Hazelnut Cookie Butter Krembos

I have spent the last year almost exclusively working on super simple baking and whilst that has been a nice change of pace I have missed the opportunity to play around and experiment with more complex recipes, which I oddly always find most enjoyable, maybe it’s the challenge or the sense of achievement when the recipe works out? Todays recipe falls slightly in the middle of those two styles, its definitely not the easiest of recipes but also each element used isn’t itself difficult to make, its just a longer than normal process, but a process well worth attempting. 

Now before we get to the recipe I need to talk a little about the origin, not for any seo reasons or to get better google rankings, but to answer some cultural questions. When I posted an image of these treats whilst I was working on the recipe people from all over the world thought I was making something for their country, often a treat they grew up with. This meant people thought they were Flødeboller from Denmark, Tunnocks Tea Cakes from the UK, Mallowmars from the US, Schokokuss from Germany and so on and so on. My version is most in common with a Krembo made at Tatte Bakery in Boston, in the US, which is an Israeli owned business. They do however differ from a traditional Krembo in the flavours present in the cookie and in the marshmallow and are very similar to all of the above cookies so you could in good faith refer to them by any of those names. I call them Krembos as that is cookie I was inspired by directly. 

Interestingly, at least to a baking nerds like me, it is actually hard to track down exactly where this style of cookie comes from. The oldest commercial versions I can find are Whippets from Montreal which were first marketed in 1901, although it seems likely they had an origin story before that. German Schokokuss were first commercially made in 1920 but can be traced back at least to 1829 and they themselves supposedly originated in Denmark in the early 1800’s. The truth of the original marshmallow and chocolate covered cookie may not be crystal clear but it seems likely that the versions we know today are somewhat related. 

Cookie Butter Krembos
Makes 15

Hazelnut Sable Cookies
140g unsalted butter, room temperature
125g caster sugar
1 large egg
280g plain flour
100g chopped hazelnuts, toasted
1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Filling
250g speculoss/biscoff cookie butter
3 large egg whites
240g caster sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Coating
500g dark or milk chocolate (I used a dark milk chocolate with 60% cocoa solids)
50g coconut oil
Cocoa nibs, for garnish

For the cookie dough you may recognise the recipe as it is based on Dorie Greenspan’s ‘Punitions' (the famed cookie from Poilane bakery in Paris) from her brilliant book Paris Sweets, with a simple hazelnut twist. To make the dough place the butter into a food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and pulse until evenly combined. Add the egg and pulse to combine. Scrape the food processor down and add the flour, hazelnuts and salt and pulse just until starting to come together. The dough should look like a crumble but when squeezed together should hold together as a dough. 

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Tip the mixture out onto the work surface and use your hands to bring together as a uniform dough. Cut into two pieces and press into discs. Wrap one disc in clingfilm and refrigerate or freeze for another time or use. You can also bake that dough off as simple and delicious hazelnut butter cookies.Place the other half of the dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll out until about 5mm thick. Slide this slab of cookie dough onto a baking tray and refrigerate for an hour or until firm. 

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC Fan). Remove from the fridge and cut out as many 6cm round cookies as possible before re-rolling the scraps to get to 15. Place the cookies onto a parchment lined baking tray and bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Remove and set aside to cool. 

Scrape the cookie butter into a disposable piping bag, squeeze and massage a little to soften the butter then snip off the end of the bag and pipe a small mound of the butter into the middle of each cookie. Place the cookies into the freezer whilst you make the meringue. For the Swiss meringue topping place the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar into a large bowl and set over a pan of simmering water and gently stir until the mixture is hot to the touch and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and use an electric mixer to whisk on high speed until cool and holding stiff peaks. Add the vanilla and whisk to combine. 

Scrape the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip. Carefully pipe meringue onto the cookies, holding the tip close to the cookie butter so that it envelopes the cookie butter and meets the cookie. Whilst still piping lift the tip of the bag slightly and pipe a small mound of meringue onto the mound below, lifting again to pipe a final smaller mound, giving a look of a snowman. Repeat with all of the cookies and then transfer the Krembo’s to the freezer for at least an hour before the next step. At this point the Krembos can be frozen for at least a week.

For the chocolate coating melt together the chocolate and coconut oil in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Pour the chocolate into a small container that is deeper than the Krembo’s but wide enough for them to be dipped in easily. Set aside for about 30 minutes for the chocolate to cool. 

Remove the Krembo’s from the freezer and one at a time dip into the chocolate mixture. Let the excess chocolate drip back into the container and then set onto a piece of parchment and sprinkle with cocoa nibs before the chocolate has a chance to set. Once all dipped store in the fridge. 

The chocolate mixture makes more than you need but it is hard to dip making any less. You can cut the recipe in half and simply pour the chocolate if you prefer. Any extra chocolate coating can be used as magic shell topping for ice cream, it will set hard as soon as poured on cold ice cream. 

Kept refrigerated these will keep for roughly 3-4 days.

Salted Peanut Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

I’ve recently moved into a new house and whilst I’ve made a loaf of bread, some brownies and banana bread, nothing makes me feel at home in a new kitchen like making a batch of cookies. This particular batch is based on my best ever chocolate chip cookies, which means browned butter and egg yolks for a fudgy texture. The flavours however took a very special turn in this batch. They have chocolate, of course, but also salted peanuts and caramel all together making for a very tasty cookie.

Before we start with the cookie dough we need to make the caramel. When thinking about how to get that caramel flavour into the cookies I thought about chopping up some chewy caramels but truth be told, I couldn’t be bothered to make any. Thankfully I remembered that in the past, when I used to make kitchen sink cookies, where my kitchen cupboards were raided for mix-ins, I used to add chunks of hard caramel instead. This caramel gives texture to the cookie plus it adds an intense caramel flavour with just a hint of bitterness which helps it stand up to the other ingredients without making the cookies too sweet.

Salted Peanut Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes about 22

200g caster sugar
225g unsalted butter
150g caster sugar
150g light brown sugar
2 large eggs 
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
350g plain flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp fine sea salt
300g dark chocolate (I used 66% wafers but a roughly chopped bar will also work)
125g roughly chopped salted peanuts
Flaked sea salt, for sprinkling

To make the caramel line a baking tray with either parchment paper or a silicon matt. Place the caster sugar into a saucepan set over medium heat and cook until the sugar has fully melted and the caramel is a deep brown colour, that of an old penny. Immediately pour it out onto the prepared baking tray, spreading out a little so thats it not too thick. Set aside for 30 minutes or until it hardens like glass.

To make the cookie dough place the butter into a saucepan and over low/medium heat cook until the butter has melted and then, stirring occasionally, cook until the butter has browned. At first the butter will bubble and splatter, this is the water cooking out from the fat, and then it will foam. When it foams stir the butter more frequently and look for signs the browning has happened. You should be able to smell the change, the aroma will become nutty and toasty. The milk solids will also turn a golden brown. Remove from the heat and pour into a large bowl and set aside for 10 minutes to cool. When browning the butter be careful as this process happens very quickly and if you don’t keep an eye on the pan the butter can go from perfectly browned to burnt in the matter of seconds. 

Once the butter has cooled add the sugars and using an electric mixer with the beater attached beat together for a couple minutes to combine. Add the eggs and yolks and beat on medium speed for about 3-4 minutes or until the mixture is pale. Add the vanilla and mix in briefly to combine. 

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Add this mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until a dough if formed. Add the peanuts and chocolate. Take a wooden spoon and bash the caramel into little pieces a cm or two wide. Tip this into the bowl with the chocolate and peanuts and mix briefly until everything is evenly distributed. Refrigerate the dough for two hours.

Just a quick note on refrigeration, these cookies contain hard caramel and excessive refrigeration or freezing will cause issues, the caramel will start to liquify and so whilst I would normally encourage you to freeze the dough for future use, with these its more of a case of make, bake and share. 

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC Fan)

Once the dough is chilled form into cookies about 70g in size. One word of caution when shaping these is that the caramel can be a little sharp. You can roll these into balls, just be careful not to stab yourself with caramel, or you can use a cookie scoop so you don’t have to touch the dough itself. Place the cookies onto parchment lined baking trays, leaving plenty of space for spread (6 cookies per tray is good for regular sized baking trays). Sprinkle with a little salt, leave off of course if you prefer, and bake for about 14-16 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and just a touch paler in the middle. You may find when baking these that they come out of the oven an unusual shape and this is down to the caramel. When the cookies bake the caramel liquifies and sets again on cooling but the melting can mean it makes the cookies spread a little randomly. To correct this I take the cookies out a few minutes before they’re done baking and use large round cookie cutter to scoot them back into shape, and then I repeat this once the cookies are baked. 

Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Kept in a sealed container the cookies will keep for 4 days. 

Homemade Ginger Creams

This post is sponsored by Lyle’s Golden Syrup

Homemade Ginger Creams
Makes 20

The Christmas season is looking a little different this year but I am determined to keep a few traditions alive and spreading a bit of joy with my baking is definitely top of the list. Whilst sharing baking is a little trickier this year (please stick to the guidelines and stay safe) you know what makes the perfect edible gift? Cookies of course. To help raise a smile and spread a little cheer I have partnered with Lyle’s Golden Syrup to bring you this new recipe. Lyle’s have launched a new limited edition tin of their Golden Syrup and by purchasing a tin not only can you make this recipe to share with your loved ones, you are also helping to raise funds for The Trussell Trust, the UK’s leading food bank charity, who Lyle’s will be donating £40,000 to from sales of the tin. 

The recipe is inspired by the classic ginger creams, a simple gingersnap cookie sandwiched together with a little buttercream. For my version I have kept the flavouring classic, with ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg giving the spice and Lyle’s Golden Syrup giving those classic warm caramel notes. The filling is a basic buttercream flavoured with vanilla and a touch of golden syrup to create a perfect little cookie, perfect for sharing or gifting. As this post goes live I will be moving into a new apartment so maybe a batch of these could be given to my new neighbours? Whoever I end up giving these to I am sure they will be a very welcome gift because really, who doesn’t love the gift of baking. 

Gingersnap Cookies
100g unsalted butter, diced
70ml Lyle’s Golden Syrup
1 tbsp milk
200g plain flour
125g caster sugar
3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 large egg yolk
Demerara sugar, for coating

Filling
100g unsalted butter
200g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 tsp Lyle’s Golden Syrup
Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 170ºC (150ºC Fan) and line large two baking trays with parchment paper.

To make the biscuits place the butter and Lyle’s Golden Syrup into a small saucepan and heat gently until the butter is fully melted. Remove from the heat, add the milk, and set aside for the moment. In a medium bowl mix together the flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices. Add the egg yolk the dry goods, pour in the butter mixture and use a wooden spoon to mix and form a dough. Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes before using. 

To form into cookies roll into small balls about 12-15g in size (I know this is a small size cookie and rolling into balls weighed out to such a specific amount will take a while but you’ll be left with the cutest cookies which will make fabulous gifts). Roll the cookie dough balls into demerara sugar and place onto the prepared baking trays set a couple inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until the cookies have spread out and firm around the edges. Allow the cookies to cool fully on the baking trays.

For the filling beat the butter in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, until soft and creamy. Slowly add in the icing sugar, a little at a time, beating to form a light and fluffy buttercream. Add in the vanilla, golden syrup and salt and beat briefly to combine. 

To assemble spread half of the cookies with a small amount of buttercream and sandwich together with a second cookie. If you want to give a little extra decoration you could drizzle with a little melted white chocolate and sprinkle with a little chopped crystallised ginger.

Kept in a sealed container these will keep for 3-4 days. If you prefer the biscuit crunchy they are best served on the day made as the buttercream filling will soften the cookies as they sit.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich Cookies

This post is sponsored by Doves Farm Organic Flour

Can something be nostalgic if you never actually experienced said thing when you were younger? I’m sure it’s not true nostalgia but anything flavoured with peanut butter and jelly just screams childhood to me. Maybe it was the American films and TV I watched as a kid, where the pb&j sandwich was ubiquitous, who knows really. What I do know is that combination of a rich peanut butter and a fruity jam is a brilliant one and lends itself so perfectly to so many baked ideas. This recipe is another in my collaboration series with Doves Farm Organic Flours and these super simple cookies are made with their Wholemeal Spelt Flour, a brilliant alternative to regular plain flour. Doves Farm recently relaunched their packing in a fun new range of colours and designs so if you’re looking for them in the supermarket keep an eye out for the new style, and don’t forget if you’re still struggling to find flour and yeast, Doves Farm have also launched an ‘Organic Flour Baking Box’ (£11 plus delivery), available to purchase on their website and delivered direct to your door, whichcontains a great selection of their organic flours - including plain, self raising, bread and specialty flours - plus yeast for making bread, you can find out more here.  

The cookies couldn’t be much easier if you tried, this is absolutely a perfect recipe to make with the kids (big kids too) and can be whipped up in no-time. The nice thing about these cookies is they don’t need chilling before baking, you whip up the dough and get them in the oven straight away so they’re perfect for cookie emergencies, when you need something quickly.

Spelt is maybe one of the easiest grains to use when you want to swap out regular wheat flour and because of this, and its nuttier flavour, it has become an incredibly popular ancient grain. When we talk about ‘ancient grains’ it is easy to think this means we’ve been using it for hundreds of years but the truth is much more impressive. It is said that spelt has been cultivated since around 5,000/6,000 BC. Over the years, wheat became the dominant grain which we bake with and spelt was, for many years, relegated to animal feed. Since the 1970s ancient grains have been re-introduced to UK soils and thankfully now it is among one of the more popular ancient grains. Milling historic, heritage grains since 1978, Doves Farm has led the way in this and was the first in the UK to grow and produce flour from spelt.

Spelt isn’t a gluten free grain, but the gluten it does contain is different from what regular wheat flour contains. The gluten in spelt can be easier to digest for those with an intolerance to gluten (not coeliac or allergic reactions). Flavour wise, I like to compare the grain to wholemeal flour, but sweeter - no real bitterness is present, it’s a great taste that suits a wide variety of flavours. As it is also a soft flour, it makes for particularly tender recipes, just be careful not to overmix recipes made with spelt, unlike recipes made with wheat which become tough when over-worked, spelt recipes can become crumbly, so only mix as much as needed.

Doves Farm Organic Stoneground Wholemeal Spelt Flour is available from ASDA, Morrisons, Ocado and Sainsburys

Spelt Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Cookies
Makes 10 sandwich cookies

60g unsalted butter, room temperature
150g light brown sugar
1 tbsp golden syrup/honey
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
150g smooth peanut butter 
150g Doves Farm Organic Stoneground Wholemeal Spelt Flour 
85g rolled oats
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Filling
30g unsalted butter, room temperature
120g smooth peanut butter
50g icing sugar
125g raspberry jam

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC Fan) and line a couple trays with parchment paper.

To make the cookies place the butter, sugar and golden syrup into a large bowl and using an electric mixer beat until fluffy and lightened in colour, 3-4 minutes. Add the egg and mix briefly until combined. Add in the vanilla and peanut butter and mix together until you have a smooth uniform mixture. Add in the Doves Farm Wholemeal Spelt, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix briefly until a uniform dough is formed. Roll the dough into small balls (if you want to weigh them the balls of dough should be about 30g or so each) and place onto the prepared baking trays. Using the base of a flat drinking glass, thats been dipped in flour, press the balls flat into pucks. 

Bake in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes. The cookies should have a lightly browned edge and be paler in the middle. Allow to cool on the trays for a couple minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The finished cookies will be crisp on the outside with a chew in the middle. 

For the filling place the butter into a medium sized bowl and beat together until smooth and creamy. Add in the peanut butter and beat until combined and fully combined. Add in the icing sugar and beat together until smooth and combined. 

To assemble the cookies spread a small amount of the frosting onto half the cookies and top with a small spoonful of jam. Sandwich together with a second cookie. Kept in a sealed container these will keep for about 3 days.