Coeliac and cookies

Well, it's been even longer, hasn't it? In my defence, I was ill. Indecisively, uncertainly ill, but finally we figured it out. Wheat. Yes, we can now add coeliac disease to the familial collection of auto-immune problems. And so began the long and tedious process of reworking all my favourite baking recipes. I love to bake, but not every recipe translates well to gluten-free flour. Here's one that does, though


Squidgy chocolate cookies

110g butter
85g golden syrup
340g gluten-free self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
175g sugar
50g cocoa powder
1 egg, beaten
100g block of chocolate, chopped
(for this you can use flavoured chocolate, if you like. Orange is good, mint is....odd? Coffee would probably be awesome)

Heat oven to 160'C / 325'F / Gas 3
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment

Melt together the butter and syrup. Mix all dry ingredients together well.
Add beaten egg and stir, then pour on the melted butter / syrup. Stir well.
Add a drop of milk if needed to bring the dough together to a soft mass that holds together well

Pinch off golf-ball sized knobs of dough and place on baking sheets. The dough will spread, so spread them out well.

Bake for 15-20 minutes (you know your oven best) and cool on the sheet for a few minutes before moving to wire racks. Makes around 24 soft squidgy cookies with slightly crisp outers.


FOR GINGER
instead of cocoa, add 1tbs ground ginger and instead of chopped chocolate, use 2 knobs of stem ginger (the kind in syrup, drained).