Wow, so this week is a week celebrating the strongest women we know. All of us.

Yes. Today is International Women’s Day, when we as women, alongside continuously campaigning for equality and rights, can be celebrated, in all our walks of life, whatever we choose to do. However, this Sunday in the UK is Mother’s Day, when we say thank you to those specific women in our lives, our amazing mums, for all the work they’ve done for us over the years. And I do think that this Bill Granger recipe lends itself to an amazing Mother’s Day pressie. It’s handmade with love from you to her, plus they’re damn delicious. And who doesn’t like cookies?

Honestly though, speaking of both Women’s Day and Mother’s Day, I feel really lucky to have had a mum (and a dad) who have always supported and encouraged everything my brother and I have wanted to do in our lives. I have never felt like I couldn’t achieve as much as my brother or not be an equal to him, and vice versa. They brought both of us up to respect each other, whether we liked each other or not at the time (sibling rivalries and fights over the remote, you know the deal), and to always have confidence in ourselves and our ambitions.

So, essentially, these are my gift to my mum for today and Mother’s Day….well in virtual, internet form at least. We both really love these cookies. A lot. She once made me a batch to take on holiday and I ate the whole tub of about 30 cookies in the space of maybe 7 days (which I think was well rationed). We also both love Bill Granger’s sunny Australian cooking (and his restaurants), so I figured these would be the perfect way of saying, thanks mum, you’re the best. Thank you for letting me be me.

Don’t you worry though, these are not only great for Mother’s Day. Be selfish and eat all of them, or make them for your next movie night to share with friends, or perhaps this week you could give them to all the special women in your life to say thanks for being generally awesome. Whichever you decide to do, they’re going to be a hit.

 

 

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INGREDIENTS

From Bill Granger’s ‘Every Day‘. Makes approx. 30 cookies

150g unsalted butter, softened

225g soft brown sugar (Peru – I would use panela)

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract (Peru – if you can’t find, then you’ll have to use essence)

125g plain flour (Peru – harina sin preparar)

1 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

235g rolled oats

125g raisins

(I also think adding chocolate chips could be the best idea ever)

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METHOD

Method taken (not word for word) from Bill Granger’s ‘Every Day’, although last 2 instructions are all mine….

1.Preheat the oven to 180C and line three baking trays with baking parchment.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and smooth, then add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.

3. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the same bowl and mix lightly. Add the oats and raisins and stir everything together.

4. Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls and place on the baking trays, then flatten them with a fork that has been dipped in flour (to stop it sticking).

5. Bake for 20 minutes or until pale golden. (Depending on the size of your oven you may have to do them in batches!)

6. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the same trays for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

7. Gift to your mama, or any other wonderful women in your life.

8. Go change the world.

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