I am really excited to share this English Melting Moments recipe with you today. I know I have shared it in the past, but it never hurts to remind you of something delicious does it?
Melting moments . . . ahhh . . . isn't that a wonderful name for a biscuit/cookie? And, while I am at it, don't you just love the fact that in Britain a cookie is called a biscuit? Mmm . . . Biscuits.
I have always loved the quirky names that the British give to their baked goods. Spotted Dick, Roly Poly Pudding, Toenail Pudding, etc. there is no end to these delightfully named delicious treats!
Then there are the names of towns. Lower Rotten End, Rotten End, Upper Rotten End. Hmmm . . . kind of makes you want to find out what it was that caused that town to be given a name such as that.
With their beautiful buttery taste and short crisp texture, melting moments make the best treat for a Valentines day weekend! What better way to show someone you care than by baking something special for them!
I have often wondered how they got their name. One bite and these are melting in your mouth. Perhaps that is how or why they got their name? Just as the name suggests, they DO melt in your mouth!
That melt in your mouth texture is in part due to the combination of butter and lard which is used in the recipe. Oh, okay. I can see your face wrinkling now. Lard, in a cookie? eww! Pastry yes, but cookie??? Trust me. There is nothing wrong with lard, unless you are a vegetarian, and then I can't help you. It totally works in these crisp little delicious bites of moreishness.
English Melting Moments differ somewhat to melting moments you might find someplace else. Down under melting moments area buttery sandwich cookies sandwiched together in pair with icing.
In other places they are crisp buttery balls rolled in oodles of icing sugar. Both are delicious. Both melt in your mouth. These melting moments are not those.
And for those of you who eschew the use of lard. Lard is a natural fat, just like butter, no chemicals allowed. Not artificially manufactured like shortening.
Natural, and if it is done right, it is pretty flavourless, which makes it perfect for baking things like pastries and these lovely cookies.
Research has actually shown that in moderation (as in all things) lard can actually be healthier than butter, as it contains so called "good" fats, known as monunsaturated fats which can help to lower cholesterol. But as with anything, moderation in all things.
These lovely cookies are moreishly crisp with a texture not unlike that of shortbread. The bit of cherry in the middle is traditional. I appreciate that glace cherries are not always available everywhere, so you can also use quartered maraschino cherries if you want, or even a blanched almond. (In that case use almond extract instead of vanilla.)
There is nothing complicated about these. A simple cookie dough with simple ingredients, the dough gets rolled into balls which are then rolled in something crunchy to coat.
I have seen them rolled in cornflake crumbs, dessicated coconut, chopped nuts, and oatmeal. I love them rolled in oats myself.
To me there is nothing more wholesome than rolling a baked goodie in old fashioned rolled oats. I love the moreish nutty flavor of them and that texture.
Just look at how crisp and buttery these cookies look. Perfect for dunking. Are you a dunker? I am a dunker.
The only problem with dunking these is that once dunked you must eat. These are so meltable you run the risk of them melting in your hot drink.
Not a problem really. I have drunk many a cuppa infused with the tastiness of melted or broken cookies. lol Hasn't every dunker? There is always that risk!
If you are looking for a crisp, buttery, moreish, meltingly delicious cookie you cannot get much better than this. Not overly sweet, they are melt in the mouth tasty!
With their nutty oaty coat and that sweet chewy bit of cherry in the middle they cannot fail but go down a real treat with everyone involved!
Yield: makes 16 to 20 cookiesAuthor: Marie Rayner
English Melting Moments
prep time: 10 Mincook time: 20 Mintotal time: 30 MinCrisp biscuits/cookies that really do melt in the mouth, with a shortbread-like texture. These are rolled in oats for extra crunch. Traditionally topped with a tiny piece of glace cherry, these go down a real treat with a nice hot cuppa.Ingredients
- 3 TBS (40g) soft butter
- 5 TBS ( 65g)lard
- 6 TBS ( 85g) caster sugar ( superfine sugar)
- 1 large free-range egg yolk, lightly beaten
- few drops vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 1 1/2 TBS (150g) self raising flour (see notes)
- rolled oats for coating
- 4 to 5 glace cherries, quartered (can use dried maraschino cherries)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.
- Cream together the butter, lard and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Stir in the flour to make a soft dough. (You may need to use your hands to help combine it thoroughly. Shape into small balls.
- Place the rolled oats into a small bowl (you won't need more than a small handful).
- Toss and roll the cookie balls in the rolled oats to coat. Place the balls spaced slightly apart on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten each ball slightly with your thumb.
- Place a quarter of a cherry on top of each cookie. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until light golden brown.
- Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, prior to scooping off to a wire rack to cool completely.
notes:
Make Your Own Self Raising Flour:
You can make your own self raising flour by adding 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt to every cup of plain flour.
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