I went off hobnobs for a really long time. Despite loving anything oaty, it’s no exaggeration when I say its been years since I last bought a packet. I used to eat lots of them when I was younger but I probably overdid it. I’m slowly coming back to them and being able to make my own has made all the difference.

I’ve made them with demerara sugar which makes them texturally very pleasing and bumps up the molasses-y caramel notes. And I find jumbo oats to be a better choice than porridge oats which can get a little sandy. Salt is very necessary here. I mean, it’s always important in baking but it really helps highlight the butteriness in these.

The biscuits are actually very simple to make and don’t require any chilling time. Just mix, roll and bake. I’ll usually dip just half a batch in chocolate and leave the rest plain so everyones happy. Feel free to be lead as you wish.

RECIPE

140g plain flour

100g jumbo oats

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp fine sea salt

120g unsalted butter, softened

60g demerara sugar

45g caster sugar

20g golden syrup (or honey)

100g chocolate

10g coconut oil

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 170c fan/180c. Line two baking trays with baking paper

Add the flour, oats, bicarbonate of soda and salt to a bowl and mix to combine.

In a separate bowl, add the butter and both sugars. Beat together for 2-3 minutes until creamy and lightened in colour. It won’t be completely smooth because of the demerara sugar.

Add in the golden syrup and mix to combine,

Tip in the dry ingredients and mix well to get a thick dough, making sure there are no patches of flour lurking at the bottom. You can go in with your hands to make sure its well mixed.

Roll the dough into 10 balls. It may feel a little drier than most doughs but it should come together when you start rolling. Flatten each one a little with your hands to get a thick disc and then place them on two baking trays, leaving a little space between them. Bake for 16-18 minutes until the edges are nicely browned.

They’ll still be soft when they come out of the oven and will harden as they cool.

If you want to dip them in chocolate, add the chocolate and coconut oil to a small bowl and melt in short bursts in the microwave. Alternatively place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and let it melt.

Let the chocolate cool to room temperature and thicken a little. Dip the base of each cookie in the chocolate and place it biscuits side down on a tray or cooling rack. Let it set completely before serving.

benjamina ebuehi