Sarah-Jane Cookies (Peanut Butter & Coconut Cookies with a Custard Cream Filling)

This recipe came about one afternoon while I was thinking of a good friend of mine, I wanted to create something that I could serve to her on her visit to me here in Scotland. I knew a simple cookie just wouldn't do so I combined a few traditional flavours that I thought would work and here we have the Sarah-Jane Cookie.

Peanut Butter and Coconut Cookie Ingredients: 

3/4 cup dairy free spread

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup golden syrup

1 large egg equivalent, follow instructions on manufactures box 

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter 

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup desiccated coconut, lightly toasted in a pan 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350f/177c. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly toast your desiccated coconut pan on the hob, do not leave the coconut as it will burn and you are looking for a light golden toasting.

In the bowl of your electric mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the dairy free spread,sugar and golden syrup until light and fluffy (about 2 - 3 minutes). Beat in the peanut butter. Add the egg replacer and vanilla extract and beat to combine. 

In a separate bowl mix together the flour, coconut, baking soda, and salt. combine this to the peanut butter mixture and mix until incorporated. If the batter is too soft to form into balls, place in the refrigerator for about an hour or until firm.

Roll the batter into 1 inch (2.5 cm) balls. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet, placing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Then, using the tines of the fork make a crisscross pattern on top of each cookie.

Bake the cookies for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Cookies can be stored at room temperature, in an airtight container, for about a week, or freeze for longer storage un filled.

This recipe will make about 40 cookies or 20 Sarah-Jane cookies.

Custard Cream Filling Ingredients:

3/4 cup dairy free spread

1 1/2 cups icing sugar (confectioners sugar) 

2tbsp custard powder

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the ingredients together till you can no longer see any trace of the icing sugar. You may find that the mixture is very soft, if this is the case cover and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Once the mixture is firm place a heaped teaspoon of it between two of the peanut butter and coconut cookies, pushing down a little until the custard icing shows around the side.

once all the Sarah-Jane cookies are filled dust them with a little icing sugar to finish and serve.

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

Ingredients:

(2) 225g cans of black eyed beans - drain and rinse
200g dark chocolate, vegan
1/2 cup rapeseed oil
1/2 cup soya milk
1/2 cup golden syrup or fine brown sugar
1/3 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup plain flour
1 tbsp flax seeds, milled
2 tsp instant coffee

Topping:
2 tbsp smooth peanut butter
1 tsp rapeseed oil
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup chocolate chips, vegan 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375f/190c, and line a 9" square brownie pan with grease proof paper.

2. Over a double boiler melt your chocolate, make sure that the water is not touching the bottom of the bowl.

3. In large mixing bowl add the black eyed beans, golden syrup, salt, vanilla extract, oil, soya milk and flax seeds to a food processor or use a hand blender. Start on low and blend until very smooth. Then add your melted chocolate and mix with a spatula.

4. To your mixture fold in the cocoa powder, flour, cinnamon, and instant coffee.

5. Pour in the brownie mixture into the lined baking pan and smooth out with a spatula.

6. Heat the smooth peanut butter and oil together so that you have a very liquid peanut butter mixture. Drizzle the melted peanut butter over top the brownie batter.

7. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts over the brownie mix.

8. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven at 375f/190c for about 30/35 mins. Once removed from the oven allow the brownie to cool for an hour  before slicing. This recipe will make 12 brownies.

Once completely cooled store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to one week. You can warm the chilled brownies in microwave or oven before serving.

Homemade Peanut Butter Fudge

Peanut butter does not have to be just for breakfast. This easy to make fudge will make a great treat or homemade gift for anyone. You have the option of adding chocolate chips if you want to crank up the flavor and passion levels even more. 

Ingredients:

500g Whole Earth peanut butter, unsalted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

250g icing sugar

430g maple syrup or agave syrup

2 teaspoons arrowroot or tapioca flour

1 teaspoon sea salt

Method:

In a large mixing bowl, add the peanut butter and vanilla. 

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, maple/agave syrup, arrowroot or tapioca flour and salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer for about 1 minute then remove from heat. This liquid will be hot so if your making this with your children that you look after this part.

Pour the mixture into the bowl containing the peanut butter and vanilla. Stir until well incorporated, and if you wanted to add chocolate chips the mixture should have cooled down enough to not melt the chocolate about now.

Then pour the combined mixture into a wax paper lined 8 x 8 inch baking dish, let the wax paper stand proud of the dish as this will make it easier to remove later. Allow the fudge mixture to cool completely. 

Lift the fudge out of the baking dish by it's wax paper liner and place it on a cutting board. Slice into pieces with a large knife.

Play around with what you decide to add to your fudge as some of the combinations can be quite exciting.