Oatmeal, Currant and Chocolate Chip Cookie

Exams are finally over and it's time to face reality - results!

During the exam period, we had been having packed dinner from nearby foodcourts/coffeeshops.  Nope, I didn't take time off to sit down with DD1 to do extra revisions but instead, during my "free" time, I prefer to bring them outdoors instead of being cooped up at home doing extra assessments or exam papers from other schools.  My belief is, they learn through play and with a relaxed mind, they can learn better.  But when the results came back, I start to ponder if my thinking was wrong.  She didn't get lousy results, but just disappointing as after going through the exam papers with her, we know that she can do better.  There were simply too many careless mistakes, and some questions were even taken for granted.  I wonder, if I had spent at least an hour with her on revision, will I see a different result? 

Nevertheless, I must compliment her for doing fairly well.  I mean, what can I expect, no extra tuition/assessments/exam papers, strictly practice papers from the school (and she did it all by herself with minimal supervision) and she scored 2 Band 1 and 1 Band 2.  Though her same age cousin did so much better, I prefer not to compare.  I do not want her to feel inferior or lousy.  Upon finding out her cousin's results, she wasn't affected, simply couldn't be bothered.  That's my girl, forever in her bo chap (don't care) attitude, never knew what competition is all about.  Some parents may think that if the child feels some peer pressure, he will improve and try to excel.  We appreciate her character though, and I've been inculcating that she doesn't need to win anyone, her opponent is herself.  I hope she gets the message and will do better next year, not in terms of results but at least, lesser careless mistakes.

Anyway, I haven't been cooking or baking a lot lately.  Thanks to Edith, I was reminded of this cookie which I've bookmarked when I first saw it in Joy of Baking.  I'm basically not a cookie person but if I really have to take my pick, my choice will be a chewy cookie over the crispy version.  And since it was during the exam period, I decided to make some cookies for DD1 to destress (eh... there wasn't any stress in the first place, duh).

Lovey DD3 wanted to have her picture taken again, but this time round, she requested to feature her pair of hands only.  She does have a mind of her own, without much external influences.  Good or bad?  I don't know yet.

I used my smallest cookie scoop and made only 1/2 recipe, yields around 50 cookies. Being a non raisin lover, I replaced it with currants.  And like Edith, I added some chocolate chips but reduced the sugar, still find them too sweet.

This is exactly the kind of cookies I like, crispy on the outside, soft and chewy inside.  However, I gave some to my best pals and their family thought the cookies had turned soft :-|

DD3 got impatient and wanted to pinch some off the bowl.

Oatmeal, Currant and Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients

110g unsalted butter

100g light brown sugar

20g caster sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I omit)
90g all purpose flour
10g cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
130g rolled oats
60g currants/raisins
40g chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C.
2. Cream together the softened butter, brown sugar and white sugar until smooth and creamy.
3. Add the egg and beat well (if you are making full recipe, add egg one at a time).
4. Add in vanilla extract.
5. In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon.
6. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until incorporated.
7. Stir in the rolled oats, currants and chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon.
8. Using a cookie scoop, drop cookie dough onto the prepared baking tray.
9. Flatten the cookies slightly and bake the cookies for about 15 - 20 minutes.  The cookies are done when golden brown around the edges but still a little soft in the centers. (The longer the cookies bake the more crispy they will be.) Remove from oven and let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling. These cookies will keep several days at room temperature.