Cream Cheese and Orange Biscuits

Another recipe from my beloved One Girl Cookies cookbook - the book from the owners of the bakery of the same name in Brooklyn, NY (see my post on it here). Whilst scribbling in my diary yesterday, I realised that this time last year I was jetting off on a plane to NY with 50 school friends (as school trips go, it was hard to beat!). After dispelling my envy for those who are about to go this year, I decided to do something more productive - bake!

I owed a friend a birthday present, having turned up embarrassingly empty handed to the party on saturday night (I never quite know the etiquette with big parties, it seems to ruin their fun a little if you drag them off the dance floor to hand them a poorly wrapped bath bomb... but then I always feel weird turning up without anything). As party etiquette goes, I was already failing miserably having not turned up until 11pm - although I have to confess, a part of me was a little proud as I'd managed two 18th's in one evening and, as a girl who is normally found making jam or doing other un-teenager-like things, this was a step towards 'coolness'. But incase you fear I've changed, I can reassure you that I was back on true form making marmalade the next day with my dad.

So I decided to make these biscuits to take in as a present - as the recipient most definitely shares my love of all things food! They'd work really well as party favours too, as they're dainty and rather decorative with their sprinkling of desiccated coconut.

Recipe converted from the Orange Butter Drops recipe in One Girl Cookies - quantities converted from cups to grams and I've very slightly tweaked the glaze from the original.

Ingredients (makes about 16):

Biscuits

50g caster sugar

Grated zest of half an orange

165g plain flour

130g cold, cubed, unsalted butter

Half tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp cream cheese

Glaze

Juice of just under half an orange

70g icing sugar

40g desiccated coconut, toasted (watch out, it toasts quickly)

Half tbsp cream cheese

Method:

• Mix together the sugar, zest and flour.
• Beat in the butter (by hand or with a paddle attachment on a mixer).
• Beat in the vanilla and cream cheese until it comes together as a dough (should be pretty quick).
• Shape into small balls (about the size of large cherry tomatoes) and place on a lined baking tray, about 1 inch apart.

• Cook in the oven at 180 degrees c (I used fan, but I'd stick to the same temp if you don't have fan, they may just need a little longer) for about 15 - 18mins (until golden around the edges).
• Leave on a wire rack to cool completely whilst you make the glaze.
• Beat together the icing sugar, cream cheese and enough orange juice to form a fairly thick, glue-like paste.
• Dip the top half of each cooled, cooked biscuit into the glaze and then into the toasted coconut.

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Ginger spiced bran cookies

I'm not claiming this to be anything in the league of the accidental tarte tatin discovery, but this little recipe came about by a tasty accident. I think it must have something to do with sunday baking, my brain's had a day off and it just starts to relax... and consequently, I forget things. The forgotten item in question was an egg, something pretty essential to a cake, but cookies are a little more forgiving. I'm no cake-baking scientist, but I think the lack of said egg gave these cookies their slightly chewy texture - rather than the cake-like texture you seem to get with cookie recipes that use eggs. That's what I think, but as I say, I could be completely wrong, so please feel free to correct me.

I'd say this cookies lie somewhere between a ginger-nut and a cookie - once cooled, they're crunchy on the outside, but still a bit chewy on the inside - perfect tea dunkers I think!

Ingredients:

110g margarine
50g golden syrup (about 1tbsp)
170g self raising flour
110g light soft brown sugar
1tsp ground ginger
Half tsp bicarb
110g bran flakes (slightly crushed)
50g sultanas

Method:

1. Melt the butter and golden syrup.
2. Combine all dry ingredients.
3. Stir melted mix with the dry mixture.
4. Spoon blobs of the mixture, well spaced apart, onto a lined baking tray (about a small tablespoon full for each biscuit, don't squash them).
5. Cook in the oven at 180 degrees C for 10 - 15 minutes, until dark golden all over.

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Oaty Cookies

I know January's traditionally a time for horrible diets and expensive gym memberships, but sometimes, just sometimes, you have to treat yourself... to bring that 'I've just eaten a biscuit' glow to your diet-wearied face. That said, these aren't actually too unhealthy as far as biscuits go - plenty of oats to please the health conscious among us. For me, these are perfect morning biscuits because you can make them start to finish in 20 - 25 minutes, ready to bring up with a cup of tea to start the weekend - earning some extra brownie points in the process!

I've adapted this recipe from The WI book of biscuits, swapping some of the caster sugar for soft brown to give them a more toffee-like flavour and a slightly chewier texture... my attempt to replicate the texture of the amazing Ben's Cookies - a must-try for any cookie fan, or anyone in need of converting!

Makes about 15 - 20 depending on size

In a big bowl stir together the following:

100g oats

100g plain flour

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

+ whatever dried fruit/nuts/chocolate bits you fancy... I added about 80g of raisins and about 30g of chopped pecans, but dried apricots work really well too - tailor them to your preferences!

Melt the following in a saucepan:

100g spread

50g caster sugar

50g light soft brown sugar

1tbsp golden syrup

Stir everything together then spoon heaped blobs onto a lined baking tray - leave plenty of space between (about 3cm around each) and don't flatten them before cooking.

Cook for 15mins at 150 degrees C (fan) until golden brown - don't over cook as they'll firm up on cooling.

Leave them on the tray for a few seconds then put them onto a rack to cool.

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