This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
In The Long Weekend by Veronica Henry, a number of characters are coming together to stay at a gorgeous quayside hotel in Cornwall. There is the owner, Claire, along with her partner, Luca. The weekend's guests include a group of men coming down for a stag party; a man called Colin plus his 'friend' and her daughter; a couple who have a financial stake in the hotel, and a Miss Laura Starling, who travels from Paddington to Cornwall with her boyfriend, Dan.
Laura has had a lovely childhood. She was raised by her mother, Marina, but had no father on the scene. This didn't particularly bother Laura as she was growing up – her relationship with her mother was good. In fact, better than good. It was great. She was like a big sister. Someone she could confide in. Someone her friends liked to confide in. And Marina provided a home with security, warmth, love, laughter and homemade chocolate chip cookies. What more could you want for?
It would still be a wonderful home, of course, with all the other variables and without homemade cookies, but their inclusion gives you a mental picture of the sort of home Laura grew up in. You picture Marina taking a hot baking tray of cookies out the oven, placing them with a spatula onto a wire rack with Laura and her friends milling around, anxious for them to cool so they could sample one. The wonderful smell bringing them from the garden and different parts of the house.
And Laura gave little thought to her missing father. Until now…
Makes 12-16 cookies
Equipment
Mixing bowl, baking trays greased or with baking parchment.
Ingredients
100g/4oz butter (slightly softened)
100g/4oz light brown soft sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
a small dash vanilla extract (optional)
150g chopped chocolate bar of your choice
175g/6oz self-raising flour
Method
- Pre-heat the oven to 160 fan/ 175 degrees regular
- Cream sugar with the butter.
- Stir in syrup and vanilla extract.
- Add half the flour then mix in the chocolate.
- Add the rest of the flour. Press the flour into the buttery mixture with the back of your spoon (you might need to get your hands in) and form a dough ball. If you are struggling to bring it all together, add 1-2 tsp hot water.
- Divide into balls and place on baking sheet. Do not flatten.
- Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes. They will still be soft when cooked but will harden out of the oven.
- Allow to cool on the baking tray for a few minutes then lift onto on a cooling rack if you have one.
- Serve.