Cookie Heaven

With half term looming, many things were on my mind.  How will I amuse the kids for a whole fortnight and juggle work?  Will they attempt to kill each other without school and homework as a distraction? How much crap am I going to have to buy to feed them! 

So being the domestic goddess that I am (not!), I took advantage of a quiet Saturday afternoon. Mark was at footie ("Come on you BLUES!"), the girls were hanging out somewhere inappropriate with some friends and I was, well, bored.  So out came the recipe books and two hours later we had my version of chocolate brownies, flapjacks and cookies.  It was a thoroughly soothing experience to prepare comfort food for ones family, rather than my usual fare of healthy meals disguised as stuff they will enjoy!  I felt very Nigella with my Cath Kidston apron and Radio 4 on in the background.

But, to my horror, daughter no 2 declared that the cookies "Have too much flavour!"  So, "Can I go buy some maryland cookies?"  After my initial shock, I took this as a compliment and of course it left more for us! 

These are so simple I made another two batches yesterday as I had a spare 15 minutes and fancied something sweet.  The recipe is based on the one in Good Housekeeping's "The Baking Book".

Ingredients: 
4 oz unsalted butter, room temp is best easier to mix
5 oz caster sugar
1 medium egg
5 oz plain flour sifted (I used to ignore that part in recipes.  DON'T, as it really makes a difference.)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 oz peanut butter (3 largish tablespoons works well rather than actually measuring.)
6 oz raisins.

The Prep

1) Heat the oven to 190 or 170 for a fan oven, gas mark 5.

2) Grease two largish baking sheets.

The Method

1) Put all ingredients expect raisins in bowl and blend until thoroughly mixed and sticky. This takes a good few minutes, all of sudden it just comes together.

2) Stir in the raisins. Then roll the mixture into little balls.

3) Place between the palms of your hands and flatten a little to give it more of a cookie shape.

4) Put each one on the baking tray, but space them out well as they spread.

5) Pop in oven for 15 minutes until they turn golden brown around the edges.

6) When you take them out, leave for a good 10 minutes before transferring to a wire tray to cool.

7) Now leave as long as you can… bear in mind the longer you leave them the better. If they are soft they just break and then you have to eat them immediately!

Ideas:
Instead of peanut butter, use almond butter, nutella or cocoa powder. I also sometimes add nuts, chocolate chips and Goji berries. But not all at the same time obviously.

Make a double batch by doubling the quantities but leave out the flavouring, i.e. peanut butter, then put half the mixture in another bowl and make two different varieties.

Serve on a beautiful plate with a glass of milk or cup of ginger tea for a decadent treat.