I remember travelling home from school in autumn when the nights were drawing in. Stepping off the bus, bat-blind in the country darkness, I would forge ahead, bitter wind whipping at my cheeks. The road is long and winds ahead, unpredictable as a snake. I hear the drumming sound of water falling from the gnarled trees that line my path; they seem to bend and sway in a manner all too human. I half grope my way up the long straight drive and as I get nearer to The Mill I can make out its silhouette. The shapes come into sharper focus as the light from windows and doors floods out to welcome me home.
Stepping through the door I am enveloped in the heady smell of Mum’s baking. The aroma is of burnt sugar and buttery sponge – it is one of my favourites: sticky toffee pudding. I gulp down my supper at lightning speed, so eager am I to get to dessert. When it comes, it is molten hot, bubbling like a volcano under a pale puddle of thick cream. I approach gingerly, wary of searing the roof of my mouth, and begin by tasting only the sponge and working around to the sauce so it is just the right temperature. The pudding is dense and the sauce rich and thick as it coats my tongue. I am in heaven.
When I lie awake at night and sleep is out of reach, my mind fills with sweet and tempting combinations – delicate coconut sponge fringed with bitter chocolate blanket, banana buns hollowed out and filled with dreamy toffee, then cream, and topped with fresh banana, like banoffee pie. These are the thoughts that make me unable to surrender to sleep. At times the pull is too strong and I have to creep out of bed and fumble my way down the shadowy hall to my kitchen. I put the oven on and forget what time it is as I lose myself in my creative delights, measuring and pouring and experimenting, until I fall sticky and exhausted back into bed and dream of cookie towers and cupcake mountains….
Halloween is just around the corner and a low-lying mist creeps up the edges of my windows. It inspires me to create all kinds of ghostly confections. When I was a child we would combine Halloween with Guy Fawkes Night, which meant we could indulge in setting off fireworks as well as dressing up. I make a bonfire cake covered in chocolate mint sticks and sparklers to give it added flair. I love biscuits shaped like bloody hands, the jam sandwiched between them just beginning to ooze out. Spooky ghost cakes, with their sugary tender texture, are coated in whipped white icing swirled into a spectre-like peak, with a couple of currants making out the hollow eyes. Chocolate brownies can be sliced into crumbling tombstones and set into a cake board covered with desiccated coconut that has been dyed moss green. Carve some ghosts out of marshmallow and prepare to horrify. What would Halloween be without pumpkins? Use up any left-over pale amber flesh in spicy pumpkin cupcakes with a bright orange top and inky black features scowling up at you.
Now I see autumn as if for the first time through my daughter’s eyes, as the lush green treetops turn to amber and coral. Deep russet canopies the avenue as Kitty and I stroll arm in arm, our feet throwing up billowing clouds of gold and brown. When we step inside our faces are pink and cheerful from the nip in the air. We feel like snuggling on the sofa and we need some cosy food too – double chocolate cookies washed down with a cold crisp glass of milky goodness do the trick.
Nightfall is greedily eating up all the scenery, but then the great big moon rises up from nowhere, puffed up and proud and revelling in her full-bodied dimensions. She is impressive and we are riveted. We make a plan but more feasting is required. We cream butter until it is soft and silky, then add dark sticky sugar. Kitty cracks the eggs very carefully, one at a time, but some shell drops into the bowl. I try to remove it, first with the old worn wooden spoon, then with my fingers, but it has a mind of its own and slides away, always one step ahead, like a cotton reel tantalizing a kitten. Eventually I fish it out and we are laughing at the futility of it all – we wouldn’t have minded or even noticed had it been in our slice. Now we add the flour, handfuls at a time (Kitty’s idea). Her hands are so small it takes some time. We stir in spiky ginger and soothing honey, then turn the lot into a battered square cake tin. When it has baked and cooled just a little, we cut it into great wodges and wrap them in a red gingham tea towel.
We head out to the garden, which stretches out like a wild forest in the indigo night. I carry an old wool blanket and spread it under the biggest tree. We lie down, stare up at the moon, and agree that this is the way life should be.
Recipe List
Chocolate frosted toffee cupcakes
When my daughter was very small she used to call hollowed-out pumpkins monkeys! These cakes are simple to make and they look sensational. Makes 12.
2 large eggs
170 g/6 oz dark muscovado sugar
160 ml/5½ fl oz sunflower oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
100 g/3½ oz self-raising flour
1 tsp cinnamon
55 g/2 oz pecans, roughly chopped
55 g/2 oz sultanas
100 g/3½ oz pumpkin or butternut squash, grated
For the icing
450 g/1 lb icing sugar
110 g/4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
110 g/4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
juice and grated rind of 1 orange
orange food colouring paste
48 black ‘bat’ sprinkles (see Suppliers, here), to decorate
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3. Line a 12-hole nonstick muffin tin with paper muffin cases.
2. Beat the eggs in a bowl with the sugar for a couple of minutes, then add the oil and vanilla. Fold in the flour and cinnamon, followed by the nuts, sultanas and pumpkin.
3. Divide the mixture between the paper cases. Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes. Remove and turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool.
4. To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Mix in the butter, cream cheese and orange juice and rind. Add a couple of drops of orange colouring so as to give a bright pumpkin colour.
5. When the cakes are cool, put some icing into a piping bag and pipe onto each cake. Pipe from top to bottom on either side of the cake, using a star nozzle. Then pipe from top to bottom two or three times again to fill in the middle. I used bat sprinkles to create the eyes and mouth.
Instead of icing these cakes, you can serve them straight from the oven with the warm sauce drenching them and perhaps a puddle of cream on the side. Makes 18.
200 g/7 oz dates, chopped
140 g/5 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
170 g/6 oz dark brown sugar
2 eggs
170 g/6 oz plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder
100 g/3½ oz pecan nuts, chopped
4 tbsp milk
For the toffee sauce
140 g/5 oz unsalted butter
140 g/5 oz dark brown sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Line a 12-hole nonstick muffin tin with paper cases.
2. Put the dates in a bowl and pour in about 150 ml/5 fl oz of boiling water. Leave them to soak for about 20 minutes, by which time the dates will have absorbed most of the water.
3. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Once the mixture has lightened in colour and texture, beat in the eggs, one at a time. Sift the flour and baking powder into the mixture and add the nuts. Pour in the milk, then drain the dates and add them to the mixture.
4. By now the batter will be very lumpy, which is just as it should be. Spoon into the paper cases so they are two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes. Check with a skewer – if the cakes are done it should come out clean.
5. In the meantime, make the toffee sauce. Gently melt the butter in a pan, then add the sugar. Keep stirring over a low to medium heat for 5–10 minutes until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken up. When the sauce turns a delicious toffee colour, it is cooked. Take off the heat and leave to cool slightly before pouring onto the cupcakes. Don’t leave it too long, though, or it will get too stiff to pour.
These have a lovely caramel flavour that goes perfectly with the chocolate frosting. Makes 12.
75 g/2½ oz unsalted butter, room temperature
140 g/5 oz dark muscovado sugar
2 large eggs, whites only
140 g/5 oz plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
225 ml/8 fl oz buttermilk (or full-fat milk with 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice)
For the icing
60 ml/2 fl oz whipping cream
1 tbsp unsalted butter
170 g/6 oz milk chocolate, chopped
½ tsp vanilla extract
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3. Line a 12-hole nonstick muffin tin with paper cases.
2. Using a wooden spoon, blend the butter with the sugar. This will not cream as well as a usual sponge recipe as there is twice as much sugar as fat, so don’t spend too long on this stage before adding the egg whites (un-whisked).
3. Sift the flour, bicarbonate and baking powder into a separate bowl. Add half the flour mixture to the butter and sugar, mix well and add half the buttermilk or milk mixture – the acid is needed to set off the raising agent in the bicarbonate. Then add the rest of the flour, and lastly the remaining milk.
4. Divide the mixture between the paper cases. Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove and turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool.
5. Meanwhile, make the icing. Heat the cream and butter in a medium pan over a low heat until the butter is melted and the cream is hot, but not boiling. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Leave for a minute so that the chocolate starts to soften and turn to threads. Stir in the vanilla and whisk until the chocolate is well mixed in and the icing has a lovely shiny glaze.
6. Spread a thick layer of icing over the cakes – you will need about 1 tablespoon for each cake. If the icing is too runny, leave it to cool for 10 minutes.
These are not as soft as some brownies, but ideal for making these tombstones! If the brownies are too squidgy in the middle to hold their shape, just use the outsides for the stones and serve the rest separately. Makes 12–15.
400 g/14 oz dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
375 g/13 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
500 g/1 lb 2 oz sugar
6 large eggs, beaten
225 g/8 oz flour
2 tsp vanilla extract
For the decoration
green food colouring paste
desiccated coconut
icing sugar
black extra food colouring paste
5–7 white marshmallows
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3. Grease a 23 x 30cm/9 x 12in baking tin and line it with baking parchment.
2. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water or in a microwave – be careful not to burn it if you use a microwave.
3. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then add the melted chocolate and beat well. Mix in the eggs and beat thoroughly before adding the flour and vanilla.
4. Pour into the baking tin, smooth with a spatula and bake in the centre of the oven for 25–30 minutes. They should look dry on the top but still be a little uncooked in the middle – they will continue cooking as they cool. Take the tin out and leave the brownies to cool.
5. Once the brownies are cool, cut them into tombstone shapes with a sharp knife. Mix a dab of green colouring with a teaspoon of water and use this to colour the coconut. Then create a layer of coconut ‘grass’ on the serving plate.
6. Mix the icing sugar with a dab of black colouring and a few drops of water to give a piping consistency. Using a plain nozzle, pipe ‘RIP’ and crosses on the tombstones and arrange them in the dish. Put dots of black colouring in the marshmallows to make eyes and tuck the ‘ghosts’ behind the tombstones.
I love the way the sharpness of the cake is set off by the buttery toffee topping. I use Cox’s apples from my garden, but if you prefer something less tart, substitute with a sweeter apple. I do think it is worth obtaining some lolly sticks for the complete toffee-apple look. Makes 12.
110 g/4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
110 g/4 oz demerara sugar
2 large eggs
170 g/6 oz apple, peeled, cored and chopped
110 g/4 oz self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
For the toffee coating
25 hard toffees
7–10 tbsp milk
12 lolly sticks, to decorate
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Line a 12-hole nonstick muffin tin with paper muffin cases.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together – the mixture won’t go as pale and creamy as usual due to the coarse grain of the sugar. Stir in the eggs, followed by the chopped apple. Sift in the flour and baking powder.
3. Divide the mixture between the paper cases and bake the cakes in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until the tops feel springy to the touch. Remove the cupcakes and leave to cool on a wire rack.
4. To make the coating, place the toffees in a pan with 7 tablespoons of milk and warm gently over a low heat. Stir constantly to make a smooth toffee topping, adding more milk if needed.
5. Slowly pour the topping over the cakes to coat them thickly. Push a lolly stick into each cake.
This is a simple recipe with a classic old-fashioned flavour. My mother often served these for afternoon tea. Makes 12.
110 g/4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
110 g/4 oz sugar
2 eggs
110 g/4 oz self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 tbsp marmalade
zest of 1 orange, finely grated
juice of 1 orange
For the icing
75–100 g/3–4 oz icing sugar
1 tbsp orange juice
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Line a 12-hole non-stick muffin tin with paper muffin cases.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Sift the flour and baking powder together and add this a third at a time to the batter. Then add the marmalade and zest and juice of the orange.
3. Spoon into the paper cases and bake in the centre of the preheated oven for about 20 minutes. The cakes should be springy to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean. Place on a wire rack and leave to cool.
4. Sift 75 g/3 oz of the icing sugar into a bowl and add the orange juice. You may need to mix in a little more icing sugar to achieve a spreading consistency. Use a palette knife to spread the icing over the cakes and allow to set. Decorate as you fancy.
These beetroot cupcakes have a satisfyingly complex flavour, with a faint earthiness that contrasts with the toasty taste of hazelnuts. To create the rose effect, use a star-shaped nozzle and start piping from the inside and work your way out to the edge. Makes 12.
3 large eggs, separated
2 tbsp milk
100 ml/3½ fl oz groundnut or sunflower oil
110 g/4 oz golden or white caster sugar
100 g/3½ oz plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
85 g/3 oz raw beetroot, grated
55 g/2 oz hazelnuts, roasted and chopped
½ tsp cinnamon
For the icing
110 g/4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
110 g/4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
450 g/1 lb icing sugar, sifted
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3. Line a 12-hole non-stick muffin tin with paper cases.
2. Whisk the egg yolks and milk together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil and sugar and add this to the egg mixture.
3. Sift the flour and baking powder and add to the batter, mixing thoroughly. Add the beetroot, hazelnuts and cinnamon, and stir to combine.
4. In a large clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Using a metal spoon, gently fold the whites into the pink batter. Keep turning the mixture so that the two are combined.
5. Divide the mixture between the paper cases. Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove and place the cakes on a wire rack to cool.
6. Whisk the butter and cream cheese together, then add the vanilla extract. Stir in the icing sugar a third at a time, making sure it is well mixed in. Pipe the icing onto the cakes or spread it onto them with a palette knife.
These need to be baked in special dariole moulds (pudding-shaped moulds), but I think they are worth the investment, especially if you make them every year. The cakes are super-quick to make and topped with delicious meringue icing. Makes 8.
2 tbsp sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
170 g/6 oz self-raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
75 g/2½ oz caster sugar
150 ml/5 fl oz milk
1 medium egg
For the meringue icing
170 g/6 oz caster sugar
1 large egg white
2 tbsp hot water
pinch of cream of tartar
16 currants, lightly flattened
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Grease 8 dariole moulds lightly – I put a little sunflower oil on some kitchen paper and gently wipe them with that. Cut 8 small circles of greaseproof paper to fit in the base of each mould so the cakes come out easily.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and sugar into a bowl. Gently whisk together the milk, egg and sunflower oil and pour over the dry ingredients, mixing to get rid of any lumps.
3. Pour the mixture into the moulds so they are almost full, then place them on a baking sheet and bake in the centre of the oven for 15–20 minutes. Check that the tops of the cakes feel firm and a skewer inserted comes out clean, then remove to a wire rack to cool.
4. Gently ease the cakes out of the moulds and turn them upside down so their narrowest point is at the top. You may have to trim off a little at the base to ensure that they stand up.
5. To make the icing, put all the ingredients in a heatproof bowl and set it over a pan of simmering water. Beat with an electric whisk until soft peaks begin to form as you lift the whisk – this will take 5–6 minutes.
6. Working quickly, top the cakes with the icing. Spoon about a tablespoon onto each one, then use a palette knife to ease the icing down until it covers the whole cake. Do this on the serving plate, as a little frosting will puddle at the base of each cake. Use the flattened currants to create hollow ghostly eyes.
These look wonderfully dramatic, and although it may seem extravagant to use four boxes of Matchmakers, the wow factor will be worth it. The easiest way to deal with these is to eat the Matchmakers before moving on to the cake. Makes 12.
½ tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
110 ml/4 fl oz full-fat milk
110 g/4 oz plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
25 g/1 oz cocoa powder
55 g/2 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
125 g/4½ oz caster sugar
1 large egg
For the icing
110 g/4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
110 g/4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
450 g/1 lb icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp red food colouring paste
4 packets of Matchmakers
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Line a 12-hole nonstick muffin tin with paper cake cases. Add the lemon juice or vinegar to the milk and set it to one side to allow the milk to curdle. Sift the flour, bicarbonate and cocoa in a bowl and set aside.
2. Cream the butter and half the sugar together in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Add the egg, followed by the rest of the sugar. Follow this with a third of the cocoa mixture, then a third of the soured milk; keep alternating until you have used up all the mixtures.
3. Divide the mixture between the cases. Place in the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes until firm and springy to the touch. Remove to a wire rack and leave to cool.
4. Beat together the butter and cream cheese for the icing until smooth. Add the icing sugar a third at a time and continue to mix, adding the vanilla and then the red food colouring to achieve a strong red colour.
5. Turn the cupcakes upside down and remove their paper cases. Using a butter knife or spatula, cover the cakes (still upside down) in red icing. Build up the icing on the cakes and create high peaks.
6. While the icing is still soft, press in the ‘logs’ (Matchmakers) which you can break to fit. Some should be higher than the cake and you can use the shorter pieces to fill in the gaps. The iced peak should show just over the top of the logs to give the impression of a flame.
You will need to invest in a hand-shaped cookie cutter (see Suppliers, here) for these gloriously gory treats. This is great for getting the kids involved and they will just love the messy job of dripping the jam-blood strategically over the hands. Makes 6–8.
200 g/7 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
170 g/6 oz sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
310 g/11 oz plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
6–8 tbsp raspberry jam
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. You will need a large baking sheet.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a separate bowl, then add to the butter mixture. Stir until thoroughly combined, but don’t overmix.
3. Cover with clingfilm and place the mixture in the fridge to chill for at least an hour. I often leave mine overnight.
4. Remove the dough from the fridge and knead it lightly – you may find it easier to divide it into two first. Place the dough between two layers of greaseproof paper and use a rolling pin to roll it out to a thickness of about 1cm/½in. Remove the top sheet of greaseproof and use a hand cutter to stamp out shapes. If you have left and right hand cutters, do half of each. If you only have one, turn it upside down to do half the cookies so they match when sandwiched together.
5. Trim off any excess dough around the shapes and then pop the greaseproof paper with the hand shapes onto a baking sheet. Bake for 6–8 minutes until the cookies are turning golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
6. Sandwich the hands together with generous dollops of raspberry jam so that it oozes out at the edges.
I first made these with fallen apples from the garden. They are packed full of flavour and heady with spice. Makes about 24.
60 ml/2 fl oz sunflower oil
75 g/2½ oz unsalted butter, room temperature
100 g/3½ oz demerara sugar
55 g/2 oz dark muscovado sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
100 g/3½ oz porridge oats
150 g/5½ oz rice flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
150 g/5½ oz grated apple
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. You will need a large ungreased baking sheet.
2. Mix together the oil, butter and sugars in a large bowl and beat until the mixture is smooth. Beat in the egg, followed by the vanilla, then stir in the oats.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate and spice into another bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stir the flour into the oat and egg mixture. Add the grated apple and mix until combined.
4. Spoon tablespoons of the mixture onto the baking sheet. Leave about 5cm/2in between each one as the cookies will expand. Bake for 10 minutes until the surface is set. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
A winning combination – these won’t stay around for long. My mum used to whip them up after we’d been out trick-or-treating to use up the glut of toffees and chocolate we’d return home with. Makes 24.
225 g/8 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
170 g/6 oz granulated sugar
170 g/6 oz soft light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
400 g/13 oz plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp baking powder
225 g/8 oz milk chocolate, chopped
170 g/6 oz toffees, chopped
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3. You will need a large baking sheet.
2. Begin by beating the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, mixing them in one by one, and the vanilla.
3. Sift the flour with the bicarbonate and baking powder, and beat into the mixture. Add the chocolate and toffee.
4. Drop tablespoonfuls of mixture onto an ungreased baking sheet. Leave 5cm/2in between them. Bake for 10–12 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack.
These have an almost cake-like texture. I adapted them from a recipe my friend sent from America and added my own twist with the marshmallow filling. Makes 16–20 (8–10 sandwiches).
225 g/8 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
225 g/8 oz caster sugar
225 g/8 oz canned pumpkin purée
1 egg
225 g/8 oz plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
For the filling
170 g/6 oz caster sugar
1 egg white
2 tbsp hot water
pinch of cream of tartar
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. You will also need a large ungreased baking sheet.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar and add the pumpkin purée.
3. Next add the egg and mix well. Mix the dry ingredients together, and combine with the creamed mixture.
4. Drop spoonfuls of batter onto the baking sheet, leaving about 5cm/2in between them. Bake in the preheated oven for 12–14 minutes. Remove and cool on the baking sheet.
5. Meanwhile, make the filling. Place all the ingredients in a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of hot (not boiling) water. Use an electric whisk to beat the mixture until it thickens and forms soft peaks when you lift the whisk. Remove the bowl from the heat.
6. When the cookies are cool, spread filling on half of them and top these with the rest of the cookies to make sandwiches.
We like to wrap a couple of these in brown paper to slip in our pockets before trekking through the fields surrounding Shimpling, our country home. This works a treat in winter when we take them straight from the oven and use them as make-shift hand warmers. Makes three or four dozen, depending on size.
170 g/6 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
170 g/6 oz brown sugar
85 g/3 oz caster sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp water
110 g/4 oz wholemeal flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
225 g/8 oz porridge oats
170 g/6 oz sultanas
85 g/3 oz walnuts
85 g/3 oz hazelnuts
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. You will need a large baking sheet.
2. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugars together, until paler in colour and creamy. Add the egg with the vanilla and water.
3. Sift together the flour, salt, bicarbonate and the cinnamon and add to the butter mixture. Then add the oats, sultanas and nuts.
4. Roll the mixture into balls about the size of a golfball in your hands and then flatten slightly. Place them about 5cm/2in apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes so that the edges are crispy but the centre is still soft.
5. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 3 or 4 minutes on the baking sheet before gently transferring to a cooling rack.
One of my all-time favourite combinations and one that seems particularly perfect at this time of year. Makes 24.
110 g/4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
255 g/9 oz granulated sugar
85 g/3 oz dark brown sugar
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
285 g/10 oz plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tbsp maple syrup
55 g/2 oz pecans, chopped
1. Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas 2. Grease 2 baking sheets.
2. Using an electric mixer (or a wooden spoon), beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla.
3. Sift over the flour and bicarbonate, and stir to blend. Add the maple syrup and the nuts and mix well.
4. Drop heaped tablespoons of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8–10 minutes until lightly golden. Remove to a wire rack with a spatula and leave to cool.
The contrast of the slight saltiness of the crumbly peanut butter with the sweet chocolate is what makes these so moreish. I love making these with my nieces and nephew. Needless to say, most of the chocolate seems to end up on their hands and faces instead of on the cookies! Makes 20.
110 g/4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
225 g/8 oz demerara sugar
1 medium egg
4 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
200 g/7 oz plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
110 g/4 oz plain chocolate, for dipping
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. You will need a large baking sheet.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg, stir in the peanut butter and then the flour and baking powder.
3. Roll the mixture into balls the size of large walnuts and place them 5cm/2in apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. The cookies will look like they are not cooked, but don’t worry – they will carry on cooking as they cool.
4. While the cookies are in the oven, melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave for 90 seconds. Using a palette knife, spread one side of the cookies with chocolate and place them on a wire rack to set.
