I have no doubt that most of my grocery budget during the months of November and December goes towards dried fruit.
If you've ever tried purchasing candied peel, currants and glazed cherries any other time of the year, you know that it's like pulling teeth. Most grocery stored carry these items seasonally which is why I stock up!
Mostly because many of my holiday recipes require pounds & pounds of the stuff which should tell you that I'm crazy for the old world recipes, come the holidays. From traditional boiled pudding which is a whole other blog post, to Scottish Dundee cake & my Cherry Raisin cake from some years ago, we sure love our dried fruit.
If you're like us and if your love for dried fruit is to second only to your love of brandy in edible bite size pieces, then these boozy cookies have your name all over them.
Ridiculously easy to make and made healthy with use of whole wheat flour and minimal use of butter, they are also excellent for vegetarians since eggs are omitted altogether.
Mind you, biting into these you'll never know! I made a batch of these yesterday for fellow mums & dads who wait with me to collect our younglings at the school bus stop, and not only were polished off with great speed, I had to promise to post the recipe right away - which is what I'm doing.
Gather the ingredients,
2 cups whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup white (regular) sugar, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 3/4 tsp ground ginger (dried), 3/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 4 tbs unsalted butter, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup milk, 1 cup golden raisins, 1/2 cup chopped apricots, 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1 cup fruit cake mix (ready-made, store bought), 1 cup sliced almonds & 4 tbs brandy
Also required are 2 qty 11" x 13" cookie sheets or jelly roll pans, parchment paper & non-stick baking spray
Preheat the oven to 325 deg F
Spray the pans or sheets with baking spray & line with parchment paper.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, water, raisins & butter. Bring to a simmer on medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat, add milk and set aside to cool.
In a bowl combine the all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.
Sieve over a dry bowl, holding at least 6" above the bowl to give the flour a good airing.
In a separate large mixing bowl combine the almonds, dried fruitsand the fruit cake mix. Stir in the brandy. Pour the milk mixture into the bowl.
Add the flour in 2 batches and fold with a spatula to combine. Stop mixing as soon as the mixture is combined.
Using a tablespoon, spoon dollops onto the baking sheets, keeping them 1" apart.
Bake for approx 15-20 minutes or until the tops and bottoms are a light golden brown. Cool the cookies completely on baking before storing.
Serve slightly warm or cool.
Make ahead tips: Store in airtight containers, layered with waxed paper, at room temperature up to 3 days or in freezer for several weeks. Defrost completely at room temperature before serving.
The ultimate grown-up cookie - spicy, boozy, crunchy and fruit cake in every single delicious bite!
Boozy English Rocks
Preparation time - 15 minutes
Cooking time - 20 minutesMakes approx 3 dozen cookies
Shopping list
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white (regular) sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp ground ginger (dried)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbs unsalted butter
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped apricots
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup fruit cake mix (ready-made, store bought)
1 cup sliced almonds
4 tbs brandy
Also required are 2 qty 11" x 13" cookie sheets or jelly roll pans, parchment paper &
non-stick baking spray
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 325 deg F
Spray the pans or sheets with baking spray & line with parchment paper.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, water, raisins & butter. Bring to a simmer on medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat, add milk and set aside to cool.
In a bowl combine the all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.
Sieve over a dry bowl, holding at least 6" above the bowl to give the flour a good airing.
In a separate large mixing bowl combine the almonds, dried fruits and the fruit cake mix. Stir in the brandy. Pour the milk mixture into the bowl.
Add the flour in 2 batches and fold with a spatula to combine. Stop mixing as soon as the mixture is combined.
Using a tablespoon, spoon dollops onto the baking sheets, keeping them 1" apart.
Bake for approx 15-20 minutes or until the tops and bottoms are a light golden brown. Cool the cookies completely on baking before storing.
Serve slightly warm or cool.
Make ahead tips: Store in airtight containers, layered with waxed paper, at room temperature up to 3 days or in freezer for several weeks. Defrost completely at room temperature before serving.
Enjoy!
