Just in the door from a long overdue trip north to Ramelton to visit my very good friend, Dinners.
All the chats, great food and drink and while the kids and menfolk surfed on Saturday, Dinners and I took to a beachside sauna and had a dip at Dooey Strand. Yes I was in the Atlantic Ocean on 2nd November. For about 30 seconds.
The proliferation of saunas beside beaches, lakes and rivers in Ireland is a welcome development. I think swapping catholic guilt and prudery for more saunas is a most excellent bargain. Himself and I thoroughly enjoyed our sauna on Ceann Trá (Ventry) in the wind and the rain last summer. I’ve also been to one beside the Boyne with friends a few years ago although Himself finds the idea of dipping in the Boyne a bit ick. This from the person who lept into the Seine near Fontainebleau a couple of summers ago. I did too, let’s be clear. One of the nicest swims I ever had after a day full of car and a very heated tent erection.
While we were away (Himself, me and Nipper 3.0) Nipper 2.0 had a “gaff” which is contemporary slang for a party. We returned to many empties but an intact house otherwise.
So a great weekend was had by all. I brought biscuits and cake with me (of course). A lemon poppyseed cake from Nigella’s Domestic Goddess book. I also brought these hokey pokey biscuits. The recipe is from a book called Edmond’s Cookery Book which is the equivalent of a Delia or a Darina cookery book for New Zealanders and was indeed sent to us as a wedding present by another friend named Linda from New Zealand. Hokey Pokey is what they call honeycomb toffee (the inside of a crunchy bar) in New Zealand. These are a cinch but do wait until the sugar/ butter mix has cooled down to start rolling out the balls.
Dinners texted me when we returned and asked me for the recipe so I thought you might enjoy it too.
HOKEY POKEY BISCUITS
- 125 g butter
- ½ cup sugar 110g.
- 1 tablespoon golden syrup or treacle
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1.5 cups / 240g plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (bread soda)
- Combine butter, sugar, golden syrup and milk in a saucepan.
- Heat until butter is melted and mixture nearly boiling, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool to lukewarm.
- Heat oven to 180degC.
- Sift flour and baking soda together.
- Add to the cooled mixture. Stir well.
- Roll tablespoonsful of mixture (25g) into balls and place on ungreased oven trays.
- Flatten with a floured fork.
- Bake at 180°C for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes 22.