Friday, November 20, 2009

Ovaltine thins with cinnamon sugar

Ovaltine thins with cinnamon sugar / Barrinhas de Ovomaltine com cobertura de açúcar e canela

After a visit to Lizzie’s beautiful blog – if you still don’t know it, stop reading me and go check her amazing cookies – I started feeling a little nostalgic: she posted a Calvin & Hobbes strip, and I absolutely love Calvin & Hobbes. It reminded me of when I worked as a teacher and one of my lovely students gave me two Calvin & Hobbes books as a gift - Ana Paula, if you’re reading this: xoxo. :)

Back then I did not bake as much as I do now – with two jobs and working Saturdays, it was a bit difficult – but my students were such special people I would gladly bring them cookies every day. And I’d start with these bars.

Ovaltine thins with cinnamon sugar / Barrinhas de Ovomaltine com cobertura de açúcar e canela

Ovaltine thins with cinnamon sugar
slightly adapted from Donna Hay magazine

1 cup + 1 ½ tablespoons (218g) caster sugar
1/3 cup (100g) Ovaltine
2 ½ cups + 2 ½ tablespoons (375g) all purpose flour, sifted
2 eggs
¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (100g) caster sugar, extra
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F; lightly butter a 30x40cm (12x16in) baking tray and line it with non-stick baking paper, leaving a 2.5cm (1in) overhang*.
Place the sugar, Ovaltine and flour in a large bowl and mix to combine. Add the eggs, butter and vanilla and mix until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs – I used an electric mixer in low speed.
Press the dough into the prepared baking tray, filling it completely.
In a small bowl, combine extra sugar and cinnamon. Brush the cookie dough with the egg white and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden – mine baked for 35 minutes.
Allow to cool in the tray for 10 minutes, then carefully lift it out of the pan – I had trouble lifting the huge uncut cookie from the pan; after a few tries, I slid a thin metal removable bottom (from another baking pan) under the foil and removed the whole thing from the pan.
Cut into rectangles/bars.

* I used a 26x40cm pan, lined with generously buttered foil

Makes 24

Ovaltine thins with cinnamon sugar / Barrinhas de Ovomaltine com cobertura de açúcar e canela

16 comments:

  1. I haven't had Ovaltine since I was a kid! These look scrumptious Patricia ...and beautifully photographed too!

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  2. Patricia, I've only had Ovaltine in milkshake form. But that was 30 years ago, and I have moved on; it's time to try something new, and those bars look very tempting. Beautiful photography, as always.

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  3. What a great idea.. ovaltine!! This is great!

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  4. glad you appreciated the calvin and hobbes! and to add to the slew of comments regarding ovaltine: what an awesome idea! i am a (recent) ovaltine convert, so these are right up my alley-- they look fabulous, as usual.

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  5. I've also only used Ovaltine for drinking! These sound really good!

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  6. I'm a calvin and hobbes fan too! I've got 8 books :D

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  7. My boyfriend is obsessed with Ovaltine. I'll definitely have to try this on him. What a creative treat!

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  8. Haven't had Ovaltine for years! What a great idea for a cookie. It looks crisp and cinnamony which I would love especially with a cup of tea.
    And thanks for sending me to Lizzie's website, Patricia- I will check back with her from time to time.

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  9. Happy three years of blogging! I hope you continue on for years and years. You are an excellent blogger. :)

    These look scrumptious. I've always wanted to try Ovaltine. It's actually pretty expensive here.

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  10. Wow! I have only ever had Ovaltine to drink. Good idea for a cookie though.

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  11. Yum! The cookies look so tasty.
    Mimi

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  12. Peter, thank you, my friend!

    Vera, thank you for stopping by!

    Marysol, thank you very much - these bars are really good.

    Leemei, thank you!

    Lizzie, I'll eat Ovaltine by the spoonfuls, so dangerous. ;)
    Thank you!

    Pam, thank you!

    Alicia, they are great, aren't they?

    Xiaolu, thank you for stopping by! Make these bars for your boyfriend. ;)

    Barbara, the bars are chewy on the inside, really good!
    Thank you!

    Emily, thank you, sweetie! And you are wonderful, too. ;)

    Wizzy, I'm glad you like these, tks!

    Mimi, thank you!

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  13. I have ovaltine in the cabinet now! I've never even thought to bake with it, though. I'll have to bookmark this.

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  14. I swapped the ovaltine for horlicks and it turned out great, although the horlicks flavour wasn't that strong...I saw you did the opposite switch in another recipe!

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  15. Abby, I hope you like it!

    Anonymous, we cannot find Horlicks here in Brazil - I'm glad to hear you tried the recipe!

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Thank you for your comment!