Tonight on ABC Evenings Sydney with Renee, we discussed all things porridge and by extension, other ways of using rolled oats.

I promised to provide the recipes for Nutty Oaties and Chewy Muesli Cookies. It seems a shame not to also provide a recipe – we didn’t have time to talk about a really delicious coffee date cake that contains rolled oats, so I am providing that here as well.

Nutty Oaties

125g peanut butter

125g butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup self raising flour

½ cup rolled oats

½ cup chopped peanuts or other nuts, optional

Method

Preheat oven to 150 degrees C.

Grease 2 baking trays or line with baking paper.

Whisk the peanut butter, butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then whisk in the egg.

Fold in the flour, oats and nuts (if using).

Roll heaped teaspoonfuls of the mixture into balls and place 8 on each tray, allowing room for spreading around each.

Press down with the base of a glass that has been dipped repeatedly in flour.

Bake 15 minutes or until light golden brown.  Remove to wire racks to cool.  Repeat with any remaining mixture.

Makes approximately 24.

---

Chewy Muesli Cookies

60g butter

½ cup brown sugar, lightly packed

¼ cup golden syrup

¼ cup honey

1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind

1 cup puffed rice cereal

½ cup desiccated coconut

½ cup rolled oats

1 cup self raising flour

1 cup sultanas

½ cup diced dried apricots

¾ cup choc chips

¼ cup chopped walnuts, optional

½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 tablespoon boiling water

Method

Preheat oven to 160 degrees C.  Grease 2 baking trays or line with baking paper.

Place the butter, brown sugar, golden syrup and honey in a small saucepan and melt over low heat.  Remove and cool for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl mix together the orange rind, puffed rice, coconut, rolled oats, flour, sultanas, choc chips and nuts (if using).

In a cup mix the bicarbonate of soda and boiling water until dissolved.

Pour the butter and and bicarbonate of soda mixtures into the oat mixture and stir until well combined.  Stand 5 minutes.

With slightly damp hands, roll dessertspoons full of the mixture into balls and place onto the prepared trays allowing plenty of room for spreading.

Bake for approximately 12 minutes or until golden brown. Be careful they do not burn.

Allow to stand on trays for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

————————————————————————————————————

Coffee Oaty Date Cake

For the cake

2 teaspoons instant coffee powder or granules, dissolved in 1 cup boiling water

1 cup chopped dates

½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

125g butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ cup rolled oats

¾ cup chopped walnuts

For the Icing

1½ cups icing sugar, sifted

2 teaspoons butter, softened

2 teaspoons instant coffee powder or granules dissolved in 3 teaspoons of boiling water

Extra boiling water

½ cup chopped walnuts, optional

Method

For the cake

Preheat oven to 150 degrees C (fan forced).  Grease a 20cm round cake tin (deep sided) and line base with baking paper, then grease over this.

Pour the hot coffee/boiling water mixture over the dates and bicarbonate of soda, then allow to cool

In a separate bowl whisk together the butter and sugar until light and creamy, then whisk in the eggs.

Fold in the remaining ingredients, date mixture last. 

Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a metal skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Leave to stand in the tin 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool before icing.

For the icing

Mix the icing sugar, butter and coffee mixture together, adding extra boiling water if needed to make a good spreading consistency. 

Spread over top of cake and sprinkle with chopped walnuts, if using.