Midnight Choc Chip and Coconut Cookies

The recipe for Midnight Cookies has to be one of my faves.  It uses basic ingredients you probably have sitting in the pantry, is a simple ‘mix everything in a bowl’ then bake recipe, and makes a delicious chocolatey biscuit (that doesn’t actually include chocolate, so if you are craving chocolate but there’s none around, mix up some of these).  This variation includes chocolate pieces as I had some in the cupboard and desiccated coconut.  They are pretty darn delish!

Makes about 20.

Ingredients:
125g butter, softened
175g caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
125g flour
35g cocoa powder
125g chocolate chips
35g desiccated coconut (or try shredded coconut if you want the coconut to be more noticeable)
½ teaspoon baking soda

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C and line several baking trays with baking paper.
Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat together until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.  Add in the flour, cocoa, chocolate chips, coconut and baking soda.  Beat until well mixed.
With dampened hands, roll teaspoon sized pieces of the dough into smooth balls.  Place on the baking sheets, spaced well apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 – 12 minutes, or until set.  Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely before serving.

Jo Seagar BAKES

“If baking is a labour at all, it’s a labour of love.  A love that gets passed on from generation to generation.”

These are Jo Seagar’s sentiments, quoted in her new book, Jo Seagar Bakes.  And, while the above quote may be true, she also admits that today few people learn to bake by helping out at the side of their grandmother or mother.  Families live apart, parents have full time jobs and time is precious.  So, that is where Jo steps in.  In Jo Seagar Bakes she’s taking on the role of mother/grandmother/teacher and sharing her recipes with you, explaining all the important steps, as well as all the tips and tricks she has picked up over the years to help you create delicious treats, every single time.

Jo Seagar Bakes is a big, hard-covered, baking bible containing recipes for all the baking favourites you can think of, and then some.  Many of the recipes are ones that have been passed down through the generations in Jo’s family, like ‘Fay’s Mumbles’ – a recipe passed on to Jo by her mum, or the Louise Cake which is a recipe that Jo’s Great Aunt Annie used to make on her coal range.  There’s also some new recipes and ones that have had the flavours updated (the Lemon and Paeroa Scones have caught my eye!).  

The book has been beautifully photographed and designed by Jae Frew, with the pages having a vintage feel to them.  Jo Seagar Bakes hits stores today and has an RRP of $55.00.  To promote her new book, Jo will be undertaking a nationwide tour during November and December.  She is such a fun and lovely person, so take a look at the dates and if you can head along to one of the events, do so; you’ll enjoy yourself. 

But, for now, here’s a recipe from Jo Seagar Bakes that we’ve been lucky enough to be able to share with you…

Butterscotch Date Fingers
This is my Granny Win’s recipe. Very quick and simple but such a complex butterscotch flavour. A frequently requested recipe.

Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 20 minutes

Makes 24

Ingredients:
250 g butter
2 ½ cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups self-raising flour
2½ cups chopped pitted dates (cut each date into 4–5 pieces)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 20 x 30 cm slice tin with baking paper.
Place the butter and brown sugar in a medium-sized saucepan and stir over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar is dissolved. Cool in the saucepan.
When the butter mixture has cooled, pour into a mixing bowl and beat in the eggs, then the flour. Lastly, add the dates and mix well. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 18–20 minutes until the surface is shiny and dry. Cool in the tin. Cut into fingers when cold. Freezes really well.

Recipe reproduced with permission from Jo Seagar Bakes by Jo Seagar. Published by Random House NZ. RRP $50.00.  Copyright © recipe text to Jo Seagar; photography Jae Frew, 2014.

Rocky Road

A couple of weeks ago Mel and I were lucky enough to receive some goodies from Pascall, we're both having a crazy busy year and I know that I am finding it hard to come up with new recipes - the timing was perfect as we are both on school 'holidays' which means a little more time to get in the kitchen and get inspired. The holiday weather has not been great which has meant lots of time inside. Max, who is now three (and a half, I must add the half or I'll be in trouble), is taking a holiday from daycare and has been eyeing up the bags of lollies in the cupboard since they arrived, so I decided that it would be nice to make something with them together.  Max always wants to bake with me but it's more watching and adding in ingredients that I measure out, Rocky Road was perfect as he could do most of the work!

Taste test, mix, taste test and wait until your Rocky Road is ready for the ultimate taste test!

Ingredients: 
375 grams chocolate buttons, melted
200 grams Pascall Fruit Jubes
180 grams Pascall Marshmallows

Method:
Melt the chocolate, this can be done in a double boiler (a heat proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, you must ensure that the water does not touch the bottom of your bowl) or in the microwave.
Once the chocolate is melted, set aside for 3-5 minutes to cool slightly.
While the chocolate cools line a slice tin with wax baking paper, I used a 20x20 square tin.
Add marshmallows and jubes to the melted chocolate and fold them through the chocolate so that they are coated nicely.
Pour your mixture into your prepared tin and use a spatula to spread it evenly.
Put your Rocky Road in the fridge to set for approximately 2 hours.  Cut into bite sized pieces (I use a large warm knife as it cuts through the chocolate nicely) and store in an airtight container.

Max loved making this and took great pride in taking it along to our holiday catch up with our coffee group. You can change the recipe up and add in whatever your favourite lollies are, dried fruit, or nuts.  If you and your kids have been in the kitchen this holidays, especially if you have made anything from BMTB we'd love to see the photos!