RECIPE || Bushwalker Biscuits

Happy weekend Lovelies,

I hope you are enjoying the warmer weather and not being a cry baby like me wishing our winter would last a bit longer.  While I am not quite ready to embrace hot weather just yet, I am rejoicing in our newly acquired freedom to venture out and about as of today! The first thing I want to do is sneak away and go and sit in one of my favourite cafes in town all by myself with my journal. Bliss.

Anyway…let’s just pretend for a moment that I like going outside, even on bush walks and hikes, and enjoy packing my backpack with nutritious snacks.  If I were to do this, I would most definitely want to take enough of these delicious biscuits to share around. Full of tasty roasted nuts and dried fruit, they will surely keep the energy levels high. 

But since I am not likely to do any of the above if I can help it, I will have to find another excuse to make these delights. To tell you the truth, even lazy people like me can still enjoy them. I make a batch most weeks for afternoon snacks or treats for any visitors who drop in. The recipe makes quite a large batch which will easily keep the family going for a week or more.

The cookie dough is made up of a mixture of almond meal and plain flour, giving it a delicious nutty texture. I prefer to roast my own nuts, cashews and macadamias in this recipe, as they are just so much nicer. Feel free to use any nuts you like. Roasted hazelnuts and pecans would also work well. I also encourage you to toast your own coconut flakes. It’s the little touches like these that make the cookies extra tasty. You can easily substitute coconut sugar for the castor sugar, making them even healthier. Gluten free flour can also be used in place of plain flour. And make sure you use real butter, I prefer salted, and don’t go anywhere near that nasty margarine stuff!

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Bushwalker Biscuits

Tasty cookies packed with nutritious nuts, dried fruit and almond meal. Easy to make and lasting for weeks, they are perfect for busy and active people needing a healthy snack on the go.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Servings 48

Ingredients

• 250 g butter
• 1 1/2 cups castor, brown or coconut sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 2 cups plain flour, sifted Substitute Gluten free flour if desired
• 2 - 3 cups almond meal
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp bicarb soda
• 1 cup coconut flakes Lightly toasted in low oven for approx 10 min until lightly brown. Set aside to cool.
• 1 cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped Lightly roasted in mod oven for approx 10 min.Set aside to cool.
• 1 cup raw cashew nights,roughly chopped Lightly roasted in oven
• 1 cup pitted dates, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped (optional)
• 1 cup milk choc chips

Instructions

1. Pre heat oven to 180C

2. Line three flat baking trays

3. In an electric mixer on high, beat butter for a couple of minutes.

4. Slowly add sugar and beat for another 4-5 min until light and fluffy.

5. Turn mixer onto lowest speed and add egg and vanilla bean paste.

6. Turn mixer down to low and slowly add flour, bicarb, baking powder and almond meal alternately. Scrape down sides with spatula as needed.

7. Remove bowl from mixer and using a rubber spatula, carefully add all nuts, dried fruit, chocolate and coconut. Stir in between each addition. It is a chunky mix so if you are feeling it is getting too crumbly and not sticking together, then hold back on the nuts and fruit. A good way to test it is to put a ball of cookie dough in your hands and squeeze. If it forms a ball and holds itself, the mixture is a good consistency. If it doesn't hold together then stop putting the extras in.

8. Using an ice cream scoop, roll balls of cookie dough and flatten on the trays with your fingers. Leave a gap between cookies.

9. Bake on middle rack in oven for 8 - 10 minutes or until brown. Leave to cool on tray. Store at room temp in sealed container for 2 - 3 weeks. (But you will eat them wayyy before then, I promise!)

I like the idea of bushwalking. I really do. I honestly admire adventurous people who love being in the great outdoors. I also like the idea of gardening, and going to the beach. But given a choice, every single time I would rather be at home, preferably in my kitchen baking.  

We tried camping with the kids when they were little but it was usually a disaster. We never had any proper camping gear and it was just so much work I couldn’t see the point. Now that they are older and I have discovered vintage caravans, I am actually enjoying getting out and about more often. As long as I have a comfy bed with my pretty quilt cover, my teapot and favourite tea cup and a cosy caravan where bugs can’t get in, I am a happy camper.

I remember back about thirty years when I was meeting most of my hubby’s very large, crazy active, sport loving family for the first time, and someone thought it would be a nice idea to walk along a rather narrow, tedious track up on a local lookout before having a bbq lunch together. The eat, meet and greet was delightful, (if not a little overwhelming for someone from a very small family!) but I can still remember wondering how anyone would ever find trudging through the bush by choice an appealing pastime. Ha ha!

Never fear, I think I am making some progress. After a little caravan holiday earlier in the year and a decision to do a little repainting in our home, my daughter noted ‘Mum painting her walls white AND going outside!!! GO YOU!!’ 

Until next weekend,

Lots of love,

Anna xx