I’m going to let you in on a secret, of how to make soft, light and absolutely amazing scones. Drum roll please, ba dump dump chshshshshshshsh………….…
Biscuit
Basil and Lemon Cookies
These little cookies are sunshine on a plate. I have to say I love the flavor combo. I thought I would end up with some pretty average, weird tasting cookies however they are so refreshing and delightful. They have inspired me to begin experimenting with other flavor combos in my baking. You never know what you will end up with, but if there all this good I’m very keen.
I had some basil that was slowly wilting and instead of making a big spaghetti bolognese, I started to think what else I could do with the basil. Basil has such an amazing and homely aroma, its sweet and inviting, I could just dive my face into a bunch of basil, its just that good, don’t you think so?
I started to think how would it go in something sweet, I had some lemons and thought I might make a bit of a short bread and incorporate the two, well lemon and basil go so well together in savory dishes, whats to stop them working in something sweet. Well let me tell you…. NOTHING. Its divine and I think you should give it a go. Do you know of any other flavor combos that work well in sweet dishes, I would love to hear about any of your own experimentation.
Basil and Lemon Cookies
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Serves: Makes 15
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 75 g butter
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- zest of a lemon
- 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh basil
- TOFFEE
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Pre heat the oven to 150C
- Place the flour, sugar and butter into a food processor and pulse until the mixture forms fine bread crumbs. Then add the lemon juice and zest along with the basil and pulse to form a dough.
- Place the dough on a floured bench and roll it out with a rolling pin, until about 5mm thick. Use a 5cm cookie cutter to cut the cookies out and place on a lined baking tray. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Place on a cooling tray to cool.
- To make the topping place the sugar and honey into a saucepan, then swirl as the sugar starts to melt. Let the mixture boil until a beautiful amber colour forms, then remove form the heat. Use a fork to drizzle the toffee over the cookies on a flat surface. Let cool before eating so the toffee hardens.
Pumpkin Reese Cookies
Om nomm nomm, mmmmmmm cookies…. That about sums it up.
These little ones are my tribute to spooky Halloween, not that it is really celebrated in this part of the world. Why I’m not sure, who wouldn’t love to get bags full of sweet lollies and candies from people, I know I would. As a kid I dreamed of living in the US, or at least visiting during Halloween, so I could get bucketfuls of sweets. But sadly that never happened. But now I’m old and no one can tell me what to do, I can buy all the sweets and lollies I want arrrrrhaaa haaa haaa. So when I was in this candy shop the other day just breathing in the sweet aromas, I spied a huge packet full of little Reeses, which are American chocolate covered peanut butter cups. So I thought it was more than fitting to make some pumpkin reese cookies, for you all to celebrate the spookiest night of the year.
Happy Baking and eating xxx
Pumpkin Reeses Cookies
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2/3 cup sugar
2 1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
15 mini Reeses
Pre heat oven to 150C
Place pumpkin, oil, vanilla and sugar into a bowl and mix to combine. Sift the flour, baking powder and soda into a bowl and then add to the pumpkin mixture and stir. Chop the Reeses into half’s and sprinkle through the dough and combine. Spoon the mixture onto a lined tray and bake for 15 minutes or until cooked.
Makes 10
Chocolate Mocha Cookies
Afternoon pick me up? I always need one, don’t you? It baffles me how some people have so much energy all the time, they’re like little energiser bunnies, always go, go, go. I used to think maybe its the food they eat but you know what I think its just the way they’re programmed.
If you’re like me and need a pick me up or suffer from three-thirtyitis and need something to get you through the rest of the day, well at least until dinner, I’ve got the thing for you. I have combined all the wake me up foods into one cookie, coffee, chocolate and sugar. Drum roll please………
Mocha Cookies. They’re soft and gooey, just the way I like my cookies. Be warned they do have a bit of a coffee hit though.
Enjoy xx
Sophia
Mocha Cookies
200g butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant coffee
Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together until light and fluffy the add the eggs in one at a time beating after each addition.
Sift in the flour, baking soda, cocoa and coffee together and add to the mixture. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Pre heat the oven to 150C
Roll the dough into balls and place on a lined baking tray, bake for 10 minutes or untill cooked.
