An afternoon spent frolicking with the children among statues. I was fascinated by the variety of lichen on display; a blossoming beauty spot on the face of a serene and sad beauty, the flat poisonous yellow stain compared to the bristling fur on the dwarf and his weapon, and the green gloss of crinkly, velvety curls across the bosom of the queen.






I am in a room full of sweetly ticking clocks, all perfectly synchronised, their full variety of chimes dancing and interleaving at the hour of 10 o'clock. I don't feel so alone with the patter of rhythmic clicks as a background accompaniment, although it makes me realise that i miss listening to the beat of another's heart at this late hour.

Is there anything better than curling up on the sofa watching food porn, one small child in my lap, another tucked in behind my shoulder, munching on peanut butter and chocolate chunk cookies, enveloped in the aroma of sweet butter, salty nut and clean hamster? Probably the best, and most useful hour, i spent this week. The cookies were just a bonus.

Bill Granger's Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Russian tea biscuits:
Cream 225g unsalted butter with 5ml of vanilla extract until soft and smooth. Add 50g icing sugar and 250g plain flour through a sieve. Stir until just combined into a heavy dough. Add 120g chopped walnuts, stir*

Spoon the dough into small balls, place on a silicone baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes at 180ºC until barely tinged with colour. Leave to cool and roll in icing sugar, twice if you wish.







*The second time i made these i ground the walnuts first, into a heavy dust. The biscuits were smoother in texture and appearance, lighter to the bite and slightly less crumbly.

Be warned - these cookies collapse into your mouth with a puff of sweet icing sugar and are quite addictive. I will try the same recipe with pecans, and perhaps almonds too; they are light, very buttery and the delicate flavour of nut shines. Apparently they keep well in a tin.