Vanilla Maple and Pecan Cookie Recipe

These cookies have a very soft, light and airy texture, which is quite unusual but they are very tasty.  They are quite cake-like and the top is sticky with Clarks Vanilla Maple Syrup.  (They have been adapted from the Cookies Galore book by J. Bellefontaine.)

Ingredients

175g Plain Flour

1 Teaspoon Baking powder

1/2 Teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

85g of butter

75g sugar

1 beaten egg

50 g of Pecans roughly chopped

4 tablespoons of Clark's Maple Syrup with Vanilla (plus a little extra to brush over once cooked)

Method

Rub the butter into the flour, bicarb and baking powder.

Stir in sugar and chopped nuts.

Add egg and Maple Syrup to form a stiff mixture.

Blob tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet.

Cook at GM4 for 15-20 minutes.

Once cooked, remove from oven and brush over some more Maple Syrup whilst still hot.

I received the three bottles of Clarks Maple Syrup: Original, Pure Canadian and Vanilla to try out.  They are perfect served on pancakes, over ice cream, with porridge or in baking.  The rich, natural flavour is sweet and delicious and also has Superfood status so you don't have to feel guilty about enjoying it!

• A tablespoon of maple syrup contains 52 calories, that’s fewer calories than sugar and honey
• An excellent source of manganese which provides energy and antioxidants
• A good source of zinc which helps protect the immune system
• May help to support reproductive health and lower the risk of prostate cancer
• Contains compounds which could help manage Type 2 diabetes.
• It settles digestive issues which can occur after eating processed sweeteners
• It helps with muscle recovery and keeps bones strong
• It also includes important nutrients such as iron, calcium and potassium
• It helps to keep your white blood cells up which help protect against coughs and colds
• May promote a healthy liver

Find out more at www.clarksmaplesyrup.co.uk

Snail Shell Cookie Recipe

These light, vanilla flavoured, melt-in-the-mouth cookies are really quick and easy to make.  A great, fun recipe to do with the kids over half term.  The snail shell shape was inspired by watching Grub the snail in Epic last night and the recipe is my own idea. I used ingredients from Aldi's baking range and Selsey Foods Gourmet Vanilla Syrup in the recipe.

Snail Shell Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

175g butter 

50g sugar

1 egg yolk

175g plain flour

1 tablespoon of Vanilla Syrup *

12 squares of milk chocolate

sprinkles

Method

Cream butter and sugar.

Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla syrup.

Stir in the flour to make a thick paste.

Put into an icing bag and pipe spirals of the batter onto a silicone cookie sheet on a baking tray.

Cook at GM4/180 deg for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on the baking sheet. (They are quite fragile when warm!)

Melt the chocolate in a microwave on medium setting for about 1 minute.

Drizzle over the cooled cookies.

Sprinkle over the sprinkles.
Using a cake slice lift the cookies onto a serving plate.

 *Selsey Foods Gourmet Vanilla Dessert Syrup with Vanilla Pod, is part of a range of fantastic gourmet syrups perfect for baking, pouring over ice-cream, using in coffee, hot chocolate and milkshake or adding to cocktails.  (£5.00 for a 250ml bottle).  It is rich, thick and smells and tastes divine.

Also available is their Mulling Syrup containing a special blend of festive spices for making quick and easy mulled wine, cider or apple juice.  Also great for drizzling over fruit, adding to gravy, making a Christmas spiced hot chocolate or coffee, adding to whipped cream or as a barbecue glaze.  Perfect for Christmas and an excellent addition to a homemade hamper for a foodie friend or loved one!  (£3.50 for 200ml bottle.) I will be featuring the Mulling Syrup in the run up to Christmas so watch this space!

Find out more and purchase these delicious gourmet syrups at www.selsleyherbandspice.com

I also received some of Aldi's National Baking Week ingredients range to make this recipe including Pantry flour (SR and plain), Pantry sugar (Caster and granulated), Pantry tub of sprinkles, pantry Bicarbonate of Soda, Norpak spreadable butter, Merevale free range eggs, Digestives and Dairy Fine Chocolate.

aldi.co.uk