Toffee was the first thing I remember learning to cook. Imagine it - a pot of hot, bubbling sugar and an uncoordinated child. What could possibly go wrong? I'm not too sure whether my mother was completely oblivious to what we were up to, or whether she figured we would only burn ourselves once before being careful. [This was not true by the way - my younger self took quite a few goes to work out that if I shoved my finger into a just set ball of toffee it would stick and burn like hell.]
The theme for this month's Recipe Redux is first cooking recollections; the perfect opportunity to reflect on my cooking journey. Baked goods and confectionery were the mainstay of my childhood cooking repertoire. Although one holiday when home from boarding school I did manage to cook an entire Chinese feast, including deep fried ice cream, for the family. Knowing what havoc The Princess wreaks on the kitchen when she cooks just one dish, I shudder to think what state the kitchen was in when I had finished. And I'm pretty sure I didn't clean any of it up.
Unfortunately, being a dab hand at toffee making does not set you up for a future life of success in feeding yourself. It took me a long time to master the ability to rustle up a meal without opening a jar or a packet, and I recall many a phone call home to mum inquiring as to how to cook chicken, steam broccoli or make gravy - all the difficult things. I now take great comfort from the fact that if nothing else, The Princess can keep herself alive on waffles, pancakes and homemade chips.
I don't make a lot of confectionery these days. None of us has a sweet tooth, so anything too saccharin goes uneaten. That doesn't stop me from creating a little indulgence every now and then, and these chocolate, buckwheat and toasted coconut bites are my latest incarnation.
I'll be honest and say that these chocolate buckwheat and coconut bites were actually a mistake. I was trying to make something entirely different, but every time I added syrup to the mix the whole pot would seize. Rather than toss the failure in the bin, I moulded the fudgy substance into an edible shape and left it in direct sight for The Princess to find. This is my litmus test for success - if she likes them they can't be too bad. Less than twelve hours later, half the batch was gone. I think I'm on to a winner.
Chocolate Buckwheat and Coconut Bites
Author: Tania @ The Cook's Pyjamas
- 140g (1 cup) toasted coconut butter
- 35g (1/4 cup) cocoa powder
- 1 - 2 Tablespoons maple syrup or rice bran syrup
- 40g (1/4 cup) buckinis*
- Pinch of salt
- 1 Tablespoon buckinis extra
- Line a mini muffin tin with papers and set aside.
- Place the toasted coconut butter into a small saucepan.
- Melt the butter over a low heat, stirring frequently, until fluid.
- Stir in the cocoa powder, mixing thoroughly.
- Add your chosen syrup.
- Stir the syrup into the melted butter and cocoa. The mixture will start to thicken and seize. This is perfectly normal. Keep stirring until the mixture clumps into a ball.
- Remove from the heat.
- Add the buckinis and stir through. You may need to mash the buckinis into the mixture to make sure it is evenly incorporated.
- Divide the mixture between the muffin cases and press in firmly.
- Scatter the extra buckinis over the top of the bites and press lightly to help them stick.
- Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.
- These can be stored at room temperature, although I would keep them in the fridge if it is very hot.
Be inspired by the recollections of my fellow bloggers by hopping though to some of the posts in the link up below:
