Achilles.
He was destined for bad things. Telling the poor chap that he would die from an arrow to the foot. His mum slipped up bigtime by narrowly missing his feet from a good soak in the mythical magical waters of the River Styx. Achilles did not stand a chance. Shot by a poison arrow.
What a way to go.
Still. He inspired one of ABCs finest pop melodies to date.
We all have them.
Achilles Heels.
Mine are usually baking conquests that I cannot do. Of which there are two.
Choux pastry and biscuits.
Now you see, the Greek tragedy that is the debate of biscuit vs cookie is itself a baking myth to some.
Why cannot we get that same chewy moistness in a cookie in our own bland biscuits.
Etymology of our biccies comes from bis (twice) and coquere (to cook), and, hence, means "twice-cooked.
This is why you get that hard crunchy texture of a biscuit.
Cookies however have a much buttery, toffee and chewy flavour, like cooked marshmallows. This is due to the temperatures at which the egg coagulates and the two varieties of sugars that are caramelising.
Cookies, I give a big Barrack Obama, yes I can cook.
They are so simple too and inexplicably moreish.
This recipe comes straight from my latest list of favourites.
Macadamia, Cranberry, White Choc Cookies.
Makes 18
75g white chocolate - the thicker the better
75g butter
1 egg
175g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
90g soft brown sugar
60g white caster sugar
50g macadamia nuts
50g dried cranberries
1 tsp vanilla extract
1. Pre heat the oven to gas mk 4 / 160
2. Grease and line with baking paper 3 trays
3. Whack all the ingredients (bar the choc, nuts and cranberries) in a blender and whirl it up
4. Add the remaining ingredients and stir
5. The dough will be thick and lumpy...this is good
6. Spoon heaped teaspoons on a tray (6 per tray) and leave enough room as these babies spread
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes
8. Remove to cool enough until you can wolf one down
Enjoy cookie monsters xx
