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:
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.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
if you go
The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.
The trip
Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE SQUAD
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Mohamed Usman (vice captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Imran Haider, Tahir Mughal, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed, Fahad Nawaz, Abdul Shakoor, Sultan Ahmed, CP Rizwan
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
