Ok so I probably need a catchier title but regardless it pretty much sums this post up. A few weeks ago I was approached by The Blind Foundation to share a recipe for their upcoming Bikkie Day on the 2 July. Being an avid lover of bikkies and puppies I could hardly say no although being the terrible person that I am I procrastinated until the week before to actually make a recipe to share. Partaking in Bikkie Day helps to raise money for the breeding and training of Blind Foundation guide dogs. If you register ASAP you might be able to get a nifty wee puppy shaped cookie cutter just in the knick of time! Here is a super cute picture of a trainee guide puppy to get you in the mood.
Source: https://blindfoundation.org.nz/guide-dogs/
Guide dogs act as the eyes for Kiwis who are blind or have low vision and help navigate obstacles such as traffic and hazards, keeping the person they are guiding safe. They are also taught to locate frequently visited destinations and how to travel on public transport, giving the Kiwis they guide independence and confidence to live the life they choose. Turns out it also takes up to two years to train a puppy to its full guiding potential so they need all the help we can give them. Once fully trained the Blind Foundation provide them totally free to those in need.
So to host your own Bikie Day, and help puppies likes these cute chaps become fully fledged guide dogs visit bikkieday.org.nz!
Source: https://blindfoundation.org.nz/guide-dogs/red-puppy-sponsorship/ (also I am dying of cuteness a little bit).
Now the general idea was to create doggie shaped cookies for this recipe but turns out the only animal kingdom based cookie cutter I had was a butterfly. Also these are delicious and we shouldn't be shapeist towards the melting moment. I daren't even get into the debate as to whether these even qualify as a bikkie/biscuit (I personally think they are only just on the very fringe of qualifying on the sole basis that they certainly are not a cookie). Since first making these I've made about four batches and I am pretty sure Dylan has scoffed every single one of them.
I found the OG form of this recipe in Sweet by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh (also known as my current favourite dessert book). I've always loved a good old melting moment and when I saw the inclusion of rhubarb in the filling I knew it was meant to be.
Because I know you can't get enough. Source: https://blindfoundation.org.nz/guide-dogs/volunteer/
In order to get some resemblance of symmetry in my biscuits I weighed out each ball so that it weighed 15g give or take one or two grams. To save your sanity you could just use a measuring spoon to get an approximate or you could make them three times the size so you have fewer balls to roll out. The filling is also quite sloppy so once assembled pop them in the fridge for an hour or so to form up so they don't expel all the filling on the first bite!
Rhubarb and Raspberry Melting Moments
Makes 14 yoyos
Adapted from Sweet by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh
Biscuits
175g plain flour
65g cornflour
65g icing sugar
170g butter, softened (I use salted)
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Filling
90g rhubarb, sliced into 2cm pieces
1 tablespoon white sugar
60g butter, softened
130g icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Two tablespoons freeze dried raspberry pieces
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees on bake and line a baking tray with baking paper.
In a small oven proof dish place your rhubarb pieces and sprinkle over the white sugar. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until the rhubarb is soft. Remove and leave to one side to cool.
In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment cream the butter and vanilla together until the butter pales. Add in the icing sugar and whip for another couple of minutes before adding the flour and cornflour then mix until only just combined. Bring the dough together with your hands then portion and roll out out 28 15g balls.
Place half of the balls spaced out evenly on the baking tray and press each one down slightly with a floured fork. Bake for 15 minutes until they are have just the slightest touch of golden to them. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remainder of the dough balls.
To make the filling whip the butter in the standing mixer until pale and then add the rhubarb and mix on high until most of the rhubarb has broken down and the butter is a bright pink. Add in the icing sugar and vanilla and beat again until smooth. Add a spoonful or two more of icing sugar if it is too sloppy.
Transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a round tip (or just use a butter knife) and pipe generous dollops of filling onto half of the cooled biscuits. Sprinkle over the raspberry pieces and then gently place the remaining naked biscuits on top. Leave to cool in the fridge for an hour or so before devouring.
Enjoy! X (and don't forget to support the Blind Foundation and Bikkie Day!)