Pecan Maple Cookies

I am at my desk trying to get on with work, but inspiration is proving elusive. Staring out of my window across the valley does not seem to help, I soon get lost in a daydream. Sometimes there is nothing else for it but to get up and do something else. Usually this involves heading to into the kitchen to make a cup of tea and rustle up something sweet to go with it.

A week or so ago, one of my favourite instagramers vogue writer Jo Rogers, posted a photo of herself pouring thick hot chocolate from the most gorgeous, copper chocolate pot. The image stayed with me, not only because she had posted a link to her Spiced Hot Chocolate Recipe which looked and sounded divine, but because of her lovely copper pot. Quite a few years ago my mother gave me a Pillivuyt porcelain chocolate pot for my birthday. It was the best sort of birthday present. Something non essential and luxurious that I would never have purchased for myself. Such was my concern that it might get broken, it has resided ever since in the back of a kitchen cupboard, safely gathering dust.

So today instead of making tea I decide to remove most of the contents of my kitchen cupboard and rescue the chocolate pot. After a careful wash to remove the dust, I set about making Jo's hot chocolate and tray of cookies to put in the oven. I always have a roll of cookie dough in the freezer in case of impromptu visitors (and by that I really mean cravings). These crumbly pecan and maple cookies, rolled in sugar just before baking, are a particular favourite. The hot chocolate is everything I hoped it would be, rich and creamy, lightly infused with cinnamon and ginger spice. I have a feeling I may now use my chocolate pot more often.

Pecan Maple Cookies

Ingredients

• 260g plain flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 100g finely chopped pecans

• 225g unsalted butter, softened

• 50g light brown sugar

• 60ml maple syrup

• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten with one tablespoon water

• Coarse sanding sugar or sparkling sugar to decorate.

Instructions

1. Mix together the flour, salt and 60g of the chopped pecans.

2. Place the butter and light brown sugar in a mixer and beat together until light and fluffy and then add the maple syrup.

3. Turn the mixer down to a low speed and add the flour slowly just until a dough forms, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.

4. Cut the dough in half and place each half in a separate piece of baking paper. Form each piece of dough into a log about 4cm in diameter. Wrap tightly in paper and chill both logs for an hour (or freeze one for later if you prefer).

5. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6 and line two baking sheets with non stick baking paper.

6. Brush each of the cookie dough logs with beaten egg white and roll them in the sanding sugar to coat.

7. Slice the logs into discs approximately 12mm thick and arrange them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving plenty of space between them.

8. Lightly brush a little more egg white on the tops and sprinkle with the remaining chopped pecans.

9. Place in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden.

10. Remove from the baking trays and allow to cool on wire racks.