The highlight of any day. I am too busy! I hear somebody say. NOBODY on earth is too busy to sit down and have tea or coffee or champagne. This is the ritual that saves lives, cures insanity, relieves stress, prevents war, breeds elegance, brings forgiveness, teaches patience and makes the mouth water. The moment the cake stand arrives, the world stops turning. Inside the heart is a tiny Christmas, inside the mind is world peace. Sweet or savoury, tiny or ridiculous, plain or perverse, sandwich or scone, bread or bun, cake or tart, chocolate or citrus, vanilla or caramel, this unecessary, unhealthy, untimely bite is EVERYTHING.
SOFT FIG AND LEMON COOKIES FROM AN UNTOLD FABLE
If I had children, I would have named them Fig and Lemon. Two of the best flavours on earth come together in these cookies which you will make with patience, careful movements and gentle hands, treating them like fat little cherubs. Once baked, rested and cooled, they will be devoured by the monster that has been waiting inside of you. Double the recipe if you care at all about family or friends.
(22 – 24 cookies)
1 cup grapeseed oil
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup selfraising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp seasalt (three times more than the usual pinch, but any less and you lose a lot of flavour, too much and you have a disaster)
1 cup oats
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
10 soft dried figs (225g), finely chopped
Whisk oil, sugar and vanilla together in mixing bowl
Sir in flour, baking powder and salt
Stir in oats, mixture will feel too crumbly, do not worry
Add lemon zest and juice and mix well
Use fist to push dough down onto bottom of mixing bowl
Shape into a ball, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours
(As the dough does not contain butter or egg – I’m trying to avoid the vegan word –
the gluten in the flour is the only binding agent, so a long resting time is good)
Break or slice off small pieces of dough (it will still be quite crumbly!) and firmly press into 4cm round balls, gently flatten between palms and place on lined baking tray, 8 to 10 at a time
Bake in oven at 170˚C (fan) for 11 minutes
Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes (cookies will still be really soft)
Carefully transfer to wire rack to cool completely
RED WINE CHOCOLATE COOKIES
I have baked these cookies many times and have never known how many this recipe should produce as I eat half the dough. That is after all one of the reasons for baking cookies. This unusual, almost elastic dough is possibly the most delicious cookie dough on earth. And now, finally, using Lautus de-alcoholised red wine, everybody can enjoy this. Every child on earth should taste this dough at least once! Somebody should produce an ice-cream with this flavour!
120g very soft butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup Lautus de-alcoholised red wine
2 cups self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 heaped tbsp good cocoa powder
pinch of salt
100g% dark chocolate
12 glacé cherries
white sugar
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together butter, sugar, egg, vanilla extract and red wine
Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon and cocoa powder and salt, mix until smooth
Use serrated knife and cut chocolate into tiny shards, mix into batter
Cut cherries into eights, mix into batter
Spoon 8 heaped teaspoons batter onto lined baking tray, as far apart as possible
Gently press down using fork
Just before putting cookies in oven, sprinkle with some white sugar
Bake in oven at 170˚C (fan) for 9 to 10 minutes
Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes
Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely
BROWN BREAD CROSTINI WITH APPLES, BRIE + GIN SYRUP
I have served these crostini at breakfast, teatime, cocktail hour and midnight. Whenever they appear, that is the best time of your day
(24 crostini)
8 slices brown bread
5 tbsp grapeseed oil
2 green apples
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
6 tbsp gin
3 tbsp water
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 star anise
2 cardamom seeds
100g Brie
freshly ground black pepper
50 pistachio nuts, chopped
Use a champagne flute or glass with 5 cm mouth to cut 24 circles of bread
(Dry rest of bread and process into crumbs, store in airtight container)
Brush circles on both sides with pecan oil
Fry 12 at a time in hot pan until golden brown on both sides
(Can be kept in airtight container for 1 to 2 days)
Cut apples into slices and cut slices into small cubes
Heat sugar, gin, water, cinnamon, cloves, star anise and cardamom in large pan
Add apple cubes and let simmer until syrup starts thickening, you will need 24 drops of syrup, do not let syrup thicken too much
Spoon drop of syrup in center of each crostini
Place apple cube on top
Cut Brie into small triangles and place next to apple
Scorch brie with kitchen torch for a few seconds
Season with pepper and sprinkle with pistachio
ALL YEAR CHRISTMAS COOKIES
I know everybody says the same thing and everybody had the best grandmother and the best cookie recipe and you can still taste Christmas in every bite. Fine, but it is true of this recipe too!
(24 cookies)
160g soft butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten
2 cups self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 tbsp brandy
1 cup dried cranberries (chopped if preferred)
50g candied citrus zest
8 red glacé cherries, quartered
8 yellow glacé cherries, quartered
8 green glacé cherries, quartered
Cream sugar and butter together
(I regularly replace the butter with grapeseed oil, start with 1/2 cup, add more if needed to get the right consistency)
Beat in vanilla and egg
Add flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves, mix until smooth
Add brandy, cranberries, zest and cherries, mix until combined
Use 2 teaspoons and place 4cm heaps of dough on a lined baking tray,
6 to 8 at a time
Bake in oven at 170˚C (fan) for about 9 minutes
Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes
Transfer to wire rack to cool completely
Repeat process
These cookies are very soft when they come out of the oven!
And they stay chewy after cooling!
CINNAMON COOKIES
We used to call these Tough Time Cookies or Thank You Cookies, my grandmother made then whenever there was an emergency, a bake sale or simply very few ingredients in the house. These have been life-long favourites, people are always shocked when they learn how simple this recipe is. I cannot tell you how many cookies you get from one batch, we eat them straight from the oven, lukewarm and cooled, there has never been an opportunity to count them.
300g self raising flour
150g castor sugar
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
225 soft butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup raisins, chopped
Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt together
Use fingers to mix in butter
Mix in vanilla, mix in raisins
Shape dough into ball, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours
Roll into balls of 4 cm each
Arrange 8 on lined baking tray
Bake in oven at 170˚C (fan) for 8 to 10 minutes
Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes
Transfer to wire rack to cool completely
Repeat process
By the way: All cookies made in my kitchen start with the creaming of butter and sugar or the whisking together of oil and sugar, there is no reason these get made the other way round,
they simply do.
PROPERTY COOKIES
The best-smelling cookies I know, anyone who needs to be attracted (for any reason!) will come running. I have no idea how an estate agent runs a business without these.
(28 cookies)
200g soft butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup chopped almonds
1 1/2 cup self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup desiccated coconut
100g dark chocolate, chopped
100g milk chocolate, chopped
Cream butter, sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract
Stir in chopped almonds
Add flour, baking powder and salt, mix until smooth
Mix in coconut and chocolate
Roll into balls of 3 cm
Arrange 8 balls at a time on a lined baking tray
Bake in oven at 170˚C for 8 to 9 minutes
Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes
Transfer to wire rack and let cool
MACADAMIA APRICOT COOKIES
Macadamia nuts, the most neglected of all the nuts, add a subtle saltiness to the apricot and white chocolate, a classic combination from my grandmother’s legendary cookie tin!
(26 cookies)
125g soft butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cup self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tbsp bourbon
150g dried apricots, chopped
100g macadamia nuts, chopped
100g white chocolate, chopped
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla together in mixing bowl
Whisk in egg
Stir in flour, baking powder and salt
Mix in bourbon
Add apricots, nuts and white chocolate,
Use teaspoon and spoon small heaps of dough onto lined baking tray,
6 to 8 at a time
Bake in oven at 170˚C (fan) until golden, about 9 minutes
Remove from oven and let stand for a few minutes
Gently transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely
SUGAR COOKIES
These days sugar is the nr 1 enemy when it comes to healthy living and proper dieting. To use the word “sugar” in the name a cookie will scare many. But these delights are no more sinful than any other cookies, and dusting them with a little bit of casting sugar simply makes them look as if they are from a fairy tale. Rest your galloping heart.
(20 cookies)
120g soft butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp whiskey
1 1/2 cup self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
75g all bran flakes
100g dried cranberries, chopped
a few tsp icing sugar
Cream butter, honey and sugar together
Beat in egg, vanilla and whiskey
Stir in all bran flakes
Add cranberries and mix
Line baking tray with baking paper
Place teaspoons of dough on tray, 6 to 8 cookies at a time
Baking in oven at 170˚C (fan) until golden brown, about 8 minutes
Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes
Transfer to wire rack to cool completely
Dust center of each cookie with icing sugar
ORANGE ZEST COOKIES
Do not underestimate these little secrets, they look old-fashioned, but the taste is oh, so modern. They are simply bursting with everything orange.
125g soft butter
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup orange marmalade
finely grated zest of 1 orange
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp orange liqueur
1/2 cup candied orange zest (cut into cubes)
2 cups self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla together in large mixing bowl
Stir in marmalade, fresh zest, juice and candied zest
Add flour, baking powder and salt, mix until smooth
Mix in walnuts
Use hands and shape dough into ball, cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes
Roll into 3 cm balls
Arrange 8 balls at a time on a lined baking tray, flatten slightly with fork
Bake in oven at 170˚C (fan) until golden brown, 8 to 9 minutes
Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes
Transfer to wire rack to cool completely
CHOCOLATE PECAN CRATER COOKIES
A really mature, not to sweet, deliciously dark, fantastic looking, sensual treat. Make them while on your own, eat two cookies while they are still lukewarm, place twenty in a glass jar, tie a bow around the neck (the jar’s), eat the final two and then deliver the gift to someone you really, really like.
(24 cookies)
140g soft butter
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup whiskey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp cocoa powder
80 milk chocolate, chopped
100g pecan nuts, roughly choppped
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup icing sugar
Cream butter and brown sugars in mixing bowl
Stir in whiskey and vanilla
Add flour, baking powder and cocoa powder, mix until combined
Mix in chocolate and nuts, use hands if necessary
(On a hot day, cover dough and refrigerate for 15 minutes)
Pour white sugar and icing sugar into two shallow bowls
Use a teaspoon to break off pieces of dough
Roll into 3cm balls
Roll each ball in sugar and then in icing sugar
Arrange 8 cookies at a time on a lined baking tray
Bake in oven at 170˚C (fan) until cracks appear, about 9 minutes
Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes
Transfer to wire rack to cool completely
CHOCOLATE GINGER MUESLI FOOD STALL COOKIES
I firmly believe that it is impossible to put on weight while travelling, so whenever we travel between shows, there is not an airport vendor machine, next-to-the-road food stall or deli counter in an entertainment centre that I can resist. Every opportunity I get, I continue my search for the ultimate delicious-looking, unevenly shaped, energy-giving, fantasy-promising cookie. If I had a food stall, this would be the cookie I sell.
(32 cookies)
300g very soft butter
200g light brown sugar
2 tbsp vanilla extract
400g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup muesli
130g dark chocolate
1/2 cup preserved ginger, drained and cut into pieces
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla together in mixing bowl
Add flour, baking powder and pinch of salt, mix with fork
Stir in muesli
Cut chocolate roughly into pieces with serrated knife
Add chocolate and ginger to dough and mix until combined
Use hands and shape dough into ball
Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes
Cut into quarters, divide each quarter into 8
Roll into balls
Arrange 8 balls at a time on a lined baking tray
Slightly flatten each cookie with a fork
Bake in oven at 170˚C (fan) until golden brown, 9 to 10 minutes
Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes
Carefully place on wire rack to cool
CHOC CHIP COOKIE COOKIES
Many years ago every theatre I loved and worked in, had a coffee shop or foyer counter where gigantic choc chip cookies in white paper bags were sold. To bring back even more memories, I added Romany Creams to this recipe, one of the definitive smells of my childhood!
(12 large cookies)
150g soft butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp balsamic reduction
6 Romany Cream cookies, crushed
2 cup self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
100g dark chocolate, chopped
100g milk chocolate, chopped
100g white hocolate, chopped
Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and balsamic vinegar together in mixing bowl
Add crushed Romany Creams
Stir in flour, baking powder and salt,
Add chocolate and mixing into cookie dough
Use hands to shape into a ball, cut ball into quarters
Divide each quarter into 3, shape into balls
Flatten balls and place 3 cookies on a lined baking tray
Bake in oven at 170˚C (fan) for 9 tot 10 minutes
Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes
Transfer to wire rack to cool completely
GASCOGNE CITRUS COOKIES
This is an adaptation of a French recipe. The French use a much finer corn meal, but made with our traditional courser maize meal, these cookies have a great texture. After a much too hard first effort, I reduced the original amount of corn meal and added some coconut. For those without a really sweet tooth, these cookies are also delicious with a little less sugar.
(about 24 cookies)
2 eggs
300g sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g soft butter
100g maize meal
50g desiccated coconut
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp lime juice
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
finely grated zest of 1 lime
200g selfraising flour
Cream eggs, sugar and vanilla together
Add butter and mix until smooth
Mix in maize meal and coconut
Stir in juice and zest
Add flour and mix
Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes
(On a really cool day this is not necessary)
Line baking sheet with baking paper
Roll dough into balls of 3,5 cm
Arrange 6 at a time on baking tray
Bake in oven at 180˚C (fan) until edges start to brown, about 9 minutes
Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes
Transfer to cooling rack
HAZELNUT FIG COOKIES
These cookies are really soft when they come out of the oven. And they stay chewy when cooled. These are the most requested cookies from my arsenal!
(about 24 cookies)
160g soft butter
1 cup soft brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp orange marmalade
1 1/2 cup selfraising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raw oats
100g hazelnuts, chopped and lightly toasted
9 soft dried figs, chopped
Cream butter and sugar together
Whisk in vanilla and egg
Add flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, mix until combined
Mix in oats
Mix in hazelnuts and chopped figs
Line oven tray with baking paper
Use 2 teaspoons and place 4 cm rounds of dough on oven tray, 4 cm apart
Bake in oven at 165°C (fan) until golden, 10 to 12 minutes
Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes
Carefully transfer to wire rack and let cool completely
BROWN BREAD SCONES WITH
BAKED FIGS + CAMEMBERT
SCONES:
200g brown bread flour
150g selfraising flour
pinch of salt
2 tsp baking powder
85g soft butter, cut into small cubes
1 1/2 tbsp caster sugar
1 egg
175ml milk
extra flour
Combine flours, salt and baking powder in mixing bowl
Add butter and rub with fingers until crumbs form
Mix in sugar
Whisk egg and milk together in a small jug
Make a well in the flour, add the milk
(leave a little in the jug, about 1 1/2 tbsp, for glazing)
Mix together with a fork
Dust working surface and hands with flour
Remove dough from mixing bowl and put on surface
Fold the dough over a few times and form a ball
Dust rolling pin with flour and roll out dough until 1,5 cm thick
Take a cutter or a glass, 4,5 cm wide, and dip it into flour
Cut out scones, about 12
Brush tops with egg and milk mixture
Line baking tray with baking paper
Arrange scones on tray and bake in oven at 170˚C (fan) until golden brown,
about 10 minutes
Remove from oven and place prepared figs in the oven
(Scones not eaten on the day will feeze very well)
BAKED FIGS:
(Serve one fig per scone)
For 6 servings:
125g Camembert, for smaller figs you will use less
crushed peppercorns
honey
Cut Camembert into small wedges
Cut a cross into the top of each fig
Push a Camembert wegde, thin side down, into each fig
Arrange on baking tray or in oven dish
Bake in oven until cheese starts to melt, 2 or 3 minutes
Season lightly with pepper and drizzle with honey
Serve immediately
LIME COOKIES WITH MASCARPONE
18 COOKIES:
2 tbsp lime juice
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup soft butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp finely grated lime zest
1 3/4 cup selfraising flour
Mix lime juice and milk together, let stand for 5 minutes
Cream butter and sugar together in mixing bowl
Whisk in eggs and vanilla
Whisk in milk mixture and zest
Fold in flour
Line baking sheet with baking paper
Spoon batter for 18 cookies onto baking paper
(or half the amount depending on size of tray)
Bake on oven at 170˚C (fan) for 8 minutes
Let cool for 5 minutes before placing cookies on cooling rack
MASCARPONE TOPPING:
250g fresh mascarpone
1 heaped tbsp lemon curd
54 blueberries
2 tbsp grated lime zest
Mix together mascarpone and curd
Spoon on top of each cookie
Sprinkle with zest
Arrange blueberries on top
PEAR AND COGNAC CAKE
The light batter makes for a delicious and moist cake and if the pears are very ripe,
they might sink to the bottom, that is not something to worry about in this lifetime!
5 ripe pears
2 tbsp flour
1 cup light brown sugar
120g very soft butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs
120ml fresh cream
1 1/4 cup selfraising flour
1/4 cup cornflour
1 heaped tsp baking powder
80g walnuts, finely chopped
4 tbsp cognac
Peel pears and cut into small cubes
Toss cubes in 2 tbsp flour
In a mixing bowl, mix sugar, butter and vanilla
Add eggs and fresh cream, beat well
Mix selfraising flour, cornflour and baking powder together
Add to egg mixture and mix until smooth
Mix in walnuts and pears
Line bottom of 22cm non-stick springform pan
Pour batter into pan
Bake in oven at 170˚C (fan) for 40 to 45 minutes
(Cover loosely with foil if cake browns too quickly)
Drizzle hot cake with cognac
Let cool in pan
APPLE + OATS TEATIME CAKES
These are somewhere between cupcakes and muffins; it only takes a few minutes before they are in the oven.
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup grapeseed oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanila extract
1/2 cup plain yoghurt
2 cups selfraising flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup oats
pinch of salt
1/2 cup milk
1 green apple
juice of 1/4 lemon
Whisk together sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla
Whisk in yoghurt
Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, oats and salt
Mix until smooth
Mix in milk
Finely chop apple and sprinkle with lemon
Fold into batter
Grease and flour medium 12 tot 14 muffin pans
Spoon batter into muffin pans until just over half-full
(there will be batter left for 2 more cakes which I usually bake in paper cups)
Bake in oven at 170˚C (fan) until golden brown, about 14 minutes
CHEDDAR ZUCCHINI MUFFINS
Easy and delicious, great for at breakfast or brunch, serve warm or at room temperature. These also freeze very well.
230ml plain yoghurt
1 egg
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
2 tbsp milk
2 cups selfraising flour
1 cup brownbread or wholewheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
pinch of ground nutmeg
130g zucchini, grated
100g cheddar, grated
1 tbsp finely chopped chives
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
Beat yoghurt, egg, oil and milk together
Add flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and nutmeg, mix well
Mix in zucchini and cheese, this will take some effort, this is a very sticky dough
Fill 12 tot 14 well-greased muffin pans about 3/4
Bak in oven at 170˚C (fan) until golden, about 30 minutes
Let cool in pans for 15 minutes before removing
BALSAMIC PECAN NUT COOKIES
Makes 14 large cookies. Do not serve when there are more than six people in the room, although each cookie is of a generous size (and taste), there will be seconds!
150g very soft butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cup selfraising flour
pinch of salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
100g pecan nuts, chopped
1/2 cup sultanas
Cream butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl
Add vanilla and vinegar, mix well
Ad flour, salt, ginger and cinnamon, mix until smooth
Mix in nuts and sultanas
Line bottom of oven tray
Spoon 6 heaped teaspoons of micture onto tray
Bake in oven at 170˚C (fan) until golden brown, 9 to 10 minutes
Remove from oven
Let stand for 5 minutes to cool
Carefully transfer onto wire rack to cool completely
APRIL COOKIES
We used to make these for Easter, now I make them all year round.
Don’t be fooled by the simple ingredients, these little wonders are addictive!
225g soft butter
150g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
300g selfraising flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1tsp ginger
pinch of salt
1 cup chopped raisins
1/2 cup chopped glacée cherries
Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together
Add flour, cinnamon, ginger and salt, mix until smooth
Mix in raisins and cherries
Shape dough into a ball, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours
Roll into 32 balls
Line 2 or more baking sheets with baking paper
Arrange balls on baking sheets
Bake in oven at 175˚C (fan) for 12 minutes
