Ornament and biscuit exchange

My friend Melissa who blogs at Ayla's Rainbow Connection declared she was beginning a new family and friend Christmas tradition ~ a bit of joyful giving, fresh from the kitchen and a pretty ornament for the tree. Now I am a fan of both giving and eating so joined in without hesitation.

We began last week, both fired up to make shortbread, all buttery and divine BUT Melissa has this gluten free thing going so recipes needed a bit of adaptation...I am here to tell you it doesn't matter how much pure butter you shove into the mix; gluten free shortbread is horrid, sandy and dry, not buttery and crumbly at all.

Not to be deterred she just changed the rules a little ~ any fresh baked gluten free biscuit would be most happily eaten.

Today I got a most delicious box of homemade yumminess and a pretty little bauble in the mail.

(if Melissa made that bauble too Oh My! she is seriously clever!)

We packed up our fresh baked goodness and sent them south this very afternoon. We also gave some to our neighbours and I have wrapped up some for someone else special too. We ate the rest!

How good do they look; don't you just want to eat one? They are flourless peanut butter and chocolate chip biscuits. Want to make some of your very own?

You will need ~
240g smooth peanut butter at room temp
160g caster sugar (or a bit less)
an egg (free range from a happy chook makes them taste fabulous)
1/4tsp bicarb soda
a bigish pinch of salt, and
170g (give or take) chocolate broken into bits - we used Green and Black's organic dark chocolate.

the oven needs to be about 180 degree C (think that is 350F)
put everything except the chocolate in a big bowl and mix to combine then mix in the chocolate.
roll whatever seems like a good size to you into a ball and flaten slightly on a tray lined with baking paper ~ leave some spreading room between them.
they will take about 12-15 minutes in the oven - they will be pale golden and crack on top.
take them out of the oven when they are done and leave them to cool on their trays.
make yourself a cuppa and eat a couple while you carefully wrap some others to give to your friends.

My big girl made a golden star ornaments to send along with the biscuits ~

The tutorial for how to make them is here by The Magic Onions

When I was walking away from the kitchen bench after taking the just baked biscuit picture a little hand reached up ~

As it turns out the hand is very quick! because it found its way to it's owners mouth super fast

 The wee girl has now had her first taste of chocolate and she liked it VERY much; oh well at least it was 70% dark cocoa good organic stuff.... (i don't want to talk about the truck loads of sugar)