I’ve been watching Jamie Oliver’s new series – 5 Ingredients – it’s an interesting idea for a book and series, but one which I have to say I feel is flawed. Limiting the number of ingredients in a recipe to fit an agreed premise will always result in compromise and I feel a lot of Jamie’s recipes in this series would be well improved by taking away the limitation and adding whatever he undoubtedly decided to leave out.

This recipe however, doesn’t really need anything else – it’s grand as it is – as long as you eat the cookies with a cup of tea or coffee – they do need a drink.

Makes 24   |  10 mins prep plus 10 mins cooking

Ingredients

• 100g dried apple rings
• 200g self-raising flour
• 100g cold unsalted butter
• 100g golden caster sugar
• 1 large egg

You will also need…

• a food processor
• two baking trays
• greaseproof paper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200c and  line the baking trays with greaseproof paper.
2. Put the dried apple in a food processor and whizz until finely chopped.
3. Now add the flour, cubed butter, sugar and a pinch of salt. Whizz again until it resembles breadcrumbs.
4. Remove 3 tbsp of the mix and set aside.
5. Now add the egg to the processor and pulse to combine, scraping down the sides if needed.
6. Divide the mix into 24 balls and space 12 out on each tray.
7. Flatten the balls a little so they’re about 4cm wide and sprinkle the reserved crumble mix over each one, pressing it in a little.
8. Bake in the hot oven for 8-10 mins then remove from the oven and after cooling for 5 mins or so, turn on to a wore rack to cool completely.
9. Enjoy with a hot drink.