Biscuiteers Flooded Cookies

Cookie cutters are a horrible addiction, bested only by my addiction to Bundt tins. However, whilst I use my Bundt tins, I rarely use my cutters because I reckon drop cookies (chocolate chip anyone?) taste sooo much better.

Flooded cookies have been en vogue for awhile and Biscuiteers is definitely the most famous. So, when I was in town checking out the latest bookshop to go bust (boooo...) I found the Biscuiteers book. I have to say, I didn't buy it. There wasn't enough recipes for me to buy - probably about eight and most of them were "adjustments" of the basic recipe whereby you replace flour with cocoa etc. Moreover, it didn't take me long to spot an editing error whereby the Anzac coconut cookies didn't tell you how much coconut you needed to put in the recipe. Anyway, I digress. I didn't buy the book, though it was a very pretty book. You might like it all the same, but I'd rather have more recipes for my money.

There were some handy points which I thought might make it worthwhile reading.
1. How to pack the cookies.
2. Bake the cookies on a low heat after icing to maintain crispness.

I write the recipe for the cookie below. It made four trays of cookies and really doesn't spread much at all. I did however get bored so I mixed my second batch with dried peel and that was okay. It's just not a very strong flavoured cookie and I had to use 2 medium eggs to get the mix to a pliable consistency. I used Royal Icing mix (icing sugar and egg white powder) with water and some lemon juice to ice. The amounts quoted in the book was too much for me (1kg plus) which is great if you love icing... less great if it's just you playing pretty pictures.

Basic cookie
Makes 24 cookies
350g plain flour
100g self raising flour
125g granulated sugar (I suggest caster as it did show up grainy when I used normal granulated.)
125g salted butter (surprising right? I used unsalted and added half a teaspoon salt.)
125g golden syrup
1 large egg

Method:
1. Sift flours and add sugar.
2. Rub in butter until breadcrumbs appear.
3. Add syrup and egg.
4. Draw in and mix until dough like.
5. Roll and use. (Does not need chilling.)
6. Bake for 15minutes at Gas Mark 4.

I added vanilla essence but evidently should have added more. Next time I will be trying Martha Stewart's recipe, which with 2 tablespoons of cognac, sounds yummy!

Comments

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