Marie Cookpad

  One thing we both love in this house is figs.  Fresh, dried, in baked goods, diced on top of our morning oats, fresh in a salad, etc.  Figs are a  favourite in our home.   Todd really loves Fig Rolls. Do you know the ones I mean?  In North America they are called Fig Newtons.  Here in the UK they are called Fig Rolls. I suppose that is because they are basically a cookie/bar dough rolled around a sweet fig filling, flattened and cut into bars.   They can vary drastically from one brand to another.  Some might have more filling than others, but I think they are all a bit stingy with the filling to be honest.  I prefer a much higher filling to cookie ration.   There are quite a few copycat versions of them around the world wide web.  Today I adapted the best of all of them, threw in my own interpretations and made a small batch, from scratch.   Let me tell you . . . these are infinitely better than the fig rolls that you b...

  I had never heard of Bakewell anything until I moved over here to the UK.  I have always, however, had a great fondness for almond flavoured cakes and bakes.  Don't get me started on chocolate covered almonds either  . . .  I cannot resist!   I had not been here very long when I ran into Bakewell Tarts . . . .     Little pastry cases filled with a layer of jam and topped an almond frangipane cake, and glazed with an almond iced, garnished with a candied cherry.  Todd just loves these.  LOVES LOVES LOVES  I have always found them a tiny bit cloying and somewhat too sweet.   That was my first experience with Bakewell, little did I know how very good they could actually be . . .  until I baked my own . . . you can see those here .  That was when I truly fell in love with the Bakewell combination.   Since then I have played with the flavours of Bakewell baked goods, making Bakewell Whoopie Pies , Bakewell Slic...

  These bars are nothing new. I've been baking them for my family for years and years. I am sure you have as well.  I think I got the original recipe from a magazine advert back in the 1980's for Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk.   My children always loved them, and no small wonder.  They are sweet, sweet, sweet!   The original recipe makes 16 large bars. I have downsized it to make only 8, and actually you could probably cut them in half and make 16 small bites if you wanted to. (Which is probably a lot healthier sugar wise!)    I have also seen them called Seven Layer Bars because they are composed of layers of different things.  You begin with a layer of graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. We don't get graham crackers here, but digestive biscuits make a great substitute.   I weighed them out and 6 regular sized Digestive biscuits are the equivalent of 3/4 cup of crumbs, weighing 90g.   I used pecan nuts next. I like to toast ...