Black, White, and Red Currant Cookies with White Chocolate
This is my annual currant cookie recipe. It's quite a young tradition, I only started it last year, when I introduced a cakey cookie made with red currants, oats, mashed banana, and a strong hint of vanilla to the blog. It was a sweet hit. But 2016 is the year of colours - black, white, and red currants add vivid flavour and beauty to my new creation. It's still not crunchy, the fresh fruit is just too juicy, but it's less soft and spongy than last year's treat. I left out the banana and replaced it with chopped white chocolate, which brought in a different kind of sweetness, with a slightly milky touch.
The problem with cookies is that I always think I'll make a large batch and keep them in a glass jar to present them in all their prettiness and grab one to go along with my cup of tea or espresso whenever I feel like. However, reality is different. They barely last for two days. It's surprising how quick 24 cookies can vanish with only 2 people in the house - I'm impressed!
Black, White, and Red Currant Cookies with White Chocolate
Makes about 24 cookies
plain flour 130g / 1 cup
rolled oats 90g / 1 cup
salt 1/2 teaspoon
baking powder 1/2 teaspoon
baking soda 1/4 teaspoon
butter, at room temperature, 110g / 1/2 cup
granulated sugar 130g / 2/3 cup
vanilla bean, split and scraped, 1/4
organic egg 1white chocolate, roughly chopped, 100g / 3 1/2 ounces
mixed fresh currants (black, white, and red), preferably frozen for at least 2 hours, 140g / 5 ounces
It's easier to stir the currants into the dough when the fruits have been frozen, it looks prettier and less messy.
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F (preferably convection setting). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Add the butter, sugar, and vanilla seeds to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat for about 1 minute or until well combined. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture and mix until you have a lumpy dough (with a bit of flour left here and there). Fold in the white chocolate, then quickly, but gently the black, white, and red currants. Try not to damage the berries too much, you want their juices to stay inside their skins.
For each cookie, drop a generous tablespoon of dough onto the lined baking sheets, don't push the dough down and leave enough space between the cookies. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, for about 13 minutes or until golden brown, the cookies will be quite soft. Take them out and let them cool on the tray for a few minutes before you transfer them to a wire rack.
