Hello, and happy Friday,
I’m glad I’ve created some excitment for my giveaway…stay tuned for that!

I also wanted to say a great big THANK YOU for the kind words and support regarding my letter to my 16 year old self,
words can’t explain how much that means to me.

It is now ONE WEEK today till Christmas (eek) and having been awake since some un-earthly hour, I found myself at a loose end with an overwhelming urge to bake.

So I did, the first of my holiday baking (still to come, shortbread, puff pastry christmas trees and peppermint creams)
Today I bring to you, Cornish Fairings.
Not typically associated with Christmas, but these cookies are made with ginger and mixed spice and that makes them perfect for this time of year. They come out wonderfully chewy and quite a lot like gingerbread; just much easier to make, I think this recipe took me half an hour from start to finish!

(why yes, the first tray did overbake a little!)

The recipe I used is from the Christmas edition of the Somerfield Magazine (small UK supermarket chain)
The recipe makes around 18 cookies.

You’ll need:
225g (8oz) Plain Flour
2tsp Baking Powder
2tsp Bircarbonate of Soda
2tsp Ground Mixed Spice (or, if you dont have that, cinnamon)
2tsp Ground Ginger
100g (3.5oz) Butter
100g (3.5oz) Caster Sugar
60ml (4tbsp) Golden Syrup

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 200*c, 400*F, gas mark 6 (you might want to set it lower if you have a fan oven).

2. Sieve together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and spices.

3. Rub in the butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then add the sugar.

4. Pour in the golden syrup. Mix well until you get a fairly stiff consitency (at first mine was a little dry, so I added a touch more syrup)

5. With floured hands, roll the mixture in to about 18 walnut sized balls. Place these on a greased baking tray allowing space for each cookie to spread.

6. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes (mine took just under 10) until golden brown. Leave to cool for a few minutes (until they are hard enough to move) and transfer to a cooling rack.

The cookies will keep in an airtight tin for up to five days.

Enjoy!
xxx