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp pure almond extract

pinch salt

140g plain flour (1 cup)

95g granulated sugar

vanilla icing sugar

plain icing sugar to dust  

Cream the butter with a wooden spoon until light and creamy.   Mix the ground almonds and icing sugar together and stir this into the creamed butter until well combined.   Beat in the extracts and salt until well combined.   Add the flour and mix it in thoroughly and the dough begins to clump together.  

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Line a couple of baking sheets with some baking parchment.     

Put the granulated sugar into a bowl.   Scoop out cookie dough and shape into 1 inch balls.   Roll the balls into even cylinders and then shape into crescents, tapered at the ends.   Roll them in the granulated sugar and then place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each.  

Bake for  8 to 10 minutes, flipping the baking sheets halfway through the baking time.   The edges should be light brown when done.   Remove from the oven.  Have a small bowl of the vanilla icing sugar read and roll the still warm cookies in this.  Place them on a wire rack to cool completely.   Dust lightly with plain icing sugar.  Store in an airtight container. 

The recipe only makes about 2 dozen . . . but taste one and you will realize how very dangerous it would be to have more than that around.  Absolute scrum!

Sweet Marie Slices

In Canada they have these really tasty candy bars names Sweet Marie's.  They were always my favourite candy bars when I was a child.  Not only were they stogged full of caramel, peanut butter, crispy cereal and salted peanuts . . . not to mention covered in chocolate . . . but they actually named the bars after ME!  (Don't ever tell me any different!)

All in all a very irresistable combination don't you think?

 

I don't know if they have anything similar over here, but I suspect they do . . . and I suspect that it is probably the Picnic or the Lion Bars.   Or a cross between the two.



It's funny how things go . . . how when you can't get something anymore, you kind of crave it.   Things like Kraft Macaroni and Cheese . . . or Velveeta . . . All Dressed Potato Chips . . . Coffee Crisp Candy Bars . . . Lucky Charms Cereal . . . Captain Crunch . . . Sweet Marie's . . .



And the longer you have to live without them . . . the more you want them.   The more you crave them.   The more you think about, dream about, desire . . . them . . .



I find myself making lists every time I fly home of things I want to pick up to bring back with me when I go home.   Things like Lipton's Chicken Noodle Soup Mix . . . Cheese Whiz . . . and all of the above . . .



I think I can cross Sweet Marie Candy Bars off my list now . . . because these tasty bars are almost identical . . .

 

They are chock full of crunchy-ness, and chewy-ness, and peanuty-ness, and scrummy-ness . . . with just the right amount of chocolaty-ness to make them incredibly moreish, can't put me down . . . addictive-ness . . .



The fact that they are named after me  is . . .  just . . . well . . . the icing on a very VERY tasty cake!  In fact the only bad thing I have to say about these is  . . . it's impossible to eat just one.   *naughty girl am I*

*Sweet Marie Slice*

cuts into 12 squares

Printable Recipe  

Delicious peanut butter squares filled with the crunch of peanuts and crisp rice cereal and topped with melted chocolate.   Scrummy yummy!  

90g of smooth peanut butter (1/2 cup)

175g golden syrup (1/2 cup corn syrup)

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

1 TBS unsalted butter

50g crisp rice cereal (2 cups)

150g of roasted peanuts (1 cup)

180g of chocolate chips (1 cup)

chocolate sprinkles to decorate  

LIne an 8 or 9 inch square pan with foil, having enough of an overhang to use as handles when it comes time to lift them out.   Butter the foil and set aside.  (If you use a nine inch pan your squares will not be as thick through, but larger in width, or you can cut them the same size and get more.  It's up to you.)    

Place the peanut butter, golden syrup, brown sugar and butter in a large saucepan.  Cook, stirring constantly, over medium low heat, until the peanut butter and  butter have melted and the mixture begins to bubble.   Remove from the heat and stir in the cereal and peanuts, mixing all in well together.  Spread this mixture into the prepared pan, and press down firmly.  I find using a buttered metal spoon the best way to do this.  The mixture doesn't stick to the spoon and it does a great job of pressing it down.  Immediately, while the mixture is still hot sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over top.   Once they have softened and melted, spread them evenly over top of the crisp rice mixture.    (If you like you can place the pan in a hot oven for a few minutes to facilitate this.)  Sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles to decorate and then place the pan in the refrigerator for one hour until the mixture hardens enough to be cut into squares.  When ready, just lift out with the foil and using a sharp knife cut into squares.





NOTE: for fun today I cut mine with a sharp straight sided metal Heart shaped cookie cutter.  Of course you will not get as many pieces if you do this, but the scraps are great to snack on.  *grin*   AND, the slices look so cute and very Valentiney!

A Delicious Blackberry and Pecan Snacking Cake

I could tell you that this cake is moist and deliciously scrummy . . .



With it's lightly spiced and buttery batter . . . tucked beneath a layer of tart blackberries . . .



All that deliciousness . . . tucked beneath a crunchy layer of spicy buttery and nutty streusel . . .



I could tell you how it tastes even better the day after baking and warn you how difficult it will be to stop at one slice . . .



But instead . . .



I'll just suggest that you bake it yourself, and find all this out first hand. Bake it . . . soon. You won't regret it. I promise you this. If you only make one cake this month . . . let this be the ONE.



*Blackberry Pecan Snacking Cake*
makes one 8 inch square cake
Printable Recipe

A delicious cake, with a lightly spiced batter and topped with lovely blackberries and a scrummy brown sugar pecan streusal.

For the cake:
125ml of sour cream (1/2 cup)
1 large free range egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4.25 ounces plain flour (1 cup)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
4 TBS unsalted butter, softened
3/5 ounces granlulated sugar (1/2 cup)

1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries

For the Streusel:
6 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
2 ounces plus 1 tsp flour (1/4 cup)
1/'2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 ounces chopped toasted pecans (1/4 cup)
2 TBS unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small bits



Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ Butter an 8 inch square pan and line with baking paper, leaving an overhang to lift the cake out with later. Butter the paper. Set aside.

Make the streusel. Mix the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon with your fingertips. Drop in the butter and rub together until you get coarse crumbs. Stir in the chopped pecans. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cloves and nutmeg for the cake batter in a medium bowl. Set aside. Whisk the sour cream, egg and vanilla together in a beaker. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly drizzle in the egg mixture, beating all the while. Beat in the flour mixture, in three additions, beating well after each and scraping down the sides of the bowl each time. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the blackterries over top and then sprinkle the streusel evenly over all.



Bake in the heated oven until golden brown and the cake tests down when a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes. Reemove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before lifting out to a wire rack to finish cooling. Cut into squares to serve. 

A nice scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream would not go amiss.  Just saying is all . . .

Lemon and Jam Slices

 I had some lemons that I needed to use up today. I always buy too many. I just love the sight of a bowl of lemons on the counter top.  They  just look so cheerful to me, and homey.  A little spot of sunshine on a dark and drizzly January day . . . lemons to me are the the perfect pick me up!

 

I decided to make some of my favourite slices . . . Lemon and Jam slices.  Or Squares if you would rather call them that.  I like to call them slices . . . sounds even more delicious when you call them slices.  A rose by any other name and all that . . .



I love these slices because they encompass three of my favourite things . . . a buttery, crisp baked shortbread crust on the bottom . . . sweet strawberry preserves in the middle . . . a tangy lemoncurd like topping . . .

 

Oh my . . . but these are heavenly bliss.  I love to enjoy them in the middle of the afternoon along with a hot drink.  They're so good.  These are the type of slices that you have  a hard time walking past without picking at them . . . and I confess . . . I can never wait until they completely cool before I dig into them.



You're supposed to wait until they are completely cold to cut them . . . but they are awfully good warm . . . just sayin is all.  They bring out the glutton in me.  The tang of the lemon is soooo very good with the sweet fruitiness of the jam . . . and that buttery crust.



Of course you could use another flavour of jam if you wished.  I just particularly love them made with strawberry jam.  Cherry, raspberry or apricot are all rather good too . . . and then there is wild blueberry preserves, another favourite of mine.

 

I confess . . . I sometimes use limes and ginger jam.  Those are awfully good too, especially if you add a little bit of ground ginger to the base.  Mmmm . . . mmm . . . good.  Are you not tempted???



 *Lemon and Jam Slices*
Makes  15 squares
Printable Recipe

 A butter, almost shortbread type of base, topped with sweet strawberry jam and a tangy lemon topping baked on top.  Delicious.

For the base:
200g of plain flour (2 cups)
225g of cold unsalted butter (1 cup, or 2 sticks)
42g sifted icing sugar (1/3 cup)
1/4 tsp fine sea salt

For the jam:
6 heaped dessert spoons (about 3/4 cup)

For the Lemon topping:
281g of granulated sugar
the finely grated zest of one un-waxed lemon
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 TBS plain flour
3 large free range eggs
the juice of 2 1/2 lemons (1/3 cup)

Icing sugar to dust


Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Butter an 11 by 7 inch baking dish,  Dust with flour, shaking out any excess.  Set aside.  (Alternately you can line with foil and butter and dust the foil, leaving an overhang to lift the slices out when done.)

Whisk the flour, icing sugar and salt together in a large bowl.  Cut the butter into cubes and drop it in.  Rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until you have coarse crumbs.  Press this mixture into the prepared baking tin.    Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, just until it is firm.  Remove from the oven.

Whisk together the granulated sugar, lemon zest, baking powder and flour for the lemon topping.  Beat in the eggs and lemon juice until smooth.  Set aside.

Stir the jam together in a bowl with a fork to loosen it.  Spread this over the warm base.  Pour the lemon mixture over top and return the pan to the oven.  Bake for an additional  25 to 30 minutes, until it is set and lightly browned.  Remove from the oven and set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely before removing from the pan.  Dust with icing sugar.  Cut  into squares to serve.

Cherry Rock Buns

As a child I used to devour Enid Blyton books.  I love the ones about the fairies and gnomes and wishing trees . . . but I especially loved the adventure books and the ones about kids in boarding schools with tuck boxes and tea time treats and picnic fare which sounded to me to be exotic.  



Sausage rolls and pork pies, cherry cakes and ginger beer.  Wobbly blanc manges.   Tinned and potted meat spread onto hugs slabs of homemade bread . . . jam sandwiches, gingernuts, fruit jellies.  Rock cakes.  It was all so deliciously tempting sounding, and I dreamt about what it might be like to gorge myself on such a wonderous feast.  Yes , , , for me it has always been a out the food.



We didn't have such things at home.  None of our meat came from tins and we were never allowed to gorge ourselves on fruit jellies and sausage rolls or wobbly blanc manges.   We were never allowed to gorge ourselves on anything.  My mother's idea of a treat was an apple.  Healthy yes . . . exotic no.



Rock Cakes.   Deliciously buttery scone like drop cakes, short and crumbly and reported to be one of Harry Potter's favourite treats.   Stogged full of candied cherries and dried currants.  I use the undyed cherries.  Not as bright, but not as bad, or at least not in my mind.



Wonderful, fresh out of the oven with a glass of cold milk.  You could split them and spread them with butter, but I like them plain.  They are a beautiful once in a bluemoon treat and whenever I bake them I think of magic wands and indulgent picnics in the woods.



A girl needs some magic  in her life don't you think?

*Cherry Rock Buns*
Makes 12

Printable Recipe 

A favourite children's snack.  Quick, easy to make, melt in the mouth buttery good, and stogged full of cherries and currants.  

250g self raising flour (1 3/4 cup)

2 tsp baking powder

125g butter,slightly softened and cut into bits (1/2 cup)

50g of soft light brown sugar (1/4 cup, packed)

100g of candied cherries, quartered (about 1/2 cup)

50g currants (1/3 cup)

1 large free range egg, beaten

2 TBS milk

2 TBS demerara sugar for sprinkling    

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*f/ gas mark 6.  Line two baking sheets with baking paper.  Set aside.  

Sift the flour into a bowl along with the baking powder.  Drop in the butter.  Rub the butter in using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in the brown sugar. Beat the egg together with the milk and add to the dry ingredients.  Stir in with a round bladed knife to form a stick dough. If the dough seems too dry, add a bit more milk. Stir in the cherries and currants.  Drop by heaped TBS onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each for spreading.  Sprinkle the tops with demerara sugar.


Bake in the heated oven, one tray at a time, for 15 minutes, turning the trays once during baking.   These are best eaten on the day.   They freeze well however, so you can pack them into an airtight container and just take them out as you want them, reheating them gently in the microwave for about 2 minutes, or packing frozen and wrapped into the lunch bucket.  They will be thawed and perfect for eating by lunch time.

Chocolate Tiffin Cake

   

One last indulgence which I made over the Christmas Hols.  It doesn't have to be a holiday to enjoy this tasty cake however, as it goes down a real treat at any time!    

This is a recipe I adapted from a cookbook I picked up at one of those Garden/Gift centres one time.  It's entitled Mum's Favourite Recipes.   They usually have a great variety of books to choose from in those places and they're not very expensive.   Most don't cost more than a magazine, and they have some really good recipes in them.    

This is a common cake you see in the shops over here in the UK.  Basically it is melted chocolate, butter and syrup with crushed biscuits and dried fruit thrown in.  It can vary from recipe to recipe.  

This one uses crumbled digestive biscuits as well as dates and sultanas.   The fruit is soaked in rum first which makes it a bit boozy.   I don't do alcohol so I used rum extract and water, and they came out tasting really nice.  You could add candied cherries, or dried apricots, maybe even some toasted nuts.   The main idea of this cake is mixing the stuff with the melted chocolate mixture and then letting it set up in the fridge.    

  

There is a final topping of melted dark chocolate and white chocolate swirled together.  It also called for crushed malteasers on top.  I didn't have any white chocolate, so I just mixed milk chocolate and dark in the same quanitities, which worked well.  I also didn't have any malteasers, and so I used cripsy cake sprinkles which are chocolate covered rice crisps.   

All in all it was quite nice.   The original recipe called for a 7 inch square pan.  I also didn't have one of those so I used a loaf tin and just cut it into slabs and cut each slab in half to serve.   Scrummy yummy!  

*Chocolate Tiffin Cake*

Serves 8

Printable Recipe  

Quick, easy and delicious.  What more could you want in a chocolate indulgence! 

50g of sultanas (5 1/2 TBS)

75g of dates, chopped (14 pitted dates)

4 TBS rum (I used 1 tsp rum extract and water to make up the 4 TBS)

200g plain dark chocolate (7 ounces)

125g of butter (1/2 cup)

150g golden syrup (3 1/2 fluid ounces corn syrup)

250g of digestive biscuits, roughly crushed (14 1/2 3 inch biscuits, or 2 3/4 cups coarsely cushed graham crackers)

the finely grated zest of one orange

To top:

100g plain dark chocolate (3 1/2 ounces)

100g white chocolate (3 1/2 ounces)

a large handful of crushed malteasers to sprinkle on top (Malted milk balls)

Butter a 7 inch square cake tin and line the bottom with paper.  Butter the paper.  Set aside.

Place the sultanas, dates and rum in a bowl.  Leave to infuse for half an hour.  Melt the chocolate, butter and golden syrup together in a saucepan.  Remove from the heat.  Stir in the soaked fruit and crushed biscuits, along with the orange zest.  Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top.  Place into the refrigerator to chill for an hour. 

Melt the plain dark and white chocolates separately in bowls set over simmering water.   Pour the melted dark chocolate over top of the biscuit base.  Drizzle over the white chocolate.   Drag a cocktail stick through the chocolates to swirl together.  Sprinkle the crushed malteasers over top.   Return to the refrigerator and allow to chill for a further 2 hours before cutting into wedges to serve.