So, the next major ‘event’ in the diary is Mother’s Day here in the UK. With that in mind, the nice people over at Sugar and Crumbs set me a challenge to design a recipe using their products suitable for this special day and here’s what I’ve come up with!
I started off thinking about things my mum would like to receive as a gift, and therefore what she really likes. She is a complete chocoholic so I knew whatever I made should contain chocolate or cocoa and she also loves a nice cup of tea. So, I was pondering ideas of chocolate things that can be eaten with a cup of tea and these little biscuits were born!
The pretty crackle effect on the top comes from rolling the cookie dough in icing sugar before baking. As they bake, the cookies spread out but the icing sugar doesn’t and this results in the random cracked pattern. I really love how striking the chocolate dough looks against the bright white icing sugar and I will definitely be using this technique again in the future.
Sugar and Crumbs sell a variety of baking products, but probably their most famous is flavoured icing sugar. Using only natural flavours, they’ve created a product which means you can have a flavoured sugar without having to worry about adding in chemicals and e-numbers and without having to add extra liquid to your baking. They also make flavoured cocoa powder which is what I’ve used in these biscuits.
I’d heard a lot of good things about these products already and I am very pleased to say they definitely live up to the hype. They have strong but delicious flavours and replacing either the cocoa or the sugar in a recipe is plenty for the whole bake to be very well flavoured. I really love the packaging too; strong plastic pouches with resealable tops. Perfect for storing in my baking cupboard.
The only slightly negative comment I have is that the resealable strip on my bag of cocoa has come unstuck from the bag on one side, so it now doesn’t seal. However, the others are fine so I’m inclined to think this is just bad luck. It’s certainly not the end of the world!
So, here’s the recipe for you so you can make these for your mum this Mother’s Day!
Choc Cherry Bakewell Crackles
These little chocolate biscuits are perfect with a cup of tea or coffee as a little sweet treat. Tie up a few in a pretty bag for a really tasty gift!
Ingredients
Instructions
1. In a food mixer or in a bowl with a wooden spoon, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and soft.2. Add the rest of the ingredients except the icing sugar and mix together until a ball of dough is formed. If using a mixer, you may have to knead the dough with your hands for a few seconds until it all comes together. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.3. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Whilst the oven is heating, divide and roll the dough into 32 balls then roll these in a bowl of icing sugar to coat completely. Place on two baking trays lined with parchment but DO NOT flatten the balls at all. They need to still be round when they go into the oven or they will not crackle very successfully.4. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until done. You can tell when these are done as the inside of the cracks will look dry and dull, rather than wet and shiny.5. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the tray for 5 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely before storing in a cake tin.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 32 crackles.
For more great recipes using the Sugar and Crumbs products, check out these:
- Black Forest Cherry Friands by BakingQueen74
- Mojito Coconut Ice by Wee Sweetie
P.S. The mug in the first picture is the work of the super talented Pat Southwood. Doesn’t it look great sitting next to my cookies? Check out Pat’s site for more of her gorgeous handmade studio pottery.
Disclaimer: I received some Sugar and Crumbs products for free to review. As always, I wasn’t expected to write a positive review and all views expressed are my own personal opinions.
These look delicious!!
Thank you very much Ami, they tasted rather delicious too! 🙂
Ooh the crackle effect does look really cool especially with the contrast in colours 🙂 Completely forgot that mother's day is next month (a month today to be exact:O) so this has been a great reminder, thank you! I would love to try this though even if they don't turn out as pretty as these 🙂 x
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Thanks Isabella. I'm sure if you tried them they would look just like these… They are so simple yet so effective. The oven does all the decorative work!
These look wonderful, I know my Mum will absolutely love them. Thanks for sharing this lovely recipe.
Thanks Anita-Clare. Can't wait to hear what your mum thinks if you make some.
I really do need 2 or 3 of these Kevin. They look good.
Be my guest, Bintu. Let me know when you're coming and I'll put the kettle on!
I've very excited by the idea of chocolate cherry cocoa powder – yummy!
Oh you should be excited… It's delicious! Can't wait to try it in many more recipes.
These look delicious! If only I could actually bake !
Thank you! I'm pretty sure even people who think they can't bake would be fine with this recipe because it is so simple.
They look fab Kevin. Used some Sugar and Crumbs icing sugar a while back, it is great stuff isn't it?
It really is great, Stuart. I'm quite excited about all the things that can now be flavoured that couldn't previously… I'm thinking flavoured fondant especially. Yum!
So pretty! Love them Kevin.
They look so tasty, and fabulous photos as always