I have tried to write this post so many times and I can’t quite do it justice. So I’m just going to splurge my stream of consciousness out onto the blog and press publish and be damned.

Last year I met a great woman who I have been lucky enough to become great friends with. In fact I’d go as far as to say she’s become a close friend. She makes me laugh, she’s got a wicked sense of humour and she’s incredibly giving. She’s also a bloody great baker. Her name is Jo and she won the Great British Bake Off.

Jo sent me a copy of her new book recently and, well, it’s beautiful. Full of recipes I want to bake and written with such warmth and personality. When I first met Jo she was her own worst critic, I hope through her Bake Off win and this gorgeous book already being a best seller, she realises what a star she is. Here’s one of the recipes from her book which I have made two batches of today, printed with her permission:

Makes 10

Ingredients:

• 100g unsalted butter, softened

• 100g peanut butter, either smooth or crunchy

• 60g demerara sugar

• 60g caster sugar

• 1 large egg, beaten

• 100g plain flour

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 60g salted peanuts or chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Cream the butter, sugars and peanut butter together until light and fluffy. Gradually add the egg and mix thoroughly. Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into the bowl and mix until the dough comes together. Add the peanuts or chocolate chips.

Place scoops onto a prepared baking tray (lined with parchment) allowed plenty of space inbetween for spreading in the oven. Bake for 5 minutes in the middle of the oven, remove the tray and give it a sharp bang on the work surface to deflate the cookies. Return to the oven for 5 more minutes until golden brown. Cool slightly on the tray and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Notes: I didn’t have any plain white flour so used plain wholemeal flour and this worked well. I don’t even think you could tell. I also didn’t have any demerara sugar so used all caster and again this worked fine. I also used chopped up block chocolate as I didn’t have any chocolate chips. Oh and I made my cookies quite small so got 21 out of the mix. These are just delicious! Make them. Please.