Last weekend I was rushing around trying to get the house super clean for the Bible Study that was to be held at my house. An hour before it was due to start, the study was cancelled. Most of the members were either sick or away. I didn't mind, but it's meant I've had to clean my house again this weekend.
Bible Study or no study, I would've cleaned the house anyway. But because my oven is now working again (in a manner of speaking) I decided to do some baking. My camera's still putting green lines across the centre of photos but with a little bit of editing I think I've managed to get rid of most of the green.
First recipe of the day: Oaty Chocolate Chip Biscuits.
This is a favourite recipe that makes about 70 or more biscuits. It freezes well too (in fact my kids like to eat them frozen - and so do I!)
250g butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups rolled oats
2 3/4 cups of flour
3 tsp baking powder
at least 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Beat butter and sugars and vanilla with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in flour, oats and choc chips (the mixture is really stiff and I've found that it's easier to mix with clean hands than with a wooden spoon). Place heaped teaspoons of the mixture onto greased baking trays. Bake in a moderate oven for approximately 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Stand on trays for 5 minutes before removing to rack.
As you can see from the photo, my biscuits vary from pale golden to dark brown. The darker ones I'll put in a jar for the family (they won't mind that they're dark and crunchy) but the paler ones I'll serve my guests tomorrow.
This next recipe uses golden syrup and a wholegrain cereal biscuit popular in New Zealand and Australia. Golden syrup has a similar consistency to treacle but is lighter in colour and sweeter. Honey can also be substituted although of course the flavour will change. I used to use honey regularly when I was getting it for free.
The breakfast biscuit is known as Weet-Bix. I suspect any similar cereal could be substituted. This recipe came from my mum and apparently the original recipe used cornflakes but I've never tried it with them. The great thing about Weet-Bix is that there are always crumbs at the bottom of the box. I save them up and use them for this recipe. I've always got more crumbs than I need.
Chocolate Coconut Slice
360g butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups crushed Weet-Bix
1 cup sugar
2 cups coconut
2 dessertspoons golden syrup
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons cocoa
Melt butter and golden syrup together. Add vanilla. Mix together Weet-Bix, sugar, coconut, flour and cocoa. Add butter to dry ingredients and mix well. Press into greased roasting pan or large slice tray and bake in moderate oven for 25-30 minutes. When cool, ice (frost) with chocolate icing (frosting) and decorate with coconut if desired.
This is a very versatile recipe. I've placed cut up marshmallows with the cut side down on the hot base and placed back in the oven until the marshmallows have started to melt then drizzled melted chocolate over the marshmallows. Another time when I ran out of coconut I added crushed nuts. As long as the ratio of wet to dry remains the same the slice tends to turn out.
By the way, my slice isn't as big as I usually make it (or per this recipe). I had 250g of butter left over from the biscuits and didn't want to open a new one so I just used 2/3 of the listed ingredients. It still turned out.
Bible Study or no study, I would've cleaned the house anyway. But because my oven is now working again (in a manner of speaking) I decided to do some baking. My camera's still putting green lines across the centre of photos but with a little bit of editing I think I've managed to get rid of most of the green.
First recipe of the day: Oaty Chocolate Chip Biscuits.
This is a favourite recipe that makes about 70 or more biscuits. It freezes well too (in fact my kids like to eat them frozen - and so do I!)
250g butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups rolled oats
2 3/4 cups of flour
3 tsp baking powder
at least 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Beat butter and sugars and vanilla with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in flour, oats and choc chips (the mixture is really stiff and I've found that it's easier to mix with clean hands than with a wooden spoon). Place heaped teaspoons of the mixture onto greased baking trays. Bake in a moderate oven for approximately 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Stand on trays for 5 minutes before removing to rack.
As you can see from the photo, my biscuits vary from pale golden to dark brown. The darker ones I'll put in a jar for the family (they won't mind that they're dark and crunchy) but the paler ones I'll serve my guests tomorrow.
This next recipe uses golden syrup and a wholegrain cereal biscuit popular in New Zealand and Australia. Golden syrup has a similar consistency to treacle but is lighter in colour and sweeter. Honey can also be substituted although of course the flavour will change. I used to use honey regularly when I was getting it for free.
The breakfast biscuit is known as Weet-Bix. I suspect any similar cereal could be substituted. This recipe came from my mum and apparently the original recipe used cornflakes but I've never tried it with them. The great thing about Weet-Bix is that there are always crumbs at the bottom of the box. I save them up and use them for this recipe. I've always got more crumbs than I need.
Chocolate Coconut Slice
360g butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups crushed Weet-Bix
1 cup sugar
2 cups coconut
2 dessertspoons golden syrup
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons cocoa
Melt butter and golden syrup together. Add vanilla. Mix together Weet-Bix, sugar, coconut, flour and cocoa. Add butter to dry ingredients and mix well. Press into greased roasting pan or large slice tray and bake in moderate oven for 25-30 minutes. When cool, ice (frost) with chocolate icing (frosting) and decorate with coconut if desired.
This is a very versatile recipe. I've placed cut up marshmallows with the cut side down on the hot base and placed back in the oven until the marshmallows have started to melt then drizzled melted chocolate over the marshmallows. Another time when I ran out of coconut I added crushed nuts. As long as the ratio of wet to dry remains the same the slice tends to turn out.
By the way, my slice isn't as big as I usually make it (or per this recipe). I had 250g of butter left over from the biscuits and didn't want to open a new one so I just used 2/3 of the listed ingredients. It still turned out.
Comments
And the food looks scrumptious too. Here I am trying to get away from sugar and all I see is temptation everywhere - lol! The bad part is I just love to bake. It's my favorite cooking thing to do. I think in moderation will have to do because I can't give it up totally.
Besides I want to try your cookie recipe! :) And the chocolate coconut slice too! They both look fantastic.
April, Schnausermom and Jen, there's hardly any baking left. I was too tired to cook last night so the men in my house decided to finish off the slice. And then they thought a few biscuits wouldn't hurt either. Not exactly a nourishing meal!