Afghans

Afghans are my new favourite biscuit to make and eat.

I really wasn’t a big biscuit maker until recently, and now I am hooked.

My journey with afghans started a few years ago, when niece Alisha came over to visit. Alisha knew I loved cooking and one day she took up my offer of help to improve her baking skills. She told me that her mum, (my sister n law) made afghans for her when she was a kid. This seemed to be the perfect place to start for my teaching.

Out came the Edmonds recipe book. Oops I think I had only made afghans once or twice before, but that didn’t phase me in teaching some one. I watched Alisha patiently make the afghans and they turned out well.

Afghans returned back into my life again, a couple of weeks ago. We were heading to Levin for a family get together. We were meeting up with daughters Jen and Joanna, and niece Alisha was coming too. I wanted to take some baking and I thought I would make some biscuits as they would travel well. But which ones should I choose to make? It then came to me, I’d make 2 different ones – Jen’s favourite, sante biscuits and then some afghans for Alisha. Everyone seemed delighted with my little delicious biscuit parcels.

Afterwards daughter Joanna felt left out, so I made a double batch of afghans the following weekend. One batch for Joanna’s flat and the other for some friends who called in and of course hubby Andrew. Andrew is loving the biscuits being on hand while he works from home.

Now with the help of Chelsea Winter’s cookbooks and me of course, Alisha has become a proficient cook and baker. She is often snapchatting me results of her superb baking and cooking. I am super proud of her.

It can all start with afghans………… It’s never too late to learn the art of baking and surprise the ones you love!

AFGHANS

(makes about 18 biscuits)

Ingredients – Biscuits

200g butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1 1/4 cup flour

3 tbsp cocoa

1 1/2 cup cornflakes

walnut halves

Ingredients – Chocolate Icing

1 1/2 c icing sugar

1 tbsp cocoa

1 tsp butter

2 – 3 tbsps of hot water

Method

• Heat oven at 180 deg C.
• Place softened butter and sugar in a mixing bowl of an electric mixer (or use hand held beaters) and beat until light and fluffy
• • soften butter by leaving at room temperature for approx 1 hour
  • The creaming of the butter and sugar will take about 5 minutes using an electric mixer.
• Add sifted flour and cocoa to creamed butter mixture, stir.
• Fold in cornflakes
• Place tablespoons of mixture on to a greased oven tray. It’s best to use your hands to form the mixture into a ball.
• Flatten the balls using your hands or a fork.
• Place in heated oven for approx 15 minutes
• Before taking out of oven, check that the biscuits are set. To do this, press the biscuit with a clean finger. It should be firm and not soft to touch.
• Leave to cool on oven tray for 5 minutes then transfer to a rack.
• After about 30 minutes top with icing and a walnut

CHOCOLATE ICING

Method

• Sift icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl
• Add butter and 2 tbsp of hot water
• Mix well
• Add additional water until the mixture is glossy but still thick
• If you overdo the water, you can always a little more sifted icing sugar
• Take a teaspoon of icing and plop onto the biscuit. Smooth out if required
• Add a walnut half to finish