Gunpowder Cookies
I like to make these dark, spiced cookies for bonfire night, the smokiness of the treacle and ginger echoing the crackling fires outside. I've based this recipe on a traditional Derbyshire bake: these biscuits were often made for Wakes, originally a religious celebration for the patron saint of the local church, before developing into a week of secular holiday.
Jill Paton Walsh describes the Wakes in her novel, A Parcel of Patterns, about the plague breaking out in Eyam in 1665. The narrator recalls happier times, before social distancing and fear of death, when the whole village could come together: morris dancing, lavish feasting, 'every face full of smiles'.
They are very easy to make and result in a hard biscuit with a satisfying 'snap' and a warming taste. Enjoy with mulled cider, or spiced apple juice, while gazing into a roaring fire.
I have opted for a classic circular shape, but do experiment with other cutters: Halloween pumpkins, witches, fireworks etc.
Makes about 20 biscuits, depending on the size of the cutter.
Ingredients
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan). Mix the dry ingredients together: oatmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt.
2. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
I like to make these dark, spiced cookies for bonfire night, the smokiness of the treacle and ginger echoing the crackling fires outside. I've based this recipe on a traditional Derbyshire bake: these biscuits were often made for Wakes, originally a religious celebration for the patron saint of the local church, before developing into a week of secular holiday.
Jill Paton Walsh describes the Wakes in her novel, A Parcel of Patterns, about the plague breaking out in Eyam in 1665. The narrator recalls happier times, before social distancing and fear of death, when the whole village could come together: morris dancing, lavish feasting, 'every face full of smiles'.
They are very easy to make and result in a hard biscuit with a satisfying 'snap' and a warming taste. Enjoy with mulled cider, or spiced apple juice, while gazing into a roaring fire.
I have opted for a classic circular shape, but do experiment with other cutters: Halloween pumpkins, witches, fireworks etc.
Makes about 20 biscuits, depending on the size of the cutter.
Ingredients
- 150g medium or fine oatmeal
- 150g plain flour
- 150g demerara sugar
- 1 level teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 115g soft butter
- 70g candied peel
- 150g black treacle
- Two baking trays, lined with baking parchment
- Cutter (mine is 8cm diameter)
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan). Mix the dry ingredients together: oatmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt.
2. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Mix in the candied peel.
4. Add the treacle and then bring the dough together into a ball.
5. Roll the dough ½ cm thick on a floured surface and cut rounds. Place these carefully on a lined baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack (if you have used a different size cutter, adjust baking time accordingly). They will harden as they cool.