HOME-MADE LOW-SUGAR/PRESERVATIVE CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SPREAD: egg-free, easy, make ahead

A humoungously delicious, easy 'Nutella' which is almost guilt-free...

first published 2017

 Chocolate & Hazelnut Spread, Lower Sugar & Preservatives
via Dan Doherty

The Chinese pass out sweets at funerals to help alleviate the bitterness of grief and sorrow.  

This make it at home Chocolate Hazelnut Spread ('Nutella') will certainly cheer up anyone. 

It's easy to make, is smooth and creamy and puts a smile on the face. It's deeply, darkly chocolate with hazel highlights and lowlights (culinarily speaking) and utterly more-ish.

But, gloriously, it is also low in sugar and preservatives, and most of the ingredients will be found in any baker's cupboard.

Put it in your recipe file, even if you're not planning to make it right away.  It's perfect for brunch pancakes on a Sunday.

The recipe is from celebrity chef Daniel Doherty who has given 67 permission to use his recipe.  

A good food processor or smoothie maker will ease preparation but is not a requirement.  (see tips)  

Use it as a spread for toast or buns OR add whipped cream to make a mousse OR layer it with cheesecake. Most adults will adore this and small Nutella addicts should enjoy switching their loyalty.   

Even with the lower sugar, the recipe is an Indulgence.  The health-conscious can be pleased that the recipe doesn't make a huge amount -- there's just enough to make people happy but not to overindulge.   

Cost: £3.50-ish (2022 PRICES)
Makes: about 150 gm/just over 5 oz

Ingred:
   50g/1.75 oz hazelnuts (67 used ready roasted, chopped supermarket hazelnuts)
   60g/2 generous ounces icing sugar
   10g/1/3oz cocoa powder
   25g/generous 3/4 oz powdered drinking chocolate
   50g/1.75 oz dark baking chocolate (65%+ cocoa solids), melted over simmering water or in 10 second bursts in the microwave & cooled slightly
     1 tbsp light veg oil
    75 ml water

Method:

4-INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS: egg-free, vegan opt, great for a crowd

Fabulous way both to end Lent and reward political volunteers...

Crunchy, crumbly, chocolate-y treat: delicious memorable mouthful
'Astonishingly good!' 

67 was going to hold this recipe back until it could be fine tuned but Easter and the election are coming up fast.

Families want something chocolatey to celebrate the end of lent; political associations are looking for tasty treats for volunteers.  

The Chocolate Peanut Butter Biscuit combo tastes absolutely incredible as it is.  But in their current state, they are crumbly.

Hence, they need to be served in small cupcake liners.  Maybe with a portable spoon! 

But the recipe is being posted now with its flawed methodology  - though definitely not flawed taste - and will be updated later.  

The bars are very rich; if you can find foil-lined cupcake liners instead of paper ones, they'll look prettier.  

The bars will definitely go down well with North American kidults, peanut butter being embedded in their DNA, but it's pretty certain these will also be popular with sweet-loving Brits, too.  

There are a few simple steps but the bars are easy to put together; probably by older kids.  Little ones can contribute by helping bash the biscuits to a rubble; if dexterous enough and you're trying the peanut butter'n jam version below, they can help there.

By the way, the ultra nutty peanut butter*** in 67's cupboard provided exceptional taste and texture. 

Cost: £5'ish

Makes: depending on size - between 30-50

Ingreds:

200g/7oz dairy or plant butter

minimum 300g/10.5oz Digestive biscuits (graham crackers across the pond) own brand are fine, plus extra standing by

360g/12.6oz chunky peanut butter (smooth will do but add a few chopped peanuts for textural contrast)

200g/7.5oz dark chocolate (or for kids, milk chocolate) from a bar, or chocolate chips

Method:

(2-stages; first stage stops at step 8) 

MOCHA VALENTINE BISCUITS with pink icing: easy-peasy, frugal, egg-free, dairy-free, spelt flour option

Valentines' Day: easy heart-shaped biscuits with pink icing...

updated May 2023

Chocolate and pink icing on elegant heart-shaped biscuits:
 what better treat for Valentines' Day

Mocha shortbread are a variation of the splendid bottom-of-the-barrel shortbread which needs only a few inexpensive ingredients.  They're budget-friendly but taste like artisan baking.

These are a lovely treat for Valentine's Day, especially if you can find tear-shaped valentine cookie cutters, but really any heart-shaped cutter or any other cutter will do.

Like all shortbreads, it's really easy to make; an older child can handle it without problems.   

The amount is for a small household but multiples easily.

Cost: £1.76'ish (2/24)

Makes: 8'ish biscuits

Ingredients:

100gm/3.5oz soft salted butter

             25gm/oz white sugar +

         15gm/1/2oz brown sugar 

                  OR 40 gms/1.4oz white sugar

         1/2 tsp vanilla OR 1/2 tsp instant coffee mixed with 1/2 tsp warm water

     

         90gm/3.1oz plain white flour +

         30gm/10z wholemeal 

               OR 120gm/5oz white PLUS

         20gm/3/4oz good cocoa

     

Method:

1. Whip butter until structure breaks down (a few seconds); beat in sugars until pale & fluffy - a few minutes; blend in vanilla or coffee
2. Add flours; mix until clumps of dough form; gather them together into a ball, wrap in cling OR form a thick sausage-shaped roll 5-6 inches long, roll in a piece of cling film that's longer than it is wide, twist both ends to even out bumps, lumps and air pockets; shape into a square, triangle or round shaped roll 
3. Refrigerate at least 1 hour OR freeze; when ready to bake, defrost overnight 
4. Preheat oven to 170c/325f
5. EITHER ROLL out dough between two pieces of greaseproof paper lightly scattered with cocoa powder to the thickness of a one-pound coin. Cut out biscuits with a cookie cutter dipped in flour, saving scraps.  Lift the cookies onto the cooking tray with a lightly floured palette knife.  Re-roll scraps and repeat. 
6. OR SLICE to thickness of a one pound coin 
7. Bake 10 mins or until brown at the edges.   
8. Serve plain, or drizzled with, or partially dipped in, melted white chocolate mixed with a drop of pink food colour* OR milk or dark chocolate OR drizzle with flowing butter-cream icing (start with 1/3 cup icing sugar mixed with 1/3 tsp milk or cream and a drop of pink food colouring)
9. Store cookies in an airtight container

* Waitrose have a good selection of food colourings, many free of E numbers

Comments:

'Beautiful and amazing; they look so elegant.  I am sure they are as delicious as usual so am saving them for tea with a guest tomorrow,'

semi retired octegenarian

'They were really lovely - crispy and more-ish - and the pink icing didn't look odd at all.' Retired writer

Tips:

• dairy butter gives best flavour but margarine or vegan butter will do
• wholemeal flour and brown sugar can be replaced with white
• wholemeal flour is more dense and absorbs more liquid than white flour 

Please leave a comment in the box below



This recipe has been adapted by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be used commercially without the author's written permission.

EGG-FREE BUTTERMILK CHEESE BISCUITS , easy, make ahead

Life-saving recipe for busy cooks....

Rich with cheese & chives, well-risen & crusty: egg-free buttermilk scones 

Buttermilk is one of those great baking ingredients that helps flour products - especially soda bread and scones - rise beautifully.  

Traditional buttermilk was the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cream - giving the flavour of cream but not the fat - perfect for salad dressings and baking.  Nowadays most buttermilk is cultured. 

67 uses it mostly in soda breads and fluffy American pancakes.  But this recipe for cheese biscuits is a delight.  

For some recipes, 67 prefers 'proper' buttermilk from the store rather than the usual yoghurt-water or milk & vinegar substitutes.  But plans for supermarket buttermilk often come a cropper.  And then you're faced with a container of buttermilk that needs to be used today - and preferably yesterday.   

Looking for ideas for buttermilk on the net, 67 learned that:

• buttermilk (like milk) can be frozen
• buttermilk biscuit/scone dough can (like some cookie doughs) be frozen raw
• buttermilk in scones means melted butter can be used; the sometimes slightly irritating step of rubbing cold butter cubes into flour can be avoided 

It also stumbled on a simple recipe for buttermilk scones which also happened to be egg free.  This recipe, adapted from the cafe sucre farine is - as the label says - ridiculously easy.  

And really, really tasty with the perfect ratio of cheese and chives.

Cost: £3.00 (less for cheese-free scones)

Makes: 10 med rounds; 6-8 rectangles

Ingredients

240ml buttermilk

130g/4.6oz butter

250gm/8.75oz flour, plus extra for shaping

1 tbsp sugar (opt: 67 didn't bother)

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup grated cheddar

4-6 tbsp chives (67 used 4 and a bit)

Method:

BOTTOM-OF-THE-BARREL SHORTBREAD: easy, wallet-friendly singleton's indulgence, dairy-free option, egg-free

Scottish Shortbread: a blissful wallet-friendly treat prepped in minutes

Really, really easy but absolutely delightful Crunchy Shortbread cookies
'Very crispy and easy to eat. Loved them.' 'A godsend!' Tasters

These lovely biscuits are not just the 'will-do' type of biscuit made when the budget is tight or the cupboard is bare. It comes in standard 'roll-em-into-a-ball-and-squash-thembiscuits or roll the dough and cut outs shapes.   

They are actually rather scrumptious treats, a backbone of Scottish baking.  But it does just so happen that this first-class shortbread needs only four ingredients: butter, sugar, flour and flavouring. And you can leave out the flavouring!  When shopping is a problem, you could do a lot worse. 

The Bottom-of-the-Barrel version uses conventional sugar, not icing sugar, producing a more crunchy, hardier biscuit which can be dunked without losing crumble-ability.  

They are not remotely healthy but 67 added brown flour and sugar for extra fibre. 

Like all shortbreads, it's really easy to make; an older child can handle it without problems.   There's also a mocha version below.  

The amount is for a small household but multiples easily.

Cost: £1.35 (6/23)

Makes: 8'ish biscuits

Ingredients:

  100gm/3.5oz soft salted dairy or plant butter

             25gm/oz white sugar

         12gm/scant 1/2oz brown sugar OR 40 gms/1.4oz white sugar

         1/2 tsp vanilla

     

         110gm/3.8oz plain white flour +

         25gm/4/5 oz wholemeal 

               OR 140gm/5oz white

         generous handful chocolate chips (opt)

     

Method:

1. Whip butter until structure breaks down (a few seconds);  beat in sugar until pale & fluffy - a few minutes; blend in vanilla
2. Add flour; mix until soft dough forms; stir in chocolate chips if using, distribute evenly.  
3. Form into a ball, wrap in cling; refrigerate 1 hour
4. Preheat oven to 180c/350f
5. The biscuits can be any size really but 67 formed 8 equal sized ping pong balls of dough, placed them with plenty of space in between on a tray lined with greaseproof paper and flattened them with the base of a glass lightly dipped in flour
6. They were baked 10-12 mins, removed from oven and the oven turned off.  After resting 10 mins, the cookies were returned to the cold oven 15 mins
7. For cut-out biscuits, see below
8. Serve plain, or drizzled with or partially dipped in melted white, milk or dark chocolate, or drizzle with flowing butter-cream icing (start with 1/3 cup icing sugar mixed with 1/3 tsp milk or cream)
9. Store cookies in an airtight container

Cut-out biscuits: 

Roll out dough between two lightly floured pieces of greaseproof paper to the width of a one-pound coin.  Cut out biscuits with a floured cookie cutter, saving scraps.  Lift the cookies onto the cooking tray with a lightly floured fish slice. Bake 8-10 mins or until brown at the edges.  Repeat with scraps. There is no need to return the cookies to a cold oven.

• 
  

*adapted from Rock Recipes 

Comments:

• 'I had the thin ones and loved them. They were very crispy & easy to eat and digest.' 67's general handy-man 
• 'The plate of biscuits with fresh raspberries were heavenly; I could have eaten them all day!' Young carer for retired Priest.
• 'Lovely soft crunchy texture, whether solid or thin.  The recipe's a god-send when bakery cupboards are bare. '  Blogger

Tips:

• Mocha variation: replace 20gm/3/4 oz white flour with 20gm/3/4oz cocoa powder; replace 1/2tsp vanilla with 1/2 tsp instant coffee granules mixed with 1/2tsp hot water.  Roll out the biscuits.
• dairy butter gives best flavour but margarine or vegan butter will do
• wholemeal flour and brown sugar can be replaced with white
• if using chocolate chips, divide dough in half and add only to one half   
• wholemeal flour is more dense and absorbs /3/4 more liquid than white flour 

Please leave a comment in the box below



This recipe has been adapted by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be used commercially without the author's written permission.

CHOCAHOLICS' SKINNIER LAYERED MARQUISE, no-bake

The perfect double chocolate surprise: minimum effort, maximum pleasure - and it's skinnier 

updated  2019; first post Feb 2016

Skinnier Double-chocolate Marquise, for health conscious chocoholics 
'...like a giant truffle!' '...very velvety and light' - Tasters

A double layer intensely rich chocolate dessert, this spectacular indulgence was inspired by the Royal Opera House Pastry department and the indomitable Michel Roux.  It's a treat for the serious chocolate lover - perfect when a show-stopper is required.  

Even better, it's not as unhealthy as it looks, it's no-bake and can be prepared well in advance! 

French in origin, a marquise is an intense velvety chocolate dessert rich in butter, sugar, eggs and cream.  

67 cut out the butter and eggs and lowered sugar, reducing cholesterol significantly.  Two boozy flavours complement each other (try 3 layers if you're adventurous!).  

It's richly darkly wonderful and oh-so-sophisticated.  There is a version for kids (below).  Whichever version you go for, small portions are sensible -- and healthier. 

If you prefer something cold in the heat of summer, it freezes well.  

Use the best chocolate you can (at least 70% cocoa*) but if you're budgeting and don't mind Cadbury's, Bournville will do.

Cost: £8.50 - less, depending on the chocolate (2019)
Serves: at least 8, double if slices are halved vertically (recipe halves nicely)

Ingred:

   400 gms dark chocolate, at least 70%
   200 gms double cream
   200 gms plain 0-fat yoghurt, not strained, but with liquid poured off 

   2 tbsp brandy/white wine/grape juice   
   1 generous tbsp syrup from candied ginger
   2 tbsp finely chopped ginger from syrup

   2-3 tbsp framboise raspberry liqueur or white grape juice
   150 gms fresh, sweet raspberries 
  

Method:

RASPBERRY NECTARINE CRUMBLE BARS, high fibre, frugal, frugal opt

Nectarines, raspberries & buttery oatmeal crust = delectable picnic treat... 

'They don't feel at all as if they would be good for you' 'Sweetness is just right.' ''Delicious! Can we have more?' 'Loved the fresh fruit.' Tasters 

Nectarine & Raspberries make these Crumble Bars a very special picnic treat.  

They are stuffed with health-giving fresh fruit, wholemeal flour, coconut and nuts.  They're egg-free and lower in sugar.  Fibre is high.  A lower-fat option is available (see Tips below).

It's a very simple recipe and part of it can be prepared in advance.

Trust me, it's worth getting out the mixing bowl to make these! 

(See frugal option in Tips)

Cost: £3.00 for basic

Makes: 16-20

Ingred: 

   650gm/23oz (give or take) nectarines (or peaches), chopped coarsely 
   1/4 cup water, incl 1 tbsp lemon juice & juice of small zested orange 
   
   3 tsp cinnamon
   1/4 tsp nutmeg (opt)
   1-2 tbsp brown sugar (opt but adds a caramel/toffee flavour)
   
   zest of small orange 

   1/2 tsp vanilla

   150gm/oz plain white flour
   100gm/oz wholemeal flour
   1 pinch salt
   1/2 tsp baking powder 
   1/2 tsp baking soda

   100gm/3.5oz light brown sugar 
     30gm/generous 1 oz dried unsweetened shredded coconut 

   3.8oz/110g butter, softened OR vegan fat 
          
Topping: generous handful raspberries (best but other berries will do) and chopped nuts: walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds 

Method:

1. Coarsely chop nectarines (say 12-14 pieces each), add with water/juice mix, spices and sugar to a wide frying pan over moderate heat 
2. Cook gently until fruit has begun to soften but still has 'give'; depending on the ripeness of the fruit, it could be 3-10 mins 
3. Take off heat; add vanilla, scrape into a container, including all the toffee-like juices. This step can be done a day in advance. 
4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350f/180c/170fan/gas4
5. Put a wide strip of greaseproof paper down an 8x8 inch (20cmx20cm) tin 
6. In a large bowl, blend dry ingred, breaking down any lumps in the sugar; stir in orange zest, distributing evenly
7. Add butter; rub together until butter is the size of peas
8. Spread 2/3 of the mix in the pan, levelling the top with the bottom of a measuring cup; press down quite hard to firm up the base
9. Add the fruit, spreading as you go; level with a spatula
10. Scatter over berries 
11. Mix chopped nuts into remainder of crumble; cover the fruit as evenly as you can, taking care with the edges. 
12. Bake 30 mins or until beautifully browned; half-way through, bring the back of the pan to the front for even browning
13. Place on a cooling rack; leave half an hour; using a very sharp knife, cut into fingers or squares 

Comments:

• 'That's so deliciously crumbly; they'd make an excellent lunchbox treat.  They don't feel at all as if they would be good for you yet still satisfy the desire for sugar.  I prefer the raspberry ones; they've more flavour.' Political Agent
• 'Good texture; the nutty ones have a good bite.  Sweetness is just right - not too sugary.'  Retired insurer
• 'Delicious! Can we have more?' 'Lovely!'  'Really good; I loved the fresh fruit.' Staff at a Veterans' Cafe

Tips:

• frugal option: replace fresh nectarines with drained tinned peaches
• for a 2-for-1 option, cover half the base with berries and the other half with nuts before covering with crumble 
• low-fat option: replace 20-30gm/0.75-1oz butter with plain thick yoghurt 
• common/ordinary wheat can be replaced with lower-gluten higher-protein spelt.   

More bars on NavBar:Recipes II/Baking... 

Please leave a Comment in the box below

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.  

PINEAPPLE BLUEBERRY COCONUT BARS, an indulgence

Fresh pineapple combines with nutty coconut and blueberries for a summery treat of American-style 'bars'...

Summer Delights: Pineapple, Blueberry & Coconut 'Bars'
'Mmm. Crumbly!  Lovely taste, very very good flavour.' 'Great bars! I loved the texture,  the pineappley flavour & coconut.' Tasters

American 'bars' are a cross between a cookie and a cake, or an English crumble and a biscuit. However you define them, 67's Pineapple, Blueberry, Ginger & Coconut Bar is a knockout summer sweet

Fresh pineapple, low in sugar despite its refreshing sweetness, is a favourite of 67goingon50 especially since ripen-at-home pineapples are available at the ridiculous price of £1 (or less). 

Plain Pineapple Filling
from Crunchy Creamy Sweet

67's recipe was adapted from Crunchy Creamy Sweet and was a delight to test.  67 made one with fresh pineapple and one with tinned.  Fresh came out on top - it had stronger flavour - but the tinned was also good. 
   
Pineapple has plenty of fibre but 67 replaced a bit of the plain flour with wholemeal to add nuttiness.  

The bars are perfectly okay as they are with a plain pineapple filling.

But to add a bit of pizazz, 67 threw in a few blueberries for colour and a little chopped ginger (from syrup) for contrasting layers of sweetness.  Both these changes are optional. 



Cost:£2.50'ish (2022)
Makes: 9 large; 20 small portions
 
Ingredients:
   113gm/4oz unsalted butter 

  187.5gm/6.6oz plain flour, including 3-4 tbsp wholemeal
   85gm/3oz unsweetened coconut
   100gm/3.5oz sugar
   1/2 tsp baking soda
   1/2 tsp baking powder
   1/4 tsp salt

   290gm/10.5oz fresh pineapple, crushed & drained, if using blueberries (see  recipe below)
   OR
   315gm/generous 11 oz fresh pineapple, crushed & drained, if not using blueberries
   OR
   1 tin 435gm/143oz tin of crushed pineapple, drained
  
   3 tbsp sugar (67 used 2 generous tbsp of molasses sugar; it was fine)
   2 tbsp cornstarch (67 was out of cornstarch and used rice flour instead which was fine; you could also use ground almonds)

     2 handfuls blueberries (opt) 
   2 balls ginger from syrup, finely diced (opt)



Method:

1. Line an 8x8inch/20x20cm pan, metal if possible, with greaseproof paper leaving a large overhang
2. Melt butter gently; cool a little; place in fridge 4 mins
3. Preheat oven to 180c/350f
4. Pour coconut into a dry pan; bake in oven 5 mins or until beginning to brown; add to dry ingred in a med bowl; whisk
5. Add cooled butter; mix with a fork until mixture forms crumbs
6. Remove a scant cup of the crumble mix; set aside; pour the rest of the mix into the baking pan and press down to form an even base; smooth out with the back of a measuring cup
7. Mix pineapple, sugar and cornstarch; pour over base, spreading to edges
8. Scatter over blueberries and ginger, if using
9. Cover with rest of crumble mix 
10. Bake in centre of oven 25mins or until deeply browned
11. Cool
12. Remove from tin by lifting greaseproof paper; slice into bars

Jazzed Up (Uncut) Version with Blueberries & Ginger from Syrup

Comments:

• 'Mmm!  This would be ideal in a summer buffet, in cupcake holders because they're very crumbly.  They're nice and sweet; all the flavours work to form a singular whole - no one ingredient dominates.' Political Agent
• 'Great bars! I loved the texture and the pineapple-y flavour. Slight hint of coconut is always a winner as well.  They’re incredibly more-ish!  One of your best for sure.' Campaign Manager
• 'Delicious!' Armed Forces Charity Senior Rep
• 'Gorgeous!' London underground train driver

Tips:

• The coconut in 67's bars were not as dry as those photographed for Crunchy Creamy Sweet, despite toasting the coconut separately in the oven for 5 minutes.  The bars were baked in 67's pyrex/glass baking dish - a metal one might be more suitable.
• See How to...deal with fresh pineapple 

More fruity desserts on NavBar: RecipesI

Please leave a comment in the box below

This recipe has  been adapted  by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.

EXQUISITE LIME & ALMOND SHORTBREAD, easy, egg-free, wheat-free option

Exquisitely scented, beautifully textured biscuits worthy of the most special guests

Lime Almond Shortbread with Lime Icing, Easy-Peasy
'They smell gorgeous; the lime is exquisitely delicate' Tasters

Need something special for favoured guests?  These beautiful biscuits will convert even the most reluctant eater of sweets.

They take only minutes to prepare but offer aeons of pleasure.

Conventional flour can be replaced with lower-gluten, higher protein Spelt flour.

Like most baked goods, they are best on the day but will keep in an air-tight tin for 3 days.  

Cost:  £2
Makes: 24 biscuit but the recipe halves easily

Ingred:
    5 1/2oz/155gm plain flour 
   generous 2oz/60gm self-raising flour 
   1 tsp baking powder
   1 1/2 oz/45gms ground almonds
   1/2 tsp salt
     
   8 oz/250 gm softened unsalted butter, left out overnight or zapped in the microwave for 20 sec  
   4 oz/125 gm icing sugar
   
  1 tsp vanilla extract
   zest 2 limes
   2 tbsp lime juice
   75g coarsely chopped whole almonds

Lime Drizzle
   2oz/60gm icing sugar
   1-2 tbsp lime juice

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 300f, 150c, gas 2-3.  Line 9x12 inch/30x23 cm tin or equiv. with greaseproof paper (use a bit of dough to stick corners down see How to...prepare tins for baking)
2. Toast whole almonds in the oven 3-5 mins; keeping a careful eye on them, they burn easily; chop coarsely
3. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt, using a fine-mesh sieve.  Stir in ground almonds until well mixed
4. Using electric beaters or a free-standing mixer, beat butter & icing sugar until smooth & light coloured, about 3 mins
5. Beat in vanilla, lime zest & lime juice.  
6. Add flours; beat on low speed; stir in chopped nuts. 
7. The mix will be thick; scrape into tin, pushing dough into sides & corners; level with spatula or knife  
8. Bake 40 mins until top changes from shiny to dull & it feels firm 
9. As soon as the tin comes out of the oven, cut shortbread in the tin into fingers or squares 
10. Leave 30 mins, then move to a wire rack until completely cool
11. Lime Drizzle: Sift icing sugar, slowly add lime juice until the icing is the right consistency to drizzle over biscuits 

Tip: 

• A 50-50 split of white & wholemeal flour will make a healthier biscuit.  When sifting, bran will be leftover; simply mix it in.  

For more biscuits, go to NavBar: Recipes 1/Cookies 

Please leave a Comment in the box below 

This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission. 

WHEAT & EGG-FREE CHOCOLATE, ORANGE & NUT SHORTBREAD, an Indulgence

No one will ever know these scrummy easy-peasy shortbread fingers were created for the common-wheat-and-egg phobic

Note the portion control on this crumbly sassy shortbread;
small and large fingers are sensible in health terms but also go further
'Ab-so-lutely wonderful and crunchy; and so easy to make!' Taster

It's amazing what a difference a bit of orange and a few nuts can make to classic chocolate shortbread; they turn something already wonderful into something truly fabulous.  

What doesn't change is the fuss-free preparation: a few minutes of mixing then  the dough is pressed into a baking tin with no rolling or cutting. It bakes at a low temperature for a good 40 minutes.

67 used spelt-flour to make it free of common wheat; it adds something special to the lovely nuttiness.  If there isn't any spelt in the cupboard, wheat is fine.  No eggs are needed.  

Shortbread generally is not healthy -- it contains butter and icing sugar -- but can be made less damaging by using half or all wholemeal flour.  Portion control also helps but honestly, cookies should be seen as an occasional treat.  They won't harm anyone.  

Cost: £2
Serves: depending on size, 10-20

Ingred:
   7 oz/215 gms plain flour (or to be healthier, half white half wholemeal flour or completely wholemeal) 
   1 tsp baking powder
   1 1/2 oz/45 gms unsweetened cocoa powder
   1/2 tsp salt
   zest of two medium oranges
    8 oz/250 gm unsalted butter, left out overnight or zapped in the microwave for 20 sec until soft
   4 oz/125 gm icing sugar
   1 tsp extract of Valencia orange (opt) or vanilla
   1/2-2/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Method:

Line a 9x12 inch/30x23 cm with greaseproof paper

1. Preheat oven to 300f, 150c, gas 2-3
2. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt, using a fine-mesh sieve.  (Sifting gives a light texture; if using w/meal flour, mix in bran left in sieve) 
3. Stir in orange zest until evenly distributed
4. In a large bowl, using electric beaters or a table-top mixer, beat softened butter and icing sugar until smooth and pale, about 3 minutes
5. Mix in orange essence or vanilla and nuts.  Add flour mix; beat on low speed until dough starts clumping and sides of bowl are clean.   
6. Press the dough into a 9x12 inch/30x23 cm tin or equiv. pushing it into the sides and corners.  If holes appear, patch them with dough from a thicker part.  
7. Level the top with a spatula or knife. 
8. Mark out the biscuits with the point of a sharp knife; don't cut through the dough, simply make guidelines for cutting the shortbread when cooked.  
9. Bake 40 mins or until top changes from shiny to dull and it feels firm to the touch.
10. As soon as the tin comes out of the oven, cut the shortbread according to your guidelines.
11. Leave in the tin to cool 30 mins, then move the shortbread to a wire rack
12. Lightly dust with icing sugar OR melted 75% cocoa solids baking chocolate. stir in a bit of orange liqueur or orange juice & drizzle over

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This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.