Jillian In Italy

After a week-end of broiling hot weather we finally have a day of rest from the heat.  The sky is full of glorious grey clouds and the streets are glistening from the recent splattering of light rain.  The windows are all open and a cool breeze is dancing through the house and chasing out that heavy humidity that has been lurking in here for the last few weeks.  We can all breathe again.  Thank you.

So now that the house is full of renewed and re-cooled energy I can actually turn my oven on to do a bit of baking (oh how I’ve missed it!).

I opened my baking drawer and grabbed the first things that I saw: oatmeal, coconut, marzipan and dried figs.  I was in the mood for a heavy duty cookie (that didn’t involve chocolate – unbelievable but true).  In my younger days cookies involving these ingredients would have been considered a waste of calories.  Dried fruit in a cookie was for people who substituted carob for chocolate.  But I’ve grown up and matured and I’m ready to accept the fact that these ingredients actually enrichen a cookie (in moderation of course).

I also made these today as a special treat for my daughters who just got braces and have sensitive painful mouths at the moment.  I thought a good batch of cookies might lift their spirits a little.

As usual I made a double batch and froze half for another time.  Making a double batch isn’t any more work and it’s handy having ready-to-use cookie dough on hand for last minute guests, parties or late-night cravings.

Here’s the recipe:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup (230g) butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup cubed marzipan
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped dried figs (or apricots etc)

1.  Combine flour, oatmeal and baking soda.  Set aside.

2.  In mixer cream butter with sugars.  Turn speed down and add vanilla, eggs and salt.  Mix until combined.

3.  Slowly add flour mixture and mix until combined.

4.  Stir in marzipan, coconut and dried figs.

5.  Spoon onto sheet lined with baking paper.  Bake for about 14-16 minutes (the cookies should become golden brown).

6.  Let cool on wire rack.  Enjoy!

My kids love these cookies.  They also have no idea what is in them.  I might have accidently told them there was white chocolate in them.  And I might of left out the fact that there are dried figs.  But all this is not important.  What’s important is that they are happily sitting in the garden munching away and happy as clams.

Tags: baking, coconut, cookies, dried fig, marzipan, oatmeal, photography