Melting Moments – Children’s Party Oat Biscuits
Things haven’t really changed much. For Julie and Lucie, a birthday party without Melting Moments isn’t complete. Who would have thought, as I discovered recently on Julie’s 18th?
Of all the treats that have come out of this kitchen, Melting Moments, these little buttery oat biscuits, have somehow created that memory that’s rekindled each year round.
This was the very first recipe I made completely on my own when I was growing up in Scotland. It was from The Brownie Cookbook. I’ve no idea where it disappeared to, but I’d copied it down with Mum for my Brownie Badge and somehow it stayed as a family birthday favourite. I see there’s still a Brownie-Guide cookbook but I hate to think how old my edition must have been! I’ve just hit 50, so I’ve had a few melting moments recently too – especially with Julie turning 18!
A last-minute 18th birthday party amongst her friends before the BAC exams hit recently, I offered to help Julie out with making pizza, macarons, and her favourite giant birthday éclairs with strawberries and elderflower cream (recipe is in Teatime in Paris!).
With bubbly it was a real adult party – until she realised we’d forgotten the Melting Moments! I was already melting in the kitchen with unusually high temperatures and the oven wasn’t helping.
Sure enough, Julie was checking out our splattered, tattered recipe sheet to get rolling her favourite little buttery biscuits in oats. Why is rolling the best part? Because, even at 18 they apparently love to get their palms sticky, rolling these dainties into little balls, flattening them quickly and pressing in cranberries or better still, glacé cherries.
Press in dried cranberries just before baking
I particularly adore the glacé cherries, as we buy them cheaply by the kilo in Provence, near my parents-in-law’s house in Saignon. Did you know that Apt is the world capital of glacé fruits (candied fruits) and so every time we visit, I stock up on crystallised fruits from cherries, orange peel, to ginger.
Please ensure they’re good quality and sticky wet, as dried out ones at the back of the cupboard are just not the same!
Even Papa wanted to put the cherries on top!
Melting Moments
This is an updated recipe from my original post published in 2011 – especially as, over the years, we don’t have an overly sweet tooth so we’ve lowered the sugar content again since. I was asked for this oat recipe by Hamlyns Oats of Scotland, who are kindly sharing this amongst their “Oat Cuisine Recipes” on their website in conjunction with the Perfect Porridge Giveaway.
PIN me – let’s party!
Have you made them yet? In 30 minutes, you’ll discover why they’re called melting moments.
Have you made any of the recipes from le blog or fancy making this recipe for Melting Moments? Please do leave a comment below – or take a picture and hashtag it #MadAboutMacarons. I’d love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook.
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Melting Moments Oat Biscuits
Melt-in-the-mouth buttery oat biscuits, rolled in oats and topped with bits of glacé cherry - perfect for making with children and sharing with the adults.
- 100 g (3.5oz) butter softened
- 55 g (2oz) caster sugar
- 1 small organic egg (optional)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla powder
- 100 g (3.5oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 50 g (2oz) fine oatmeal
- 2 tsp baking powder
- medium porridge oats for rolling
- 4 glacé cherries or dried cranberries for decoration Cut into fine bits
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Stir in the flour, oatmeal, baking powder and mix well.
- Roll walnut size pieces of the mixture into balls, and roll each one in the oat flakes.
Place them on baking trays covered in baking paper or on a silicone mat, flattening slightly each one with the finger, then place 1/4 glacé cherry on each (or any other candied fruit; candied orange peel is good, too.)
Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown then cool on a wire rack.
I used to make this with egg, but as so little is added, I often omit it and the biscuits are just as good! Melting Moments can also be rolled in desiccated coconut.
Jill Colonna
