I have two confessions to make. The first is that I watch a lot of recipe programmes. We have subscriptions to the Good Food Channel and the Food Network and I find they're a great way to wind down in the evenings. My favourites are Nigel and Nigella as I love the way they're styled and shot (and Nigel Slater has such a friendly manner), but the other day I stumbled on 'Unique Sweets' about the best bakeries and restaurant desserts to be found around the US.
There were rave reviews about an unusual biscuit from a San Francisco bakery called Goodygoodie: a chocolate wafer sprinkled with raw cocoa nibs and chopped olives. There seems to be a trend for combining salty and sweet flavours in baking at the moment. Nigella herself has a passion for salted caramel and I loved the idea of the floral saltiness of olives with chocolate, but San Francisco is a bit of a trek. I had never heard of chocolate wafers but realised that they are those tubular, crispy (often striped) biscuits that sometimes come with coffee in a cafe.
I found this basic recipe, some cocoa nibs for sale and bagged a jar of kalamata olives from the supermarket.
The cocoa nibs are crunchy and buttery and the wafers are crispy-edged and delicious. The spike of the salty olives make these utterly moreish. The best part of the recipe* is that its so quick and easy and it makes a small number of wafers - just enough for a treat with a cuppa. They disappear quickly. The Mr thinks that small pieces of very crispy bacon would be good sprinkled on these biscuits but that may be a step too far.
As for my other confession, I like a little marmite under the jam on my toasted crumpets. I think it's OK to admit that nowadays.
This post was due to be part of Making Winter Week but the cocoa nibs took a little while to arrive.
There have been so many gorgeous contributions to this month's link up - huge thanks to everyone who has commented and posted. Thriftyhousehold and I are relaxed about the timings of the project and this month's list is open for another week or two, so if you'd like to discover some lovely wintry recipes and craft or you'd like to join in then follow the link above. I'll be making some mosaics from the Flickr pool later in the week.
There have been so many gorgeous contributions to this month's link up - huge thanks to everyone who has commented and posted. Thriftyhousehold and I are relaxed about the timings of the project and this month's list is open for another week or two, so if you'd like to discover some lovely wintry recipes and craft or you'd like to join in then follow the link above. I'll be making some mosaics from the Flickr pool later in the week.
* Recipe for chocolate wafers with cocoa nibs and olives
Cover a baking sheet with baking parchment and preheat an oven to 200C/400F
Mix the following thoroughly (makes 12-14 biscuits):
1/4 cup plus two teaspoons all-purpose/plain flour
1/3 cup confectioner's/icing sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons heavy/double cream
1 large eggwhite
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
pinch table salt
- Make three small piles of mixture on the baking sheet along the longer edge. Spread each into a longish shape (approx 10x 4cm) with a table or palette knife.
- Onto each wafer sprinkle a good pinch of coca nibs and a good pinch of finely chopped Kalamata olives
- Bake for 5-8 minutes or until very slightly darkened round the edge.
- Cool.
- Eat.
