AT LAST A FOGGY DAY

There was a welcome change in the weather today. After weeks of rainless, sunny skies we woke up to a foggy morning. Water, from our metal roof, is dripping into my empty stock tanks. Maybe we will get some rain this week. The garden loves this moisture laden air and I love it too because I have things to do in the house in preparation for Christmas.

I had some friends over the other evening and served these little cookies.

They were quite a hit, with requests for the recipe. So I decided to share the recipe and method on my blog. The original recipe is from an English cookbook called Cooking for Company, hence the weight measurements, and is for brandy snaps, those delicious, crispy gingery rolls.

But the recipe is very versatile; leave out the ginger and make the little wafers trimmed with chocolate and chopped almonds, or make a lacy basket which can be filled with fruit. Serve them with ice-cream or as a tea-time treat. You are sure to have all the ingredients in your pantry.

2oz butter (half stick)
3oz castor sugar(our US sugar is just fine)
2oz Lyles Golden Syrup ( substitute 2T of light corn syrup)
2oz plain flour ( heaping 1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp ground ginger ( leave out if you prefer when making the wafers)

Preheat oven to 350º
Spray cookie sheets

In a small saucepan heat butter, sugar and syrup on a low heat until melted. Remove from the heat and add sifted flour and mix well until combined. Take half teaspoons of the mixture and drop onto the cookie sheet, spacing well apart. Pat down with fingers to spread. No need to make them too exact. The larger you make them the more room you must leave to spread.

Place in oven. They will start to spread hence the reason for giving them plenty of room.

Keep a watchful eye on them and remove as soon as they turn a golden color.

Don't worry if they run into each other. Just take a knife and separate them while they are still soft.

In order to remove them from the sheet have a palette knife handy. You have to wait a little until they cool. Test by sliding the knife underneath one corner. I like to release all the cookies as soon as possible and then wait a little before transferring them to a wire rack. You can always put the rack back in the oven to soften again if you have trouble. Someone asked me if you could use a silpat sheet. I would give it a test try to see how easily they come off before doing a whole batch. Let me know if you try using the silpat- I might treat myself.

Once cooled, decorate them with melted chocolate and chopped nuts. Pop into the fridge to harden the chocolate before storing in a tin.

I made a double batch this time and boxed them to take to our little neighborhood gathering tomorrow evening.

To make the brandy snaps, just add ginger with the flour, bake the same way and with the cookies still pliable, wrap carefully around a wooden spoon or dowel. You will probably need to pop back in the oven several times to keep the cookies pliable. To make the fruit baskets make a larger cookie and while soft place over a glass and bend into shape. Your guests are sure love these dessert treats and they make a great hostess gift.