the tin. Place somewhere cool (preferably not in the fridge) until the chocolate has hardened, then cut into bars.
GINGER AND HONEY SNAPS
For a variation on the classic ginger biscuit, these are the perfect accompaniment to a mid-morning cuppa.
MAKES ABOUT 20 COOKIES
225g (8oz) self-raising flour
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
½ tsp ground cinnamon
100g (3½oz) caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp extra, for sprinkling
125g (4½oz) butter, cubed
100g (3½oz) runny honey
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4. Grease a large baking tray with vegetable oil.
2 Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices into a large bowl, add the 100g (3½oz) sugar and mix well. Add the butter and, using your fingertips, rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
3 Heat the honey gently in a small saucepan, then pour it into the flour and butter mixture and bring together to form a dough using a wooden spoon.
4 Sprinkle the 1 tablespoon of caster sugar over a plate. Using floured hands, roll the dough into small balls, then roll in the caster sugar and place on the greased baking tray about 5cm (2in) apart. Flatten down with the back of a damp fork and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until they are medium brown. If the cookies are too dark, they will taste bitter.
5 Leave on the baking tray for 2 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool.
RACHEL’S BAKING TIP
*To make fresh cookies a couple of days later, you can roll some or all of the mixture into a sausage shape, wrap tightly in cling film and allow to chill in the fridge. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Cut off pieces of dough, roll them in your hands, then in the caster sugar and bake as above. They won’t be as big but they are still delicious!
LITTLE PECAN PUFFS
These buttery and crumbly little morsels are tossed in icing sugar so they look like small puffy clouds—hence their name!
MAKES ABOUT 48 PUFFS
110g (4oz) shelled pecans
110g (4oz) butter, softened
50g (2oz) caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
110g (4oz) plain flour, sifted
25g (1oz) icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting
1 Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F), Gas mark 2.
2 Place the pecans in a food processor and grind until quite fine.
3 Cream the butter in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer until soft. Add the sugar and vanilla extract and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the ground pecans and flour and bring together to form a dough.
4 Using your hands, roll the dough into small, marble-sized balls, then flatten slightly using the palm of your hand and place on a baking tray (no need to grease or line).
5 Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until they are a very pale golden brown and slightly firm around the edges.
6 Sift the icing sugar into a shallow bowl or onto a large plate. Allow the cookies to cool for 2 minutes, then carefully remove them from the tray and, while they are still hot, roll them in the sifted icing sugar.
7 Allow to cool on a wire rack, then dust generously with more icing sugar.
BAKEWELL BARS
I love the classic combination of light almond sponge and buttery shortbread, sandwiched together with a tasty layer of raspberry jam. You can use any type of jam you wish, of course—apricot would make a delicious alternative in this recipe. You can also double the quantity to fit into a 23 × 30cm (9 × 12in) Swiss roll tin.
MAKES 12 BARS
75g (3oz) butter, softened
25g (1oz) caster sugar
1 egg yolk
175g (6oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
Half a jar (approximately 200g/7oz) raspberry jam (or make your own)
For the topping
100g (3½oz) butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 eggs, beaten
A few drops of almond essence
100g (3½oz) ground almonds
100g (3½oz) semolina
100g (3½oz) caster sugar
Flaked almonds, for sprinkling
20 × 20cm (8 × 8in) square cake tin
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4. Butter the sides of the cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.
2 First, make the biscuit base. Cream the butter in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer until soft. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and mix well, then sift in the flour and mix together to form a dough.
3 Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface to the right size to fit the base of the tin and then press into the prepared tin. Spread the raspberry jam over the top, then allow to chill in the fridge while you make the topping.
4 Place the melted butter in a bowl, add the beaten eggs and almond essence and mix well. Stir in the ground almonds, semolina and caster sugar.
5 Take the tin out of the fridge and spread the almond dough over the jam, being careful not to mess up the jam too much. (I usually place the almond dough in dots over the jam, then join it all together using the back of a spoon.)
6 Sprinkle the top with the flaked almonds and bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes or until golden and set in the centre. Allow to cool in the tin, then cut into fingers.
ALMOND AND ORANGE BUTTER FINGERS
These lovely old-fashioned, shortbread-like biscuits are moist and crumbly, with a citrus zing.
MAKES ABOUT 32 FINGERS