Coronabakes: Lotus Biscoff Oat Cookie Bars

Why hellooo, yes it's me. This is indeed another one of my sporadic check ins to this blog. I see a pattern happening in that this is yet another cookie type based blog post but I'm sure I'm in the same boat as many people right now in that there seems to be a slight shortage in baking ingredients in the shops as a result of people panic buying during the course of this Coranavirus outbreak. I can't remember the last time I saw plain or bread flour in my local Lidl or Coop supermarket. Eggs make an appearance nearly as sporadic as I do on here and I find myself rationing the remaining few I have at home. When I do feel like baking do I prioritise eggs...or flour?? Which am I most likely to see again??

Despite now working from home the situation is so bizarre and it's progressed so quickly, I'm not sure whether I've got my head around it yet. Is it wrong that I'm still generally quite chilled out about it? Should I be more worried? The whole social isolating thing I thought would quite suit me (generally I don't really like people all that much) but I was surprised at how much I miss being around people, even if they're there and not talking.

I find myself spending an even larger portion of my time mindlessly scrolling through Instagram and it's then that I came across a cookie recipe posted by Benjamina (@bakedbybenji) . I'd followed Benjamina ages ago shortly after she had been announced as one of the contestants on The Great British Bake Off- I just love her photography of her bakes. They're so simple but so pretty at the same time. The recipe was for Peanut Butter Oaty Bars and- get this- uses NO EGGS. Wooooop! Eggs are safe for another day! It also uses vegetable oil rather than butter so is a nice vegan recipe too. As nice as the peanut butter cookies were...it got me thinking...how about I replace the peanut butter with Lotus Biscoff spread?? For those who haven't tried Lotus Biscoff spread....have you been living under a rock?? It's the most delicious spiced biscuit /cookie spread that is perfect straight out of the jar with a spoon. I've baked with Biscoff spread before and it can be a bit drier- hence the decision to press the mix into a baking tin and cut into cookie bars.

The Biscoff spread in the cookie bars are quite subtle in taste (or maybe it isn't as I'm so used to eating it neat!) and it adds that depth of flavour that I can't really describe. It almost has that Millie's Cookies taste. People of the UK will know what a Millie's cookie is but I swear they have changed the recipe because they definitely do not taste the same. They're also now teeeeny weeny. One of my childhood memories is my mum taking us to Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield and we would always come back with a giant box of cookies- the smell of sugar and vanillary goodness as you walk past the shop is mouthwatering! I've tried in the past to replicate that fragrance of a Millie's cookie but struggled to achieve this and now I think the secret might be Biscoff spread! I see more baking experiments happening in the future!

The only downside I've found is that the cookie bars once cut can look quite greasy as vegetable oil used. If it had been made with butter it probably would feel less greasy as the fat will have solidified once cooled. I'm pretty sure the oil can be swapped out if you like and won't affect the recipe greatly. Edit: after sitting in a tupperware box overnight (the cookies, not me) the grease seems to have soaked up a bit. The oatyness texture reminds me of a flapjack, actually. So you can kinda trick yourself into thinking these are semi good for you. It's best to chill the dough overnight before baking but once ready, make yourself a cuppa and away you go!

LOTUS BISCOFF OAT COOKIE BARS
Recipe based on Benjamina Ebuehi's Peanut Butter Oaty Cookies
Yields around 8 rectangular slices

100g muscovado sugar (I used dark but light will also work, as would soft light/dark brown sugar)
100g caster sugar
100ml oil (any flavourless type oil will do- I used vegetable)
80ml water
75g Lotus Biscoff spread
2 tsp vanilla extract
220g plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
50g porridge oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
100g chopped milk chocolate (can use chocolate chips)

1. Place the muscovado sugar, caster sugar and oil into a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the water, vanilla extract and biscoff spread and mix until combined.
2. Sift the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into the wet mixture and mix until just combined (no need to beat the crap out of it!) and mix in the porridge oats and chocolate until evenly dispersed.
3. Once the dough is ready cover the bowl with clingfilm/ transfer to a tupperware box with lid and chill overnight.
4. When you're ready to bake- preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 8 x 8" baking tray with baking paper. Pour cookie dough into the tin and firmly press down with the back of a spoon (clean hands will also do!) 
5. Bake for around 23-25minutes until dark golden all over. The middle will look a bit jiggly but will firm up once cool. Once cool, cut into 8 rectangles and put the kettle on!