Fruit Cake

Or Half Pound cake

Ingredients 

8oz butter

8oz caster sugar

4 eggs, beaten

8oz plain flour, sifted

8oz seedless raisins 

8oz mixed currants and sultanas

4oz glace cherries, chopped

pinch of salt

11/2 tsp mixed spice

1 tbsp brandy

whole blanched almonds, to decorate

Method

  Grease  and line a deep 20cm (8 inch) round cake tin with greaseproof paper.

  Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.  Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition.  Fold in the flour, fruit, salt and spice, then add the brandy and mix in well to make a soft dropping consistency.

  Turn into the prepared tin, level the top and decorate with the almonds.  Wrap a strip of folded brown paper around the outside of the tin and secure with string (I find I have to do this as our oven is a little fierce and this cake takes a long time to cook!)  Bake at 150C for about 2 1/2 hours.  If the top gets too brown, cover with foil.  Leave to cool in the tin for at least half an hour, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.

  A wonderful cake to serve  thickly sliced along with a hunk of cheddar cheese.  

Jumbles 

A delectable, soft centred, golden crusted, lemony biscuit; wonderful with hot tea or coffee.

3 3/4oz butter

3 3/4oz caster sugar

1 small egg, beaten

7 1/2oz self-raising flour

2 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 1/2oz ground almonds

  Line a couple of baking trays with parchment and pre-heat the oven at 200°c.  

  Cream the butter with a wooden spoon until soft, but not oily, then add the sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg and vanilla and add the sifted flour, lemon rind and almonds.  Form the mixture into sausage shape pieces about 4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide and then curve each into an 'S' shape.

  Place on the baking trays, and bake in the centre of the oven for about 12 minutes, or until risen and golden.  Cool for a few minutes, then dust with icing sugar.

APPLE SAUCE CAKE

Moist from the apple, and full of warming spices, this cake is a treat with a hot cup of tea and excellent to pack in the hamper on an autumn picnic.

Ingredients

1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup apple sauce

1/4 cup plain yoghurt diluted a bit with milk, or 1/4 cup of buttermilk

1/2 cup of chopped walnuts

1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 190°c  place a shelf in the middle.  Butter an 8 inch square baking dish and line with baking parchment, allowing a slight over hang of the parchment for easy removing of the cake once it's cooked.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, spices and salt, set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until light, add the sugar and beat until fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well to incorporate after each addition.  Add the apple sauce and vanilla and mix until smooth.

Mix in half of the dry ingredients, but just before they are blended, add the thinned yoghurt (or buttermilk).  Then mix in the rest of the dry ingredients until just incorporated, be careful not to over mix. 

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and shake to level.  Place in the oven and cook for about 25-30 minutes or until springy to touch and a skewer inserted in the  middle comes out fairly clean.  A certain squidgy-ness is nice to have so be careful not to over cook.  Allow to cool for 15 minutes and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Gingered Lemon Slices

With a gingery shortbread like base baked with a zesty lemon topping, these are very more-ish and give your tastebuds a zing!

Makes 36 slices

Ingredients:

6 oz unsalted butter, softened

2 1/2 oz plus 3 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
4 oz minced crystalized ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
12 oz plus 3 tbsp plain flour
3 large eggs
10 1/2 oz granulated sugar
6 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (once added don't leave standing around but get in the oven as quickly as you can) 
1/4 teaspoon salt


Method
  Pre-bake the crust.  Preheat the oven to 170 C.  In a bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter, add 2 1/2 oz confectioner's sugar, sifted, and beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy.  Beat in 1/2 teaspoon of the lemon zest, the crystallized ginger, the ground ginger and a pinch of salt.  Add 12 oz of flour in batches, 1/4 at a time, beating after each addition.  Beat the mixture until it's well combined.
  Spread the batter evenly in a 13x9-inch baking dish.  Bake in the middle of the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until browned lightly around the edges.
  While the crust is baking, in a bowl whisk together the eggs, the granulated sugar, the lemon juice, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of lemon rind, 3 tbsp of flour and the baking powder.  Whisk until well blended.
  Pour the lemony mixture over the pre-baked crust and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top is golden and set.  Let cool in the dish before cutting into 36 bars. 

The Best Brownies

A delectable, wickedly chocolatey, fudgy brownie. 

Ingredients:

6 1/2 oz unsalted butter

6 1/2 oz best dark chocolate

3 1/2 oz plain flour

1 1/2 oz cocoa powder

2 oz white chocolate

2 oz milk chocolate

3 large eggs

10 oz caster sugar

Method:

  Cut the butter into smallish cubes and tip into a medium bowl.  Break the dark chocolate into small pieces and drop into the bowl.  Cover the bowl loosely with cling film and put in the microwave for 2 minutes on High.  Leave the melted mixture to cool to room temperature.

  While you wait for the chocolate to cool, position a shelf in the middle of your oven and turn on to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4.  Using a shallow 8 inch square tin, grease and line with baking parchment; having the paper come up above the edge for easy removal after baking.  Now tip the flour and cocoa powder into a sieve held over a medium bowl and tap and shake the sieve so they run through together and you get rid of any lumps.

  With a large sharp knife, chop the white and milk chocolate in to chunks on a board.

  Break the eggs into a large bowl and tip in the sugar.  With an electric mixer on maximum speed, whisk the eggs and sugar until they look thick and creamy, like a milk shake.  This can take 3-8 minutes, depending on the power of your mixer.  When the mixture becomes really pale and about double its original volume and  leaves a trail on the surface of the mixture for a few seconds when drizzled from the beaters; then it's ready!

  Pour the cooled chocolate mixture over the eggy mousse, then gently fold together with a rubber spatula.  Plunge the spatula in at one side, take it underneath and bring it up the opposite side and in again at the middle.  Continue going under and over in a figure of eight, swivelling the bowl round after each folding so you can get at it from all sides, until the two mixtures are one and the colour is a mottled dark brown.  The idea is to marry them without knocking out the air, so be aas gentle and slow as you like - you don't want to undo all the work you did in beating.

  Hold the sieve over the eggy chocolate mixture and resift the cocoa and flour mixture, shaking the sieve from side to side, to cover the top evenly.  Gently fold in this powder using the same action as before.  The mixture will look dry and dusty at first and a bit unpromising, but keep going very gently and patiently, it will end up looking gungy and fudgy.  Stop just before you feel you should, as again you don't want to overdo it.  Finally, stir in white and milk chocolate chunks until they're dotted throughout.

  Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, scraping every bit out of the bowl with the spatula.  Gently ease into the corners of the tin and level the surface.  Bake for 25 minutes; then check by giving the tin a gently shake.  If the brownie wobbles in the middle, it's not quite done.  Bake for a further 5 minutes until top has a shiny, papery crust and the sides are just beginning to come away from the tin.  Be careful not to overcook though; the brownie shouldn't be at all dry under the crust but solidly gooey.  The brownie will firm up as it cools but will still be moist and fudgy.  

  Leave the whole thing until completely cold, then lift out with the paper.  Cut into 16 squares as they are very rich!  They will keep in an airtight container for a good two weeks and in the freezer for up to a month.

Oaty Raisin Biscuits

These golden oaty biscuits are a lovely chewy texture studded with raisins and walnuts and flavoured with sweet spices.  Excellent for picnics and a good keeper.  Makes about 2 dozen.  

Ingredients:

8 oz unsalted butter, softened

8 oz brown sugar

6 oz granulated sugar

12 oz plain flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 large eggs

1 tbsp vanilla

1 1/2 lb rolled oats

12 oz raisins

4 oz chopped walnuts

Method:

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two large baking trays and line with baking parchment.

  In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy.  Add sugars; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in eggs.  Add vanilla.

  Mix flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a medium bowl.  Stir dry ingredients into butter-sugar mixture.  Stir in raisins and buts and then oats.

  Spoon out dough by large tablespoonfuls onto prepared trays, leaving at least 2 inches between each as they will expand!

  Bake until biscuits are a golden brown at the edges but still pale in the middle, about 10-12 minutes.  Be very careful not to over bake and don't be deceived by their still being slightly soft as they will firm up on cooling.  Cool on the tray for a minute or so before carefully transferring with a metal spatula to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store tightly covered.     

  

In The Kitchen

Apricot & Walnut Rockcakes

Makes 8 large rockcakes.
Spicy and wholesome these rockcakes are irresistible warm from the oven, but also keep well in an air-tight container for a few days. 

Ingredients:

13/4 oz butter, softened

41/2 oz castor sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

13/4 oz plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

10z porridge oats

1 tsp mixed spice

4 oz dried apricots, chopped (I find it easier to use a small pair of scissors)

2 oz walnuts, chopped

Granulated sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 180°C (150°C fan oven) and line a large baking tray.

Cream together the butter and sugar and then gradually add the beaten egg.  Sieve flour, baking powder and spice into the butter mixture and mix well.  Stir in oats, apricots, and walnuts until evenly distributed.  Spoon in mounds onto the baking tray and cook for 10-15 minutes until golden.  Allow to cool on a wire rack before eating warm with a steaming hot cup of tea!

In The Kitchen

Chocolate Macaroons