People have been baking plenty of batches of homemade cookies in isolation. Getty Images
People have been baking plenty of batches of homemade cookies in isolation. Getty Images
People have been baking plenty of batches of homemade cookies in isolation. Getty Images
People have been baking plenty of batches of homemade cookies in isolation. Getty Images

Lifestyle

Pret A Manger has released the recipe for its dark chocolate vegan cookies

What better way to get through the day than by baking some comforting, guilt-free cookies?

Sarah Maisey

April 13, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Popular UK cafe chain Pret A Manger is getting into the spirit of staying at home by publishing recipes for some of its most popular dishes for people to recreate in their own kitchens.

When the company posted the instructions for its best-selling chocolate chip cookies on Instagram last week, it went viral.

Pret has also revealed the recipe for making banana bread, and even offered tips for making the perfect porridge. However, this week, Pret has raised the bar again by offering budding home bakers the chance to replicate its dark chocolate vegan cookies.

Vegans can sometimes be shortchanged when it comes to desserts, so when a kitchen offers a great recipe, it is quickly snapped up. Replacing animal fats with a dairy-free alternative can sometimes leave the cake tasting, well, disappointing, but when the chef gets the balance right, the results are delicious.

This cookie is one of Pret's successes. Made with intense dark chocolate, it is so rich and indulgent, no one will even realise its vegan.

Here is how to make them at home:

Pret A Manger's dark chocolate vegan cookies. Instagram / Pret
Pret A Manger's dark chocolate vegan cookies. Instagram / Pret

Ingredients:

43g caster sugar

112g soft light brown sugar

4g salt

40g almond pieces (for best results, use flaked almonds lightly smashed up, but whole almonds chopped into small pieces will also work)

112g dark chocolate pieces

205g flour

20g cocoa powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

65g coconut oil

72g almond butter

100g golden syrup

40g water

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180℃.

Pour the caster sugar, soft light brown sugar, flour, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa, almond pieces, salt and chocolate pieces into a large bowl. For best results sieve the cocoa, flour and bicarbonate of soda.

Mix the almond butter, oil and golden syrup together and add to the bowl, along with the water. Mix together with a wooden spoon and then bring the dough together using your hands.

Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Split your dough into eight golf ball-sized portions and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes (this will vary depending on thickness – if the edges of the cookie feels firm but centre is still soft, it should be ready to take out).

Leave to cool for 15 minutes. Enjoy.

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

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Few statistics have been published on the number of cases in the UAE, although a UNAIDS report said 1.5 per cent of the prison population has the virus.

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