SMART COOKIES
Crammed with chewy oats, perhaps, or short and sweetly sandwiching the likes of curd or dulce de leche, nothing beats a biscuit with your cuppa.
Crammed with chewy oats, perhaps, or short and sweetly sandwiching the likes of curd or dulce de leche, nothing beats a biscuit with your cuppa. Put the kettle on – it’s crunch time.
PEANUT AND SESAME
Wall tiles from Bunnings Warehouse (used throughout). Table frame trivet from Luumo. Canister from Freedom. Marimekko paper napkins from Plenty Kitchen & Tableware. Clock from Kikki.K. Linen napkin from Hale Mercantile Co.
All other props stylist’s own. Stockists p175. Salted peanut and sesame biscuits
(RECIPE P114)
Salted peanut and sesame biscuits
These are simple and super-easy to have on hand. For a quick dessert, they also make a very tasty ice-cream sandwich – try coconut or vanilla ice-cream.
Prep time 20 mins, cook 15 mins (plus chilling)
Makes about 26 (pictured p113) 220 gm (1 cup) brown sugar 60 gm softened butter 1 egg, lightly beaten 75 gm (½ cup) plain flour 1/ tsp baking powder 8 70 gm roasted sesame seeds 2 tbsp black sesame seeds
70 gm (½ cup) roasted salted peanuts
1 Beat sugar and butter until pale (2-3 minutes), then beat in egg. Add flour, baking powder and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, and beat to combine. Stir in sesame seeds and peanuts. Refrigerate until firm (1 hour). 2 Preheat oven to 160C and line 2 oven trays with baking paper. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls, place on trays and press lightly to flatten. Bake, swapping trays halfway, until golden and crisp (12-15 minutes). Cool on trays for 5 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack. Biscuits will keep for 2 days in an airtight container.
Fennel, cheese and chilli biscuits
These savoury biscuits hit all the right notes with an apéritif or in place of dessert. The dough can be made a day beforehand and baked just before guests arrive.
Prep time 20 mins, cook 20 mins (plus chilling)
Makes 16 1 tsp fennel seeds 100 gm (⅔ cup) plain flour 100 gm butter, coarsely chopped 50 gm vintage cheddar, finely grated 70 gm pecorino, finely grated 2 tsp thyme, plus 1 tsp extra, for scattering 1 tsp chilli flakes
1 egg yolk
1 Dry-roast fennel seeds in a small frying pan over medium heat until fragrant (30 seconds; see cook’s notes p176). Transfer to a mortar and pestle and coarsely crush. Combine flour, butter, cheddar, 50gm pecorino, thyme, chilli, fennel seeds, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper and ½ tsp salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Mix egg yolk with 1 tbsp cold water in a small bowl. Add to food processor and pulse to combine. Turn out onto a lightly floured bench and bring together. Roll dough between 2 sheets of baking paper to a 4mm-thick rectangle. Refrigerate for 1 hour to rest.
2 Preheat oven to 180C and line a large oven tray with baking paper. Cut dough into 16 even 3.5cm x 6cm rectangles (trim edges if desired) and transfer to tray, scatter with remaining thyme and pecorino, and season with freshly ground black pepper. Bake, turning halfway through cooking, until biscuits are golden (16-18 minutes). Cool on tray, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. These are best eaten the day they’re made.
Lime and vanilla yo-yos with passionfruit curd
Melting moments, yo-yos, call them what you will – these wonderful childhood favourites are taken to the next level with passionfruit curd and lime butter.
Prep time 35 mins, cook 15 mins (plus chilling)
Makes about 14 (pictured p116)
200 gm butter, softened
90 gm pure icing sugar, sieved 60 ml (¼ cup) lime juice
Finely grated rind of 1 lime Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean 225 gm (11/ cups) plain flour
2
100 gm cornflour
Passionfruit curd
4 egg yolks
100 gm caster sugar
80 ml passionfruit pulp (from about 4 passionfruit)
50 gm butter, coarsely chopped 2 tsp lime juice
Lime butter
210 gm pure icing sugar, sieved
75 gm cold unsalted butter, finely chopped 1½ tbsp lime juice
Finely grated rind of 1 lime
1 Preheat oven to 180C and line 2 oven trays with baking paper. Beat butter, icing sugar, lime juice and rind, and vanilla seeds until pale and creamy (2-3 minutes). Sift flour and cornflour over the butter mixture and mix until well combined. Take a heaped tablespoonful of dough, roll into a ball and press lightly with a floured fork twice to form a cross-hatch pattern, then place on lined trays. Bake until just golden (12-15 minutes). Cool briefly on trays, then transfer to a wire rack.
2 Meanwhile, for passionfruit curd, whisk yolks in a heatproof bowl to combine. Combine sugar, passionfruit pulp and butter in a saucepan over low heat and stir until butter melts and sugar dissolves (5 minutes). Whisking continuously, add a third of the passionfruit mixture to yolks, then add to pan and stir continuously until thickened (3 minutes; do not boil). Add lime juice, remove from heat and pass through a coarse sieve into a container. Cover directly with plastic wrap, cool for 10 minutes, then refrigerate until chilled (1 hour).
3 For lime butter, beat ingredients in an electric mixer until pale and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
4 Top half the biscuits with lime butter, then passionfruit curd (there may be a little left over), sandwich with remaining biscuits and refrigerate until firm (30 minutes). Filled yo-yos will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for 2 days.>
Fennel, cheese and chilli biscuits
YO-YOS Copper canister from Freedom. Bowl from Studio Enti. HOB KNOBS Cleo pourer from Country Road. Brett Stone black bowl from Utopia Art Sydney. White bowls from Little White Dish.
All other props stylist’s own. Stockists p175. Lime and vanilla yo-yos with passionfruit curd
(RECIPE P114)
Chocolate hob-nobs
These extra-large oat biscuits are exactly what you need to get through the afternoon slump. Have one with a strong cup of tea and you’ll be firing.
Prep time 30 mins, cook 15 mins (plus setting and cooling)
Makes about 14
250 gm (12/ cups) wholemeal self-raising flour 3 250 gm quick-cook oats 250 gm brown sugar 230 gm butter, coarsely chopped 2 tbsp golden syrup ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 200 gm dark chocolate (55% cocoa solids), finely chopped 1 Preheat oven to 180C and line 2 oven trays with baking paper. Combine flour, oats and sugar in a large bowl, stir in ½ tsp sea salt flakes and form a well in the centre.
2 Stir butter, golden syrup and 1 tbsp water in a saucepan over low heat until butter melts. Stir in bicarbonate of soda, then add to oat mixture and stir until mixture comes together.
Set aside to cool, then roll between 2 sheets of baking paper until 4mm thick. Cut out 11 cm diameter rounds (re-roll scraps) and carefully transfer to prepared trays.
3 Bake in batches, swapping trays halfway through cooking, until biscuits are golden and crisp (12-14 minutes). Cool on trays for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack.
4 Melt chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Cool briefly, then dip one side of each biscuit in chocolate, shaking to remove excess. Place biscuits chocolate-side up on a wire rack until set. Hob-nobs will keep refrigerated in an airtight container or in a cool place for 5 days.>
There are many incarnations of the alfajor – a pair of biscuits sandwiching dulce de leche; this version coated with crisp meringue is among the best.
AFGHANS White bowl from Chuchu Ceramics.
ALFAJORES Espresso cup from Little White Dish. Copper cabinet handle from Mother of Pearl.
All other props stylist’s own. Stockists p175. Afghans
(RECIPE P121)
PEPPARKAKOR Enamel storage container from Ten Things. Plates from Studio Enti. All other props stylist’s own. TEXT PAGE All props stylist’s own. Stockists p175. Pepparkakor
Pepparkakor
The quantity of spice in these Swedish ginger cookies is a personal decision – we think the spicier the better. Mix and match to make your ideal ginger blend. Begin this recipe a day ahead, ideally, to give the mixture time to develop.
Prep time 20 mins, cook 40 mins (plus chilling)
Makes about 24 200 gm (12/ cups) plain flour 3 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 85 gm butter, coarsely chopped 140 gm brown sugar 2 tbsp molasses 1¼ tbsp ground ginger 2 tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ¼ tsp ground cloves 1/ tsp cayenne 8 1 egg
20 gm (¼ cup) flaked almonds
1 Combine flour, bicarbonate of soda and ½ tsp fine sea salt in a bowl. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add brown sugar, molasses, spices and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and whisk to combine, then whisk in egg. Mix into flour mixture, bring together to form a dough, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, and flavours develop (6 hours or overnight).
2 Preheat oven to 160C and line 2 oven trays with baking paper. Roll out dough on a lightly floured sheet of baking paper to 3mm thick, then refrigerate until firm (15 minutes). Using a floured 7cm-diameter fluted biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits and transfer to prepared trays. Brush lightly with water, scatter with almonds and bake in batches, swapping trays halfway, until biscuits are crisp (15-20 minutes). Cool on trays. Ginger cookies keep in an airtight container for 3 days.
Alfajores meringue
There are many delicious incarnations of the alfajor; this version coated with crisp meringue is among the best. Get your hands on the best dulce de leche possible – a thick and rich version, such as Havanna, is ideal. Start this recipe 12 hours ahead to allow the meringue to set.
Prep time 45 mins, cook 15 mins (plus resting, setting)
Makes about 18 (pictured p118) 220 gm butter, softened 120 gm caster sugar 1½ tbsp honey 1 egg Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean 415 gm plain flour 100 gm cornflour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
300 gm dulce de leche (see note)
Meringue icing
240 gm caster sugar 2 eggwhites 1 Beat butter and sugar in an electric mixer until pale and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Scrape down the sides, then add honey, egg, vanilla seeds and ½ tsp salt and beat to combine. Add flour, cornflour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and stir to combine. Turn out onto a work surface and gently bring dough together. Wrap in plastic wrap, pat into a disc and refrigerate until chilled and firm (1 hour).
2 Preheat oven to 180C and line 2 oven trays with baking paper. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 3mm, cut out 7cm-diameter rounds, transfer to prepared trays and dock with a fork. Bake, swapping trays halfway, until golden and cooked through (7-8 minutes). Cool briefly on trays, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
3 Spread half the biscuits with dulce de leche, sandwich with remaining biscuits and set aside.
4 For meringue icing, stir sugar and 80ml water in a small saucepan over high heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer without stirring, brushing crystals from sides of pan with a wet pastry brush, until slightly reduced and syrupy (2-3 minutes). Meanwhile, whisk eggwhites in an electric mixer until soft peaks form, then increase speed and add syrup in a thin steady stream until incorporated. Continue whisking until meringue is cool and thick (8-10 minutes). Spread the sides and tops of the biscuits with a thin coating of meringue, wiping off any excess. Set aside on a wire rack until icing sets (12 hours or overnight) before serving. Alfajores will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Note Dulce de leche is available from select grocers and delicatessens; the Havanna brand is available from The Essential Ingredient.
Afghans
Don’t let the name fool you – these crunchy corn-flake treats come from our New Zealand neighbours. Be generous with the icing – it’s almost the best bit.
Prep time 15 min, cook 15 mins
Makes about 16 (pictured p119) 200 gm butter, softened 100 gm brown sugar 185 gm (1¼ cup) plain flour 25 gm (¼ cup) Dutch-process cocoa 60 gm corn flakes
2 tbsp roasted hazelnuts, halved
Chocolate icing
240 gm (1½ cup) pure icing sugar, sifted 1½ tbsp Dutch-process cocoa
20 gm butter, melted
1 Preheat oven to 180C and line 2 oven trays with baking paper. Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Sieve flour and cocoa over butter mixture and beat to combine. Add corn flakes and stir to combine. Place heaped tablespoonfuls of dough on prepared trays, press lightly to flatten and bake, swapping trays halfway, until edges are firm (10-12 minutes). Cool completely on trays. 2 For icing, combine icing sugar and cocoa in a bowl. Add butter and 1 ½ -2 tbsp hot water and stir until smooth, adding a little extra water until mixture is thick but just spreadable. Spread thickly over biscuits and top with hazelnuts. Afghans are best eaten the day they’re made, but will keep for 2 days in an airtight container.