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Welcome to SUE'S KITCHEN.Accessible recipes,
useful information & tips on cooking for blind & visually
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Cakes & Biscuits Recipes Page. |
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The things to remember when making an all-in-one sponge cake like this one, are, to add baking powder to help achieve a lighter result and never to overwork the mixture, just combine them together until they are smooth. This is a very convenient method to use if your in a bit of a hurry, but if you are used to traditional methods of baking you might find that cakes cooked like this are a little more crumbly and sometimes don’t keep for quite as long, but hey, what does that matter if you’re going to eat it straight away anyway.
Before you start, set the oven to 180 C, 350 F, Gas mark 4, 160 Fan.
Grease and line your 2 lb, 900g, loaf tin. Brush or wipe round the inside with a little butter or margarine, then either use a ready made loaf tin liner or a sheet of greaseproof or parchment paper cut to size, see glossary for extra information. Line the inside of the tin with this sheet of paper, pressing it smoothly into position. Now Grease again.
Take a pack of butter or margarine (your choice) from the fridge and leave it at room temperature for about half an hour to soften. Using two small pot or Pyrex bowls, break each of your eggs separately into one by tapping sharply half way along on the top rim until you feel the shell give, hold it over the bowl in both hands, with your thumbs underneath, prise the shell apart, letting the egg fall into the bowl, now smell it to ensure that its fresh, tip it into the other bowl. When all your eggs have been transferred, beat them thoroughly with a fork.
Remove the rind from the orange using a coarse metal grater with a plate underneath, taking away just enough of the zest to roughen the skin then tap the grater to knock out all the fine rind.
Put 6 oz, 175 g, each of softened butter or margarine, caster sugar, and sifted s.r-flour, into a large heavy mixing bowl. Add one tsp, 5 ml, baking powder, the finely grated rind of one large orange, and three medium-sized eggs.
Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Using the back of a metal tbsp, working from the outside in, turning the bowl as you go, gently fold in 4 oz, 100 g, of either milk or plain chocolate chips. Spoon into a greased, lined, large loaf tin, smooth the top surface gently with a flat bladed palate knife, then bake for 50 to 55 mins, until risen, firm to the touch and golden, or when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out feeling clean. Leave in the tin for about 20 mins, then turn on to a cooling rack to go completely cold. Do this by putting the rack on a flat surface, hold the tin upside down over it in both hands and shake it gently. The cake should slide out easily. This cake will keep, if wrapped, in an airtight tin or container for two to three days. Don’t forget to remove the greaseproof or parchment paper, before you eat it.
Slice and enjoy!
Happy cooking,
Sue.
You will need.
4 oz, 110 g, of caster sugar.
4 oz, 110 g, of butter or margarine.
8 oz, 225 g, self-raising flour.
5 oz, 150 g, 1 small tub glace cherries. Add a few more if you like them, the amount
is not critical.
Two medium sized eggs.
Three or four tbsps cold milk.
1 heaped tsp of ground ginger (optional)
a few drops of vanilla essence or extract (optional).
Set the oven to gas mark 4, 350 f, 180 C, 160 Fan.
Grease a 2 lb, 900 g, oblong, loaf tin and line it, with either a ready-made liner, or by measuring and cutting a sheet of greaseproof or parchment paper to fit, (see glossary on how to grease and line cake tins for more information).
Now grease the liner or paper as well.
Wash the cherries in a small bowl of cold water to remove the syrup, drain them and put them onto a plate and cut each one in half.
Lay a double thickness of kitchen towel or absorbent paper on your work top and spread the cherries out on it. Cover them over with absorbent paper so that they are now sandwiched between the two layers, and pat them dry to remove any moisture or stickiness. Now that you've done this the cherries will not sink to the bottom of the cake during cooking.
Leave the cherries to one side, still in their paper while you carry on preparing the cake.
Break the eggs into a small bowl, smell them to make sure that they are fresh, beat with a fork for a minute to add some air.
now stir in the milk and a few drops of vanilla essence or extract if you wish to use this, by covering the top of the bottle with your finger so that you can monitor the amount coming out, (vanilla extract is less potent so you will need to add more of it). Leave this bowl on one side.
Sift the flour and ground ginger (optional) into a large mixing bowl.
Break the butter or margarine into small pieces and drop them into the centre of the flour. Now, using the fingertips and thumbs of both hands, rub the fat into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. (see glossary on the rubbing in method for more information).
Next, use a tablespoon to stir in the sugar.
Now, remove the cherries from the paper and stir them in until they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
Pour in the egg and milk and stir well.
Now that all the ingredients have been combined, the cake should be of a soft, (dropping consistency), which means
that it should fall easily from the tablespoon when shaken gently over the bowl. If it is necessary to tap or shake the spoon vigorously when you try this, add a little more milk, stir the cake again and repeat the process.
Spoon the cake mix into your prepared tin. Level the top surface with a round bladed knife, by keeping the blade flat and skimming it along the length of the tin, it will ensure that the mixture spreads out evenly, right to the edges and corners
Cook just below the centre of the pre-heated oven for about an hour and five minutes, by which time your cake will be golden and firm to the touch.
Leave it in the tin to cool for about 20 minutes, then put a cooling rack on a clean work top, hold the tin in both hands, upside down over it, give it a gentle shake and the cake should slide out easily on to it. Leave to go completely cold before storing in an airtight tin.
Eat as soon as possible for best results.
The reason why I have called this cake rustic is that you will notice that the top surface will have cracked open a little bit during cooking, this is quite normal. The rubbing in' method used to make this cake, doesn't give the same even texture and result as in a more usual light sponge.
You will need to eat this cake within a few days to taste it at its best but I love it when it has cooled just enough to take it from its tin, peel back the paper and slice it straight away when it is still crusty on top and
really warm and moist in the centre.
If you want to, you can make the cake without the cherries, and when it’s cold, slice it, and spread with a little butter or margarine.
Alternatively, replace the cherries with sultanas, or omit one ounce of flour and add a tablespoon of coco powder or drinking chocolate.
Enjoy it,
happy cooking,
Sue.
You will need.
2 oz, 50 g, of butter or margarine
2 oz, 50 g, 2 rounded tbsps golden syrup
1 and a half oz, 40 g, 1 and a half level tbsps of caster sugar.
4 oz, 110 g, 4 heaped tbsps of self-raising
flour.
2 level tsps of ground or powdered ginger.
1 level tsp of bicarbonate of soda or
baking soda.
a little extra margarine for greasing the
tins.
First, set the oven to fairly hot, 375 f, 190 c, gas mark 5, 160 fan.
Grease two baking trays or cookie sheets, it would help if they had a slightly raised edge and extended rims at either end so they can be held securely with your oven gloves, that way, the biscuits won’t slide off when the trays are being lifted in to, or out of the oven.
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda or baking soda and ginger into a large mixing bowl.
Measure out the butter or margarine, golden syrup and caster sugar into a small saucepan. When measuring the syrup into the saucepan, it might help if you use a metal tablespoon, if you either run it under hot water first, or, alternatively, grease it with a little butter or margarine, the syrup will slide off the spoon quite easily.
Heat gently on the stove, stirring all the time with a sturdy plastic spoon, until the fat has melted. As you stir, the pieces of fat will become smaller, the syrup will feel more liquid, however the sugar will still be a little granular.
It will only take about a minute to do this, keep the heat low and don't boil the mixture! Your spoon will become less resistant as the fat and syrup melt, but you will still hear the sugar granules crunching a little as you stir.
Add the melted syrup mixture to the flour. It might help it to come out of the pan more easily, if you use a flat plastic flexible scraper or spatula.
Mix the ingredients together well, using a wooden spoon. By now the dough will be soft and pliable, a bit like a slightly sticky pastry.
Now, pull off small pieces of mix and make into balls the size of a hazel or cob nut.
If the mixture sticks to your fingers too much while you're trying to roll it, just sprinkle a little extra flour on your hands first. You'll know if the little balls are about the right size because you should be able to make about sixteen biscuits.
Place them on the greased baking sheets, a little way apart, so that they will have room to spread out during cooking.
Gently press the top of each one with the centre of the palm of your hand, just so they have a slightly flattened top.
With the exception of fan ovens, which are at an even temperature throughout, If your trays won't fit side by side on your oven shelf, bake each one separately in the centre of the oven for fifteen to twenty minutes, by which time the biscuits will have spread and will be a light golden colour. They will still be quite soft to the touch now though, but they will harden up when removed from the baking sheets and placed in a single layer on a wire mesh rack to cool for half an hour or so.
Don't be disappointed if you find that there not quite crispy enough when they’ve gone completely cold, the first time you bake them. To get biscuits just right, it very much depends on the exact cooking time matching up to the temperature of your own individual oven. Adding the bicarbonate of soda helps with this too!
These biscuits are lovely to eat in the afternoon with a cup of tea. I think that the flavour of the tea is extra special after a bite of one of these lovely crunchy biscuits, or is it the other way round? I'll leave it up to you to decide.
Enjoy them,
happy cooking,
Sue.
My adaptation of the traditional Victoria sandwich, is baked using the (all in one) method, and this sponge should cut into 8 pieces.
You will need:-
6 oz, 175 g, soft
butter or margarine at room temperature.
6 oz, 175 g, caster sugar.
6 oz, 175 g,
self-raising flour.
3 medium sized eggs,
at room temperature.
1 and a half level
teaspoons of baking powder.
A few drops of vanilla
essence or extract.
With a little extra butter or margarine, Grease then line the bases of 2 7 inch (18 cm) diameter 1 and a half to 2 inches (4 and a half to 5 cm) deep. sandwich cake tins with greaseproof or silicone (bakewell) paper, or a ready-made cake tin liner, then lightly grease the paper again. (see glossary, lining cake tins) for further information.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl.
Weigh out the sugar, and butter or margarine, and add them to the bowl.
Break each egg separately into a small bowl to make sure that it is fresh, before transferring them into the large mixing bowl with the other ingredients.
Add a few drops of vanilla essence, but cover the top of the bottle with the tip of one finger to prevent too much coming out all at once, remember that vanilla extract is less concentrated. If you prefer you can transfer the essence or extract into a clean, glass, dropper bottle and dispense it by inserting the glass dropper into the bottle, squeezing the bulbous rubber top to draw up a small amount, then squeezing its contence into the mixing bowl. Please be careful though, because even using this method it is still possible to dispense too much. It might be a good idea to monitor the amount being dispensed, with a finger.
Using an electric hand mixer, beat the ingredients together well. When thoroughly mixed, which should only take a few minutes, it will be a little bit softer than a normal light sponge, what’s called a (soft dropping consistency), which means that it will fall easily from the spoon when it is shaken lightly over the bowl.
Transfer the mixture, a tablespoon at a time, alternately, into the two prepared tins.
Level the top of each tin with a flat bladed palette knife by keeping the blade flat (horizontal), and skimming it across the top, from edge to edge, giving the tin a quarter turn each time to evenly distribute the mixture.
Transfer the tins to the centre shelf of the pre-heated oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes, by which time your cake should be firm but springy to the touch and shrinking away from the sides of the tin slightly, (see glossary is my cake cooked) for more information.
Don’t be tempted to check on the progress of your sponge until it has been in the oven for at least 25 minutes or a little earlier if you are using a fan oven.
Leave the cakes in the tin to cool for just a couple of minutes before tipping them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Don’t forget to remove the lining paper before spreading to or 3 tablespoons of strawberry jam, over the base of one of the sponges with a flat bladed palette knife. Now sandwich the two sponges together, pressing gently all the way round to create a good seal.
Dust the top of the cake with a little sifted icing sugar before storing in an airtight tin. This cake will keep for 3 to 4 days, but my guess is that you will want to eat it straight away while the sponge is moist.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
You will need:-
240 g, or eight and a half ounces of softened, salted butter (you could use unsalted if you prefer), taken out of
the fridge and left at room temperature for an hour or so before you start
baking.
200 g, or seven ounces of caster
sugar plus an extra 2 tbsps for sprinkling over the top of the cake.
The grated zest and juice of 1 lemon (you can use two tbsps of ready-prepared lemon
juice instead if you don’t have a lemon squeezer).
Three large eggs.
210 g, or seven and a half ounces of self-raising flour.
90 g, or three and a quarter ounces
of plain flour.
50 g, or 2 ounces, 2 level tbsps ground
almonds (optional).
You can use either a two lb, 900g, loaf tin or an 8 inch (20 cm) round, deep sided cake tin (I have used both tins with equal
success).
Grease your tin with a little butter then line it with either greaseproof or parchment paper, then Grease that again.
Begin by Preheating the oven to 170C or 325F or gas mark 3.
With a fan oven I use 160C and find it works well.
Break your eggs into a bowl to make sure they are fresh and beat them together well with a fork.
Using either the traditional wooden spoon, or your electric hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
Next, grate and add the lemon rind or zest.
Add the eggs a little at a time along with a small amount of flour to prevent the mixture from curdling, beating well between each addition.
Now, please don’t use your mixer for the next stage.
Carefully mix or fold in the rest of the flour with the back of a metal tablespoon, pushing it gently through the mixture and turning the bowl round a little after a few strokes. Then, finally, fold in the lemon juice.
Spoon your cake mixture into the prepared loaf or cake tin and level the top surface with a flat bladed knife.
Sprinkle the top with a little caster sugar, (about two tablespoons), just before it goes into the oven.
Bake for one hour or until the top surface of your cake is firm to the touch and a tester or skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre. Bear in mind that you will be able to feel the thin layer of caster sugar on top, which gives a lovely crunchy texture and slightly sweet topping.
Let the cake cool in its tin for about half an hour before turning it out onto a wire rack to go completely cold.
This cake will keep moist and last well for several days if stored in an airtight tin or container, particularly if you leave it wrapped in its paper.
Mind you, if you’re anything like us, when Shirley Grant made this cake for us it was just so delicious that we simply couldn’t resist it!
I challenge you to try not to eat it all in one day!!
Happy cooking,
Sue.
To make 8 large or 16 small squares or chunks.
You will need.
8 oz, 225 g, butter or margarine.
12 oz, 350 g, porridge oats.
2 oz, 50 g, Demerara sugar.
3 tbsps golden syrup.
2 oz, 50 g, raisins.
A little extra Demerara sugar for sprinkling over the flapjack.
Grease a tin that's approximately 10 inch, 25.5 cm long, by 7 inch, 18 cm wide, by 1 inch, 2.5 cm deep. In other words, a shallow oblong baking tray, sometimes called a Swiss roll tin.
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 180 c, 350 f, 160 Fan.
Weigh out the Demerara sugar and oats into a large mixing bowl.
Measure out the raisins and leave in another small bowl.
Gently melt the butter in a large saucepan, taking care not to over heat it. If you keep the pan on a low heat and use a heat resistant plastic or wooden spoon to stir it, you will feel the butter turn to liquid and start to sizzle a little, as soon as it does this remove it from the hob on to a heat resistant work surface immediately.
Now stir in the oats and sugar.
Now add the raisins.
Add the golden syrup with a warm tablespoon which will help it to run off into the saucepan more easily.
The mixture should now be moist and quite soft.
Spoon it into the greased baking tray, and level the surface with a flat bladed pallet knife.
Pressing the mixture down well so that it is firm and smooth on top, pushing the raisins in firmly so that they do not burn.
Sprinkle the top with a little more Demerara sugar.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 40 minutes until golden and light brown. The flapjack will still be soft to the touch when you take it out of the oven, but will harden up as it cools in the tin.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes, before using a large, sharp knife to cut it into strips or small squares. I wouldn't worry too much about the shape of the pieces if I were you, just as long as you end up with bite sized chunks.
Leave the flapjack in the tin to go completely cold.
Remove it with a fish slice and store it in an airtight tin or container.
This is really lovely, so I bet it won't be long before you make another batch.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
See below to find out why these little cakes are steeped in history!
To make 14 cakes,
You will need.
To make the pastry.
4 oz, 110 g, self-raising flour.
2 oz, 50 g, lard.
A tiny pinch of salt.
2 to 3 tbsps of cold water.
To make the sponge,
4 oz, 110 g, self-raising flour,
1 oz, 25 g, ground almonds, (optional).
2 oz, 50g, caster sugar,
2 oz, 50 g, softened butter or margarine taken out of the fridge about an hour before you need to use it.
1 egg.
1 tbsp milk.
A little extra butter or margarine to grease your tins.
For the filling,
1 small jar of jam, it doesn't really matter which, strawberry or apricot will be fine.
Set your oven to gas mark 6, 400 f, 200 C, 180 Fan.
Lightly grease two patty tins,, the tins with the small round compartments that you bake mince pies or jam tarts in.
Now make the pastry.
Try and keep your hands as cool as possible and use your lard straight from the fridge.
Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.
Break the lard into small pieces and drop it into a well in the centre of the flour.
Rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Do this by picking up a little of the mix between the tips of the fingers and thumbs of both hands, then use your thumbs to rub the mixture against your fingers to break up the fat and rub it into the flour, letting the mix trickle through your fingers, back into the bowl again. When you can't feel any more cool sticky pieces of fat, gradually add your cold water, a tablespoon at a time, to the mix, stirring it between additions with a flat bladed knife. As soon as you feel the mixture starting to come together, use your hands to bring it into a ball.
Lightly flour your work top and use a floured rolling pin to roll out your pastry fairly thinly. Now, use a 2 inch pastry cutter to cut out the pastry circles to line your patty tins. You may need to re-roll the remaining pastry again to be able to cut out the required amount. Transfer the pastry circles into a clean plastic bag and put them in the fridge to keep cool while you make the sponge.
(For more information on making and rolling out pastry, see my preparation and cooking methods section(.
To make the sponge topping.
Cream the caster sugar and butter or margarine together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Either use an electric hand mixer to do this or a good old-fashioned wooden spoon.
Break the egg into a clean bowl to make sure its fresh. Whisk it with a fork, Then add 1 tablespoon of milk to it.
Now, add this to the mixing bowl, a little at a time, beating well with your wooden spoon or electric mixer between additions. Finally gently stir in the flour using the back of a metal tablespoon. Work from the outside in to the centre of the mixture, turning the bowl round as you stir, this will only take a minute or so.
Take your pastry circles out of the fridge and put one into each of your patty tins so that they are sitting centrally and evenly making sure that you do not stretch the pastry.
Put a level teaspoon of jam into the centre of every pastry case.
Now, add 1 heaped teaspoon of the sponge mixture to each one, gently levelling their tops with a round bladed knife. Do this very carefully, so as not to disturb the jam underneath.
Bake fairly near the top of the pre-heated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, by which time the sponge will be well risen and firm to the touch.
Leave them in the tins to cool slightly before transferring to a cooling rack to go completely cold.
My recipe is a modern version of The little cakes which were said to be a delicacy very much in favour with those Maids of Honour at the court of Anne Boleyn. Maids of Honour tarts, Richmond's greatest contribution to the culinary arts are believed to have originated in the Royal kitchens at Hampton Court. Legend has it that the recipe was locked away in an iron chest until it was rediscovered by Henry VIII who presented it to Anne Boleyn, lady-in-waiting to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. She is believed to have made the tarts for Henry who, in turn, named them 'Maids of Honour' after her.
Another story has it that Henry came across Anne and other attendants eating the cakes from a silver dish and, after tasting them, was so delighted that the recipe was kept secret and locked in an iron box in Richmond Palace.
Yet a third version claims that, in order to protect the secret, the unfortunate 'maid' who invented the tarts was imprisoned within the Palace grounds and ordered to produce the pastries solely for Henry and the Royal Household.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
You will need.
1 medium orange, about 6 oz, 175g
6 oz, 175 g, butter or margarine,
softened,
6 oz, 175 g, light muscavado or light brown sugar
6 oz,
175 g, self-raising flour
3 medium sized eggs,
half a level teaspoon
of bicarbonate of soda,
2 oz, 50 g, ground almonds
Icing sugar for
dredging
Preheat oven to 375 f, 190 C, Gas 5, 170 fan.
Grease and base line a round shallow cake tin that is 9 inches, (23 cm), in diameter by 2 inches, 5cm deep, and grease the paper as well to help the cake turn out of the tin more easily.
Take your butter or margarine and eggs out of the fridge about an hour before you start making the cake to allow them to come up to kitchen temperature.
Now you can either make the cake in your food processor, or if you don't have one, just use your blender or liquidizer to pure the orange, then an electric hand mixer to make the cake instead.
Cut the whole orange, skin, Pith, flesh, into pieces. Remove any pips, then whiz it in your processor, blender or liquidizer to a fine puree. Do this a little at a time, using a pusher to help the bits of orange make contact with the blades. Its time consuming, so you may like to do it in advance, storing the puréed orange in a small airtight container in the fridge.
Add the butter or margarine, sugar, eggs, flour, bicarbonate of soda and almonds to the orange in the processor and whiz for 10 seconds until smooth.
Alternatively, if you have pureed your orange in a blender or liquidizer, beat your eggs in a separate bowl before adding them to all the other ingredients including the orange, in a large mixing bowl. All you need to do then, is whisk everything together for a couple of minutes.
This cake has a (soft dropping consistency, please see my section on making cakes for more details).
Transfer the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top with a flat bladed knife.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the cake has risen and is golden brown.
Allow it to cool in the tin for about 15 minutes, Before turning it out onto a wire rack to go completely cold.
Dredge thickly with sifted icing sugar before serving.
This lovely moist beautifully flavoured orange cake keeps for a week in a tin, or airtight container.
Thank you for this recipe Miriam, it has become one of our favourites.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
Dundee cake will be ideal for Christmas, for those who prefer a fruit cake with a lighter more crumbly texture.
Unlike the shop bought version, this home-made cake will improve in flavour and texture with keeping, so try to leave it for a few days after you’ve made it, if you possibly can!, before you eat it.
You will notice that this recipe has been adapted for my American friends, it gives cup measures too, as a guide, each Standard full cup, (as sold here in the u.k), holds 4 oz, 110 g, of flour, i.e. 4 heaped or heaping tablespoons.
(Please see my glossary of preparation techniques for more helpful information on making cakes).
To make the cake,
You will need.
Five ounces, 150 g, one and a quarter sticks of butter at room temperature.
Five ounces, 150 g, three-quarters of a cup plus two tablespoons, caster or fine grade sugar.
Three medium sized eggs.
Eight ounces, 225 g, two cups, plain or all purpose flour, sifted.
One level teaspoon of baking powder or baking soda.
Six ounces, 175 g, one and a quarter cups, currants.
6 ounces, 175 g, one and a quarter cups, sultanas or golden rasens seedless.
Two ounces, 50 g, a quarter of a cup, glace or candied cherries, rinsed, dried and cut in half. This is done to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake while its cooking.
Two ounces, 50 g, 2 heaped tablespoons, mixed peel or candied peel, finely chopped.
Two ounces, 50 G, two level tablespoons of ground almonds.
The grated rind or zest of one small orange,
The grated rind or zest of one small lemon.
Two ounces, 50 g, 2 tablespoons of whole, blanched almonds put on one side ready to decorate the top of the cake just before it goes into the oven.
Pre-heat your oven to gas mark 3, 325 f, 170 c, 150 fan.
First, grease a seven or eight inch, 18 or 20 cm, round cake tin or cake pan and line
the base and sides with greaseproof, waxed paper, or silicone bakewell parchment paper. Now grease this as well.
Put the butter into a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, and cream them together with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy. If you have an electric mixer to help you do this, so much the better.
Now, break each egg separately into a small bowl to make sure its fresh before tipping into a clean bowl and beating together well with a fork.
Gradually add the egg to the creamed butter and sugar a little at a time, beating well between additions.
When all the egg has been added and plenty of air has been beaten in, put your electric mixer on one side and take a metal tablespoon and gently fold in the flour and baking powder or baking soda.
Work the flour in from the outside of the bowl, pushing the back of the spoon gently into the centre, lift the spoon up, turn the bowl a little and repeat the process until the flour is combined.
Next, gently fold in the other cake ingredients: currants, sultanas, cherries, mixed peel, ground almonds and orange and lemon rind.
The mixture should now be (of a soft, dropping consistency(, which means that it should fall easily from the tablespoon when gently shaken above the bowl. If it still seems a bit dry, add a dessertspoon of milk and test it again.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin, spreading it out evenly, leveling the top with a large, wide, flat bladed knife. Then carefully arrange the whole almonds in circles on top but drop them on very lightly because if you press them in they will disappear into the cake during cooking.
Put the tin into the centre of the pre-heated oven, and bake for two to two and a half hours or until the centre is firm and springy to the touch.
Allow it to cool completely before turning it out of the tin.
Leave it wrapped in the paper and stored in an airtight container.
Dundee cake makes an excellent substitute for Christmas cake if you don’t like a heavy, rich fruit cake. Make it a few days before Christmas and serve it to your family and friends as part of your Christmas Day Tea.
I am sure you will enjoy it,
happy cooking,
Sue.
If you prefer your scones with a bit of extra flavour, why not try adding some dried fruit.
To make a batch,
You will need.
Eight ounces, 225 g, of self-raising flour, two cups.
A tiny pinch of salt,
Two level tablespoons, 2 oz, 50 g, of caster or fine grade sugar,
two ounces, 50 g, 2 heaped tablespoons of mixed dried fruit, half a cup heaped.
Three ounces of butter or margarine, 75 g, three-quarters of a stick,
one medium egg, beaten,
about three to four tablespoons of milk,
A little extra butter or margarine to grease the tin and flour for dusting.
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 7, 425 F, 220 C, 200 fan
grease a large, shallow baking tray or swiss roll tin with a little butter or margarine.
Sift the flour, salt and sugar into a large mixing bowl.
Now, rub the fat into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until it has been incorporated, , which will only take a minute or so. (please see my glossary on making pastry for more detailed information).
Now add the dried fruit to the bowl.
Break the egg into a small bowl and beat well, then add 3 tablespoons of milk.
pour this into the mixing bowl and stir to combine everything together.
Use your hands now to start to bring the mixture into a soft but not sticky ball, add a little
more milk if the mixture will not come together, or if any dry ingredients is left in the bottom of the bowl.
Put the dough on a floured board and knead it slightly.
Using a floured rolling-pin to prevent the dough from sticking, lightly pat and roll it out to a thickness of about three-quarters of an inch, 2 cms.
Now, use a 2 inch, 4.5 cm pastry cutter, either fluted or plain, and tap it down sharply so that it goes straight through the dough. Do not twist the cutter or the scones might become a very funny shape!
When you have cut out as many as you can, knead the dough together again and repeat the rolling out process.
Now, place the scones on the greased baking tray a little way apart.
Dust them with a little flour and bake near the top of the pre-heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes.
When the scones are cooked they will have risen and turned a golden brown and be firm to the touch.
Transfer them on to a wire rack to cool and eat as soon as they have gone completely cold while they are still nice and moist.
Cut them in half, and either just spread them with butter, or, alternatively, spread them with jam and clotted or whipped cream.
eat when they are as fresh as possible, but if you do have any left over, which is unlikely because they’re lovely, you can warm them up again for a few minutes, in a low oven, the next day.
Happy cooking.
Sue.
I make no excuse for including these lovely little teatime treats because my nanna always used to make them for my sister and I when we visited her for tea on a Saturday. They are extremely easy to make, but always seem to taste fabulous with a cup of tea.
To make 10 to 12.
You will need.
12 oz, 350 g, of plain white flour,
1 level tsp salt,
2 level tsps of baking powder,
1 level tsp of freshly grated or ground nutmeg,
1 tsp mixed spice,
6 oz, 175 g, of butter or margarine taken straight from the fridge,
6 oz, 175 g, of soft light brown sugar,
4 oz, 110 g, sultanas, ,
1 large egg,
1 to 2 tbsps of milk.
A little extra butter or margarine for greasing.
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 5, 375 f, 190 c, 170 fan.
Grease 1 large. or two small baking sheets.
Put the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar into a large mixing bowl, using your fingers to make sure that the sugar isn’t sticking together. then add the spices.
Break up and drop in the butter or margarine, then use the thumbs and fingertips of both hands to “rub it in”, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. (please see my glossary section on making pastry for more detailed information).
Now, stir in the fruit and mixed peel.
Next, break the egg into a separate bowl to make sure its fresh and whisk it well with a fork, then add it to the mixing bowl.
Stir well with a flat bladed knife until the mixture begins to stick together to form a stiff dough in your bowl. You may need to add a tablespoon or so of milk at this stage, if there are any dry bits that do not mix in. The mix will form itself into a mound.
Using a tablespoon, pile the mixture in irregular spiky heaps on the greased baking sheets, leaving a gap between each one.
Bake, just above the centre of your oven, with the exception of fan that has a regular temperature throughout, for between 15 to 20 minutes or until the cakes are golden brown and firm to the touch.
Please don’t worry about their unusual shape, and slightly crumbly nature, this is part of their charm, hence their name!!
Leave them to cool slightly on the trays before using a spatula or fish slice to lift them onto a cooling rack.
Store in an airtight tin and eat as soon as possible, or if you are anything like me, straight away.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
A plain scone is the most popular adaptive little cake-cum-pastry ever made! It can be either simply sliced in half and spread with butter or the recipe can be adapted and fruit or cheese added.
To make one batch.
You will need.
Eight ounces, 225 G, two cups of self-raising flour,
Two ounces, 50 G, half a stick, butter or margarine, taken straight from the fridge,
A quarter of a pint, 150 ml, 5 fluid ounces or three-quarters of a cup of milk,
One and a half level tablespoons of caster or fine grade sugar,
A tiny pinch of salt,
Flour for dusting.
You may need a little extra milk.
A little extra margarine for greasing the tin.
For the filling,
Either a good spreading of butter for each one, or, One small carton of clotted cream or a quarter of a pint, 150 ml, 5 fluid ounces or three-quarters of a cup of double or heavy cream, whipped.
A small jar of Strawberry jam, or jelly (American).
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 7, 425 F, 220 C, 200 fan
Grease a shallow, oblong baking sheet, (Swiss roll tin).
Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.
Keeping your hands as cool as possible, rub the butter into the flour, using your fingertips, which will not take long with such a small amount of fat. (please see my glossary section on making pastry for more detailed information).
Now stir in the sugar.
Using a round bladed knife, mix in the milk a little at a time and when it has all been added, flour your hands and bring the mixture into a ball in your bowl. if the mixture won't come together properly, leaving dry bits behind in the bottom of the bowl, you need to drop it back in, add a little more milk then try again.
Put your dough on a floured board and knead it slightly.
Now, using a floured rolling-pin to prevent the dough from sticking to it, lightly pat and roll it out to a thickness of about three-quarters of an inch, 2 cms, then take a 2 inch, 4.5 cm pastry cutter, it doesn't matter if it is fluted or plain, and tap it down sharply so that it goes straight through the dough. Do not twist it or the scones will turn out to be a very strange shape!
When you have cut out as many as you can, knead the dough together again and repeat the rolling and cutting out process.
Now, place the scones on the greased baking tray a little way apart.
Dust each one with flour and bake near the top of the pre-heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes.
When the scones are cooked they will have risen and turned a golden brown and be firm to the touch.
Transfer them on to a wire rack to cool and eat as soon as they have gone cold for the best flavour.
Cut them in half, and either just spread them with butter, or, alternatively, jam and clotted or whipped cream.
These scones are best eaten when they are as fresh as possible, but if you do have any left over you can warm them up again gently in a low oven and eat them the next day.
Happy cooking.
Sue.
I wrote this recipe especially for Audrey, our TAFN Secretary.
For the basic biscuits,
You will need.
110 g, 4 ounces of either butter or margarine, softened at room temperature.
50
g, 2 ounces of caster sugar.
150 g, 5 ounces of plain flour.
A little
extra butter or margarine to grease the tins.
If you don't want just a plain biscuit, choose your favourite flavouring from my ideas at the end of the recipe and combine with your butter and sugar or flour before baking.
Start by pre-heating the oven to 180 c, 350 f, gas mark 4, 160 fan.
Grease two large baking sheets.
Cream the softened butter and caster sugar, with a wooden spoon, in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
Stir in the flour and then bring the mixture together with your hands to form a soft dough.
Divide and shape the dough into small balls, each about the size of a walnut.
Place the little balls, well spaced apart, on the greased baking sheets.
Using the palm of your hand, slightly flatten the top of each one.
Bake Near the top of the oven for between 15 and 20 minutes, until pale and golden. You may have to cook each tray separately unless you have a fan oven where the tins can go in, one below the other, as your oven will be an even temperature throughout.
The biscuits will still feel soft when they first come out of the oven.
Cool on the trays for 5 minutes, then use a fish slice to transfer the biscuits on to a cooling rack. Leave to go completely cold, by this time they should be nice and crunchy.
They will keep well for a few days if stored in an airtight tin.
If they do not seem crunchy enough, just cook them for an extra couple of minutes the next time you bake them, because, believe me, there will be more than many a next time!!
Choose and add your favourite flavouring to the basic biscuits.
Once you have creamed the butter and sugar together you can add:
Either,
A few drops of almond or vanilla essence
1 heaped teaspoon of instant
coffee, dissolved in 1 tablespoon boiling water
1 heaped tablespoon of honey
or golden syrup, added with either a greased or hot spoon
50 g, 2 ounces
of chopped glace cherries
50 g, 2 ounces, finely chopped walnuts or hazelnuts
5
ml, 1 teaspoon, the grated rind of half a small orange or lemon
50 g, 2
level tablespoons of choc chips
50 g, 2 ounces, 2 level tablespoons of either
currants or sultanas.
Alternatively, you could Replace 15 g, or 1 tablespoon of the flour with 1 tablespoon of coco powder.
Or, Add 1 tsp of either ground ginger, mixed spice, or ground cinnamon to the flour. You could even combine several flavours together. I'm sure you could choose more and be inventive too!!
Happy cooking,
Sue.
Whether you decide to make the alcoholic or non-alcoholic version of this banana loaf, you won't be disappointed with the result, I promise.
You will need.
100 g, or 3 and a half ounces sultanas
75 ml, or 3 fluid ounces
4 or 5 tablespoons of orange juice, or dark rum or bourbon
175 g, or
6 ounces of plain flour
2 level teaspoons of baking powder
half a teaspoon
of bicarbonate of soda
125 g, or 4 and a half ounces melted butter or margarine,
150 g, or 5 ounces of caster sugar
2 large eggs
4 small
very ripe bananas mashed, weighing about 300 g, or 10 and a half ounces weighed
without their skins.
60 g, or 2 and a half ounces of chopped walnuts (optional)
1
teaspoon of vanilla extractor essence.
You will need a 2 pound, 900 g, deep sided oblong loaf tin or bread tin, either buttered and lightly floured, or lined with a non-stick paper case lining.
Put the sultanas and rum or orange juice into a small saucepan and bring it gently to just boiling point but do not let it boil. Remove the pan from the heat, cover and leave for an hour if you can, or until the sultanas have absorbed most of the liquid, then drain.
Pre-heat the oven to 170 c, 325 f, gas mark 3, 150 fan.
Melt the butter in a small pan on a low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until you hear it sizzling a little and the knob of butter dissolves. Alternatively, you can melt it in a small bowl on medium power in the microwave checking and stirring it regularly until its runny.
Break your eggs separately to make sure they are fresh, then beat them together well with a fork.
Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt in to a medium sized mixing bowl and, using your hands or a wooden spoon combine together well.
Now, in a large mixing bowl, put the melted butter and sugar and beat with a wooden spoon until blended, then add the eggs a little at a time, then, add the mashed bananas.
Then with your wooden spoon, stir in the walnuts, drained sultanas and vanilla extract or essence.
Now, using a tablespoon, fold in the flour mixture, a third at a time, stirring well after each addition.
You will now have a soft dropping consistency where the mixture will fall easily from the spoon.
Spoon into the prepared loaf tin, level the top with a flat-bladed knife, and bake in the centre of the oven for between one hour and an hour and a quarter, as you may find that it cooks a little more quickly in a fan oven.
When it is ready, if you insert a fine skewer into the centre, it should come out feeling slightly sticky but clean.
Leave in the tin to cool, and eat thickly or finely sliced, as you prefer.
This cake keeps well, stored in an airtight tin.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
Shortbread is often made at Christmas time, wrapped in greaseproof paper, placed in a nice festive tin and given away as presents.
This shortbread is made in one piece in a tin and then cut into wedges.
The optional addition of fine semolina gives it a crunchier texture.
You will need.
Six ounces, 175 g, butter at room temperature,
three ounces, 75 g, caster sugar,
six ounces, 175 g, plain flour sifted,
three ounces, 75 g, three level tablespoons of fine semolina (optional),
icing sugar for dusting.
A little extra butter to grease your tin.
Extra flour for dredging.
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 2, 300 f, 150 c, 130 fan.
grease an eight inch, 20 cm, fluted loose bottomed flan tin, or, alternatively, you can use an oblong tin measuring 11 by 7 inches,
28 by 18 cm, usually known as a Swiss roll tin or shallow baking tray.
First of all, beat the butter in a bowl to soften it, then beat in the caster sugar, followed by the sifted flour and the semolina.
Mix the ingredients together with the spoon, pressing it against the sides of the bowl. Finish bringing it together into a ball with your hands until you have a soft dough that doesn't leave any bits behind in the bowl.
Next, transfer the dough to a floured work surface and roll it out very gently with a floured rolling pin into a circle or an oblong, , giving it a quarter turn as you roll, to help keep its shape. The dough will need to be the same size as the flan tin or Swiss roll tin when you put it the wrong side up on top of the dough.
Transfer it into the tin, Lightly pressing it right into the base and sides, Making sure
that it is pressed right into the fluted edges of the flan tin which will give the shortbread an even shape and an attractive appearance when it's cooked.
Prick the shortbread all over with a fork, this is to prevent the dough from rising up in the tin while its cooking. Bake for one to one and a quarter hours on the centre shelf of your oven,
Don't worry as the shortbread will still be pale in colour and soft to the touch when the time is up and its ready to come out.
Remove the tin from the oven and put it on a firm, heatproof surface, because you are now going to use a round bladed knife to mark out the shortbread into twelve wedges or fingers while its still warm.
Leave it to cool in the tin, then turn it out onto a large plate, cut or break the wedges apart,
dust with icing sugar and store in an airtight tin.
If you're anything like me and love shortbread, it won't be stored for very long, if at all, smile.
If you want to turn it into a dessert and make a strawberry shortcake, make a round of shortbread as above, leaving it in one piece after it has been cooked, Spread it with whipped double cream or fromage frais and top with halved fresh strawberries, just before serving. This is an excellent summer dessert for a party or for serving outside in the garden for afternoon tea.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
6 oz, 175 g, of self-raising flour,
6 oz, 175 g, of soft
margarine,
6 oz, 175 g, of caster sugar
3 medium sized eggs
2
level teaspoons of baking powder,
2 oz, 50 g, of Cadbury’s powdered
drinking chocolate
You can either add a few drops of vanilla essence Or
the grated rind of one orange (optional).
4 oz, 110 g, of soft butter or margarine,
8 oz, 225 g, of
icing sugar,
1 level tablespoon of Cadbury’s powdered drinking chocolate.
Alternatively,
you may like to try, SilverSpoon chocolate flavoured icing sugar, just
combine 8 oz, 225 g, of this with your butter or margarine to make your buttercream
filling.
Begin by pre-heating your oven to gas 4, 350 f, 180 c, 160 fan.
You will need to lightly grease two 7 inch, 18 cm, diameter Victoria sandwich cake tins, or shallow sponge tins. Then line them with greaseproof or silicone, parchment paper and lightly grease this as well.
You can buy cake tin liners, or (please see my glossary section on lining cake tins for more detailed information).
To make the cake.
Sift the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and add the margarine.
Break the eggs, one at a time, into a small bowl to make sure they are fresh before adding them to the mixing bowl.
Now add the vanilla essence or the rind of one orange if you wish. (Please see my glossary section for more detailed information on removing the rind).
Now, either using a wooden spoon or an electric hand mixer, combine all the ingredients together well.
Using a tablespoon, divide the mixture evenly between the two prepared sponge tins.
Level the top of the mixture in both tins with a large, flat-bladed knife. Keep the blade flat and Skim it across the top surface from edge to edge, then turn the tin round a little and repeat the process again. Repeat this process twice more, turning the tin a little each time and you can be sure that you’ve done a good job!
Bake the cakes on the centre shelf of your pre-heated oven for between 25 and 35 minutes, (you may find that your fan assisted oven will bake the cakes more quickly). Don’t be tempted to open the oven door until at least 20 minutes are up, or the cakes may sink in the middle and not rise evenly. When your sponges are slightly firm to the touch and light golden brown, leave them to cool in the tin for a few minutes, before turning them out, upside down onto a wire rack to cool.
While the cakes are cooling, make the buttercream filling.
Sift the icing sugar and powdered drinking chocolate into a medium sized mixing bowl and add the butter or margarine.
Using a fork, gently mix to incorporate the icing sugar, then as the mixture stiffens, beat well until smooth and creamy. This will take several minutes.
Now, Peel off the paper from your sponge cakes, lay one of them upside down on a serving plate and spoon on the buttercream. Gently spread the filling evenly over the sponge with a large, flat-bladed knife.
Carefully put your other sponge, with its soft side down, in other words, the right way up, on top of the buttercream, Pressing it in place, gently and evenly.
To add the finishing touch, dredge the top of the cake with a little icing sugar.
This cake will keep for several days if Stored in an airtight tin.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
If you feel a bit nervous, and you haven’t baked many fruit or sponge cakes before, maybe you would like to try this one.
You will need.
12 oz, 350 g, mixed dried fruit.
4 oz, 110 g, margarine,
4 oz, 110
g, soft brown sugar,
8 oz, 225 g, self-raising flour,
a quarter of a pint,
150 ml, of water.
2 medium-sized eggs.
1 level tsp of mixed spice.
Pre-heat the oven to gas3, 325 f, 170 c, 160 fan.
Prepare a 7 inch, 18 cm, cake tin by Greasing, lining and then greasing the greaseproof, parchment or silicone paper again. (please see my glossary section for more detailed information on lining and preparing cake tins).
Begin by putting the fruit, margarine, sugar and water into a large, deep sided saucepan. Put it on to the hob on a fairly low heat, and stir it well and continuously with a wooden spoon while you bring it up to simmering point. Listen for a slight hissing noise from the pan as this point is reached, but turn the heat off immediately if the contents starts to bubble. you will feel the margarine dissolving under your wooden spoon as it heats, but the sugar will still feel and sound granular, while the spoon will come up against the little pieces of fruit as your stirring. This will not take more than a couple of minutes or so.
Now, simmer this mixture, uncovered, for 20 minutes, keeping the heat low, stirring several times to prevent the mixture from sticking to the pan. Don’t leave it unattended or it will thicken and turn to toffee, so keep checking to make sure that it is not bubbling.
Next, remove the pan from the cooker and let the mixture cool for about half an hour or so.
While you are waiting,, sift the flour and mixed spice into a bowl.
Break the eggs separately into a small bowl to make sure they are fresh, before beating them together thoroughly.
Next, add the beaten eggs, flour and spice to the cooled mixture in the saucepan, and combine everything together really well.
Now its time to bake the cake, so pour this mixture into your prepared, greased and lined cake tin and level the top with a large, flat-bladed knife.
Begin by baking the cake on the centre shelf of your oven for 30 minutes. Then reduce the heat to gas 2, 300 f, 150 c, 140 fan. And continue baking for a further 1 to 1-and-a-half hours.
To see if the cake is cooked, insert a fine skewer down into the centre, if it comes out feeling just slightly sticky without any mixture stuck to it, you’ll know that it’s ready to come out of the oven.
Allow the cake to stand in its tin for about half an hour to cool slightly before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
This cake is fairly moist, it will keep fresh for a week or so if stored in an air-tight tin.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
Use a small, 150 ml, yoghurt carton to measure out the ingredients for this easy to make, delicious cake. The carton from any small yoghurt will be fine as long as you use the same one to measure everything.
Begin by Pre-heating your oven to gas 5, 350 f, 180 c, 160 fan.
You will need to grease a 2 lb, 900 g, loaf tin, then line it with greasproof or silicone parchment paper, then grease the paper again. You can buy loaf tin liners, but if you need more help, (please see my glossary section on lining cake tins for more detailed information).).
To make the cake, You will need,
1 small carton of either fruit or plain yoghurt,
tip the yoghurt into
a large mixing bowl, wash out the empty carton and dry it well.
Now add,
3 full cartons of self-raising flour,
1 and a quarter level
cartons of either castor or light brown sugar,
one full carton of vegetable
oil,
2 medium sized eggs, beaten together well
and optional extras such
as a carton of sultanas, choc chips or chopped nuts.
Stir everything together thoroughly.
Spoon the mixture into your prepared loaf tin.
Level the top surface with a flat-bladed knife.
bake for approximately 45 minutes to an hour until the cake is well risen, golden brown and firm to the touch.
You may find that if you are using a fan assisted oven it cooks in the shorter time.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin slightly, then turn it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
The light texture of the sponge gives just a hint of the fruit flavour of the yoghurt. Next time you make it, because believe me, there will be a next time, why not add a heaped teaspoon of ground ginger in with the flour, for an additional spicy taste.
I know you will really enjoy this cake.
Happy cooking,
Sue.
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