Toasted Teacakes

Teacakes are not something I never even knew existed before I moved over here to the UK. I had never heard of them before. There used to be a bakeshop on North Gate street in Chester where you could get thick slabs of toast, and toasted teacakes, slathered in butter along with a hot drink. I was so disappointed when we moved back here and found out it had closed down.



Teacakes are not cakes. They are puffy fruited and lightly spiced sweet yeasted buns . . . you split them in half through the middle and then pop them under a grill, so that they get toasted on the cut side only . . . and then you spread them with oodles of cold butter . . . at least in most of England at any rate. In East Lancashire a teacake is a round bread roll which is cut in half to make sandwiches. They do not contain any sort of dried fruit. They can be made with either white, brown, wholemeal or granary flour. I've never had one of those . . .



I like the fruited ones. Oh my . . . they speak to my soul . . .



The outsides stay all soft and puffy . . . the cut edges get all crisp and golden . . . stogged full of lovely mixed raisins, sultanas and currants . . . and then slathered in butter . . . all that golden richness melting down into all the crags and crust of that toasted surface . . .



Nothing is more satisfying . . . or comforting . . . for elevenses . . . for tea . . . for an impromptu evening snack.



You can toast them under the grill . . . but a purist lucky enough to have an open fire might like to toast them over the fire using a long fork . . . I can only imagine how lovely they would be done that way.



I am not usually that good at yeast breads, but I am getting better each time I try. Today I made these scrummy (tired of that word yet?) teacakes that we toasted for our mid afternoon tea break. They were luverly . . . just luverly.



Come on . . . just a little nibble . . . I promise you, you'll be totally smitten . . . totally . . . mmmmm . . . mmmmm . . . . mmmmm!!



*Toasted Teacakes*
Makes 8
Printable Recipe

Satisfying and deliciously comforting any time of day, but especially nice in the late afternoon or evening.

225g strong white bread flour (2 1/3 cup)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp fast action dried yeast
15g soft light brown sugar (generous TBS)
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
75g mixed dried vine fruits (raisins, currants, sultanas) ( 1/2 cup)
40g butter, melted (2 3/4 TBS)
120ml full fat milk, plus extra for brushing (generous 1/2 cup)
Cold butter to serve



Sift the flour, salt, yeast, sugar and nutmeg into a large bowl. Stir in the dried fruits and make a well in the centre. Put the milk and butter into a saucepan and heat just until warm to the touch. Pour into the flour mixture and work together to make a soft dough.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball and place into a lightly buttered bowl. cover with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and punch down. Divide into 8 portions of equal size. Shape each portion into a ball. Flatten slightly and arrange on a large nonstick baking sheet. Cover lightly with a large tea towel and leave to rise again until double in size, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Brush the tops with some milk. Bake for 15 minutes until risen and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To serve, split in half and toaste under a heated grill on the cut sides. (Leave the other side as normal) Spread generously with butter and serve immediately. (If you are really keen you can toast them using an old fashioned toasting fork over an open fire!)

Traditonal Battenburg Cake

One thing that I just love about food here in the UK is that not only are there delicious offerings which are on the cutting edge of all that is new in the culinary world . . . but there are also some gloriously delicious traditional dishes which set us apart from other countries and make us unique.



I especially love the sweet aspect of this, in the way of cakes and other teatime treats! There is no end to the traditional and regional cakes and goodies amongst these fertile green and septred isles!



One of my favourites has to be the Church Window Cake or Battenburg as it is commonly known. If you love almond, then this is the cake for you. A firm favourite on the traditional English tea table, this is a very pretty two coloured sponge cake, put together like a pink and white checker board.



Each layer is sandwiched with some butter cream and seedless raspberry jam to help hold them together, and then the whole thing is brushed with a little more jam on the outsides and then rolled up in a thin layer of marzipan.



When cut into slices it is beautiful and I think quite amazing looking. Very impressive and not all that difficult. It does require a little patience, but it's well worth any effort taken. It may take a bit of practice to get the marzipan as tight as you would like it, but do persevere as it is most beautiful when done . . .



I have made a Hazelnut and Mocha version a few years ago that you can check out here, which was really delicious as well. I've gotten a lot better at rolling them with practice, but do take a gander at my first attempts.



If you are looking for a mighty fine cake to serve at your teatime table, then this is the one to choose. Pretty and delicious. What more could you want??? Nom! Nom!



*Church Window Cake or Battenburg*
Makes 6 sevings
Printable Recipe

This is a traditional cake that has appearing in British cookery books for over two centuries. The finished cake resembles somewhat a church stained glass window. This is a real treat for almond lovers and not as hard to make as it would seem!

175g butter, softened (3/4 cup)
175g caster sugar (14 1/4 TBS)
3 large free range eggs, beaten
175g self raising flour (1 1/2 cups)
a little red food colouring

For the topping:
275g of natural almond pastem (marzipan) (about 2/3 lb.)
a little warmed raspberry jam
some vanilla buttercream icing
granulated sugar to dust

Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. One 7 inch square cake tin, buttered and lined with parchment paper.

Cream the butter together with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the lightly beaten eggs and the flour, a little at a time, beating until smooth. Divide the cake batter in half. Tint one half with a bit of red food colouring to give you a pink batter. Spoon the pink batter into the left hand side of the tin, and the normal colour into the other side. Smooth the tops gently.

Bake in the oven for about 30 to 35 minutes or until firm when lightly pressed in the centre.

Carefully turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before proceeding.

When the cake is completely cool, trim the edges of the cake and then divide it equally into 4 long sections, 2 pink and 2 white. Using a little of the butter cream and some of the warmed raspberry jam, place one of each colour on the bottom and the remaining two on top. alternating the colours to give you a chequer board pattern and having some butter cream and jam between each. You will not need much, only just enough to make them adhere to the other.

Dust the counter top with some granulated sugar and then roll out the marzipan on top, thinly into an oblong the length of the cake and large enough to cover the cake all around. Spread with a thin layer of jam and then place the sponge checkerboard on top. Roll the marzipan around the cake and seal with a bit more jam. Trim the edges neatly at each end. Place onto a plate with the "seam" underneath and lightly mark the top in the traditional criss cross pattern.

Lemon and Poppyseed Drop Scones

Can it be possible that we are at the end of January already??? I know! Hasn't the month just flown by! Over in North America kids will be getting ready for Groundhog Day (2nd February) and praying that the groundhog doesn't see his shadow, for if he does . . . there is sure to be at least six more weeks of winter. Crazy but true. I kinda miss Groundhog Day . . . somehow they don't quite get it over here . . . if you greet anyone with the words "Happy Groundhog Day" . . . you are met with either a blank stare . . . or a look which says they are questioning your sanity . . .



You might be asking yourself at this point . . . "What the heck does all this have to do with Lemon and Poppy Seed Drop Scones???" The answer would be absolutely nothing! It's just me babbling on about the first thing that comes into my head . . .



Poppyseed and lemon . . . a quintessential marriage of beautiful proportions . . . they go together oh-so-very -perfectly-well. Kinda like peas and carrots.



In a drop scone? Spread with honey or beautiful lemon curd??? Genius . . . pure genius!! I just love taking something traditional and giving it a unique twist.



Well . . . you just can't get much better than that. (My gas is off again today . . . so once again I can not cook . . . with the stove at any rate. blah . . . )



*Lemon and Poppy Seed Drop Scones*
Family size (must mean at least 4 or five people)

This is another one from my big blue binder. In the amount area it only says family size so I take it to mean that means a lot, because I had a rather large family. Tender and soft with a bit of poppy seed crunch and a hint of lemon, these are fabulous served with honey, or my personal favourite . . . lemon curd.

200g plain flour (2 cups)
¼ tsp salt
2 TBS white sugar
6 tsp baking powder
2 TBS poppy seeds
2 large free range eggs
500ml milk
the grated zest of one unwaxed lemon
2 tsp lemon juice
5 TBS sour cream
4 TBS melted butter
cooking spray for oiling the pan

To serve:
cold butter
Lemon curd (your own homemade or store bought, good quality)
runny honey

Whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, poppyseeds and baking powder in a large bowl. Put the eggs, milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, sour cream and melted butter into a large beaker and whisk them together well. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients all at once. Whisk together vigorously until they make a smooth batter.

Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium high heat. Grease lightly with a little bit of oil, swirling it to lightly coat the bottom of the pan, or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Drop the batter onto the heated pan or griddle in heaping dessertspoonfuls. Cook over medium high heat until the surface is coated with small bubbles and the underside is lightly browned before flipping them over to cook and brown the other side. Remove to a plate and keep warm in the oven while you are cooking the rest, using up all the batter. Serve warm with knobs of ice cold butter on top and dollops of lemon curd or runny honey.

These freeze very well. Just pop them between layers of grease proof paper and pop them into a zip lock baggie. You can then take out as many or as few as you want at any given time, warming them up for a few seconds in the microwave.

PS - You can very easily cut this recipe in two if you don't want to make quite so many. I did.



Cooking in The Cottage today, a delicious Quick Beef, Vegetable and Barley Soup!

Fat Rascals

I was laying in bed last night, looking through this little cookery book of mine. (Doesn't everyone go to bed with a cookbook???) I love the National Trust Cookbooks because they are filled with lovely traditional recipes and that is what I adore most about the food over here in the UK . . . the traditional recipes.



I thought it had been a while since I cooked something really traditional and the name Fat Rascal just jumped out at me. How could I resist??? Who wouldn't want to bake and eat something called a Fat Rascal???



The description on the recipe page said that they were fruity buns, with brown crusts, originally hailing from the Cleveland area between County Durham and Yorkshire, thought to date back to the mid 19th century. I was hooked, and so this morning as soon as I got my morning chores out of the way . . . I dug out my scales and ingredients.



Very easy to make they were . . . and it wasn't long before I had a pan of them baking in the oven. They are delicious as well, being oh so scrummy.



I would call them a cross between a scone/pastry/biscuit . . . as they were a little bit like each of those things, but not entirely any one of them, if that makes any sense. I only know they went down really well for our "Elevenses" today and I would deffo make them again . . .



I am in a bit of a quandry though . . . as when I went online to look up a bit of their history to see if I could find out anything else about them . . . this is what I came up with . . .



Oodles and oodles of cakes and recipes which looked pretty much like this! (This is an image from Betty's Tearoom where they sell them at 4 for £7 . . . Pricey I know!) They look nothing at all like what I baked . . .

And the recipes that I found including this one by James Martin (which looks very scrummy indeed, I might add) are nothing at all like the one I found in my National Trust "Good Old Fashioned Teatime Treats" cookbook. (by Jane Pettigrew). The others had baking powder, self raising flour, lard, spices, eggs . . . etc. in theirs. The one I made is a bit of a plain Jane.



So which is the real Fat Rascal???? I don't really know!!

I only know for sure that if you ate enough of these tasty cakes that I did bake this morning . . . you would end up as a bit of a Fat Rascal yourself . . . coz they are quite, quite tasty indeed, and went down a real treat!



If you are looking for the bejeweled version, with cherries and the like . . . go for James Martin's . . . but if you are happy with something that is buttery, simple, short (almost like a shorbread biscuit) and stogged full of sweet currants, then go for this one which I baked here today.

Either way, I doubt you'll be disappointed. It all depends on what you are looking for . . . simple wins with me everytime.



*Fat Rascals*
Makes 7 to 8 buns

Delicious fruity buns from the North East. Perfect with a hot cuppa!

225g of plain flour sifted (2 cups)
pinch of salt
4 ounces butter, softened (1/2 cup)
40g of caster sugar (3 1/2 TBS)
50g dried currants (1/3 cup)
50 - 75ml (2 to 3 fluid ounces) milk and water mixed
more caster sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter a baking sheet and set it aside.

Sift the flour into a bowl. Stir in the salt. Drop in the butter, cut into bits. Rub it into the flour until it is all rubbed in and the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Stir in enough milk/water with a fork to give you a firm dough. Pat out on a lightly floured surface to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into 3 inch rounds with a sharp round cutter. Place on the prepared baking tray. Dust lightly with caster sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until pale golden.

Remove from the oven and carefully lift onto a wrire rack to cool completely before serving.



In The Cottage today Caramel Apple Cake. Bad picture I know . . . but one VERY delicious cake!

Steak and Mushroom Pies, with a Spiced Parsnip Topping

I have a confession . . . we are pie nuts in this house. Sweet pies, savoury pies, creamy pies, meat pies, vegetable pies . . . if it's pie we are all over it. It has ever been so. (You probably already knew that, I know . . . we eat pie a lot!) The UK is famous for it's pies, especially steak pies . . . but then there are also chicken and mushroom, chicken and ham, pork, steak and mushroom, etc. All very tasty indeed.



Last week when I was in the shops I spied some tasty looking steak pies which looked to be topped with a vegetable mash. Oh my but they did look good . . . but with a price tag of £2.99 a piece (for a single serving pie!) I thought to myself . . . no way. I can make those at home for a lot less than that. And they'll probably taste better too!



I mean . . . how hard is it to stew some steak and make some pastry?? Not hard at all. Especially if you do your pastry in the food processor, or you could even cheat and purchase it ready made if you wanted to. (DO get the all butter one if you do though. It's much, much better.)



I thought that a parsnip mash would make a very tasty topping for these pies and I had a bag of parsnips that needed using up. Parsnips are a fabulous root vegetable with a slight sweetness, which goes very well with beef indeed.



I spiced the mash with a bit of grainy mustard and left it a bit rough, both for texture and for looks. Just look at all those craggy browned bits. I just love taking the traditional and jazzing it up with a special twist, don't you? Horseradish would also be very nice, but just a touch mind you . . . instead of the mustard.



Oh my but these were some good, with a simple vegetable on the side and lashings of beef gravy for pouring over.

I did good I think. Nom! Nom!



*Steak and Mushroom Pies*
with a Parsnip Mash topping
Makes 6
Printable Recipe

Deliciously tender steak pies in a crisp crust base, topped with a lovely parsnip mash. Fabulous! (I like to make the beef filling the day before.)

One quantity of short crust pastry
(Enough to line 6 individual pie dishes, or large muffin cups)

For the filling:
a small handful of dried porcini mushrooms
2 TBS vegetable oil
2 1/2 pounds of good quality braising steak, cut into large chunks
2 large onions, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tsp of golden caster sugar
4 TBS plain flour
300ml of dark ale (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 beef stock cubes, diluted in 400ml (1 1/2 cup) of boiling water
small bunch each of fresh thyme, bay leafe and parsley, tied together
200g of chestnut mushrooms, halved
salt and black pepper to taste

Parsnip Mash:
2 1/2 pounds of parsnips, peeled and any woody centres discarded
2 TBS butter
3 TBS milk
1 TBS grainy mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Cover the dried mushrooms in boiling water for 20 minutes, then squeeze out, reserving the soaking water.

Preheat the oven to 160*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.

Heat half of the oil in a large oven/stove top proof casserole. Add the beet and brown it really well, working in batches so that it browns instead of stewing. Add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring until they begin to soften. Add the remainder of the oil and add the fresh mushrooms. Cook and stir until browned. Add the soaked mushrooms, sizzle for about a minute longer. Sprinkle with the sugar and flour, stirring until the flour browns. Tip the meat and any accumulated juices back into the casserole. Pour over the ale, stock and porcini soaking liquid. Season to taste with some salt and pepper, tuck in the herbs and cover. Place in the oven and bake for about 2 hours until the meat is very tender. (At this point I remove it from the oven. Remove the herb stems, cool to room temperature and then place it in a plastic container and refrigerate overnight. This really helps to develop the flavours.)

The next day when you are ready to proceed, peel your parsnips and cut into chunks, discarding any woody centres. Place into a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water. Cook, until tender, about ten minutes, then drain really well. Return the parsnips to the pot, add the butter, milk, mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Roughly mash. (you want some chunks for texture) Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Place a large flat baking tray in the oven to heat. Roll out your pastry and cut into circles large enough to line your pie dishes, or muffin cups, pleating it to make it fit. Divide your meat filling amongst the 6 pastry lined dishes. Top each with an equal quantity of mashed parsnips. Place onto the heated baking sheet in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown on top, the filling is bubbling and the pastry is crisped.

I like to serve this with a few vegetables and some gravy for pouring.

Note: for an added depth of flavour you can sprinkle each pie with just a bit of stilton cheese before topping with the parsnip mash. Delicious!



Over in The Cottage today, you will find a delicious Butterscotch Pudding!

Raspberry Feather Bread and Butter Pudding

It was really nice to have a holiday away, despite all the rain, but it was ever so nice to come home again too. Home always feels extra special nice when you have been away from it for a while, don't you think??? Home is where you hang your heart.



I brought home half a loaf of a country farm bread that I had picked up at the Farm shop the other day, and I wanted to use it all up before it went moldy. So today I thought I would make the Toddster one of his favourite puddings . . . a tasty bread and butter pudding . . .



Except I decided to add a bit of a twist. I thought to add marmelade, and then I thought . . . (you all know what happens then, don't you?)

The lights went on and I remembered my mother's delicious Feather Squares. She only ever made them at Christmas . . . the bottom being a delicious buttery sponge, spread with raspberry jam . . . spread with a sweet meringue and sprinkled with coconut and then toasted all scrummily brown. Oh, they are so good!!!



I decided to make my bread and butter pudding in honor of those lovely Feather Squares and so I made it with raspberry jam sandwiches. I added a bit of fresh lemon zest to the custard and then I sprinkled the top with some flaked and sweetened coconut.



Oh my, but doesn't that look positively scrumdiddlyumptious???



I thought so too!! And the best is . . . it tastes even better than it looks!!



*Raspberry Feather Bread and Butter Pudding*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

A fancified bread and butter pudding based on my mother's Raspberry Feather squares. Nostalgic and scrummy.

8 slices of stale bread (use a sturdy loaf), crusts trimmed off
(Feed to the birds)
seedless raspberry jam
softened butter
2 large free range eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 heaped dessertspoons of golden caster sugar
1000ml of whole milk (4 cups)
the grated zest of one unwaxed lemon
a handful of flaked coconut

Make 4 raspberry jam sandwiches using the bread and jam. Butter the outsides and cut into quarters. Arrange in a shallow, buttered baking dish, fitting in snuggly.

Beat together the eggs, vanilla, sugar, milk and lemon zest. Pour over the jam sandwiches in the buttered dish. Allow to sit for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Sprinkle the soaked pudding with the flaked coconut. Cover loosely with foil and then bake in the oven for about 35 to 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer, until risen, set and lightly browned. Don't worry if it falls after you take it out of the oven. That is supposed to happen.



Over at the Cottage . . . delicious Skillet Beef Burritos.