And no one will be able to resist this deliciously gooey combination of pecans and chocolate. The cookies keep well in a container for a couple of days.


Makes 24

Ingredients

7 tbsp butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

11/4 cups self-rising flour, plus extra for dusting

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup milk chocolate chips

1/3 cup pecans, chopped

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Put the butter and sugar into a bowl and mix together with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour, then add the vanilla extract, chocolate chips, and pecans and mix to a soft dough.

2 Knead the dough lightly on a floured work surface, then divide into 24 balls. Flatten the balls with the palm of your hand and arrange on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Space them out so they have room to spread.

3 Bake for 20–25 minutes or until lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

  

Gingerbread Christmas cookies


Makes 24

Special equipment 3 1/2 in (8cm) festive-shaped cookie cutters

Ingredients

1/3 cup blackstrap molasses

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

4 tbsp butter, softened

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 large egg

about 22/3 cups all-purpose flour

ornamental icing

Method

1 In large bowl, combine the blackstrap molasses, brown sugar, butter, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, egg, and 1 cup of the flour. With an electric mixer, beat the ingredients for 2 minutes, frequently scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula. With a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a stiff dough. Shape the dough into ball; wrap. Use the dough immediately or refrigerate to use within 2 days.

2 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). On a lightly floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, roll out half of the dough 1/8in (3mm) thick.

3 Cut out as many cookies as possible. With a spatula, place the cookies about 1/2in (1cm) apart on a large baking sheet.

4 Bake the cookies for 12 minutes or until the edges are firm. With a spatula, immediately loosen the cookies from the pan and transfer to wire racks to cool. Repeat with remaining dough and trimmings.

5 If not decorating the cookies immediately, wrap in freezer paper or foil, seal, label, and freeze. Before decorating, unwrap the frozen cookies and thaw for 1 hour.

6 Prepare the ornamental icing: spoon the icing into a piping bag with a small writing tube, or use a paper piping bag with the tip cut to make a 1/8in (3mm) hole; pipe decorative outlines and designs on each cookie. Set the cookies aside to let the icing dry completely, about 1 hour.

Ornamental icing
In a large bowl, beat 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted, 5 tablespoons warm water, and 3 tablespoons albumen powder with an electric mixer. Beat until the mixture is so stiff that when a knife is drawn through the mixture it will leave a clean path.

Gingerbread christmas cookies

Almond tuiles


Makes 30

Ingredients

2 large egg whites

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

4 tbsp butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the egg whites into a bowl and beat in the sugar until frothy. Stir in the flour and vanilla extract, then add the melted butter.

2 Put 6 teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking sheet, spacing them well apart to allow for spreading. Flatten each with a fork.

3 Sprinkle with the almonds. Bake for about 6 minutes until golden brown around the edges but still pale in the middle.

4 Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few seconds, then lift off with a spatula and gently lay them over a greased rolling pin to give the traditional curved shape.

5 Allow the cookies to set, then lift off onto a wire rack and let cool.

6 Cook and shape the remaining mixture in batches, cooking one batch while another is setting on the rolling pin.

Ginger snaps


Makes 15

Ingredients

4 tbsp butter, plus extra for greasing

1/4 cup golden syrup or 2 tbsp corn syrup plus 2 tbsp honey

1 cup self-rising flour

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp granulated sugar

Method

1 Lightly grease 2 baking sheets with butter. Combine the butter and syrup in a small saucepan and heat gently until melted. Let the mixture cool slightly. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

2 Sift the flour, spices, and baking soda into a bowl and stir in the sugar. Add the cooled syrup mixture and stir to mix to a soft but not sticky dough.

3 Roll the dough into balls about the size of walnuts and place well apart on the baking sheets. Flatten the dough balls slightly with the heel of your hand.

4 Bake for about 15 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

  

Brandy snaps


Makes 15

Ingredients

6 tbsp butter, plus extra for greasing

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup golden syrup or 2 tbsp corn syrup plus 2 tbsp honey

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp ground ginger

3/4 tsp lemon juice

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 325˚F (160˚C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.