Cookie crumbles for record breaker Jessica

Cookie crumbles for record breaker Jessica

24 February 2021

A CASTLEWELLAN baker has taken the biscuit when it comes to breaking records.

Jessica Sahlani has baked what is believed to be Ireland’s biggest cookie.

The 33-inch chocolate chip creation came out of the oven on Monday afternoon and is already creating a minor sensation.

Weighing it at a massive 35 kilos, it needed 25 batches of cookie dough and then a close watch in the oven.

Such was the scale of the mouth-watering monster that it wouldn’t fit into Jessica’s usual oven. Instead she had to borrow the oven at The Little Os pizza restaurant in Castlewellan.

Jessica thought the cookie would take 20 minutes to bake. However, it took just five and turned out perfect.

Jessica (24) runs her own baking business, Cake The Edge Off, from her home. She makes customised cakes and bakes for all occasions — and everything is completely vegan.

She says she’s not sure how she came up with the idea of becoming a record breaker.

“I just wanted to do something and then it just came on to me. I said to myself that I would bake Ireland’s biggest cookie and then I decided to go for it,” she explained.

Like all great cooks and bakers, she did her research and also did a trial run last week before going for the real thing.

Not surprisingly, the most challenging aspect was the bake itself.

“Cookies are very delicate and I had to keep a close watch on it. Another minute and it would have been burnt. It was a close call,” she said.

Jessica decided to give away her first offering. She cut it into 90 slices which she then gave to the Unit T charity in Newcastle for distribution in the community.

She’s not sure what to do with her latest award-winning creation. One possibility is that she might give it away in a competition. At the moment, though it’s taking pride of place in her home.

Jessica has a long way to go if she wants to enter the Guinness Book of Records for the world’s biggest cookie. Right now that accolade belongs to a creation measuring a mind-boggling 480 square metres which had to be baked outdoors.

Born in London to Lebanese parents, Jessica only came to Castlewellan a year ago. She met her partner, Peter Jones, who is from Castlewellan, while at university in Nottingham.

Peter runs a bicycle shop called Mountain Goat in Main Street, which also serves as a collection point for Jessica’s tasty treats.

As with all business owners, Jessica has had her ups and downs during the 12 months.

“Before this latest lockdown, things were picking up and it was really busy coming into Christmas,” she said. “It’s quiet at the moment, but it will pick up again.”

Jessica says she has taken to life in Castlewellan and it has no plans to return to England.

“I love it here. There’s a slower pace of life that’s nice and less stressful.”