Archive for the 'Baking' Category

I received a couple of requests for valentines day recipes and whilst normally I would oblige I could not motivate myself to post anything. I just do not celebrate the day and much prefer to hide myself away from the commercialised stomach churning madness.

I guess I am just not a romantic!

So here is my families recipe for Digestive Biscuits. A biscuit that is just that touch healthier without losing any of the flavour.  When I was a child we would always serve them with a slice of cheese and a nice cup of Yorkshire Tea.

Ingredients
2 oz of whole-wheat flour
2 oz medium oatmeal
1 oz soft brown sugar
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
Small pinch of salt
2 oz cold butter – diced
½ to 1 tbsp whole milk

Method
Lightly grease a baking tray
Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius or gas mark 4
Cut two large pieces of cling film

Sift together all of the dry ingredients (return the bran from the whole wheat flour to the bowl), rub in the butter to a breadcrumb like texture. Add sufficient milk to create a moist pastry like consistency, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes

It is important to roll this dough out between two sheets of cling film as it is quite delicate – should be about 3 mm thick. Cut out with a plain biscuit cutter and transfer the biscuits onto the prepared baking tray using a palette knife

Place in a pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes, or until light golden brown – they must also be firm to the touch
Remove from the oven and leave to rest on the baking tray for five minutes before transferring onto a wire rack
These biscuits will keep for 2 days in an airtight tin

These are nice coated with chocolate ganache made with equal parts of dark chocolate and double cream

Yorkshire Teacakes. I remember these from when I was young. They would always be available, stored in a large wooden breadbin. I´d have one on a morning with a cup of tea (Yorkshire of course), it would be spread thickly with butter and my Mum would always joke if I´d like a bit of teacake with my butter (as opposed to the other way round).

We had a visiter once who asked if he could have one of those fruit breadcakes! To which was retorted “Dun’t tha knaw t’ difference a’tween Yorksher teacakes and breadcakes lad? Nay lad, tha´s no Yorkshire lad, tha´s not!”. Bless.

A Yorkshire Teacake, unlike a plain breadcake, is a slightly sweat bread endowed with dried fruit and sometimes citrus peel (although less rarely). At home we would always have them toasted next to the fire, spread thick with butter and served with a cup of finest Yorkshire tea.

Ingredients

½ lb plain flour

1 tsp of salt

1 oz butter or block margarine

1 oz fresh yeast (or equivalent dried yeast)

1 tsp of caster sugar

2 oz seedless raisins

1 oz sugar

½ pint whole milk

Method:

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the fat, put to one side

Cream together the yeast and sugar – if using dried yeast, follow manufacturer’s instructions

Stir the fruit into the flour, make a well in the centre and add the creamed yeast and some of the milk

Start to mix gradually bringing more flour down into the mix and adding milk as necessary until a soft dough has formed and all the flour incorporated into the mixture

Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place until doubled in size – for about an hour

Turn out on to a floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes, divide into 6 pieces kneading each into shape, and roll out until about half an inch thick

Cover and leave on the greased baking sheet to prove until double in height, and with a spongy texture

While teacakes are rising, preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius

Bake for approximately 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool

A few years ago my mother and I were trying to think of a twist on the traditional christmas cake – during the process this is something we played with – using dried tropical fruits finely chopped in place of some of the more traditional fruits. It was a moderate success. This year we tried again, and have improved the recipe marginally. Each time it gets a little better – but here is the current recipe.

One point of note, and I stress this to everyone who is making a traditional christmas cake – preparation of the fruit is everything, especially with mine or my mothers cakes. We believe in detail – so ensure that all sultanas and raisins are washed, dried and halved, removing any stems or damaged fruit.  I hate the thought of unwashed fruit, even if it does come from a packet marked prepared. Drying is essential to avoid a soggy, sad cake with all the fruit at the bottom. Also check other dried fruit to ensure they are good quality.

Ingredients::

8 oz plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp ground mixed spice
¾ tsp ground ginger
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
¾ tsp sea salt
1 oz candied peel – lime only
1 oz glace cherries
3 tbsp dark rum
3 tbsp limejuice
1 tsp of vanilla extract
6 oz softened butter
6 oz soft dark brown sugar
3 large eggs – room temperature
1 oz desiccated coconut, or 2 oz fresh
3 oz seedless raisins
3 oz golden sultanas
3 oz dried papaya
3 oz dried cherries – quarter
3 oz dried pineapple – unsweetened

Preparation of Fruit

Raisins and sultanas – these should be washed, dried and halved, removing any stems or damaged fruit. Check other dried fruit to ensure they are good quality.

Preheat over to 140 degrees Celsius

Sift flour, baking powder, ground mixed spice, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, nutmeg and salt into a baking bowl, put aside

Chop the candied peel finely and place in a bowl, along with the glace cherries, rum, lime juice and vanilla extract, cover and leave until required, then transfer to a liquidiser and blend until fairly smooth

In a separate bowl, cream together butter and soft brown sugar until pale in colour and smooth, beat in eggs (one at a time) adding a little flour with each egg

Stir in sieved dry ingredients along with prepared fruit and desiccated coconut. Add the candied peel/spirit/cherry mixture to the cake and continue mixing, test for dropping consistency. It should drop off the spoon in a few seconds. Continue mixing until mixture “shines”. If the cake is too dry, add a little milk

Cook for 1 hour and 45 minutes, checking after 1 hour and covering with greaseproof paper if the cake is browning too quickly. To test to ensure it is done, put a fine clean skewer into the centre of the cake – if it comes away clean, then the cake is done and can be removed from the oven

Do not open the door for the first hour of cooking, as it will sink

When cooled brush lightly with rum, wrap in greaseproof paper and store in an airtight container in a cool dark place. This cake will improve with age. Brush the top and sides (lightly) with rum once per week

Following rapidly on from my last post in which I disclosed my own mincemeat recipe I am now going to divulge my personal recipe for mince pies – in orange pastry. Its not unique of course because I´ve had mince pies in orange pastry in a couple of places – but this is my version tailored to my tastes.

Now I always make my mincemeat earlier in the year – usually around October. Leaving it a short while helps the flavours to mature.

Orange Pastry

8 oz self-raising flour
Pinch salt
1 tsp unrefined caster sugar
3 oz very cold unsalted butter, grated
1 tsp mandarin or orange zest, finely grated
Very cold orange juice

If the orange is not organic, wash under cold running water and brush lightly with a soft brush, dry and use a fine grater to remove the zest

Squeeze the orange and put the juice into the freezer until cold, but not freezing

Place the butter into the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or until nearly freezing

Sift the flour, salt and sugar into a bowl

Rub in the butter using fingertips only until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs

Stir in the zest and a little orange juice to bring the mixture together

Form into a disc, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for about 30 minutes

For Mince Pies

Bought mincemeat can be perfectly good these days, but try and buy a good brand. In this case I find you really do get what you pay for! Or you can use my recipe.

Lightly grease a tart tin. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C.

Trim the pastry sheets and cut into rounds (try using a pastry cutter if you have one).  Place a round of pasty in each hole.

Place a heaped tablespoon of mincemeat into the centre of each, add a little orange zest then carefully place a second round on top. Gently seal the edges. I always like to decorate them with little shapes made from the remainder of the pastry – little stars, a simple christmas tree. It makes them that little bit more special. Place on the baking tray, brush with melted butter (very very light) and sprinkle with a little caster sugar.

Place in the centre of a preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Put on a wire rack and allow the pies to cool a little. Serve hot or cold. I love to serve a pie in the evening – usually hot with just a dash of cream. Wonderful! But my favourite treat is in the middle of the afternoon, just a mince pie with a cup of tea – so old fashioned, so christmassy!

My family would make dozens of Mince Pies at Christmas, and we would often give them away as gifts to our friends, family and neighbours. As a result of course Christmas just would not be Christmas without a mincepie. Obviously my mince pies have evolved a bit since my Grandma´s recipe – she believed in mass production over quality, whereas I strongly believe in this case – less with more filling is better than more with a thin spreading!

But first, here is my recipe for traditional mincemeat.

Ingredients:
2 oranges and 2 limes – finely grated zest and juice
½ lb cooking apples
6 oz candied peel
2 oz flaked blanched almonds
¾ lb raisins
½ lb sultanas
¼ lb currants
¼ lb fresh cranberries
½ lb vegetable suet
½ lb soft dark brown sugar
2 tsp ground mixed spice
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
A little freshly grated nutmeg
6 tbsp Brandy (or other spirit – to taste)

Prepare the fruit:
Wash the raisins, sultanas and currants, check for any damaged fruit or stems and discard. Place a clean tea towel on a tray, put on the fruit, cover and leave overnight to dry
Finely chop the candied peel
Halve the raisins, sultanas and halve the currants if they are too large
Wash, core and finely chop the apples and place in acidulated water (lemon) until ready to use

Place the citrus zest and juice, apples, candied peel, almonds, dried fruit, cranberries, suet, sugar and spices into a large bowl, thoroughly mix, cover and leave for 12 hours

Pre-heat the oven to 110 degrees Celsius

Cover the bowl loosely with foil and place in the bottom of the preheated oven for 3 hours

Remove from the oven and stir occasionally during the cooling process

Prepare the jars:
Wash in mild, soapy water
Rinse in hot water and dry
Place on a tray in a pre-heated oven set to 110° Celsius, leave 5 minutes to sterilise the jars

When the mincemeat is cold, stir in 6 tablespoons brandy (or other spirit of your choice), pack into the jars, cover with wax discs, seal and label with date made, contents and use by date (best eaten within 12 months)

Store in a cool dark pantry, larder or cupboard

I realise every daughter says this but my Mum does the best Christmas Cake. Its the most devine thing I have ever tasted, and it wouldn´t be Christmas without it. Served on its own, or with a slice of Wenslydale Cheese… its marvellous. Its uniquely her own because she does a rather unusual thing with the cherries – she puts them in a blender with the brandy and candied peel and whizzes them! It adds the most wonderful flavour to the cake, and it is a tip I would heartily recommend.

People would beg my Mum to make a cake. When she first invented the cake recipe that exists today she´d make one small cake, maybe two for the family. A year or two later we were mixing the cake by hand in a huge bread bowl – turning out 10 cakes for family and friends.

Ingredients
8 oz strong plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp ground mixed spice
¾ tsp ground ginger
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp salt (not low salt)
3 tbsp – either Brandy / Sherry / Whisky or a mixture
1 oz glace cherries
1 oz candied peel
1 tsp almond extract
6 oz butter or margarine
6 oz soft brown sugar
3 large eggs – room temperature
1 oz ground almonds
6 oz stoned raisins
5 oz currants
4 oz sultanas
2 tbsp milk

Preparation of Fruit
Raisins/Sultanas – to be washed/dried/cut into small pieces, stems removed
Currants – to be washed and dried, stems removed – leave to dry overnight on a clean tea towel over a tray

It is important to pick through the fruit, remove any stems or damaged fruit.

Preheat over to 130 degrees Celsius.

Sift together flour, baking powder, ground mixed spice, ground ginger, ground cinnamon and salt into a baking bowl, put to one side.

Put candied peel, cherries, spirits and almond extract into a bowl, cover and leave until required, then transfer to a liquidiser and blend until fairly smooth.

In a separate bowl, cream together butter and soft brown sugar until pale in colour, beat in eggs (one at a time) adding a little flour with each egg.

Stir in sieved dry ingredients along with prepared fruit, ground almonds and the candied peel/cherry/spirit mixture, adding a little milk if needed.

Test for dropping consistency – mixture should drop off the spoon when tapped on the rim of the bowl – the mixture should “shine”

Cook until done – Use warmed darning needle or skewer to check. If it comes away clean it is done. We don’t do exact times in this house, but will let you know when we cook this next. Do not open the door for the first hour of cooking, as apparently it will sink.

When cooled brush lightly with Brandy, wrap in greaseproof paper and store in an airtight container. Store in a cool dark place. This cake will improve with age. Brush lightly with brandy once per week.

I love quiche, but I do not always want the added calories of pastry – with this recipe you really can have your quiche and eat it!

Another handy tip for avoiding the use of pastry is from my adopted new home in Spain.  Frequently seem them remove crusts from white bread, roll out until thin and line a lightly oiled (olive oil is preferable) tin with the bread.  Add further pieces of bread if holes develop.

Generally speaking you can blind bake the bread a little to make sure you dont get a soggy bottom! Lets face it, none of us like one of those…

Ingredients

4 oz grated Cheddar cheese

6 rashers of bacon

1 medium red onion – finely chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

2 large organic eggs

¼ pint milk and single cream

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tomatoes, thinly sliced – optional

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius

Lightly butter a flan dish

Method:

Sprinkle half the cheese on the bottom of a flan dish

Fry the bacon and onion together until just cooked, spread over the cheese

Whisk together the eggs, milk/cream and seasoning, pour over the mixture and then sprinkle over the remainder of the cheese, lay the sliced tomatoes on top

Bake on the middle shelf of a preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until set

Serve with a mixed salad and crusty bread

You can vary the quiche by replacing the cheese, onion and bacon with the following:

Mushroom: 6 oz mushrooms, 3 oz bacon lardons – fry the mushrooms and lardons in little butter, place in the bottom of the flan dish and continue from addition of eggs

Salmon: 8 oz flaked freshly cooked salmon – put the flaked salmon into the bottom of a flan dish, continue as above from addition of eggs

Tuna and cheese: 8 oz can tuna and 4 oz cheese – sprinkle half the cheese in the bottom of a flan dish, add the tuna (flaked), the continue from the addition of egg mixture

Derbyshire Pikelets
8 oz plain flour
1 tsp salt
¼ oz fresh (or equivalent dried yeast – if dried follow instructions on pack)
1 teaspoon of caster sugar
1 egg
½ pint whole milk

Sieve flour and salt into bowl. Cream yeast and sugar and add beaten egg and warmish milk. Add the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix to a thin batter consistency – if too thick, add more milk, a little at a time. Cover and leave to rise for 30 minutes in a warm place until it has doubled in size

Put a teacup full onto a lightly greased frying pan or hot griddle, turning once when set

Durham Pikelets
8 oz flour
1½ caster sugar
pinch of salt
pinch of bicarbonate of soda
buttermilk or sour milk

Mix flour, sugar and salt and add enough milk or whatever to make a batter around the same consistency as double cream. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in a little aired water and add to batter. Beat well and cook as for the Derbyshire recipe

Put a teacup full onto a lightly greased frying pan or hot griddle, turning once when set

These Scottish Butteries are a wonderful idea for breakfasting on a cold winters morning! (or even Autumn!). With a slightly salty twang they are tasty, although should only be eaten in moderation…

Ingredients:
1 lb 7 oz white bread flour
½ oz sea salt
¼ oz grams dried yeast
14 fl oz warm water
1 tbsp unrefined caster sugar
12 oz unsalted butter, or half and half, lard and butter

Method:
Crumble the yeast into the lukewarm water, add the sugar, cover and leave in a warm place for 10 minutes until frothy
Sift the flour into a mixing bowl, make a well in the centre and add the yeast mixture slowly to the flour. Mix until you have a soft, but not sticky, dough
Knead for 10 minutes then return to the cleaned floured bowl, cover and leave in a warm place until the dough doubles in size
Cream the butter, divide into 3 equal portions
Knock the back, turn out onto a floured work surface

• Roll into a rectangle and spread the butter mixture over two thirds of the dough, very lightly sprinkle with salt
• Fold the uncovered dough over the butter/lard mixture, fold the top third down to make a 3 layer sandwich – as you would with puff pastry
• Seal the ends and cover – refrigerate for 30 minutes
• Repeat twice more, without adding extra salt

Roll out the dough and cut out with a floured 2” plain biscuit cutter, place onto a baking tray leaving space, then cover and leave to rise for 20 minutes

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius

Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown

Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack

Ingredients:
6 oz plain flour
2 tbsp cornflour
½ oz Icing Sugar
1½ tbsp golden syrup
2 tbsp ground almonds
Almond extract – a few drops
6 oz butter, diced
3 oz raspberry jam

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Sift the flour, cornflour and icing sugar into a bowl, stir in the syrup, ground almonds and almond extract

Rub in the butter and press the mixture together to form dough

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until smooth

Using your hand, roll the dough into small balls – the size of a walnut – and place well apart on the prepared baking tins, make an indent in the centre of each biscuit with your finger and fill with a little jam

Bake in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until pale golden brown

Leave to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely