Books and cakes - 2

     We're due to talk about Alias Grace, the second Book Group book, next Saturday (19th. Jan.) so I've baked something to go along with the end of the book - if you're still reading it - or the mulling over  - if you've finished. As it's a Canadian novel, maple syrup suggested itself as the main ingredient, and this recipe seemed perfect.

            

For your delectation, ladies and gentlemen, I'm proud to present Maple and Roast Macadamia Blondies!!

Dense and sticky they are meant to be and that is exactly what they are. We've just sampled them, still warm, with a cup of coffee, and I can tell you they are good, and the smell of the maple syrup as they were baking filled the house!

Forgive a moment of whimsy but I must say a word on macadamias: the name always conjures up a redoubtable woman, Dame Macadamia Nutt, the imaginary head of an Oxbridge college, who might have been a character played by Alastair Sim or Margaret Rutherford in a black and white film, don't you think?!

Comments

[rosie]

Alastair Sim, definately! I can just picture "her" and her exploits.

[Peter the flautist]

I note that there are two edible species of Macadamia, M. integrifolia and M. tetraphylla. I wonder if the ones we buy are just one of the two, and if so which? It is a member of the Protea family.

Cornflower should note that Macadamia nuts are POISONOUS for dogs (see http://www.aspca.org/site/DocServer/toxbrief_0402.pdf?docID=115), please take care!

Botanical Cat

[sherry]

Those look yummy! I have to admit, though, that my stomach heaved when I saw the maple syrup. That has been happening since I went to a party at Christmas where someone poured maple syrup and ? over some beautiful green beans.

[Alice]

I can verify that these are delicious beyond belief.

[tara]

These look fantastic. I love anything with maple syrup and cook with it all the time. Stupid question probably, but is maple syrup produced in the UK? Sherry, sorry to hear about the green beans...I actually do a green bean stirfry and the sauce is garlic, maple syrup, soy sauce and dry sherry - it's delicious!

[sherry]

Tara, I think your stir fry sounds very interesting. However, it will be a long time before you could persuade me to try it! Maybe once the memory of maple syrup poured over lovely steamed young green beans fades away.

[Becca]

These cookies sound fabulous; anything with maple syrup and macadamia nuts would be delicious, especially with coffee. I do absolutely love the idea of Dame Macadamia Nutt - very imaginative.