Failures in life and in the kitchen. They happen to all of us. Yes, I have baked bread that fell upon opening the oven and burnt the life out of nuts or caramel when on the stove. To get my macarons looking as they do now came from year of practice and digging for a great recipe ( I still have long way to go to get them nice as the shops).
Around this time many of you will be arming up to slave away in the Kitchen on Christmas day, and some of you may encounter your own failures or mishaps (Of course, knock on wood that does not happen). One piece of advice I think many chefs and cooks give to others is “failure is not a failure in the kitchen, only experience”. I really believe that, because cooking is not a subject, which you can learn from pen and paper but is alive and constantly changing
But in that moment we someone just want to cry and eat a cookie, while you mop up the mess.
However, not just any cookie. Your comfort cookie.
I think everyone has a recipe, which produces their favorite type of cookie. Your go to recipe that produces comfort through the power of sugar, flour and butter. Crunchy or chewy, thick or thin, Chewy or crispy. Here in Australia, we have a biscuit called the Butternut snaps. This is my cookie all the time, every time It is a very crispy but airy biscuit with a deep caramel malt flavor While this is far from the original (out of coconut, so I subbed in crushed almond m&ms) and used a brandy caramel syrup I made the other day; These really hold up as a good cookie.
Brandy butternut snaps with Almond M&M crush.
Adapted from the Momofuku bar Corn flake cookies ( I like the freezing process for a high butter biscuit)
Makes 45 small cookies
200g butter
100g brown sugar
150g caster suagr
80g brandy caramel sauce ( or any other liquid sugar)
1 egg
1tsp vanilla extract
3g baking powder
3g baking soda
4g salt
120g crushed almond m&m
150g flour
40g ground oats
Shift flour, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl.
Cream butter and two sugars in a large bowl until very light and creamy (8 mintures)
Add vanilla, salt, egg and caramel; beat again until it is as fluffy as before.
With a mixer on low add the flour mixture. Mix for 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl. Mix for 30 seconds again.
Using a wooden spoon fold in oats and Almonds M&Ms.
On two large baking trays, lining with greaseproof paper and place teaspoon sized ball on to trays. Cover with cling wrap and freeze for at least one day (I find it just better the longer you leave it in the freezer).
Pre heat oven to 190c. Leave large gaps (5cm) between each dough ball. Bake for 15-18 minutes. They may seem soft but it will harden on cooling. Leave to cool on trays.
Anyway, if you make a mistake. At least the world is not going to end due to one failed recipe.
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