Recipe: Alpha Rocks

An old favourite this, rich almond rock cakes, crispy outside, moist and crumbly inside.  Eaten warm with apricot jam they’re the most luscious comfort food.  A mug of hot chocolate or cocoa to wash it down with is indulgent, and good.  The cakes are also, if any last to become fully cool, easily durable enough to survive a running or climbing bag. 

An easy and adaptable bake.  Try adding orange zest, amaretto syrup or very finely chopped dried apricot.  A teaspoonful of dried ginger or cinnamon is good too.   And yes, these are almond based, so they are fantastic with choc chips. 

No, I’ve no idea why they’re called alpha rocks …

For my fellow diabetics, I calculated these at 58% carbohydrate made with an egg. 

YOU WILL NEED:

60g margarine/butter

90g caster sugar

1 large egg/vegan egg replacement

180g plain flour

45g ground almonds(or your nut of choice)

0.5 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

Pinch of salt

You can mix by hand in a bowl or use a food processor. 

Lightly greased or non stick baking sheet

Oven preheated to 200c/400f/Gas6

15 mins or so bake; about ten minutes to cool enough to eat

TO MAKE

Cream together the fat & sugar

Beat in the egg

Add the dry ingredients & mix to a stiff dough; you might need to add a little milk or vegan alternative to loosen the mix, not too much, think Play-doh. 

Using a couple of forks(it gives texture) put around ten pieces of dough on the baking tray

Bake until lightly browned

Cool on a wire rack, store in a sealed container; or eat them still warm.