foto: Filipa V. Oliveira, As Festas da Julie

Makes ten 10 cm pancakes (can be doubled)

1 envelope SACO Buttermilk Blend
120 g flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
235 ml water
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
Fresh or frozen raspberries (thawed)
Chocolate and/or white chocolate chips
Butter
Maple syrup
Bacon

Sift dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Beat egg slightly, then add to dry ingredients with water and oil. Beat until just incorporated, do not overbeat. Heat a frying pan and grease with butter. When hot, drop about a quarter cup of batter, then quickly add a few raspberries and chocolate chips. Cook until the top is full of tiny bubbles and the underside is brown. Flip over with a rubber/silicone spatula and brown the other side.

Serve hot with butter and maple syrup.

 foto: Filipa V. Oliveira, As Festas da Julie

Makes twelve 6 cm biscuits

1 envelope SACO Buttermilk Blend
240 g flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
70 g Crisco
470 ml water

Preheat oven to 230ºC.

Sift dry ingredients into a mixing bowl.

Cut in Crisco thoroughly until mixture resembles corn meal. Add water and mix until dough is pliable. Do not overbeat.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 30 seconds (20-25 times). Roll or pat about 3cm thick (not less). Cut with floured biscuit cutter. Place close together on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

foto: Mica Cabral, Os Bolos da Julie

55 g butter
40 marshmallows
170 g crisp rice cereal (such as Rice Crispies)

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir constantly until completely melted. Remove from heat. Add crisp rice cereal and stir until well combined. Using a buttered spatula or a piece of wax paper, press mixture evenly into a buttered 20x30cm glass pan. Cut into squares when cool.

Note: can also be made in the microwave, place marshmallows and butter in a microwave safe glass bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each time, until melted and smooth. Add cereal and follow the rest of the instructions above.

Marshmallow Fudge

350 g sugar
85 g evaporated milk
2 Tbsp butter
1/8 tsp salt
255 g chocolate chips
20 marshmallows (large)
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; immediately add chocolate chips and marshmallows, stir until chocolate and marshmallows are melted. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Spread into a 20x20x5cm pan. Sprinkle with additional nuts if desired. Chill until firm; cut into squares.

foto: Mica Cabral, Os Bolos da Julie

325 g flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
230 g butter, softened
150 g sugar
160 g brown sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
340 g chocolate chips
100 g pecans, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 190ºC.

Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl of an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and beat well. Gradually add the flour mixture, beating well. Stir in chocolate chips (and nuts, if using) by hand. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly, then remove from cookie sheet with metal spatula to a wire rack to cool. Cool completely.

Makes about 60 cookies. Can be frozen in airtight ziplock bags.

foto: Mica Cabral, Os Bolos da Julie

230 g butter, softened
400 g sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
290 g flour
60 g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
340 g White Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 175ºC.

Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until light and fluffy. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into butter mixture. Stir in white chips by hand. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheets lined with non-stick mats.

Bake 8-9 minutes. (Do not over bake – the cookies will be soft. They will puff when baking, then flatten upon cooling.) Cool slightly, then remove from cookie sheet with metal spatula to a wire rack to cool. Cool completely.

Makes about 54 cookies. Can be frozen in airtight ziplock bags.

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 175ºC.
- In a large bowl, mix together oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
- Beat in milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
- Stir in blueberries.
- Spread into a baking dish, (I usually use one that’s 20x20cm or 20x30cm).
- Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.

I usually serve this with greek yogurt and either homemade plum jam or maple syrup. Enjoy!

Reese’s Chewy Chocolate Cookies

290g flour
60g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
285g butter, softened
400g sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
283g Reese’s Peanut Butter chips

Preheat oven to 175ºC.

Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Beat butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in peanut butter chips by hand.

Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheets lined with non-stick mats.

Bake 8-9 minutes. (Do not over bake – the cookies will be soft. They will puff when baking, then flatten upon cooling.) Cool slightly, then remove from cookie sheet with metal spatula to a wire rack to cool. Cool completely.

Makes about 54 cookies. Can be frozen in airtight ziplock bags.

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

50g butter, softened
50g brown sugar
2 large eggs
120g old-fashioned oats
120g flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
100g dried cranberries
50g white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 190ºC. Beat butter and sugar in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mix well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheets lined with non-stick mats. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly, then remove from cookie sheet with metal spatula to a wire rack to cool. Cool completely.

Makes about 30 cookies. Can be frozen in airtight ziplock bags.