From Marsh Mash Spring 2014

Makes about 30 single cookies or 15 if sandwiched together.

You will need a 500ml bottle of sweet, flavoursome beer – I used Shepherd Neame Bishops Finger.

Cookies:

• 3½oz (100g) sultanas
• 6½fl oz (200ml) beer
• 8oz (225g) unsalted butter, softened
• 5oz (140g) caster sugar
• 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 10oz (280g) plain flour, sifted
• Pinch of salt

Soak sultanas in the beer for 4-6 hours – keep the rest of the beer for later.

When you are ready to make cookies, drain the sultanas and keep the remaining beer. Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5. Line 2 large baking sheets with greaseproof paper.

Note: if all the beer is absorbed by the fruit, you will need a further 6 tea spoons of beer for this recipe.

Cream the butter and sugar together, beat in the egg yolk and 3 tea spoons of the saved beer (or from the bottle). Add the flour and salt, stir well (note: the mixture will be quite stiff), add sultanas and stir until combined. Roll mixture in to balls, flatten gently and put them on the prepared baking sheets spaced well apart as they will spread – you may need to bake in batches, depending on the size of your baking sheets. Bake for 15-20 minutes until light golden brown. Leave to cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes then carefully transfer them on to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Filling (optional):

• 6oz (175g) icing sugar
• 3oz (85g) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tsp finely grated orange peel
• 2 tsp beer

To make filling:

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, add butter, orange rind and 3 tea spoons of the saved beer (or from the bottle) and beat well until smooth. Spread filling over half of the cookies and sandwich together with remaining cookies.

Pour the remaining beer from the bottle into a glass and enjoy it with the cookies.

Shirley Johnson

AFRM Branch Member