fill the tins baking

I did a bit of baking yesterday, just to fill the tins, so nothing too fancy. I made Bill Grangers chocolate oatmeal cookies, a longtime favourite, and 'Betty Boop', a delicious, easy (and very moreish!) melt-and-mix chocolate slice our family has made for years. It is a little like an afghan slice if there was such a thing, as it has cornflakes in it, so is nice and crunchy and ever so slightly chewy. I have no idea of the origins of the name, the original recipe came from Rotorua's Fat Dog Cafe cookbook I think.

With the cookies I like to press a square of chocolate into the top of each one as soon as they are removed from the oven. The chocolate will melt onto the top of the cookie, which looks quite cool but also means each coookie is guaranteed at least one big chunk of chocolate. (Not that I am mean with the chocolate chunks in the dough, but it doesn't always get evenly distributed does it, and that can be disappointing!) Usually I am a Whittakers girl, but I think the flatter shape of Cadbury's Old Gold looks quite nice here.


Bill's Choc Oatmeal Cookies

300g butter
2 c brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 1/2 c rolled oats
2 c chocolate chips

Cream together the butter and sugar. beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add flour and baking powder, then stir in oats and chocolate. Roll into balls, press with a fork, and bake at 180c for 15-20 minutes. They won't spread too much so you can fit a few on a tray. Makes about 50.


Betty Boop

250g butter
2 tbsp golden syrup
250g brown sugar (I have used white too which works fine)
2 c flour
2 1/2 c cornflakes
4 tbsp coconut
2 tbsp cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder

Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup together in a large saucepan. Add the rest of the ingredients and press into a rectangular slice tin (smaller than roasting dish size). Bake at 180c for about 20 minutes. When cool ice with chocolate icing and sprinkle with coconut if you so desire.