SMARTIES COOKIES WITH EDIBLE CRICKETS

Preparation time 15 mins Cooking time 15 mins Makes 24

125g unsalted bu er, at room temperature

1 cup icing sugar, si‚ed

1 cup dark brown sugar

2 free-range eggs

2 1†/ˆ2 cups plain flour

3Š/‹4 cup self-raising flour

†1/ˆ2 cup edible bug powder (from online suppliers)

1 1†/ˆ2 cups Smarties

STEP 1 Preheat oven to 160°C fan-forced (180°C conventional). Line 2 large oven trays with baking paper. Combine bu†er and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat with the paddle a†achment for 5 minutes, until very light. Add eggs one at a time, beating well a‰er each addition.

STEP 2 Si‰ together flours and bug powder, fold into bu†er mixture until smooth; fold in half of the Smarties.

STEP 3 Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls with lightly dampened fingers and arrange on prepared trays, leaving room to spread while baking. Fla†en tops slightly, then top with remaining Smarties. Bake for 14-16 minutes, until just firm to touch. Leave to cool on trays for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack.

If you want to sneak highprotein, nutrient-dense bugs into your food, these cookies are the way to do it. Just don’t tell the kids until they’ve polished them off!