Add toast and jam to make this cookie-fruit crisp mashup | Canada Voices

British baker Lungi Mhlanga has done the world an immeasurable service: The cookie queen introduced toast – and then jam – into her cookie dough. The delicious mashup has had Londoners lining up for hours and bakers around the world recreating them at home.

The combination brought to mind the jam crumble cookies I make every spring and summer with strawberry-rhubarb or cherry jam. In fall they’re delicious with plum jam; in winter they can be made with marmalade or mincemeat.

Inspired by Mhlanga, a pastry chef and ex-bakery owner, I turned the crumble component into thickly buttered (and jammed) sourdough toast, whizzed to a sticky crumble in a food processor – a great way to use up the bread ends constantly cluttering my freezer. (Scones work, too – Mhlanga has also incorporated crumbled scones and clotted cream into some of her cookie recipes.)

There’s no need to go purchase a fancy jar of preserves to make these. I often cook small batches of jam with fruit that is a bit squishy (mandarins!), or under or overripe. Sometimes I use bagged frozen berries, which tend to be more affordable than fresh.

Simmer any combination of jam-worthy fruit with a small amount of sugar (or even a splash of water, tea or juice) until it starts to break down (too much sugar will cause the fruit to hold its shape). Then add about half as much sugar as you have fruit and cook over medium-low heat until it’s thick and jammy. At this time of year, chopped rhubarb is a perfect option.

Buttered Jam Toast Crumb Cookies

Inspired by another cookie by baker and cookbook author Dorie Greenspan, I‘ve always thought of these as a mashup of cookies and fruit crisp – now they are cookies with toast-and-jam crisp, with gratitude to Mhlanga (@lungiisalwaysbaking on Instagram).

Cookie dough:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup jam or other preserves
• 2 oz (57 g) (approximately) white chocolate, chopped (optional)

Toast crumb:

• 1 thick slice sourdough
• butter
• jam
• 1-2 tbsp brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350F.

To make the cookie dough, beat the butter, sugars and vanilla for about two minutes, until pale and light. Stir or beat in the flour and salt, blending until smooth.

Press walnut-sized pieces of dough into the bottom of an ungreased muffin tin, making a slight indent in the middle. Spoon in a heaping teaspoon of jam or other preserves.

To make the crumb, toast the bread, let it cool and thickly spread with butter and jam. (I tear the toast into pieces first, and then spread each piece.) Pulse in the bowl of a food processor until you have sticky crumbs.

Sprinkle some crumb mixture around the edge of each cookie, leaving some jam uncovered to show through. If you like, place a chunk of white chocolate on each cookie.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the pan with a thin knife, and cool on a wire rack. Makes a dozen cookies.