Almond tuilles

Made by Maxine, during coaching (see The Cookery Coach)

100g butter, softened

100g caster sugar

100g egg whites (weighed*)

100g plain flour

15g ground almonds

Pre-heat the oven to 170C. Line two baking trays with buttered non-stick baking paper.

In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale. Gradually add the egg white, a little at a time, beating it into the mixture. If the mixture starts to split, add a tablespoon of the flour. When all the egg white is added, fold in the flour and almonds. Chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Drop small teaspoons of the mixture onto a baking sheet, and smooth each biscuit to about 2mm thick (ovals or circles) with a palette knife.

Bake each tray for 6-9 minutes, until the biscuits are golden. Leave the tray to cool for one minute, then remove the biscuits to a wire rack to cool.

A 100g mix makes about 20 tuilles.

*However many egg whites you have, just weigh them and then use equal weights of each other ingredient. For example, if you have 4 egg whites ‘left over’ from making crème brûlées, and the egg whites weigh 122g, just make a mix with 122g of each ingredient.

Oaty cookies

These have powdered ginger as their spice, and chopped

crystallised ginger pieces as their 'extra ingredient'

250g softened butter

250g granulated sugar (use white or golden)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (not essence)

1 egg

4 tablespoons milk

125g self raising flour

¾ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon spice (mixed, ginger or cinnamon)

300g rolled oats (the ones you use for porridge, but not quick cook ones)

Extra ingredients of your choice (see below)

Pre-heat the oven to 180C.

In a very large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla. Into another bowl, sieve the flour, salt and spices. Add half the flour, then the egg, then the rest of the flour, to the creamed butter and sugar, stirring to mix at each stage.

Gradually add in the oats, stirring all the time. I know it looks like they won’t all go in, but they will. Have a five minute break, to let the pain in your stirring arm subside. Add any extra ingredients and combine.

Drop tablespoon-sized blobs onto greased baking sheets (or use baking parchment), leaving space between the cookies as they’ll spread. If the mixture is very stiff, just push the cookies down a bit with your finger.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden.

The extra ingredients might include any or more of; chocolate chips, chopped cherries, desiccated (or grated fresh) coconut, crystallised ginger pieces, sultanas, jelly tots, smarties, chopped nuts...

One of my favourites is 200g of desiccated coconut and a squeeze of runny honey.