Cookbook Countdown #4 : Oatmeal and Raisin Cookies

Cookbook Countdown is a monthly cooking/baking event, which I'm co-hosting with Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray.  Everyone is welcome to join us. How does it work? To summarize, you may select a cookbook from your own cookbook collection, to cook or bake from each month. That selected book shall be your cookbook of the month. You may cook any recipes and as many recipes as you want from your selected book of the month. This is a fabulous way of using your cookbooks at least once! For more information on how to join Cookbook Countdown, please click here. 

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My selected cookbook for this month, Bake by Rachel Allen.

I bought this book quite sometime ago and has never tried any recipes from it, there are just too many cookbooks on my shelves. Thanks to Cookbook Countdown, I'm making an effort to use those cookbooks that I seldom or have not used before. Bake, by Rachel Allen is a really nice book, there are sweet desserts, savoury bakes and baked meals, easy recipes that you could make for your family. I am a fan of Rachel Allen (I have five of her cookbooks) and love watching her cooking shows. I will be using her other books in the coming months, at Cookbook Countdown.

Cookbook Countdown #4 : Recipe No. 1 - Oatmeal and Raisin Cookies

from my selected cookbook for this month, Bake by Rachel Allen

I have been meaning to bake these cookies for the longest time! So this is the first recipe I've tried from this book, and wished that I had tried it sooner! 

These cookies are chewy and not too sweet (I've reduced the sugar), and very tasty. We love these cookies, with most of the cookies gobbled up by me! Yup, very addictive! Chewy oats with tangy sweet raisins, are the perfect match indeed. If you like chewy cookies with oats, then you would like this.

The ones pictured in the book are prettier and did not look as bumpy as the ones I've made. Maybe because I've reduced the sugar by half and used rolled oats instead of porridge oats, but that's alright, these cookies are amazing. I'll be making another batch very soon, as I've been thinking about these cookies ever since the cookie jar is empty!

Oatmeal and Raisin Cookies
(adapted from "Bake", by Rachel Allen)
110gm (4oz) butter, softened
110gm (4oz) caster sugar (I use 50gm)
110gm (4oz) soft light brown sugar (I use 50gm)
1 egg
2 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla extract
250gm (9oz) porridge oats (I used rolled oats)
110gm (4oz) self-raising flour
1 level tsp salt
110gm (4oz) raisins

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Gas Mark 4.
2. Cream the butter in  a large bowl or in an electric food mixer until soft. Add the sugars and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg, water and vanilla extract while still beating. Reduce the speed and gently mix in the oats, flour, salt and raisins to form a dough.
3. Using your hands, roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and place spaced slightly apart on two baking trays (no need to grease or line).
4. Bake in the oven for 15-25 minutes or until light golden brown, but still slightly soft in the centre.
5. Allow to cool on the trays for a minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

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