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Toasted Quinoa, Oat and Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

These not-so-little cookies have been a real hit since I started making them earlier this year. I’ve used the quinoa flakes in granola and wondered what they would be like toasted and added to cookie dough. They work really well and are a big hit. I have used chocolate chips and of late, I’ve chopped up a bar of chocolate (we like the dark choc for added flavour and slightly less of a sweet vibe) The chopped up chocolate works well as these are not delicate little babies and they can take the enormous uneven melty chunks of chocolate running through. They are nice warm, but will also keep a few days but I cannot confirm any longer than one or two for obvious reasons.

Makes about 20

250g plain flour

100g oats

75g quinoa flakes

1 tsp baking powder

2 tblsp cocoa

200g caster sugar

200g butter, softened

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

200g chocolate chips or 2 x 100g bars, chopped

 

Preheat the oven to 180c. Line two baking sheets with parchment and set aside for later.

First of all, toast the oats and quinoa flakes. Place them on a baking tray and toast them in the oven for 5-8 minutes, stirring once. Remove and allow to cool while you prep the other ingredients. 

Sieve the flour, baking powder and cocoa into a bowl and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Now add the flour mixture in two to three additions, making sure each addition is fully mixed in before adding the next.

Fold in the oat and quinoa mixture, followed by the chocolate chips. Scoop the dough onto the baking tray – I use about 2 (generous) tablespoons for each cookie, leaving space between each as they spread a little.

Bake for 15 minutes, rotating if they are baking unevenly. Leave to cool on the tray for five minutes, then remove onto a wire tray.

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Hazelnut Scones two ways

Hello there! Things have been a little hectic in the Treacle kitchen of late but today I managed to have a little time to bake some of these autumnal beauties. I saw Lorraine Pascale had the inspired idea of decorating the top of her scones with a slice of fig and I thought they looked just beautiful so why not try that idea to jazz up a recipe that I have used for quite a time? It’s a Diana Henry one for hazelnut scones that I have enjoyed making for a while. I have messed around with the recipe, substituting plain for wholemeal flour and light brown sugar for dark.  I think the scones can take it. The fig is the first topping and the second is well, a little more whimsical. It’s a coffee icing which also screams autumn I think, but is also a nice foil to the crunchy scone underneath. It’s got a blob of maple syrup for good measure too.

Makes 12 or so , using a 2 inch round cutter

400g fine wholemeal flour, sifted

50g dark brown sugar

1 tblsp baking powder

170g cold butter

180ml cream

60ml milk, plus maybe a little extra if needed

75g roughly chopped toasted hazelnuts (I dry toast in a pan and rub in a clean teatowel to remove the skins before chopping or you can buy them pre toasted and chopped too)

1 egg beaten, to glaze scones

1-2 figs to top (optional)

Coffee icing  (optional): note this will ice/drizzle roughly 6 scones generously

70g icing sugar

1 tblsp butter

1 tblsp maple syrup

1-2 tblsp strong coffee

Preheat the oven to 200c. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside for later. Mix the flour with the sugar and baking powder in a big bowl and then rub the butter in until the ingredients resemble breadcrumbs (or grate the butter in like I do!) Then add the cream and combine with a knife, using the milk thereafter conservatively to bring it all together to form a dough. Add a little at a time – you can’t undo it! Now add in the hazelnuts, working them in without handling the dough too much – this will make it tough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured worktop and flatten it into a circle about 1.5cm thick. Cut out the scones and place on the lined baking sheet.

Brush with the beaten egg and top with a thin slice of fig if desired, pressing it in gently on the top of the scone.

Bake for 15 minutes or so until golden. Cool slightly on a wire rack.

To make icing: Melt the butter in a small saucepan, letting the nutty flavour develop but don’t let it burn! Add to the icing sugar together with the syrup and one spoon of the coffee and whisk to form a paste, which shouldn’t be overly runny, but should allow you to drizzle. You may need to add a little more coffee or icing sugar to get the right consistency. Drizzle over the scones while still warm on the rack (place some parchment underneath to catch the excess)

Enjoy!

 

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Spanish Style Pizza Chicken

This is a version of an old pinterest slow cooker recipe that I have been making for a good many years. It’s a handy slow cooker one that pleases the family and is a bit of a novelty both in terms of flavour and variety. The original used pepperoni and my riff uses chorizo with some smoked paprika but both are tasty. Parma ham and feta or cheddar might be another interesting combination. Regardless it’s a very quick midweek solution to that what-will-I-feed-them question. Here’s your arsenal:-

4-5 chicken fillets

2-3 slices of deli chorizo (or salami/pepperoni – see above) PER chicken breast

200ml hot veg or chicken stock

1 tblsp tomato puree

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

3 tblsp sliced black olives

50g grated mozzarella

Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker and season. Put two to three slices of chorizo on top of each breast.

Now mix the stock with the oregano, tomato puree and smoked paprika and pour over the chicken.

Sprinkle the olives on top. Put the lid on and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Half an hour from the end of cooking, sprinkle the mozzarella over the chicken, cover and cook for a further 30 minutes until the cheese has melted.

 

Serve with pasta or salad.