Honeycakes

(Click on the image - it's better, bigger)

I bake when I know the boys are coming. The simple act of sharing the sugar out keeps me sane. If Corinne, Oscar’s raven-haired, rosy-cheeked girlfriend is with us, all the better, so I leave cakes or cookies or, come winter, puddings for weekends (my childhood favourite is lemon delicious; a puddle of lemon custard pooling beneath an airy puff of cake). It’s the kind of kitchen activity that punctuates a Friday afternoon’s work with a welcome, sugary full-stop or defines a pottering-about Saturday morning post tea, an attempt at the crossword and a long-distance chat with mum. Baking heralds the arrival of the weekend in our house and it’s something I must – finally - admit to loving.

By nature, I am greedy and have been since early childhood. This is less comfortable to admit to, yet I continue to make no apology for enjoying food and its rituals. Constant vigilance is required to tame that greed, and though there are bad days in and among the more prevalent good, I am working hard at adopting restraint. Kathryn’s piece on pudding in the autumn edition of An Honest Kitchen (you can read it by viewing this sample) struck a slightly-uncomfortable chord deep within...and set me quietly on a path of re-thinking. Restraint may be unfashionable, but damn it – restraint in the 21st century can only be good.

Why then, I hear you ask, is she offering a recipe for Honeycakes? Because, quite simply, these are Good. Unforgettable-good. Each honeycake is small, sticky and nutty; a perfect, buttery bite to be nibbled slowly (not absent-mindedly) with a cup of tea and company (be it a book, the dog or your beloved – not while checking emails). This approach satisfies in just the right kind of way. Your brain needs to be present lest you eat the whole tray. A second one won’t hurt - this I know - but a third one begins the slippery slope. Take your time and enjoy the moment.

It’s the absent-minded greed that I battle against daily, but I am learning.

However slowly.

 
Honeycakes
Copied out, almost word for word, from my friend Ali’s email. Ali and I talk about “slow” being a state of mind and way of living worth attaining. Her recipe is slow at its charming best. Makes a lot. Freeze half of the dough or give some away if you do not trust yourself – a box or tin make a thoughtful, celebratory gift.  

2 ½ cups of plain flour (I use a mixture of spelt and wholemeal)
¾ teaspoon of coarse sea salt
1 ¼ cups of very coarsely chopped walnuts
250g of unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks for U.S. readers)
¼ cup of sugar (I like soft brown or, better still, rapadura)
1/3 cup honey, plus more for glazing

Preheat the oven to 120 C (250 F). Toast the walnuts, spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet, for 10 minutes. Cool on a plate.

Pulse the flour, salt and ¾ of the nuts in a food processor until fine.

Beat the butter in a mixer until fluffy – about 5 mins should do it. Add the sugar and beat for 2 minutes, then drizzle in the honey. Beat for 30 seconds or so, then reduce the speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture until the dough just comes together. Shape into a disk, wrap in greaseproof paper and chill in the fridge for at least 1 ½ hours.

Preheat the oven to 170 C (325 F). Pinch off 2 tsp of dough, roll into a ball and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Repeat, leaving 2 ½ cm (1 in) between each, until the sheet is full. Carefully press a walnut piece into each honeycake and flatten, just a little, with the floured base of a small glass.

Bake, rotating halfway, until the edges are pale gold, about 20 minutes.

Line a cooling rack with paper. Warm a few spoonfuls of honey over a very gentle heat. When the honeycakes are ready, transfer them to the racks and brush – quite generously – with the warmed honey. Cool before placing in a tin – one you can put away, up high if necessary – for up to two weeks.        

Comments

[ali]

woot!

you are lucky it's autumn where you live right now and that these don't feel like such an indulgence during cooler weather.

me...i can't even bake them for another five months at least...

(i am so glad you love them. they love you too.....for immortalizing them with your beautiful holgatherapy))

[MyKitchenInHalfCups]

... when the boys come! How perfect. I call them factory calorie burners.
Love the Honeycakes.

[Diana]

These sound and look amazing. I'll definitely be making these when the time is right. :)

[Johanna]

the big pic does look amazing - and those cakes sound fantastic - sugar doesn't interest me too much but the flavour of honey is full of depth and nostaglia

[sarah @ syrupandhoney]

I can really relate to this post..."Constant vigilance is required to tame that greed" so true! But that's a journey I am enjoying as well. Hopefully when I make these honeycakes I will be content to savor just one or two :)

[Karima]

Gorgeous images Lucy!

As you know, my dietary philosophy differs slightly from yours and Kathryn's. In these challenging hormonal roller coaster years :-), the one thing that seems to balance everything out for me is viewing sugar and all its cohorts as the devil. It's not, however, completely enjoyable to live without sweetness even when employing "restraint" allows one to wear size 26 jeans at mid-age. So, I completely agree that restraint is laudatory as long as it’s balanced with moderate exceptions to the rule(s). Chocolate, red wine, and potato chips are necessary exceptions, imho.

And while sugar is the devil, natural undamaged fat, however, keeps the brain and skin in good shape. There is no reduced fat or non-fat ersatz made-in-a-lab stuff in my house. Instead it's glugs of extra virgin olive oil, generous pats of butter and lots of nuts and cheese :-). Each to their own eh?

And yet I admit to a certain longing for the act of baking. The ritual of hauling out the mixer to fill with sugar, flour, butter and eggs has such a muscle memory feel of contentment.

The Honeycakes look lovely. I think when the kiddo comes home from uni in a few weeks, I may just get out the old kitchen-aid and whip some homemade goodness.

[Susan]

I have been waiting for this recipe weeks now, and will bake these this weekend for Scott's colleagues; he shall bring a huge cakebox full of them to office on Monday - not, of course, without a generous stash for our own jolly enjoyment. I am imagining shortbread threaded through with everything that bees kiss. And kisses they are. : }

[Jacqueline]

I think I may need some tutoring on living slow, at least I always share my baked goods out. These look really scrumptious :)

[Callipygia]

Yes! Baking is such a joy- and these honey bathed beauties, a thing to luxuriate in. The name has just enough charm too. I think I shall risk the slippery slope!

[Christina]

These make me drool. I can taste them in my head, and they're delicious. Thank you for sharing them.

What is rapadura? Is that the same thing as demerara sugar?

And Lemon Delicious? Recipe please!

[sophie munns]

I'm utterly seduced Lucy!
S

[Keltie]

any one tried making these with seeds like sunflower or pumpkin? one of my children with allergies preclude peanut and treenut. but these look soooooo very good. i will try replacing walnut with sunflower and report back for anyone interested...

[Paula]

ooooooooohhhhh yummy, I find it hard to stop at two too :)

[gastronomy gal]

oh this looks like a lovely recipe!

[Lucy]

Thanks, all, for your comments.

Karima, you amaze me girl, and are ABSOLUTELY right about sugar and the devil...it's a temptation that I'd love to live without completely and I do hope, some day, that I can go without. I love the idea of a baking "muscle memory", too.

Calli, these are right up your alley!

Christina Rapadura is evaporated cane juice, a really simple and un-processed (well, sorta) and slightly healthier (ha!) version of sugar. Less sweet and more earthy, too. As for Lemon Delicious, I'll start by sending you here:

http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe/Lemon-Delicious-Pudding-L274.html

Dangerous stuff. Well, only in the sense that once you're hooked, you're a-goner. Give me lemon over chocolate any day.

Keltie, I can't see any reason why pumkin seeds wouldn't work just as beautifully here. I'll have a play next time I make them and I must say, I'm really enjoying that thought - sorry I've taken so long to respond...I've just been flat out!

[Leonie]

The name attracted me to these - so sweet and whimsical. I felt I should invite a bear to share them with me over afternoon tea. They were delicious - a beautiful dense texture and deliciously sweet. I added a teaspoon of ginger to give a warmth and spiciness. I also used rock salt, and occasionally biting into a crystal gave them a wonderful piquancy which offset the sweetness nicely. I made way too many, as I always do, but still wasn't sick of them after having one (or three) with every cup of coffee for a fortnight. Thanks for the recipe - much enjoyed!

[Paula]

oooooooooohhhhhhhh these are sublime, i made them yesterday, really great recipe thanks for sharing it :)

[lesley]

Hi!
You had me on the honey! I'll give these a whirl!

[Renee]

Amazing!! I made them last night and my husband told me that I had to get them out of the house immediately, before he ate the entire batch. They remind me of baklava, in a very good way. Thanks for the recipe. I'm trying hard not to make another batch tonight!

[Lucy]

Ah, pleased to see other people have succumbed to their naughty but nice qualities. Glad you've all enjoyed them!

Renee, I know just how your husband feels! They look so innocent...

[Keltie]

finally made these with sunflower seeds (and the rapadura) oh mmmmmmmm...and you know pratically a health food! very very good for active children's lunchbxes too. thank you!