Sweet Treats

Well I have been very busy lately what with one thing and another, but have remembered to take photos of most things so should be a fair few posts to update you all with.

First things first. My company had to make 3 people redundant this week. Being a Senior Manager meant that I was quite involved and it was one of the most horrid experiences of my life. So I did what I do best in stressful situations...lock myself in the kitchen.

I had taken hubby off to the pub to watch the footy, stocked up on baking essentials, and turned on Heart FM. I was ready to go. I decided on sweet treats for the office rather than going down my normal savoury route. I find one of the most relaxing things to potter about making in the kitchen is a big batch of my homemade tomato sauce.

So anyway - out came my little baking book "The Cook's Encyclopedia of Cookies, Biscuits & Bars - Hilaire Walden" and I duly decided on two things. Apple Muffins, in the hope that they were vaguely healthy, and then Peanut Butter cookies to hit that sweet/salty craving.

Apple and Cinnamon Muffins

Makes 6 (or in my case 8)

1 beaten egg

40g of caster sugar

120ml of milk

50g of melted butter

150g of plain flour

1 1/2tsp of baking powder

pinch of salt

1/2tsp of cinnamon

2 eating apples, peeled and cored and finely chopped (I did mine in the food processor)

for the topping (this is the only bit I changed to my own idea)

50g of pecan nuts

dessert spoon of dark brown sugar

dessert spoon of oats

1) Pre-heat oven to 200 degC. Line muffin tin with papercases. Mix egg, sugar, milk and melted butter in large bowl. Sift in flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add chopped apple and mix roughly

2) Spoon mixture into cases. Blitz topping ingredients in food processor and sprinkle over uncooked muffins.

3) Bake for 30-35 minutes until well risen and golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool

The muffins worked really well, and I even got to use one of my Christmas presents. My sister got me some silicone moulds and they were great. I did however get very greedy and ate one pretty much as soon as it came out of the oven. I ended up with one of those lovely blisters on the roof of my mouth, that make you gag every time your tongue touches it! The next day when cooled they were equally as great. The apple had created a slightly gooey texture in the centre which wasn't too heavy, and they certainly tasted of apple. I'm still persevering with muffins. I just cant seem to get the texture right. I suppose I am thinking of those horrid muffins you get in supermarkets that are quite light and fluffy, whereas mine are always that bit denser. I thought I had perfected the not stirring too much, but I obviously need to try harder.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Makes 24 (but be prepared for more!)

115g of plain flour

1/2 tsp of bicarbonate of soda

pinch of salt

115g of butter

125g of light brown sugar

1 egg

1tsp of vanilla essence

225g of crunchy peanut butter

1)Sift together flour, bicarb and salt and set aside

2)Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy

3)In another bowl mix the egg and vanilla essence, than gradually beat into the butter mixture

4)Stir peanut butter into butter mix and blend thoroughly. Stir in dry ingredients. Chill for at least 30 minutes until firm

5) Pre-heat oven to 180degC. Grease two baking sheets (at this point I used my big round pizza tray and a non-stick silicon baking mat. I just had to keep doing another batch after one came out of the oven)

6) Spoon out rounded teaspoonfuls of the dough and roll into balls

7) Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets and press flat with a fork (apparently they should be about 6cm in diameter, this could be where I went wrong as mine were about 2cm! - hence why I had hundreds!). Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly coloured. Transfer to wire rack to cool

The peanut cookies were a resounding success, apart from the fact that they had similar characteristics to Gremlins and seemed to multiply. The recipe was supposed to make 24, but I ended up with hundreds of the things! I ended up doing 4 batches and sending some into work with hubby, and some off to my sister. Hubby kept updating me throughout the day with how many people had eaten, and at my work they didn't even make it to afternoon tea. Definitely one to make again.