This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Oh I do love Meg Cabot. I really do. Not only is she a prolific writer; writing for children, young adults and adults, she is also a massive inspiration to me and many other writers. Plus she's genuinely lovely. (I know, because I've met her, one of my writerly highlights. She was ace.)
I love The Princess Diaries, even though I am not the target age group, and soon after found her Heather Wells' series. This time I was the target age group. A detective series for adults. As I write she has four novels in the series, Size 12 is Not Fat, Size 14 is Not Fat Either, Size Doesn't Matter (Big Boned in the US) and Size 12 and Ready to Rock.
Heather Wells is a former pop star who has lost her job because she gained a few pounds, plus her boyfriend has gone (related to the demise of her pop career) and her money has been taken by her mum. But she's happy and ok, having found work as an assistant dorm director at one of New York's top colleges. Then it all kicks off when she finds the dead body of a female student at the bottom of the lift shaft and does not believe, as the police do, that it was down to misadventure. This was murder, plain and simple, so she becomes an amateur detective to find the killer.
There is also a romance. Heather rents a room off Cooper, an actual Private Investigator, but she also likes him. When he asks her out on a date of sorts, she decides to be practical, and lines her stomach with oreos before she goes.
Homemade Oreos
Yes, I know you can go to the supermarket and buy your own. But these are so much nicer.
The recipe is based on the one from Edd Kimber's website which I believe he got from Martha Stewart. I have converted it from cups to grams.
Equipment
Baking trays, baking parchment, cookie cutter, electric mix, rolling pin, disposable icing bag (or knife) and bowls.
For the biscuit
210g plain flour
75g cocoa powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch salt
80g butter, melted and cooled slightly
100g dark brown sugar
1 egg
For the buttercream
80g butter
200g icing sugar
50g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla powder
1 tsp milk
Method
- In one bowl mix the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
- In another bowl mix the melted butter, sugar and egg.
- Pour the liquid mix into the dry mix and form a dough.
- Place dough between two pieces of baking parchment and roll out (you might want to do this in halves or thirds).
- Cut out shapes – I used a 2 inch diameter circle but make whatever size and shape you want.
- Place shapes on sheets of baking parchment on trays and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Pre-heat oven to 170°C or 150°C fan.
- Bake the biscuits for 7-10 minutes (depending on size).
- To make the buttercream use an electric mixer if possible.
- Beat the butter until fluffy.
- Add both sugars and vanilla and beat more.
- Add the milk. I found this makes it a bit more pliable for sandwiching.
- Using a disposable icing bag (or a knife) pipe the cream in a circle on the edge of the biscuit.
- Use another biscuit to sandwich together.
- Eat. And line that stomach!