This winter has been quiet, especially in comparison to last year when I was across the country working on the Olympics. I don't mind though, I like being at home, puttering, going to work, seeing friends. Simple stuff, like going to the library.Pretty much every Saturday Homer goes to the library, and when I need a new book I go with him. Our local library is small but I always manage to find something, and their cookbook selection is not half bad.
This time I picked up Spoon Fed, the memoir by Kim Severson and Off the Shelf, Cooking from the Pantry by Donna Hay. A co-worker suggested I might like Donna Hay and so far so good. The recipes are dead simple, but one called to me so loudly that shortly after bringing the book home yesterday I ran to the kitchen to get started on it. The recipe was Choc Honey Snaps, and while I didn't have the chocolate and cream for the topping I did have everything for cookies themselves.
I was nervous at first, I don't have a good history with cookie baking but as I watched them work in the oven I knew these would be perfect, one taste confirmed it.
You let these cool on the pan (they are quite chewy and flexible when they come out of the oven), so you need a couple to keep the baking moving along. It also uses nearly a whole bear squeeze bottle of honey. I suppose you could use fancy organic honey, but I used the No Frills bear and they were just fine.
I included the choc topping recipe after in case you wanted to include it, if you were making these as a Valentine's treat you could draw a heart on each one.
Honey Snap (with Chocolate Topping)
From Off the Shelf by Donna Hay, 2001
125g (1/2 Cup) butter
1 Cup honey
1 Teaspoon baking soda
2 Cups all purpose flower
3/4 Cup sugar
Chocolate Topping (Optional)
1/3 Cup cream
250g milk chocolate, chopped
Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the butter and honey in a saucepan over low heat and stir to melt. Add the baking soda and remove from the heat. Place the flour and sugar in a bowl, add the butter mixture and mix to combine. Place tablespoons of the mixture onto parchment lined baking trays. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Cool on trays.
To make the chocolate topping, place the cream and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat and stir until smooth. Cool slightly before spooning a heaped teaspoon onto each honey snap. Allow to set. Make approx. 35.
