crocodiles can climb trees especially when they are cut-out cookie crocodiles

It is commonly said that if you are ever unlucky enough to be chased by a crocodile you should run in zig-zags and climb a tree. Contrary to this belief I have found that crocodiles can climb trees. Do not climb a tree to escape, run in zig zags.

Cut-out cookies, courtesy of Nigella Lawson "Feast".

These are very strongly vanilla and super delicious.

Makes 20-30 depending on the shape/size you choose

90g soft, unsalted butter

100g caster sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

200g plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Gently stir in the sifted flour, baking powder and salt. Mix very gently until you get a stiff dough.

Form into a lump, wrap in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 180C. Roll out the pastry on a floured bench to 1/2 cm thick. Cut into shapes. Put onto baking sheets lined with baking paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. Watch them closely as different shapes take different times to cook. They will firm up when they come out of the oven.

Cool on trays for 3 minutes then move onto cooling racks. (they look so naked without icing!) Ice when cold.

Icing

Place in a bowl 3/4 cup icing sugar and 2 tsp butter. Add a couple of drops of food colouring. Add boiling water and stir until you reach the desired consistency.

eat with a cup of tea fennel, orange and pistachio slice and bake shortbread cookies

these are soft and delicious

feel free to swap the flavourings around - but I loved this combination

Fennel, orange, pistachios. Very nice.

220g butter

60g icing sugar

zest of two oranges

2 tbsp orange juice

280g flour

pinch of sea salt

75g pistachios, chopped

2 tsp fennel seeds, roughly crushed in a mortar and pestle

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well until you get a soft dough. I did all of this in a standing mix-master, however I suspect it would have been more straight forward and simple in a food processor.

Put the dough onto plastic wrap, shape into a log (mine always ends up square edged) and chill for at least 2 hours. At this stage you could divide it into two logs and freeze one for later.

Preheat the oven to 170C. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and slice into 0.5cm biscuits. Arrange on trays on baking paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges.

make these chocolate chip and pecan biscuits

yes they are delicious

nutty biscuits with dark choc chips

Makes 40

115g butter, softened

120g brown sugar

80g white sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 large egg

140g pecans - toasted and chopped quite finely so some are powder and the rest are small chunks

200g dark chocolate chips

175g plain flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat the oven to 150C.

Cream the butter sugar and vanilla. Add the egg. Stir in the remaining ingredients.

Drop tablespoons onto lined trays. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly golden on the edges. Cool on trays for 5 mins, then remove onto cooling racks

chocolate sandwiched Anzac biscuits for the long weekend

These are good, really really good.

Sandwich together regular Anzac bickies with chocolate icing.

I accidently used 1 tbsp treacle and 1 tbsp of golden syrup instead of all golden syrup. I like the result.

I made 84 biscuits, so 42 sandwiched little darlings.

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp golden syrup

1 tbsp treacle (or use all golden syrup)

1 tsp baking soda mixed with 1 tbsp warm water

1 1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup SR flour

Preheat the oven to 140C. Line 3 baking sheets with baking paper.

Mix together the oats, coconut and SR flour.

Melt the butter, sugar and syrups in a separate bowl in the microwave. Add the bicarb mixture and stir, it should fluff up.

Add the wet to the dry mixture and stir well.

Shape teaspoonfuls into balls. Press down with your fingers to flatten. Leave about 1cm between them to spread.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden.

Sandwich together with chocolate icing.

Chocolate Icing

Put in a bowl 2 tbsp dark cocoa, 1 cup icing sugar, 1 tbsp softened butter. Pour over about 1 tbsp boiling water. Stir well. Add more water or icing sugar to get a thick, but spreadable icing.