Movie Stars Make Peanut Butter Kaya Cookies Too, You Know

I do. In fact, I was sure that my celebrity status would lead Oprah to invite me out for dinner when she arrived in Australia last week. Sadly, she’s been too busy climbing bridges, being really really loud, and talking to the Prime Minister to mention that I’m one of her Favourite Things.

Well, Oprah, more’s the pity for you. I’ve always preferred Ellen anyway.

Where was I?

Oh, yes.

Once upon a time I was a TV Star, and yesterday I was a Movie Star.

Or, to be more specific, a Tropfest Extra [Star].

You see, I have these tremendously, amazingly, wonderfully talented friends who are currently shooting their short film entry for Tropfest next year, and I got a last-minute text this weekend asking if I’d mind being an extra in a couple of their scenes. My response? Yes yes yes yes yes please I will yes I will yes.

I love these friends. They make me happy inside. (I did, however, have a moment of panic when Liz told me to wear business clothes. “But I’m a PhD student!” I wanted to cry. “I don’t own any business clothes, only pyjamas!”)

Luckily I remembered that I’d bought a formal-looking jacket in New York, and so spent yesterday afternoon filming a couple of scenes over and over again. I can now say with utter confidence that I’ve perfected my “bewildered and slightly horrified” expression. I think it will come in handy when I teach again next year.

What you’re all probably most interested in, though, is that I baked peanut butter cookies for the cast and crew. Well, actually, I caramelised (read: slightly burnt) peanut butter cookies for the cast and crew, because I started making hot chocolate when the cookies were in the oven and I lost track of time.

I almost didn’t take the cookies to the shoot because of their brownedness, but I’m mighty glad I did. The cookies were gobbled up quicker than a wink, and as a result I’ve been appointed caterer for future shoots.

I really, really can’t wait.

One last thing – I know that most of you are super busy right now, but these same friends (cast and crew) made another short film called Within A Dream for this year’s Lights! Canberra! Action! competition. And hurrah for them, it won Best Art Direction! More importantly, it’s a gorgeous, ethereal, charming, Alice-in-Wonderland-ish, makes-me-go-aww-inside film of, well, gorgeousness. It’s really worth a look, and is a mere 6 minutes long. That’s less time than it takes to make these cookies. You can find the film here, and I’d love to know what you think if you watch it. In fact, I’m about to go watch it again myself.

Peanut Butter Cookies With Optional Kaya and Optional Burntness

• 1 cup (260g) peanut butter
• 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
• 1 egg
• Kaya, optional, to taste.

1. Preheat oven to 180°c (360°F), and either grease or line two baking trays with paper.
2. In a bowl, mix together the peanut butter, caster sugar, and egg. Roll into balls and put on baking trays, about 4cm apart.
3. For pure peanut butter cookies, simple press the balls down a little with a fork (you might need to wet the fork with water to prevent it sticking). If you want to gussy the cookies up a little, make a small indent in each cookie and fill the indent with something delicious of your choosing (I used kaya, but a tasty jam or some chocolate would also go down a treat).
4. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, depending on your oven and preferred level of goldenness. Don’t, um, leave the cookies in for a full 15 minutes unless you like a rustic deep dark deep dark brown cookie look. Oh, and yes, these are a variation of the Tabasco Peanut Butter Cookies I made awhile back.

Tagged as: cookies, dairy-free, films, gluten-free, kaya, peanut butter, Tropfest