Eccles Cake . . . yes CAKE!

Last night in bed, I finally got around to reading the January issue of BBC Good Food Magazine. I know . . . me bad! I am way behind on my reading . . . the April issue is due any day now, so that shows you just how far behind I am! I need to get crackin!



I was immediately taken with a teaser on the cover which said . . . "Favourite recipes get a fresh twist!" You know me . . . I love to take traditional recipes and give them my own personal touch, so I was really interested in this article.



"Your favourites made even better" was the title on the page, page number 100. Sarah Cook had taken well loved classics and put a unique twist onto them. The first one I tried was the one here today. And if it is any indication of how tasty the others are we are in for a few real treats. There are recipes for Cottage Pie Bake, Scotch Egg Pie, Doughnut Muffins (I already have my own version of that one. It is possible she reads my blog? One never knows!!) and Bakewell Cheesecake.



First up though was this fabulous Eccles Cake. On the recipe by-line she states the following: "Since creating this cake, I can't seem to stop making it. Christmas, Bake Sales, Birthdays . . . it goes down well on any occasion." And NO SMALL WONDER!!! This is an absolutely fantastic cake!



Now, I am no stranger to Eccles Cakes. Eccles Cakes are lovely little fruity pastries, made with puff paste and a delicious raisin and currant filling. I've showed you them on here before. Wonderful things they are . . . admittedly it's been far, far too long! I first tasted Eccles Cakes out in Suffield, Alberta when we were living there. A little geordie girl named Sheena baked them one afternoon and brought them to the artclub I belonged to and it was instantaneous love. They were beautiful.



So is this cake, which takes that wonderful fruity and spicy Eccles Cakes filling and puts it smack dab in the middle of a buttery moist buttermilk apple cake! Wowsa Wowsa!!



Oh my . . . but I am in love here. The cake on it's own is beautiful . . . so moist and stogged with lovely little bits of apple. The filling is rich and fruity and spicy . . . the topping is sweet/tart with a bit of sugar crunch . . . the three together are very moreish indeed.



In short, this cake is a winner! Run . . . don't walk . . . to the shops and grab the ingredients today. You won't regret it . . . well, maybe your hips might regret it just a tad bit, but what the heck . . . life isn't worth living if you can't indulge yourself once in a while.



The Toddster is a very happy camper. He just adores this Eccles Cake. I think he's found a new favourite!



*Eccles Cake*
Makes one 9 inch round, deep cake
Printable Recipe

All the flavours of a traditional Eccles Cake of the pastry variety, except in a cake! Scrummy!

250g pack of butter, softened (1 cup plus 1 1/2 TBS), plus more for buttering the tin
250g of soft light brown sugar (1 1/4 cup Packed)
2 tsp vanilla
4 large free range eggs
100g of plain flour (1 generous cup)
250g self raising flour (2 1/3 cup)
4 fluid ounces buttermilk (1/2 cup)
2 eating apples, peeled, cored and diced into 1/4 inch dice

for the filling:
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice (see recipe in right side bar )
1/4 tsp ground cloves
the zest of one unwaxed lemon
2 TBS melted butter
2 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
85g of currants (9 TBS)
85g of raisins (9TBS)
50g of chopped mixed peel (2 TBS)

To decorate:
85g of sifted icing sugar ( 10 1/2 TBS)
the zest and juice of one unwaxed lemon
a few sugar cubes, roughly crushed



Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Take a deep 9 inch round cake tin and butter it well. Line the botom and sides with parchment paper and butter the paper. Set aside.

Make the filling by mixing together all of the filling ingredients. Set aside.

Put the butter, sugar and vanilla into a large bowl. Beat with your electric whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then fold in the flours, buttermilk and apples. Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan. Scatter the filling over top, leaving a 1 inch clear border all the way around. Spoon on the remaining batter. I did this by spooning batter into the free edge all the way around and then dolloping the rest over the top of the fruit filling, then spreading it all out evenly.

Bake for 1 hour and 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the tin. Once cooled remove.

Whisk together the icing sugar with the lemon juice to make a drizzle icing. Drizzle over top of the cake and then scatter with the sugar cubes and lemon zest. Store in an airtight container.

Apple Pie Roll Ups

If there is one thing that the Toddster loves above everything else in the world (excluding me of course!) it's Apple Pie! If I want to make him happy all I have to do is bake him an apple pie . . . mind you . . . I don't make them exactly like his dear old mum did of course. I make North American style Apple Pies . . . she made British ones. I haven't quite mastered that art yet . . .



He makes do with the ones I do make and waxes nostalgic about his mum's the whole time he is eating mine . . . I don't hold it against him. I've never tasted a turkey dinner that has quite come up to my own mum's either.



Today though I created something which just may have come up almost to his mother's pies . . . well, mostly . . . nearly . . . anyways. Apple Pie Roll Ups!



They're like an apple pie, but much smaller . . . much quicker . . . and much easier to make. They're every bit as delicious . . . you get the savoury flavour of a butter pastry . . . spread with butter and cinnamon sugar . . . wrapped around tart slices of apple and then brushed with yet more butter and an additional sprinkling of cinnamon sugar. (I add a bit of nutmeg for an added depth of flavour.)



Baked in a hot oven for around 15 minutes and you have almost near instant apple pie gratification!! Oh soooooo scrummy!!



Of course I had to serve ours with warm custard. Apple pie is just not apple pie to the Toddster without lashings of custard poured over top. I have a really scrummy recipe here. (You knew I would.) If you're not quite up to making your own (it can be a bit fiddly at times) you can always use a good one from the chiller cabinet at your local shop, or even some made from the Bird's Eye Custard Powder. (A good Vanilla Ice Cream would be just as scrummy!)



The Apple Pie is the star here . . . not the custard. Nom Nom!!




*Apple Pie Roll Ups*
Makes 12 roll ups
Printable Recipe

I may never make a normal apple pie again. These are quick fun to make and quite scrummy! I served them with custard of course!

3 1/2 ounces caster sugar (1/2 cup)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1 320g package of ready rolled all butter shortcrust (in North America,
use a 14 ounce package of refrigerated pie crust)
3 TBS melted butter
2 medium tart apples, peeled and cut into 6 wedges each

Preheat the oven to 230*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment. Set aside.

Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside.

Unroll the pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Brush with 2 TBS of the melted butter. Sprinkle with all but 1 TBS of the cinnamon sugar. (reserve for a few minutes) Cut the sheet into 12 inch strips along the long side. Lay a wedge of apple on the short end of each pastry strip and roll them up, with the sugared side of the pastry against the apple. Place them onto the lined baking sheet. Brush with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar evenly over top.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Serve warm, with or without custard. Delicious!

Note - You can of course make your own pastry from scratch. I have used ready roll for ease and speed. If you buy the all butter one (and I recommend that you do) it's pretty good and very close to homemade.



Over in The Cottage today, a delicious Brussel Sprout and Mushroom Ragout with Herby Dumplings!

Mushrooms on Toast with Garlic, Pancetta and Oregano

This was going to be a Meatless Monday recipe, but I had a packet of pancetta that I needed to use up so . . . alas, into the mix they went, but if you want to go meatfree, just leave it out!



Mushrooms on Toast was not anything I had ever contemplated eating before I moved over here in the year 2000. I worked at a care home for the elderly that first year I was here and I was introduced to all sorts of wierd sounding dishes there . . . beans on toast, spaghetti on toast, mushrooms on toast, cheese on toast . . . cheese and onion sandwiches, cheese and tomato sandwiches . . . the list goes on and on!!



I was amazed and I think the cook at the home thought me a bit stupid when I asked them what they each were . . . "What's bean's on toast?" (Cue in incredulous stare) "Why . . . they are beans on toast! DUH! Beans on toast I thought sounded quite good and they are . . . likewise spaghetti on toast . . . but let me tell you right now. I was not impressed with the mushrooms on toast. A tin of mushrooms heated and then spooned out onto toast. Toast made all soggy from the mushroom liquid . . . mushrooms all rubbery and lacking in . . . well any real mushroom flavour.



Come on now. We can do better than that! Had I been in charge those poor residents might have had something a lot tastier . . . something like these delicious mushrooms on toast!



Browned in a bit of olive oil with some red onions, pancetta and a touch of garlic and oregano . . . the mushrooms all nicely browned on the edges, the pancetta crispy . . . the red onions, meltingly tender . . . a knob of butter stirred in at the end, and then the whole lot spooned over crisp and buttery slices of tasty sour dough toast.



Now THAT . . . my friends . . . is mushrooms on toast worth digging in to! (If you're feeling truly indulgent, scrap some fresh Parmesan Cheese over top as well. Scrummy yummy!)



*Mushrooms on Toast with Garlic, Pancetta and Oregano*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Deliciously meaty mushrooms fried in olive oil, along with some cubed pancetta, garlic, red onions and finished off with a knob of butter. Served on crisp toast, these are fabulous and make a great light supper.

250g of closed cup mushrooms (about 1 pound)
2 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
2 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
4 sprigs of fresh oregano, leaves only, chopped
100g of cubes of pancetta (about 1/2 cup)
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
a knob of butter
4 thick slices of sour dough bread, toasted and buttered
freshly ground black pepper
some chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Wipe the mushrooms clean and then cut them into thick slices. Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Toss in the pancetta. Cook and stir until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the mushrooms and onions to the drippings in the pan. Cook without disturbing until the mushrooms begin to turn golden brown. Stir and cook until they are the desired doneness. (I like lots of crispy edges.) Toss in the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes longer. Add the cooked pancetta and heat through. Stir in the knob of butter, oregano and season with a good grinding of black pepper.

Lay out the four slices of toast on heated plates and spoon the cooked mushroom mixture over top, dividing it equally amongst the four plates. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Note: if desired you can shave some fresh parmesan cheese over top. Very scrummy!



Over in The Cottage today, my famous Lasagna! (Truly the best if I don't say so myself, chock full of meats and cheeses!)

Old Fashioned Date and Walnut Pudding

Everyone needs a simple recipe for a dessert that can be whipped up at a moment's notice when unexpected company drops by, or even just when you want a dessert, but don't want to have to go to the shops.



This fits the bill on all counts. It's quick and easy to do. It can be whipped up at a moment's notice because it uses ingredients most people keep in their store cupboards all the time, and you won't need to go to the shops!



It's a deliciously rich date and nut cake which creates it's own lucious toffee sauce while it bakes. Each warm mouthful brings you all the flavours of a sticky toffee pudding without any of the angst and work that making a real sticky toffee pudding involves!



Actually I'd call this a scrumdiddlyumptious doddle! (Don't worry if you are not fond of dates, you can use 3 to 4 apples, cored and chopped (leave the peels on) instead! Of course then it's actually an Apple Walnut Pudding.) It's also very low in fat, having only 1 TBS of butter which when divided amongst 6 people amounts to about 3/4 tsp a piece! (We won't talk about the cream which you are going to pour on top when you eat it. If you don't talk about it . . . well, it doesn't really count does it??? shhh . . . )



*Date and Walnut Pudding*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

This is an old fashioned, economical pudding, very similar to a sticky toffee pudding with a cake on the top and a lucious toffee sauce on the bottom, which forms while the whole thing is baking.
It's very easy and quick to make.

4.25ounces of plain flour (1 cup)
7 ounces granulated sugar (1 cup)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
125ml of milk (1/2 cup)
5.25 ounces chopped pitted dates (1 cup packed)
4 ounces chopped walnuts (1 cup)

Topping:
7.5 ounces soft light brown sugar (1 cup packed)
500ml of boiling water (2 cups)
1 TBS butter

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 10 by 10 inch square baking pan, or a deep round dish, 9 inches in diameter. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Stir in the milk and briskly mix together until smooth. Stir in the dates and nuts. Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish. Heat the brown sugar, water and butter together in a saucepan until it comes to the boil again. Pour this carefully over top of the batter. Immediately place into the heated oven and bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until the top is golden and the sauce is bubbling up from underneath. Serve warm with or without pouring cream, custard or ice cream.



There are some delicious Grilled Lamb Chops with a Mint and Coriander Sauce cooking over in The Cottage today.

Croissant Brunch Bake

This is a basic brunch casserole bake that I have had kicking around in my recipe folder for years and years. I originally adapted the recipe from one I found in the Calgary herald some 30 years ago. We have a tendancy to buy big bags of croissants when we go over to France, much more than we can possibly eat fresh and so it's a great way to make use of stale croissants as well.







It's a great basic recipe that you can double or triple, depending on how many people you have . . . or even cut in half, if there's only two of you. (which I do often with just Todd and myself!)







It's a great holiday brunch dish, or a great brunch dish for when you just want to cook something that little extra bit special. It also makes a great supper dish when served with a tasty salad on the side.







It's hearty, delicious and quite, quite adaptable. You can leave the ham totally out if you want to, or substitute it with something else, like cooked sausage, or chorizo.

You can add peppers or olives or both if you like. They are equally delicious.







Think of this basic recipe as a canvas that you can paint whatever strikes your fancy on. Trust me . . . it's delish, and always very well received.







*Croissant Brunch Bake*

Serves 4

Printable Recipe



Buttery croissants stuffed with ham cheese, mushrooms, spring onions and eggs. It needs to be made the night before so plan ahead. Fabulous!



4 plain butter croissants

1 TBS butter

250g punnet of closed cup mushrooms, sliced (2 cups)

one bunch of spring onions, washed, trimmed and sliced (about 6)

4 large free range eggs

250ml milk (1 cup)

8 thin slices of baked ham

4 ounces grated emmenthaler cheese (1 cup)

4 ounces grated mozzarella cheese (1 cup)

2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup)



Butter a large rectangular glass casserole dish. Split the croissants in half horizontally and place the bottom halves into the bottom of the casserole dish, cut side up. Reserve the tops.



Melt the butter in a large skillet. Once it begins to foam add the mushrooms and cook, without disturbing, until they begin to brown. Add the spring onions and cook until both are tender, stirring occasionally. Set aside.



Beat together the eggs and the milk. Pour half of this mixture over the croissant halves in the baking dish. Top the croissants with the mushroom/onion mixture, ham and cheeses, dividing equally amongst the 4 croissants. Lay the top halves of the croissants on top, cut side down, and then pour the remainder of the egg mixture over all. Cover with cling film and place in the refrigerator overnight.



The next morning take out of the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.



Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the eggs are set and cooked through. (If it begins to brown too much, cover with foil.) Serve immediately. Delicious!







I'm cooking Calabacitas over in The Cottage this morning, another delicious way to use up some of that Courgette Glut in the garden!

The Great British Bake Off and a Sticky Orange Marmalade Cake

I had the pleasure recently of having been sent a lovely baking book to review. You all know how much I love baking (and eating baked goodies, but we won't talk about that!) It's entitled The Great British Bake Off, How to Bake the perfect victoria sponge and other baking secrets, and is the companion book to the newest 8 part series of the hugely popular Great British Bake off on BBC2.



This is the brand new book to accompany the latest Great British Bake Off series, and features over 120 new recipes, Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood's 'technical challenges,' and the best contestants' recipes!







Divided into 8 delicious chapters, there is plenty to challenge keen bakers here, showcasing everything from brandy snaps to elaborate pastries, pavlovas to iced celebration cakes, and everything in between!







Two guesses as to which is my favourite chapter!!







It is filled with Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood's expert advice and tips which can help just about anyone to achieve baking perfection. Each chapter begins with a specific baking skill, which once mastered, allows you to tackle Mary and Paul's technical challenges, as seen in the series, with the utmost confidence.







There are over 120 recipes in the book ranging from mary's Coffee and Walnut Battenburg and Tarte au Citron to Paul's Pork Pies with Quails' EGgs. It's not just a collection of tasty recipes however, as it also covers the essential techniques, terms and ingredients to help your baking taste, look and smell it's very best ever!







I am most impressed with the variety of recipes and it's practical yet pretty design as well as the full-colour, step-by-step photography included.







Of course you know I wouldn't judge any book by it's cover alone. I need to put it to the test before I can actually declare it a winner or a dud, and this one is a real winner by all counts!







So far everything has turned out beautifully, including this delicious Sticky Orange Marmalade Cake which I baked this afternoon.







It's moreishly moist and chock full of flavour, with a delicious old fashioned appeal. I love the stickiness of the marmalade glaze which covers all that buttery cake goodness, and lurks just beneath a simple icing sugar glaze. I gave it 10 out of 10 and Todd gave it a definite two thumbs up!







*Sticky Orange Marmalade Cake*

Makes one 9 inch single layer cake

Printable Recipe



You want to use a really good Seville Orange marmalade for this cake, with an intense bittersweet flavour, plus decent chunks of peel in it.



For the sponge:

175g unsalted butter, softened (3/4 cup)

175g of caster sugar (3/4 cup)

3 large free range eggs, at room temperature and beaten

175g self raising flour (1 1/2 cups)

1/2 tsp baking powder

3 TBS chunky Seville Orange Marmalade

2 TBS full fat or semi skim milk



To finish:

3 TBS chunky Seville Orange Marmalade

100g icing sugar, sifted (1/2 cup)

2 TBS warm water



Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 inch round cake tin and line with baking paper. Butter the paper. Set aside.



Cream the softened butter with an electric mixer or spoon until nice and creamy. Beat in the sugar gradually, then continue to beat until it becomes pale and fluffy.



Gradually beat in the eggs, beating well after each addition. Add a TBS of the flour with the last portion of the egg. Sift the remaining flour, the salt and baking powder into the bowl and gently fold into the mixture with a large metal spoon. When thoroughly combined, stir in the marmalade and milk.



Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Run a round bladed knife around the inside of the tin to loosen and then carefully turn the cake out onto a wire rack. Flip to right side up. Gently warm the marmalade to finish and brush it all over the top of the warm cake. Allow the cake to cool completely before proceeding.



Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Add the warm water and mix to a smooth and runny icing using a wooden spoon. Spoon the icing over the cake, allowing it to run down the sides a bit. Leave to set before cutting into wedges to serve.



Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

The Great British Bake Off:

How to bake: the perfect Victoria Sponge

and other baking secrets

by Linda Collister

with foreword by Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood



Available from BBC Books @ £20

or Amazon.co.uk



The English Kitchen gives this book 10 out of 10!

There is a tasty Roasted Vegetable Lasagne Verde cooking over in the Cottage today!