Eastern Promise Cookies

These are named after the old tv advert for Frys Turkish Delight. Looking at them now the adverts are quite bizarre and nothing to do with Turkey! Turkish Delight is a tricky one for vegans as some kinds can contain gelatine or in the case of the Cadbury's it's covered in milk chocolate. The other hidden thing to look out for in the ingredients list is the colouring E120 also known as carmine, cochineal, natural red or crimson lake which is actually made from crushed insects. It is possible to buy brands without it such as the Koksa brand which often crops up near the tills in my local TK Maxx of all places! The cookies are subtly flavoured and ideal as an afternoon pick me up with coffee, Earl Grey or mint tea.

Eastern Promise Cookies

Makes 20

3/4 cup of sugar

2/3 cup sunflower oil

1/4 cup soy milk

1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 tablespoon of arrowroot powder

1 teaspoons of vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups of plain flour

1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/3 cup of turkish delight chopped into small pieces

1/3 cup chopped unsalted pistacios

Zest of an unwaxed lemon

Icing sugar for dusting (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 350f / 180c. Lightly grease your baking sheet.

Mix together the sugar, oil, soy milk, lemon extract and arrowroot for about 2 minutes until it makes a thick caramel.

Mix in the vanilla extract.

Add 1 cup of flour, the bicarbonate of soda and the salt. Mix in then add the rest of the flour and mix to a dough. Fold in the turkish delight and pistacios.

Take a dessert spoonful of the mixture and roll the dough into a ball and flatten to about 2 1/2 inches wide. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Dust with icing sugar (optional).