Merry Christmas

Hope everyone has a great day. Eat, Drink and be Merry!

Our fire with Christmas tree.

My Recipe for bread

This is a recipe that I have used for many years. It is one that was taught to me when I was sixteen and working in my local village pub in the kitchens. It is a quick recipe and any strong flour can be used according to taste. I have used half whole meal and half white flour as I think it gives a nicer result in the flavour and texture departments. It is not suitable for gluten free flour. I have made these rolls by hand to show you the process but it can be made in a mixer with a hook attachment if desired. Follow the same steps as below. I must admit I always use a mixer.

I have been trying to do more baking with Arran as part of his schooling for life skills and he seems to enjoy making these

INGREDIENTS

10oz 275g Strong white bread flour
10oz 275g strong brown flour such as wholemeal.
2 x5g sachets of dried yeast
1 tsp 5ml sugar
1 tsp 5ml salt
2oz 50g butter
10oz 275g warm water

NOTES

STRONG FLOUR- This is used as it is made from a strong wheat which can be worked so a strong structure can be formed to hold the shape of the bread. Other flours are not suitable as they will not hold the structure and the result will be heavy.

DRIED YEAST- I use this for convenience but fresh yeast can be used if desired.

SUGAR- This does not add any sweetness to this partucular dough as it is in such small quantities. It is added to feed the yeast and to kick start the fermentation process that happens when the water is added.

MATERIALS

2 BAKING TRAYS GREASED
MEASURING JUG
TEASPOON
SCALES
LARGE BOARD

MIXER IF USING WITH HOOK ATTACHMENT


METHOD

• PUT THE OVEN ON 180Ooc, 350f Gas Mark 4
• WEIGH OUT THE FLOURS AND PUT THEM ON A WORK TOP OR LARGE BOARD

MAKE A WELL IN THE CENTRE AND ADD THE YEAST, SALT,SUGAR AND BUTTER

COOL YOUR HANDS UNDER THE TAP. WITH YOUR FINGER TIPS RUB THE FAT INTO THE FLOUR UNTIL IT RESEMBLES BREAD CRUMBS

MAKE ANOTHER WELL IN THE MIDDLE AS PICTURE. ADD HALF THE WARM WATER

USING YOUR FINGER TIPS PUSH THE FLOUR INTO THE CENTRE OF THE WELL AND START TO MIX.BE CAREFUL NOT TO BREAK THE WALL OF THE WELL. SLOWLY ADD MORE AND MORE SO A THICK SOUP IS MADE. MAKE ANOTHER WELL AND ADD THE REMAINING WATER. REPEAT THE SAME STEPS BUT PUSH IT TOGETHER AS YOU ARE TRYING TO MAKE A ROUGH DOUGH. CARRY ON UNTIL ALL THE WATER IS GONE AND IT HAS FORMED INTO A ROUGH MIXTURE

THE ROUGH DOUGH. LIFT IT UP AND ADD A LITTLE STRONG WHITE FLOUR TO STOP IT STICKING. THE DOUGH SHOULD BE FIRM BUT PLIABLE NOT WET. IF THIS DOES HAPPEN KNEAD WITH A LITTLE MORE FLOUR BUT BEWARE IT COULD CHANGE THE TEXTURE OF THE BREAD IF TOO MUCH IS ADDED.

NOW THE FUN PART BEGINS. THIS IS CALLED KNEADING. IT DEVELOPES SOMETHING IN THE FLOUR CALLED GLUTEN WHICH FORMS THE STRUCTURE OF THE BREAD. IT CAN BE VERY THERAPEUTIC KNEADING BREAD BY HAND

USING THE HEAL OF YOUR HAND STRETCH THE DOUGH AS THE ABOVE PICTURE.

FOLD IT OVER AND PREPARE TO REPEAT THE PROCESS. YOU NEED TO WORK HARD ON THIS. DO NOT BE DELICATE. REALLY GIVE IT SOME WELLY AND STRETCH THE DOUGH.

YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PHOTO ABOVE THAT THE STRUCTURE IS DEVELOPING. CARRY ON FOR ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES BUT IF THE FAMILY WANT TO JOIN IN CARRY ON UNTIL EVERYONE HAS BUILT UP THOSE MUSCLES. ADD A LITTLE MORE DUSTING FLOUR IF NEEDED.

THE FINISHED DOUGH. TRY TO GET IT MOULDED INTO A SMOOTH DOUGH. COVER THE DOUGH WITH A TEA TOWEL AND LEAVE FOR HALF AN HOUR. ON THE WORK TOP IS FINE.THE DOUGH WILL DOUBLE IN SIZE. THIS IS PART OF THE PROVING PROCESS TO DEVELOPE THE TEXTURE OF THE BREAD. AFTER HALF AN HOUR KNEAD AGAIN. THIS IS CALLED KNOCKING BACK, REMOVING ALL THE GAS FROM THE DOUGH CAUSED BY THE YEAST WORKING. MAKE BACK INTO A SMOOTH DOUGH

CUT INTO TWELVE EVEN AMOUNTS

WITH YOUR HAND CUP OVER THE DOUGH MOVE IN A CIRCULAR MOTION TO CREATE A SMOOTH ROUND BALL, PRESSING DOWN SLIGHTLY. REPEAT THIS WITH THE OTHER DOUGH.

THE MOULDED DOUGH

USING A ROLLING PIN LIGHTLY DUSTED WITH FLOUR. ROLL EACH DOUGH BALL OUT SLIGHTLY. EACH ONE SHOULD BE THE SAME SIZE.

EACH ONE SHOULD BE ABOUT 8cm IN DIAMETER

PLACE ON THE GREASED BAKING TRAY EVENLY SPACED TO ALLOW FOR EXPANSION. YOU WILL PROBABLY NEED TWO TRAYS.

COVER WITH A TEA TOWEL AND PUT SOMEWHERE WARM AS ON TOP OF THE OVEN. THIS IS THE NEXT PROVING PERIOD WHEN THE YEAST WILL MAKE THE DOUGH RISE FOR THE FINAL TIME.

AFTER 30 MINUTES THE ROLLS SHOULD BE WELL RISEN. WHEN PRESSED LIGHTLY THEY SHOULD SPRING BACK INTO SHAPE. THEY ARE READY TO BE BAKED

THE ROLLS SHOULD BE IN THE OVEN FOR APPROX 30 MINUTES. TO CHECK WHETHER THEY ARE BAKED. LIFT ONE OFF THE TRY WITH A TEA TOWEL AND TAP THE BOTTOM. IT SHOULD SOUND HOLLOW. THEY SHOULD ALSO BE GOLDEN BROWN.

THEY SHOULD BE WELL RISEN

IT SHOULD HAVE A SOFT SPRINGY TEXTURE WITH AN EVEN TEXTURE.

The Christmas Cake?

I trained as a baker and cake decorator so it is nice to be able to keep my hand in for friends and family especially at Christmas. This year it was Hollie's choice of design on the cake. After a bit of deliberation she decided that she would like a Gothic cake. OK. So here is the result. It is complete with zombie snowman and Santa and skulls, Not forgetting the graveyard!Everything if made from icing and is edible

I bet no one has a cake like this? The moral. Never ask your daughter what she would like on her cake.

I enjoyed doing it though!

English Cream Tea

I thought I would start to teach Arran how to bake and learn some facts at the same time.


I thought The English Afternoon Tea would be a good place to start. I always saw this as a treat when we went on holiday especially if the weather was poor. It would fill in time and keep energetic kids happy while they ate precariously balanced cream on scones.

Afternoon tea did not exist before the 19th century. At the time lunch was eaten quite early and dinner was not served until eight or nine at night. In around 1830 The Duchess of Bedford asked for tea and light refreshments in her room one afternoon. She enjoyed the experience so much that she started inviting her friends to join her. Before long elegant tea parties were very fashionable with small cakes placed on cake stands, fine bone china, servers, tea caddie's and teapots. It was traditionally served between 3 o'clock and 5 o'clock and was mainly confined to the aristocracy with their leisurely lifestyle

As times and lifestyles have changed the popularity of formal afternoon tea has been confined to hotels where it is served in all its glory with a suitable price tag to match. In recent years the "cream tea" has been adopted which is served in many a teashop along with oversized scones, cream and a selection of preserves

Traditionally the afternoon tea comprised of tea made with fresh tea leaves, small cakes including pastries, scones, biscuits, along with jams, jellies, cream, lemon curd. Small sandwiches were often served too. The white bread was very thin and rolled with a rolling pin to make it even thinner. traditional fillings were cucumber, ham, cream cheese, egg, tomato and watercress. The crusts were cut off and cut into triangles. It was all about elegance. No body wanted door step sandwiches with filling falling out. The sandwiches and cakes could be eaten in two bites . A cake folk was always used as often the gentle folk would dress for the occasion.

Scones are traditionally morning goods and therefore have a short shelf life, not that they last long enough to go stale!

There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea. ~Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

Below is my favourite and well used recipe for scones. They always go down well with friends and family

INGREDIENTS

8oz or 225g SELF RAISING FLOUR

1 teaspoon 5ml BAKING POWDER

1oz or 25g BUTTER (SOFTENED)

2 tablespoons 2x15ml CASTER SUGAR

2 FREE RANGE MEDIUM EGGS

MILK

DOUBLE OR WHIPPING CREAM

JAM OF YOUR CHOICE

NOTES ABOUT INGREDIENTS

Self raising flour is important as it is a finer grade than plain flour and its added baking powder helps the scones to rise.

Butter is something that I like to use as I think it improves the flavour of the scones but low fat spread suitable for baking is OK to use.

Don't use granulated sugar in this recipe as the result will be grainy. It will also affect the texture of the scone. Caster sugar is ideal for this recipe.

Other ingredients can be added to the scone mixture before the egg and milk. Sultanas (3oz, 75g), glace cherries, chopped into quarters (3oz, 75g) or even cheese if you are a savoury person (4oz, 110g) grated. Use a mature cheese. put 30z 75g into the dry mixture along with (1 tsp 5ml) of dry mustard powder. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese onto the scones after the egg/milk wash has been put on. Watch these do not burn as cheese will be hard and unpallettable.

EQUIPMENT

2 BOWLS

3 TEASPOONS

TABLESPOON

JUG

WOODEN SPOON

SIEVE

SCALES

PASTRY BRUSH

MIXER WITH WHISK OR HAND BALLOON WHISK
BAKING TRAY
MUG
FORK

METHOD

PUT THE OVEN ON 180OC, 350OF OR GAS MARK 4

1. MEASURE OUT THE FLOUR AND PUT IT IN THE BOWL ALONG WITH THE BAKING POWDER AND BUTTER

COOL YOUR HANDS UNDER COLD WATER THEN USING YOUR FINGERTIPS, RUB THE BUTTER INTO THE FLOUR AND BAKING POWDER MIXTURE UNTIL IT LOOKS LIKE THIS.

2. ADD THE CASTER SUGAR.

3. BREAK THE EGG INTO THE BOWL THEN ADD THREE TABLESPOONS OF MILK. MORE MIGHT BE NEEDED.

4. COOL YOUR HANDS AGAIN THEN GENTLY MIX THE MIXTURE TOGETHER WITH YOUR HANDS. DO NOT KNEAD OR BEAT AS IT WILL MAKE IT TOUGH AND THE END RESULT WILL BE POOR. TREAT THE MIXTURE GENTLY UNTIL IT LEAVES THE BOWL CLEAN, FORMING A SOFT BALL OF DOUGH

BY NOW THE MIXTURE SHOULD LOOK LIKE THIS. IF IT APPEARS DRY THEN ADD ANOTHER TABLESPOON OF MILK AND MIX GENTLY.

5. SPRINKLE SOME SELF RAISING FLOUR ONTO A WORKTOP. PLACE THE DOUGH ONTO IT. ROLL IT OUT WITH A ROLLING PIN TO ABOUT 3CM THICKNESS

THANKS TO MY SON FOR THE RULER!

6. CUT OUT THE SCONES USING A CUTTER. I USED A SMALL ROUND CUTTER AS IT IS TRADITIONAL TO HAVE SMALL SCONES IN A AFTERNOON TEA BUT FEEL FREE TO CHOOSE YOUR OWN SIZE.

TRY TO BE NEAT WHEN CUTTING OUT SO THAT THE DOUGH DOES NOT GET OVERWORKED. ROLL THE REMAINING DOUGH TOGETHER TO MAKE MORE SCONES. BE GENTLE - THE MORE YOU WORK THE DOUGH, THE DRIER IT WILL BECOME. DOUGH WHICH IS TOO DRY IS DIFFICULT TO WORK. I USUALLY MANAGE ALL THE SCONES IN TWO ROLLS.

7. PUT THE SCONES ONTO A LIGHTLY GREASED BAKING TRAY. MIX ONE EGG AND A LITTLE MILK TOGETHER WITH A FOLK

8. USE A PASTRY BRUSH TO LIGHTLY BRUSH THE EGG/MILK MIXTURE ONTO THE TOPS OF THE RAW SCONES. PLACE THEM IN THE OVEN IN THE MIDDLE SHELF TO BAKE. AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES THEY SHOULD BE WELL RISEN WITH A LIGHT GOLDEN CRUST ON THE TOP LIKE THESE. TAKE THEM FROM THE OVEN AND LEAVE THEM TO COOL ON A COOLING RACK.

9. POUR THE CREAM INTO A BOWL AND WHIP IT UNTIL IT HOLDS ITS SHAPE IN SOFT PEAKS. USE A HAND MIXTURE OR DO IT BY HAND.

10. CUT THE COOLED SCONES HORIZONTALLY IN HALF ON A BOARD. PLACE THE BOTTOM HALVES ON A CLEAN PLATE OR CAKE STAND WITH OR WITHOUT DOILIES. PLACE ABOUT 2 TEASPOONS OF JAM ON THE BOTTOM HALVES. USING A CLEAN TEASPOON, PLACE GENEROUS AMOUNTS OF CREAM ON TOP. ADD THE TOP HALVES OF THE SCONES AND PRESS INTO PLACE GENTLY.

THE FINISHED SCONE. IT DID NOT LAST LONG WITH ARRAN AROUND

FINALLY TEA ETIQUETTE

Please don't imagine that we sit down to afternoon tea with fine china and cake folks but I thought this would be a good incite into how it all came about.

Afternoon tea would not be so named if it were not for the "tea"

I came across some lovely rules about tea etiquette and the do's and don'ts.

Tea cups with a handle are held in by placing one's fingers to the front and back of the handle with one's pinkie up to allow for balance.

Do not stir you're tea with your tea spoon in sweeping circular motions. Place your teaspoon at the six o' clock position and safely fold the liquid towards the twelve o' clock position two or three times.

Never leave your teaspoon in your cup.

Always put the milk in after the tea or the milk will be scolded and undrinkable.

Place the teaspoon on the right hand side of the cup on the saucer.

Never wave your cup around, place it back on the saucer.

The only time that the saucer is raised up with the cup is when at a standing buffet.

Milk is served with tea , not cream.