Very very exciting news. Ok it's really only exciting to me but I unpacked the last box on the weekend. It was the one with all the cookbooks that didn't fit in the cupboard above the fridge (how did I get so many?!?) but I managed to find a space for them and now nearly everything has its very own home.
I almost had a party when I threw the last box out the door ready to be passed on to the next family member moving house in a couple of weeks. Shall we call chocolate freckle biscuits celebration cookies? After 'the best biscuits I've ever made' it was pretty tough to choose the next recipe to fill our cookie jar.
My inner two-year-old took over on this occasion and chose the most childish biscuit recipe in the book but also the most fun looking. Who can resist something covered in 100s and 1000s?
Younger me loved Freckles. Until the piñata cake I made for my Birthday post this year I hadn't had them for years and years but in the same way they jumped off the shelf and into my trolley then, this recipe jumped out into my oven (with a little work in between).
Adding a sprinkle of ginger was the only adjustment I made to the original recipe because I like to spice it up and I thought that might make them a little more grown up, which it did (ok not really). Surprisingly, having ¾ of a cup of brown sugar in them didn't make the biscuits overly sweet. Actually the cocoa and dark chocolate made them almost a bit bitter but in an 0h-that's-good-chocolate way not a bad way.
With a consistency like shortbread, they held their shape perfectly in the oven so if you wanted to you could make them in fancy shapes. Personally after cutting out all the circles I was too lazy to roll out the dough again so I just rolled some balls with the off-cuts and flattened them out. They weren't as pretty but certain people in our house didn't notice. Enjoy!
What about you? What was your favourite chocolate growing up?
Recipe
Ingredients
- 125 g 1 stick butter, softened
- ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ cups plain AP flour
- ¼ cup self-raising flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- 200 g dark eating chocolate
- a few tablespoon hundreds and thousands
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar and egg together until light and creamy.
- Add the flours, cocoa and ginger and mix them through until it forms a dough with no more dry bits.
- Lay a sheet of baking paper on the bench and tip the dough out onto it.
- Pat/knead the dough unti it's smooth then place another sheet of baking paper on top.
- Use a rolling pin to roll it out to 5mm thickness then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Pre-heat the oven to 160C fan-forced and line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Using a 4cm round cookie cutter, cut rounds from the dough and place on the trays leaving about 2cm between each one.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until firm then leave them to sit on the trays for 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave.
- Spread the melted chocolate over the cooled biscuits then sprinkle with 100s and 1000s.
- Leave to set and then store in an airtight container.
Stephanie@Henry Happened says
These seem easy to make and they definitely look fun! I'm sure both the kids and myself would have a blast decorating (and eating).
Claire says
You sure would!
The Café Sucre Farine says
These are the cutest cookies ever Claire! and BRAVO to you for getting that last box unpacked. I'm very impressed! It sometimes has taken me months!
Claire says
I get on a roll with things and I just can't stop til I'm done (hmm... ocd??) :-)
My Kitchen Stories says
what ever you call them they look cute, and perfect, crisp and delightfully reminiscent of childhood.
Claire says
Thanks Tania!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
I love Freckles too but when I had them recently I was a bit disappointed by the quality of the chocolate-same with the Mint Pattie and Golden Rough! These cookies look darling!
Claire says
That seems to be the way with a lot of chocolates I ate when I was younger. Clearly our tastes have adjusted too much to gourmet chocolate... dangerous!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
I had no idea these were called chocolate freckle biscuits. I would have called them iced chocolate cookies with sprinkles :) My dad used to make a peppermint potato candy coated in chocolate that was my favourite.
Claire says
Haha well you would still be correct. That sounds delicious!
Hotly Spiced says
Congrats on getting rid of that final box. Well done. Your biscuits are very cute. I thought you'd bought freckles and stuck them on but taking a closer look, realise you made your own - excellent! xx
Claire says
Haha no I wouldn't cheat would I ;-)
Sophie - thestickyandsweet says
These are super cute!
Congrats on finally ridding your life of cardboard boxes.
Claire says
Thanks Sophie!
Sarah says
Congratulations on moving! Must be awesome to be finally moved in! These are an awesome celebration cookie.
Claire says
Thanks Sarah. It is indeed!