Saturday 19 May 2012

We should (buy Fairtrade) Cocoa


So this is my first ever entry to We should Cocoa run by Chocolate Log Blog and Chocolate Teapot and hosted this month by Laura of How to cook good food.

It's exam term here and everyone is very involved in their own worlds. Study plans, revision breaks and odd working hours mean that I've not really had chance to see all my girl mates, and Cake Fridays have been put on hold. However, today has been a bit murky and I couldn't concentrate so I thought it was time to warm up the oven.

So after inviting the girls to a 4 o'clock tea break I decided cookies would be the perfect - warm and comforting, but quick enough to munch with a mug of tea before heading back to the library. I was thinking a bit about how at the moment we are all so focused on the end game and can't wait to relax in about 3 week's time that not only do we forget to give time to the things that make us happy but we forget that there are so many other people in the world having an unimaginably harder time than we are.

This recipe then is inspired by a want to do something (even something really tiny) that may benefit someone else (so as well as cookies for my hard-working library buddies) I decided to go Fairtrade. I thought it was fitting to go with the We should Cocoa challenge, and I remembered to add this month's key ingredient of almonds.


I really liked the combination of both white and brown sugar as well as white and milk chocolate in these cookies, for the color contrast and in my spirit of embracing the world. 



Standard sugar, butter and eggs mix, with a tsp of Orange Extract


Flour, cocoa powder, bicarb, baking powder and of course, ground almonds. 

 All blended together to create a sticky but fluffy mix

I used a family recipe for my cookies but went off piste a little- adding crystallized mango 
and orange extract for a bit of a summery hit.

  And both white chocolate and milk chocolate buttons
 A lovely contrasting mix
 10 minutes in the oven, and they were ready to be eaten- warm and gooey, fruity and nutty but still with a rich chocolatey taste! I would have taken a picture with more, but as soon as the next batch came out of the oven they were gone!

I feel so much better, now back to the library....

 Recipe
Flour mix:
300g Plain Flour
200g SR Flour
 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarb
30g Cocoa Powder
20g Ground Almonds

150g butter
150 g sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp orange extract

Chopped mango
White chocolate buttons
Milk chocolate buttons



3 comments:

  1. They look absolutely beautiful! What a great combination of flavours and textures.

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  2. Oh good luck. I do so sympathise, I don't have fond memories of the various exam periods in my life. Glad you managed to cheer yourselves up with these cookies, they sound absolutely delicious. Love the addition of mango and also that you used fairtrade. Thanks for finding the time to join in with WSC this month.

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  3. I am feeling sorry for you having to deal with all your work load but think you made the right choice in taking a well earned break to make some cookies!
    Great idea to add mango and I am happy you have a family recipe to use. They are pften the best.
    Thanks so much for entering We Should Cocoa this month!
    Laura@howtocookgoodfood
    xxx

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