basesixty

Tag: quick bake

  • Oat Hazelnut Cookies

    Makes 9 cookies

    You will need:

    50g butter, plus a little for greasing
    2 tbsp maple syrup
    1 dessert apple, unpeeled and coarsely grated (you need 85g)
    1 tsp cinnamon
    50g raisins
    50g porridge oats
    50g spelt flour
    40g unblanched hazelnuts, cut into chunky slices
    1 egg

    Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and lightly grease a non-stick baking tray (or line a normal baking tray with baking parchment). Tip the butter and syrup into a small non-stick pan and melt together, then add the apple and cook, stirring, over a medium heat until it softens, about 6-7 mins. Stir in the cinnamon and raisins.

    Mix the oats, spelt flour, and hazelnuts in a bowl, pour in the apple mixture, then add the egg and beat everything together really well.

    Spoon onto the baking tray, well spaced apart to make 9 mounds, then gently press into discs. Bake for 18-20 mins until golden, then cool on a wire rack. Will keep for 3 days in an airtight container or 6 weeks in the freezer.

    TIP: As this isn’t classic baking, the ingredients do not need to be exact. Just note that if the grated apple is over 85g, then you may need a little flour to make sure that the mixture isn’t too wet to set.

    TIP: Be careful to not overcook these, the dried fruit can burn very quickly.

    Original recipe: BBC Good Food

  • Shrewsbury Biscuits

    Makes about 24 biscuits

    You will need:

    • 100g/3½oz unsalted butter, softened
    • 75g/2¾oz caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
    • 1 free-range egg, separated
    • 1 small unwaxed lemon, finely grated zest only
    • 200g/7oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
    • 50g/1¾oz currants
    • 1–2 tbsp milk

    Preheat the oven 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Line three baking trays with baking paper.

    Put the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat until well combined and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and lemon zest. Sift in the flour and mix well. Stir in the currants and enough milk to make a fairly soft dough.

    Knead the dough on a floured work surface and, using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until 5mm/¼in thick. Using a 6cm/2½in fluted cutter, cut out 24 rounds. Transfer to the baking trays using a palette knife and bake for 8 minutes.

    Lightly beat the egg white using a fork.

    Remove the biscuits from the oven and brush the tops with the beaten egg white. Sprinkle over caster sugar and return to the oven for 5 minutes, or until pale golden brown and cooked though. Leave to cool on the trays for a few minutes, then carefully lift onto a wire rack to cool completely.

    TIP: These biscuits don’t spread very much while baking, so you don’t need to leave the usual ‘extra space’ as with other biscuits. I can normally get 12 on one tray!

    TIP: As these have a buttery taste, you really do need to use nice tasting butter for these. You will be able to taste old butter if used…

    TIP: You can replace the milk with a milk alternative (like oat milk) quite successfully.

    Original recipe: Mary Berry – Baking Bible