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!)

Herbed Oatmeal Pan Rolls

As a foodie I am a big fan of several cooking blogs . . . no surprise there. One of my favourites happens to be a Canadian food blog entitled Mennonite Girls Can Cook. It is authored by 10 lovely Mennonite ladies and is just fabulous . . . filled with good old fashioned, non-pretentious cooking.



I happen to know first hand that Mennonite's are wonderful cooks. I have lots of very fond memories of a fabulous restaurant that we used to visit in St Jacob's, Ontario called Anna Mae's. The food there was just wonderful and the restaurant was always super busy. Eating there was just like sitting down to supper at a good friend's house or your mum's . . . everything homemade, delicious and . . . just like at mum's you can tell what day of the week that it is by what's on the menu! (Do take a look at their page and you'll see what I'm talking about.)



Everything was super delicious and the pies . . . homemade bread and rolls and the pies . . . wow. Pie at Anna Mae's = out of this world!



I would be the first one to confess that I am not a great bread baker. My mother made beautiful loaves of bread . . . and my Aunt Thelma's Potato Rolls were the best I've ever eaten. I am afraid I missed out on the bread baking gene when it was being handed out. I saw this recipe over on the Mennonite girl's page one day last week and I thought to myself. YES! I can do that!



And so . . . I adapted the recipe to the ingredients that I have available to me over here in the uk . . . and . . . know what??? They turned out not half bad!



In fact, I would even go so far as to say they are quite, quite scrummy! We had them with a delicious vegetable potage that I will share with you another day, but for now . . . here's the roll recipe.



*Herbed Oatmeal Pan Rolls*
Makes 9 pan rolls
Printable Recipe

Wholesome and delicious. These tasty rolls are perfect with soups, stews or even on their own, buttered with some tasty strong cheddar on the side.

250ml boiling water (1 cup)
40g rolled oats (not old fashioned) (1/2 cup)
2 TBS butter
200g strong white bread flour (2 cups)
65g granary bread flour (1/2 cup, multigrain)
2 TBS caster sugar
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 TBS easy bake yeast (bread machine, quick rise)
1 large free range egg, at room temperature

For the herby topping:
2 TBS butter, melted
1/4 tsp dried basil leaves
1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/8 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp finely grated Parmesan Cheese

Combine the boiling water, oats and 2 TBS butter in a small bowl, stirring to melt the butter. Let stand and cool to just warm before proceeding.

Measure the white and granary flours into a large bowl. Whisk in the sugar, salt and yeast. Beat the egg into the warm oat mixture. Stir this into the dry ingredients until all are well incorporated. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead dough until you have a smooth, soft dough, which is not sticky, adding more strong white flour as needed. Shape into a ball and cover with the bowl. Let rest for 20 minutes.

Grease a 9 inch square metal baking tin. Punch the dough down and then press it into the baking tin to fill all the corners. Take a sharp knife and cut down through the dough to the bottom of the pan, cutting it into 9 equal squares. (3 cuts across and 3 cuts down.) Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Once the oven has heated bang the pan of rolls into it and bake for 15 minutes. While they are baking, stir together all the ingredients for the herby topping. At the end of 15 minutes, remove the partially baked rolls from the oven. Brush the tops with the herby topping. Return the pan to the oven and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown and they sound hollow on the bottoms when turned over and tapped lightly with your fingers. Tip out onto a wire rack to cool to warm. Best served fresh, but can be revived by a gentle reheating in a warm oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Rumpled Pizza Buns

I am a HUGE fan of pizza. I could eat it every day and never get tired of it . . . breakfast, lunch dinner . . ., anytime at all. When you consider that I had never tasted pizza until I was about 15 years old that is amazing to me. How did I ever get that far in life without it! It's just so good . . . it's pity I live with a pizza/pasta hating man. It's just not natural . . . I keep telling him that, but he refuses to budge. Oh well, all the more for me!



I have this guy to thank for my love of pizza. He alone is responsible for introducing me to it . . . don't laugh. It was all we had in them there days. A cardboard box containing a tin of pizza sauce and a packet of pizza dough . . . oh . . . and a small packet of crummy tasting Parmesan Cheese . . . but what did we know??? We were so innocent and ignorant of the culinary delights which actually existed in the rest of the world. Life in a small town . . .



Anyways, once I got out into the real world, I discovered the delights of take out pizza and never looked back. In Winnipeg we used to buy pizza's from a place called RJ's Pizza . . . and that was pretty bad too, but strangely addictive. The crust was only ever half cooked, but for some reason we always went back for more.



In Calgary we discovered great pizza's made by a Greek fella that were fabulous! Light and fluffy crust and that sauce . . . . mwha!!! Perfecto!



I pretty much make my own pizza's from scratch these days . . . and I know there are Italian purists out there would argue and say that what counts for pizza in my kitchen isn't really pizza . . . that's ok. But . . . it is MY kitchen and I decide what or what doesn't pass for pizza in it. umm . . . so there!



Yesterday I decided to make some pizza buns. They were supposed to come out looking all ruffely, like the edges of a clam and well . . . they didn't, but they were some good, even if I don't say so myself. Kind of like a loosely constructed calzone . . . but without any runny sauce . . . the rich tomato flavour comes from sun roasted tomatoes with a few herbs and spices.



You can vary the filling according to whatever you have to hand. Cooked ground beef, mushrooms, chorizo, bacon . . . whatever floats your boat!



Me . . . I like olives and cheese . . . and lots of them. These were fab, and so easy to make. I used the breadmaker for the dough part, because . . . well, basically I am not that good at doing yeast doughs. It worked fabulously and the rest was easy peasy, lemon squeasy!



I hope you'll give them a try! If you like pizza, you'll LOVE these!



*Rumpled Pizza Buns*
Makes 8 buns
Printable Recipe

A deliciously different way to have your pizza! You can vary the filling ingredients as you wish. They work well in either tiny loaf tins or custard cups/ramekins.

For the dough:
450g of strong bread flour (a generous 4 1/2 cups)
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp salt
1 sachet of easy blend dried yeast ( 7g or a heaped teaspoon)
3/4 fluid ounces extra virgin olive oil (about 2 TBS)
9 fluid ounces of warm water
1 tsp of tomato puree (tomato paste)

For the filling
1 small red pepper, trimmed, seeded and chopped
1 small gree pepper, trimmed, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
a handful of black pitted olives, chopped (I like to use the dried spanish ones. They have
lots of flavour)
a handful of green pitted olives, chopped (I used Greek Haduki in oil)
100g of sun dried tomatoes chopped (about 1/2 cup packed) (I used Merchant Gourmet, oven roasted, 1 pack)
a bit of olive oil to moisten (about 1 TBS)
1 heaped tsp of dried oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white or black pepper
1/2 pound of grated Mozzarella or mature Cheddar Cheese
about 4 TBS grated Parmesan Cheese
some olive oil for brushing

Place all the dough ingredients into a mixing bowl and combine with the dough hook on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes until you have a soft dough that doesn't smear the bottom of the bowl. You may need to add a bit more flour or warm water to get the right consistency.

Mix on speed for 2 to 10 minutes, making sure that the dough stays at the right consistency. Add a bit more flour if necessary.

Remove the dough from the mixer and kead a few times. Shape into a ball and place into a clean mixing bowl which you have oiled, turning to coat the dough. cover with a teatowel and allow to rise for 30 minutes.

Mix together the filling ingredients with the exception of the cheese. Allow to sit and marinate until you are ready to use them.

Uncover the dough, punch down and mould it back into a ball. Cover and allow to rise for another 30 minutes, until doubled in size.

Divide the dough into 8 3-oz portions. Shape each into a round ball and then let rest for about 5 minutes. While the dough is resting butter and flour 8 mini loaf pans or ramekins.

Roll each the dough balls out on a floured surface to a flat 6 inch rounds. Mix the cheese into the filling and then place an equal portion onto each round, keeping it fairly central. Fold all the rounds in half, witout sealing them. Brush the tops with some oil. Carefully Pick up one of the folded rou8nds and keeping all the edges of the folded round to the top, gently place it into a mini loaf tin. You want them to gape open and have rumpled edges, the more folds and bits of filling showing the better! Repeat with all of the rounds.

Place the mini loaf tins onto a baking tray and lightly cover with some plastic cling film. Allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes while you preheat the oven.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Bake the pizza buns for 20 to 22 minutes until golden brown and crisp on the bottoms and outsides. Transfer to a wire rack for them to cool somewhat before eating. Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator or you can freeze them for another time.

Note: You can make the dough in your bread machine according to your bread machine instructions.



I only have 6 mini bread pans and so I cooked two in ramekins and they turned out cutely round and every bit as delicious. I don't know which ones I liked the looks of more. They both looked incredibly scrummy!!



Over in The Cottage today, some delicious Ham and Egg Buns.

Parker House Rolls

First of all let me say a Happy Thanksgiving to all you American Readers. I know you will be working your butts off today to bring your families a delicious dinner. I so wish that I could be counted amongst the loved ones at your tables, but alas . . . I am here, and you are there!

Just in case you are looking for a tasty dinner roll to serve at your holiday meal, I wanted to show you these tasty Parker House Rolls that I made today. Not only are they effortless to make, but they're also very quick. You can have them on your table in a couple of hours. Pop them into the breadmaker to make the dough, shape and then let them rise while you are getting on with the rest of your meal preparations. Easy peasy . . . lemon squeasy.



I have never made a secret of the fact that I am yeast challenged! I just don't have the oomph needed to make beautiful bread. The secret is in the kneading and that's where my weakness lies.



I recently discovered a lovely baking site, that is filled with lots of baking recipe ideas called Baking Mad.com. It's filled with lots of hints and expert baking tips for everything from cakes to breads and everything in between. There's also a community forum where you can chat with people and get feedback on direct questions about your baking needs. The recipes are well laid out and easy to follow. There's even a delicious section on Credit Crunch Baking. I don't know anyone who can't make good use of that. We can use all the help we can to save money these days!



Today I decided to bake their tasty looking Parker House Roll recipe and I was well impressed with the way they turned out. It was relatively painless and the end result was rolls that were as light as a cloud and oh so tasty.



Todd was out gallivanting in the city when I baked them, and he was rewarded with the smell of freshly baking bread when he came in the door. Was he a happy camper, oh boy!



Of course I had to have one warm and fresh out of the oven, spread with butter and peanut butter. Did that ever bring back some lovely childhood memories of coming home from school and finding my mom had baked bread. She always treated us to a fresh slice with butter and peanut butter spread on it. (You just can't teach an old dog new tricks! )



*Parker House Rolls*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

Light and fluffy rolls that begin in the breadmaker! Perfect!

225ml milk (7.6 fluid ounces or one scant cup)
2 medium free range eggs, beaten
5 TBS butter, melted (plus extra for glazing)
2 TBS granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
450g of very strong bread flour (4 1/2 cups)
2 1/2 tsp easy bake yeast

Put the dough ingredients into your bread maker according to the directions for your particular model. (See your manufactureres handbook.) Set to the dough cycle, and wait for it to finish.

Once finished, remove the dough from the machine and roll out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle 12 inches by 8 inches in diameter. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough lengthwise into 4 equal strips. Cut each strip into 3. This should give you 12 equally sized rectangles.

Butter a baking sheet, or a 12 by 15 inch baking pan. Brush each rectangle with some melted butter. Fold in half short end to short end. Place the rolls into the greased baking pan/sheet.

Cover with a tea towel and set aside to rise in a warm place, leaving until they are risen to double in size. Preheat the oven to 180*C/375*F/ gas mark 6. Glaze the rolls with some more melted butter.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped on the bottom. Leave to cool on a wire rack.



Baking Mad also has a Facebook Page and are on Twitter should you want to like or follow!
There's also a handy YouTube channel which has lots of handy hints, tips and videos on it.



I'm doing Boneless Hot Wings, over in The Cottage today!

Hot Cross Buns with Spiced Fruited Butter

Nigel Slater, I just love your buns!!! Your hot cross buns that is! Sturdy, spicy and stogged full of fruit, these hot cross buns are just what I am looking for in a good hot cross bun!



I subscribe to Sainsbury's magazine and the first thing I do when it drops through my post box each month is to open it up to Nigel Slater's article of the month. I am NEVER disappointed. I think you all know what I think of Nigel Slater . . . He and I are culinary kindred spirits . . . for sure!



The May issue has Nigel waxing poetic on the endearing qualities of what makes a good hot cross bun . . . in Nigel's words . . . all plump and shiny, split, toasted and buttered. Speckled with not just dried fruit but mixed peel. Round, not square, buttered with generosity and . . . most important of all . . . homemade.



Nigel, Nigel, Nigel . . . from your mouth to God's ears . . . these buns would make even the angels sing I am sure!



They were really easy for this yeast bread challenged baker to make. I was thoroughly impressed with my results. Not a light, soft and doughy bread like those hot cross buns you get in the shops . . . these are wholesome and sturdy . . . they smell heavenly when they are baking. You will be so happy when the aroma wafts through your home, bringing with it all the hope and smell of Easter itself.



Oh so pretty with their brown sugar glazed crust, these please on all levels. Nigel recommends tearing them apart before toasting and I heartily concur . . . this gives you lovely crags and crevices to tuck all of that delicious fruited butter into.



Oh, did I forget to mention the butter???? There's butter to go with these. A heavily fruited, stogged full of dried cherries and apricots, and lightly spiced, maple sweetened butter. Need I say more???



*Nigel's Hot Cross Buns*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

A sturdy fruit filled bun. Oh so delicious, split, toasted and spread with the tasty fruit butter showcased below.

450g plain flour (3 1/4 cups)
plus more to flour board
1 (7g) sachet of easy bake dried yeast (1 package of easy bake yeast)
50g of soft light brown sugar (one generous third of a cup, packed)
1 tsp of ground mixed spice (see recipe in side bar)
75g of sultanas (a scant half cup)
50g of mixed peel (about 1/4 cup)
40g of currants (1/3 cup)
1 large free range egg, beaten
225ml of milk (1 cup)
50g of butter (5 TBS)

for the glaze:
2 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed

Measure the flour, yeast, sugar, spice, sultanas, peel and currants into a large bowl. Warm the milk slightly along with the butter. Allow to cool to a temperature that you can handle putting your fingers into. Dump the egg and milk/butter mixture into the flour mixture. Mix together with a fork to make a soft dough. It will be sticky. Turn out onto a generously floured board. Knead for 5 to 6 minutes until you have a soft elastic dough. Place into an oiled bowl. Turn and then cover loosely with a tea towel. Place in a warm, draft free, place to rise. Allow to rise until double in size, about an hour.

Divide the dough into 12 equal sized pieces. Shape each into a ball. Place on a lightly buttered baking sheet. Cover loosely with a tea towel and set aside to rise again, in a warm draft free place for about half an hour or so.

Preheat the oven to 425*C/220*C/ gas ark 8. Score the top of each bun with a very sharp knife in a cross pattern. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until nicely browned and crisp on the outsides.

While the buns are baking put the brown sugar for the glaze into a bowl. Pour on 4 TBS of kettle boiled water. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Brush this mixture on top of the buns as soon as you bring the out of the oven to glaze. Reove the buns to a rack to cool. Split in half and toast under a grill before eating.

*Fruited Butter*
Makes enough for 12 buns

You can freeze this, or it will keep for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator. Spicy, fruity and delicious.

200g of unsalted butter (13 3/4 TBS)
50g of dried cherries (about 1/4 cup)
75g of dried apricots (about 1/2 cup)
pinch of ground cinnamon
3 TBS pure maple syrup

Cut the butter into small bits and put into a large bowl. Chop the cherries and apricots until you get small bits, not too coarse, but not too fine either. Add to the butter along with the cinnamon. Beat with an electric whisk on slow, drizzling in the maple syrup as you beat, until you get a slightly darkened mixture. Don't add too much maple syrup or the mixture will curdle. Scrape onto a piece of parchment baking paper. Shape ino a short thick roll. Roll up the baking paper around it, twisting the ends to enclose. Chill for at least 4 hours before using, or up to 4 to 5 days. Can be frozen.

To use, slice into thick rounds and then spread on top of split and toasted hot cross buns.

Bread Machine Chelsea Buns

Chelsea Buns are Britain's answer to the North American cinnamon rolls. Made in a similar manner . . . but filled with butter, currants, chopped peel and mixed spice, (a mixture of sweet baking spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg,ginger, coriander and allspice.)



I have seen them with candied cherries added as well, but we prefer ours without. I've also seen them glazed with an icing sugar glaze, but . . . once again, we prefer ours much more simple than that.



These tasty buns were first created in a bakery in the Chelsea area of London, known as the Bun House back in the 18th century. Known to have been favoured by the Hanoverian Royalty (The German branch of the Royal family which preceeded the Windsors which sit on the throne today.) the Bun House has long since been torn down . . . pity that . . .



I have always shied away from making my own yeast breads. I just don't have the oomph or patience for all that kneading, but with the luxury of having a bread machine, that is not a problem these days!



While I would not place these in the same category of deliciousness as a homemade cinnamon bun . . . they are definitely not to be sneered at, and they did go down rather exceedingly well warm from the oven and smeared with some butter, along with a nice fresh cup of hot chocolate.



Next time I will add more fruit and butter in the middles though. . . coz I like lots of fruit in my buns . . . oh, umm . . . and lots of butter too. I was rather fond of the sugar nibs though, so they're staying put . . .



*Bread Machine Chelsea Buns*
Makes 18
Printable Recipe

Sometimes topped with an icing sugar glaze, we prefer ours with a plain sugar glaze. Made easy by using the bread machine for the dough part of the process.

1 tsp easybake yeast
16 ounces strong white bread flour (3 7/8 cup)
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 ounce butter, cut into small bits (1/8 cup)
2 eggs, beaten
200ml of milk (7 fluid ounces)
3 ounces currants (about 3/4 cup)
2 TBS finely chopped mixed peel
1 3/4 ounce soft light brown sugar (scant 1/4 cup)
1 tsp ground mixed spice (see recipe in right hand column)
melted butter
Glaze:
1 TBS caster sugar
1 TBS milk
crushed sugar cubes

Put the first six ingredients into the pan in your bread maker according to the instructions for your particular machine. Select the white dough setting, Press start.

When the program has finished, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surgace. Knead lightly, knocking out the air, until smooth. Keeping the countertop lightly floured, roll ou tthe dough to a roughly 22 inch by 9 inch rectangle. Mix the peel with the currants, sugar and spice. Brush the dough with melted butter and then sprinkle with the currant mixture. Roll up from the long side into a swiss roll shape. Cut into 18 equal pieces with a very sharp knife. Arrange, cut side down in two lightly buttered 7 inch square pans. Cover with buttered cling film and leave to rise until the rolls are touching and the dough feels springy.

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Remove the cling film from the rolls. Bake in the heated oven for 15 to 20 mimutes, until golden brown and cooked through.

Make the glaze by heating the milk and sugar together until the sugar dissolves. Brush the tops of the cooked rolls with this mixture and sprinkle with crushed sugar cubes. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Gently tear the buns apart to serve. We like them warm.