For cooks keen to impress

Press, 22 October 1986, Page 16

For cooks keen to impress

Alison Hoist’s

Food Facts 4

Sometimes I want to get in and out of my kitchen as quickly as possible, but there are occasions when I plan a meal and include a few rather tricky recipes. The pleasure that these foods give my family or guests justifies the time and effort involved. This recipe is not for a completely inexperienced cook, nor is it for someone working frantically to a deadline, or with constant interruptions. Make it for special people and a special occasion — or perhaps when you want to show off a little! The nutty batter spreads as it cooks, as brandy snaps do. Each thin, lacy circle must be lifted carefully from the oven slide as soon as it is firm enough to handle, and draped over a small bowl or glass, so that it cools into a basket shape.

When cold it can be filled with any ice creamy mixture that suits you — any homemade or good commercially made ice cream, with fruit and/or sauce, is ideal. This mixture should make about 12 baskets, but you may well find that a few of these are not perfect. If you find that it is too fiddly to make baskets, you can make smaller flat disks of mixture, and sandwich ice cream between them, make brandy snap shaped cylinders, or fold them in halves or quarters and serve them on the side. You should make these only a few hours before you serve them, or store them in airtight containers. I put four baskets carefully into a large plastic bag on a tray, and tie the bag carefully with a rubber band. Like this, they will keep several

days — if you can find a safe place in which to leave them. I hope that this introduction won’t discourage you from making these delicate little baskets, but I always feel annoyed when I come across elaborate recipes tucked in between simple recipes, with no words of warning for novices. 1 cup freshly shelled walnuts (1.00 g i/ 2 cup sugar cup flour 125 g butter y 2 teaspoon almond essence 2 tablespoons milk Put the walnuts, sugar, and half the flour into the bowl of a food processor. Process with the metal chopping blade until the nuts are very finely chopped (to the consistency of ground almonds).

Melt the butter over low heat until it is liquid,

then remove from heat. Stir in the essence, milk and nut mixture. (Keep the unused flour ready to add later, if necessary.) Put a dessertspoon of mixture in the middle of a sprayed or buttered oven slide. Spread the mixture out evenly with the back of a spoon. Place in the middle of an oven preheated to 190 C and bake for about five minutes, until golden brown. If the mixture burns at the edges before it is golden in the middle, turn down the oven heat a little. If it runs too far, making a very open textured, lacy biscuit, add some of your reserved flour before making the next biscuit. Using a greased or sprayed fish slice or spatula, lift the lacy disk from the tray as soon as you can pick it up without breaking it. Quickly lie it

over a small ramekin, glass, cup or bowl and push the sides down in four places, using your thumbs and third fingers. Adjust the oven temperature and mixture until you get everything right. Once you do, put two biscuits at a time on each oven slide, and use two slides, so you are baking one lot while you are shaping others. I usually use all the flour, and find a temperature of 190 C best, but you should be prepared for variations. Baskets which are too brown do not have

such a good flavour. The finished baskets look browner than the biscuits in the oven. Store in airtight containers, without stacking, ing plates. Just before serving, fill with ice cream etc., /and garnish attractively. , Note: If you do not have a food processor, replace the walnuts with IOOg ground almonds. You may need no flour at all, with finely ground almonds. Remember to use standard metric measuring cups and spoons for this recipe.