Saturday 27 March 2010

☼ british summertime begins

the clocks go forward an hour tonight here in the UK:
which means lighter evenings and longer days:
with that in mind I've baked a cake that will keep all week:
so I can grab a slice while I create, make and do what I do:
think the original recipe was an internet one:
tweaked by me:
today I've added caraway seeds because the bright yellow
daffodils in my garden were my great grandmother Una's favourites:
and so was seedy cake:

Una Cake

you will need:
200g caster sugar *plus a spoonful for sprinkling*
240g butter ~ softened
3 eggs 
210g self raising flour
90g plain flour
a large lemon ~ finely grated zest and juice:
preheat the oven to 170°c/ gas 3:
grease and line a loaf tin:
cream the butter and sugar together until pale and light:
add the lemon zest and stir:
then add the eggs one at a time with a heaped spoonful
of the flours:  mixing well:
I added a spoonful of caraway seeds but you can leave these
out if you're not sure of the taste: 
*it's an acquired one*

add the lemon juice and the rest of the flour:
yes it's quite a stiff mix but go with it:
pile into your loaf tin and sprinkle with caster sugar:
bake for about an hour, testing with a skewer to make sure it's
cooked right through:
cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out to cool onto a rack:
this cake needs to be cold before slicing so be patient:
delicious with coffee while I crochet:
^_^

Sunday 21 March 2010

❨❩ the world gets smaller

it's great when someone takes the time to
write down a recipe for you:
a piece of paper with handwriting:
shared baking secrets:
this one was given to me by Justine when she
lived in the UK:
now she's a zillion miles away in Australia:
we always call these Justine's cookies:
and they are truly yum!

you will need:
125g softened butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup brown sugar *200g*
1 egg
1 cup plain flour
1 cup self raising flour *150g*
1 cup desiccated coconut *100g*
250g chopped chocolate
place butter, vanilla extract and sugar in 
a bowl and beat until creamy:
beat egg into mixture and then stir
through flours, coconut and chocolate:
roll 2 tablespoons of mixture at a time into balls:
place balls on lined baking trays and flatten slightly:
bake in preheated oven 190°c/ gas 5 for 15 minutes
or until cookies are lightly browned:
cool on trays: serve with hot chocolate:
makes 20:

Saturday 6 March 2010

⨸⋌ everyone stops for tea

somehow a cup of tea or coffee is so much more
if accompanied by a slice of fruity cake:
this recipe is light and moreish:
I'm not quite sure where the original recipe came from
but I adapt this to whatever fruit or nuts I have in the cupboard:
it's a breeze to make as there's no elbow/mixer
grease needed ^_* 
anytime tea cake

you will need :
220g plain flour
170g caster sugar
90g nuts *I chopped up pecans*
175g dried fruits 
*I used sour cherries, seedless raisins and a few chopped up prunes*
125g butter
1½ teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
60ml milk
a few spoonfuls of demerara sugar

set your oven to 160°c/ gas 4:
line a 16x10cm loaf tin with greaseproof:
in a large bowl ~ sift the flour and baking powder:
mix in the caster sugar, nuts and dried fruits:
melt the butter *I zap it in the microwave*
then add the milk, then add the eggs and mix well:
gently mix the wet ingredients into your large bowl of dried:
pile into your lined loaf tin and shower the top
with some demerara sugar for crrrunch!
bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, but test with a skewer
after one hour and see how you go:
cool in the tin then turn out:
you'll have trouble slicing this if it's still warm so
you'll have to be patient:
will keep in the tin for 3-4 days:
*try dried cranberries and walnuts, or sultanas and almonds*