Melting Moments

Sometimes you need a bit of comfort baking. Not necessarily because you’re feeling down, but baking is a special kind of frivolous cooking that leaves you with a warm fuzzy feeling and far too much cake than you can reasonably eat on your own.

These are absolutely the most delicious, simple little things to make after lunch in time for a cup of tea at four. I remember making these with my mother when I was little, and she had the recipe from her mother. I love a good family recipe!

They really do melt in your mouth, probably due to the amount of butter in them (although if you’re watching your cholesterol you can substitute a low-cholesterol margarine, just check that it says it’s suitable for baking.)

Melting Moments

8oz (225g) butter / margarine. Let it sit at room temperature for a while.
6oz (175g) caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
10oz (275g) self raising flour
crushed cornflakes

EDIT: on next-morning reflection, you could probably tone down the sugar in these to 5 oz without spoiling them. I don’t have an excessively sweet tooth, and they’d still be delicious and more healthy just a little bit less unhealthy.

For self raising flour (which I can’t buy over here) I add 1/2 oz (or 10g) baking powder per 8oz plain flour.

I keep a couple of vanilla pods in the jar with my caster sugar, which gives it a not-overpowering hint of vanilla, you could substitute a couple of drops of vanilla essence to the dough when you add the egg.

Cream the butter and sugar together until it’s light and fluffy.

Beat the egg in, a bit at a time.

Add the flour and mix to a smooth dough.

Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a cherry tomato or walnut, coat well in the crushed cornflakes, and put into paper cases in small bun tins.

Bake at 175 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes, check using the skewer test.

While you’re waiting for them to turn a beautiful golden colour, check out my new oven glove that I couldn’t leave the shop without:

Isn’t it cute!

When the buns are out of the oven and on a cooling rack, make a cup of tea. If you do the tea properly, (warm the pot, loose leaves, milk in first,) then by the time it’s ready, they should be cool enough to eat with your tea. Although, since the recipe makes about 40, I wouldn’t try to eat all of them at once!