Nostalgic Cookies, Modern Twist

How long have we been putting packets of custard creams and chocolate chip cookies into our shopping trollies? Personally I was eating custard creams in the 1970s, so they definitely go back a while!

Well this week I decided to revisit some old favourites but add a little twist to help us remember how truly delicious these classics can be when you make them at home.

I’ve also gone fully down the nostalgia path by using Birds Custard Powder and Ovaltine as ingredients - it’s amazing how delicious they are as a baking ingredient rather than using them as they were designed.

Hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane, Kela x

Custard Creams

This recipe makes 8-10 assembled biscuits and is so far removed from the traditional packets of biscuits under the same name!

Ingredients:

• 200g butter, softened
• 85g caster sugar
• 70g custard powder
• 225g self-raising flour, sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Butter Cream Filling:

• 55g softened butter
• 115g icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C / 160C fan. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
2. Cream butter & sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add in the custard powder, flour and vanilla and beat until combined and forming a dough.
3. Take walnut size pieces of dough and form into small balls (I find damp hands good to avoid the dough sticking). Place the balls well apart on the trays and using a fork dipped in flour, press into the dough to flatten and leave imprints from the prongs.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 - 20 minutes until golden. Leave on wire rack to cool completely.
5. Beat the icing ingredients together until pale and smooth then use a dollop to sandwich two biscuits together.

Malted Milk Malteser Biscuits

I always associate Ovaltine Malted Milk drink with my Granny - I think it was such a post WW2 beverage and used as a nutritional boost or pre-bedtime drink. Personally I don’t really like milky drinks but using malted milk as an ingredient in baking gives cookies and cakes such a delicious rich taste.

This recipe makes 18 - 20 biscuits.

Ingredients:

• 175g Maltesers
• 100g butter, softened
• 100g dark brown sugar
• 50g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 170g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
• 60g malted milk powder, Ovaltine or Horlicks

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C / 160C fan. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
2. Put the Maltesers in a bag and give them a quick bash with a roling pin. Try to keep some larger pieces as they give the cookie a better texture.
3. Cream butter & sugars together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla and beat well.
4. Sift in the flour, bicarb soda and malted milk powder, then mix all together to form a dough. Mix in the crushed Maltesers using a wooden spoon last.
5. Place walnut size balls of dough on the baking trays keeping well apart as the dough will spread. I did 6 cookies to each tray.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 10-14 minutes, remove and leave on tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.