Wednesday, March 7, 2012

White choc macadamia cookie Comparison


Where do you get your recipe inspiration from?

My go-to places (in order of popularity) are:
1. blogs and websites (mainly taste.com.au)
2. the latest issue of cooking magazines
3. my cookbook library
4. pages torn from old magazines and newspapers
5. television shows (Jamie, Nigella, Luke Ngyuen, etc)
6. calendars with recipes on them
7. the back of cookie packets

Yes, you read number 7 correctly. The other night, I was at the supermarket, trawling the aisles for dinner supplies, when I saw a new range of ’homestyle chunkie cookies’ on the shelf (yeah, I was dinner shopping in the biscuit aisle). As I was absolutely famished, I threw a bag into my basket for a pre-dinner snack.

The cookies are by White Wings, better known for their flour and baking products, and the packet says that the cookies contain ‘no artificial colours or flavours. No preservatives’. Good-oh!

They tasted pretty good, too. Or as good as anything else, considering I was starving when I hoed into them, as dinner was still at least 45 minutes from being ready. Then I noticed that they claim to ‘taste just like home-style ones’ and they even include a recipe to make your own. I like a challenge, so I used their recipe and this was the result.

White chocolate and macadamia cookies
makes 30

Ingredients
125g (4.4oz) butter
¾ cup caster sugar
1 tblsp golden syrup
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups plain flour
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tblsp water
¼ cup white chocolate chips
½ cup chopped macadamias

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180C/360F. Line trays with baking paper.
2. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter, sugar, golden syrup, salt and vanilla until light in colour and fluffy in texture.
3. Stir in the flour until combined.
4. Mix the bicarb soda with water, then add to the dough together with the white chocolate chips and macadamias.
5. Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls and place on prepared trays. Leave room for the cookies to spread, about 3cm/1.5in. Press down slightly on the cookies to flatten.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

recipe from White Wings Chunkies packet

How to make a good cookie:
Make sure you beat the butter and sugar together until it's really fluffy and light.
Gently stir in the the flour and chocolate.
Roll into sturdy balls and flatten slightly before baking.

How does the packet recipe compare to the packet cookies?
My home-made cookies look smoother in texture probably because they were rolled by hand rather than by machine.
The packet 'homestyle' cookies were a bit crisper, maybe because I was careful to remove my cookies from the oven before they got too brown (I have a temperamental oven that burns within milliseconds).
My cookies were slightly 'chewy' as a result, and I prefer this.
Overall, the White Wings Homestyle Chunkies are quite good for a quick biscuit hit, but proper home-made is usually better. In terms of value, the Chunkies are very worth it, at $2.99 a packet, as the macadamias I used cost nearly double that.

In general, this is a fantastic cookie recipe and I will definitely make them again.
Thanks to White Wings for generously providing the recipe on their cookie packets!
(Not sure of the thinking behind this marketing strategy, but I appreciate it).


By the way, if you're a keen baker, don't forget to enter the Kitchenware Direct giveaway.
Great prize to be won, and entries close this Sunday. Don't miss out!!
-------

Tabitha vs Henry Update
Catfight!

It had to happen, eventually.
Tabitha trots out to her cat grass, not realising that Henry is crouched behind the door.
He leaps up to her, and she hisses and goes 'rawwrrrrr!'

I get yelled at, too, to stop taking photos and rescue the cat, so I clear a path for Tabs to run back into the house, leaving evil Henry to sulk by the pot plants.
Fur comparison:
Henry looks sleek, but his fur is quite coarse, scratchy.
Tabitha is the softest cat in the world, her coat feels like mink lined with chinchilla.

17 comments:

  1. I love a good chewy cookie and I love your #7 inspiration. Poor Evil Henry. I still think he's a cool dude cat.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The cookies look great, but I have to say I skipped right to the end in order to check out the cat action...LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think I prefer yours,chewy wins for me every time. Love the fur comparison!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I like a chewy cookie too! Packet ones always tend to be a bit too crisp and dry for me.

    Just wondering, does (Evil) Henry ever want to come inside as well?

    ReplyDelete
  5. How strange that they would put a recipe for the cookies on the packet - I suppose it gives you a choice between home made goodness and (somewhat cheaper) convenience though!

    (Evil Henry looks so haughty in that last picture.)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sigh. My favorite kind of cookie! Maybe they think that you'll become so endeared to them for providing you with the recipe that you'll just keep buying their cookies anyway?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great comparison! I'd def go the homemade version :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Like how you made the comparison...I still yet to bake white chocolate with macadamia cookies...and know where to get the recipe ;-)
    Hope you are having a great week Bel!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Does the recipe on the back match the ingredients in their cookiex exactly? I do not know why they put a recipe on the back of their biscuits...unless it is just to let you know that it is cheaper to buy their packet ones than making your own. I don't know.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Yours win. Flawless victory. I can't stand cookies that are too dry and crispy. I always preferred the chewy Chips Ahoy when I was little.

    ReplyDelete
  11. You didn't mention whether you baked them on the same night as you bought the cookies, I wouldn't blame you if you did, I get a little obsessed with things like that too! : D

    ReplyDelete
  12. I recently had a white shock and macadamia (I think) from Mrs Fields...yum!! I reckon that was the best one I've had. Chewy:)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh I love chewy biscuits like those! I am trying to work my way through the local school cookbook which is excellent! As my mother-in-law says, Mums will not submit their horrible recipes! Just made chicken and sweet corn soup. So yummy. Re recipe , online blogs, taste, magazines. I am addicted (seriously - I need help!) to cutting out recipes out of my magazines. My mum had the same problem :o)

    ReplyDelete
  14. that looks delicious.

    i love cookies :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Love it, great writing and lovely photos as always!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love love chewy cookies! I do tend to try out behind the pack recipes as well. Just for kick and sometimes, they are pretty good!

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin