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Daily Bread…

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Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us… ?

Today was a normal Saturday.
Thankful to Em who did a 4 hour stint teaching swimming.
We had dancing first thing, or at least thought we did (Doesn’t start till next week).
So we did a small Tesco shop and a library visit to stock up on books for the next 3 weeks.
Soup and salad for munch. Nice.
Then the first trip out on the bike this year (except for the daily commutes).
Met up with Em at Gymnastics. Then a trip back…. Many roads and paths full if debris and in parts very slippy and dangerous. But the fresh air, nature, endorphins…. Gr8.
Endorphins kept buzzing on my return, and so homemade pizza dough (thanks to netmums) with the kids for their tea.
Then dough was pummelled and rested and a loaf of homemade bread was created! Thanks again to Holly’s recipe from GBBO. Gr8 therapy.
The kids tucked away and a curry from a jar was sizzled, ate and enjoyed.

I am thankful for our daily bread.

All u need is:

500g strong white flour.
10g salt
5g caster sugar
7g sachet of dried yeast
350mls lukewarm water

Simply mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl with a metal spoon just till it’s together, and leave for ten minutes.
Tip onto the table and knead it 10 minutes. This is therapeutic, enjoy it.
Put it back in the bowl and cover the bowl with clingfilm.
Leave on the side (in a warm place) until the dough has doubled in size, about 30 minutes…
Tip the enlarged size dough onto your table and push down a few times on the dough to release air bubbles. Do not knead it. Then fold and shape your dough to your preferred bread shape and place on a baking tray.
Don’t cover the bread. Leave the tray on the kitchen top till the loaf’s double in size, another 30mins. Top the loaf with seeds or supt if u want.
Make some quick cuts on the top of the loaf and put it on the middle shelf of a 200deg c oven.
Bake for about 35 mins. Check the bread occasionally and rotate or change shelves if it’s over/under doing.
Bread’s done when it sounds hollow when you knock the underneath.
Thanks Holly, full details here.

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This year’s Biscuits and Pies! PIES!! ahhhhhhhh Piiiiiies!

BisKwits P{Pies

It’s a tradition… Meat pies and Ginger Biskwits for Crimble!! They don’t stay around for long.

Recipes (from last year) here:    Ginger Biskwits   Mini Meat Pies

Happy Christmas. Pass the Port!

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Choc Orange Fruit Brownies

Sunday afternoon therapy: make the below and then watch Tales from the Wild Wood.

Heat oven to 180ºC. Line an 8 in square cake tin with baking paper.

Over a simmering pan of water melt the butter, sugar, and choc in a large glass bowl. Stir it occasionally.

Remove the bowl from the saucepan and leave to cool.

Zest the orange and juice. Whisk these together with the eggs, vanilla, and salt.

Whisk the orange and egg mix into the cooled chocolate mix.

Sift the flour, cocoa, and baking powder onto the choc mix and fold it in. Fold in the white chocolate chips and juicy raisins too.

Pour into the baking tin and bake for 25-30 minutes.

  • 225g butter
  • 275g soft brown sugar
  • 200g Green & Blacks dark chocolate
  • zest of a large orange
  • juice ½ orange
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp  vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 110g plain flour
  • 30g cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 110g white chocolate chips
  • Good handfull or two of juicy rasins
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No Crust Coconut Pie

Our choir, Global Harmony, sings a ‘warm-up’ song about Coconut Pie.
This is the pie, thanks to Mary – with my added twists.

Ingredients.
4 eggs
1/4 cup margarine
1 cup white sugar – I’ve reduced the amount of white and added some soft brown sugar and tangy honey also!
1/2 cup self-raising flour
2 cups milk
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
and I’ve added a teaspoon of ginger.

Method:
Mix all together. Pour into 10- inch buttered dish. Bake at 180 C / 350 F for 50mins. approx.

It’s NOT supposed to look like this, but it tastes goooooood!

 

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Yog(h)urt!

OK, latest fad that might become routine – Yogurt*.

It’s one of those things we’ve always thought about but never ventured into.

We’ve been given an Easiyo Yogurt maker, and have started ‘growing our own’.

 

We have previously spent about £4.50 a week on yogs for the four of us.

We now make a kilo of yog for £2.50 – that lasts us the week.

The processed yog we bought previously might contain:

  • Modified food starch, corn starch: Used as a stabilizer, thickener and emulsifier. This gives yogurt an extra creamy texture.
  • Gelatin or Pectin, used as a thickener.
  • Potassium sorbate: A preservative.
  • A significant amount of sugar.
  • Aspartame: An artificial sweetener.
  • Fructose syrup (HFCS): A sweetener.
  • Tricalcium phosphate: A calcium supplement.
  • Whey Protein Concentrate.
  • Sodium Citrate.
  • Malic Acid.
  • Colourings? and flavourings?

The yogs we are now growing contain:

  • Each sachet contains only milk powder and live yogurt making probiotic strains of bacteria.
  • Then… whatever fruit and honey etc. we put in it. (Rhubarb from the garden this week)

The milk powder is spray dried which means that only the water content is removed. Once you add water, it is the closest thing you can get to pure fresh milk.

Your yogurt is made over a range of temperatures so that each bacteria has its “moment in the sun” when the temperature is just right for optimum growth of that particular bacteria.

It’s quick and easy! No pre-heating of milk. No electrics, just make use of boiling water.

I guess we’ll see how long this fadtine lasts.

 

Note: Every day, 1.3million unopened yogurt pots are dumped…

*In English, there are several variations of the spelling of the word, including yogurt, yoghurt, yoghourt, yogourt, yaghourt, yoghurd, joghourt, and jogourt. In the United Kingdom and Australia, yogurt and yoghurt are both current, yoghurt being more common while yogurt is used by the Australian and British dairy councils, and yoghourt is an uncommon alternative.

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Something different, hasselback potatoes… Nice!

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Speaks for itself… chop, garlic, butter, oil, salt (and whatever)…
40mins baste a tad. Niiiiiice.

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Herman is alive…

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We recently received another Herman…

German Friendship Cake Instructions
Here are the instructions I received with my little Herman. Quite straight forward really.
Hello, my name is Herman. I am a sourdough cake. I’m supposed to sit on your worktop for 10 days without a lid on.
You CANNOT put me in the fridge or I will die. If I stop bubbling, I am dead.
Day 1 You get Herman and put him in a large mixing bowl and cover loosely with a tea towel.
Day 2 Stir well
Day 3 Stir well
Day 4 Herman is hungry. Add 1 cup each of plain flour, sugar and milk. Stir well.
Day 5 Stir well
Day 6 Stir well
Day 7 Stir well
Day 8 Stir well
Day 9 Hungry again. Add the same as day 4 and stir well. Divide into 4 equal portions and give away to friends with a copy of these instructions. Keep the 4th one.
Day 10 Herman is very hungry. Stir well and add the following:
1 cup sugar
half tsp (teaspoon) salt
2 cups plain flour
2/3 (two thirds) cup of cooking oil
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla essence
2 cooking apples cut into chunks
1 cup raisins
2 heaped tsp cinnamon
2 heaped tsp baking powder
Mix everything together and put into a large greased baking tin. Sprinkle with a quarter of a cup of brown sugar and a quarter of a cup of melted butter.
Bake for 45 minutes at 170-180C. When cold cut into finger pieces. Cake freezes well and is also delicious warm with cream or ice-cream.
Further instructions at at hermanthegermanfriendshipcake.com.

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Cornish Pasties – on a budget?

Being 300+ miles from the homeland can cause a fading Cornishman to suffer from Pasty Withdrawal, and this is not a good thing.

We have been known to send for emergency supplies from Warrrens, which I have to say are good. Even ‘ansome’ when the withdrawal is severe.

But this time, with budgets an issue more than ever, I was forced to think how much our usual homemade pasties cost?
It’s easy to click click from the smartphone and order 10 Medium Steaks for £26, that’s what it was on the last time we weakened. But now 10MSP from Warrens is £31!

16 Homemade Pasties

1.15kg Cubed Beef – 6.95/kg  Gamble & Hollis Syston: £8.00
Pastry – OK, I could make it myself, yeah yeah, but I’ve 2 kids pulling at my trouser legs so this is easier!
So, 4 packs of Jus Rol Pastry (I re-bash Puff cos I like Puff!), that’s 8 rolls: £8.00
8 potatoes, half per pasty: 50p
5 Onions: 40p
One Swede (which the Cornish call Turnips): £1
’bout 20 Mushrooms, 1/3 Kg: £1 (Oh yes! Mushrooms!)
Eggs: we occasionally get ours fresh from the friendly hen lovers up the road. (Thanks A&K)
Pepper and Salt

So, that’s £18.90 for 16 Pasties: £1.18 each
Warrens by Post £31 for 10 Pastes: £3 each

So here’s our simple Cornish*Pasty Recipe again:

A JusRol ‘roll’ will do 2 medium pasties, cut the roll in half, screw the bugger up and roll it out to a circle and put on:

A handful of chopped potato,
A handful of chopped onion,
A handful of chopped swede,
A handful of chopped mushroom,
A handful of cubed beef (1cm sqs),
Shake a pinch of salt,
Shake a good dash of pepper,
Eggwash around the edge.

Fold the top edge forward to the bottom edge and crimp.

Make the other one. One is never enough!

In a greased baking tin, eggwash (or milk, or egg & milk) the pasties.

Cook on high 220° for 30mins and then lower to medium 170° for 30mins.

If it’s burning (cover with tinfoil).

Eat!

And don’t let any northerners mention gravy!

(*I’m Cornish, I was brought up on these things, so I’m calling ‘um Cornish – even with the personal touch of mushrooms!)
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Chocolate (& stuff) Slices

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Feeeeeeeel good food!

A fave adaption from the Be-Ro booklet.

Cream 150g marg and 300g caster sugar till light and fluffy.
Melt 100g plain chocolate.
Separate 3 eggs.
Blend melted choc, egg yolks and creamed sugar/marg.
Sieve 250g self raising flour, 1/2 tsp of mixed spice, 1/2 tsp ground ginger and a pinch of salt.
Stir in the above while adding 180ml milk.
Add some items of choice: mixed fruit, cherries, nuts, choc chips…
Stiffly beat the 3 egg whites and carefully fold into the above.
Pour into greased/lined baking tray and bake at 180deg for about 45 mins.
Leave in tin for 10 mins lifting out onto cooling rack.
When cooled, top with choice of topping if desired and cut to slices.

Enjoy.

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Hot Buns with a cross on…

They won’t be around for long!

Ingredients

For the buns
• 625g/1.3lb strong white flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 45g/ 1.5 oz unsalted butter
• 85g/3oz sugar
• 1 lemon, zest only
• 1½ tsp fast-action yeast
• 1 egg
• 275ml/10fl oz tepid milk
• 125g/4oz mixed dried fruit

For the topping
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• vegetable oil, for greasing
• 1 tbsp golden syrup, gently heated, for glazing

Preparation method

• For the buns, sieve the flour, salt and ground mixed spice into a large mixing bowl, then rub in the butter using your fingertips. Make a well in the centre of the mixture, then add the sugar and lemon zest and yeast.
• Beat the egg and add to the flour with the tepid milk. Mix together to a form a soft, pliable dough.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Carefully work the mixed dried fruit into the dough until well combined. Knead lightly for 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
• Grease a large, warm mixing bowl with butter. Shape the dough into a ball and place it into the prepared bowl, then cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm place for one hour to prove.

tick tick tick…

• Turn out the proved dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knock back the dough. Shape it into a ball again and return it to the bowl, then cover again with the tea towel and set aside for a further 30 minutes to rise.

tick tick tick…

• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten slightly into a bun shape using the palms of your hands. Cover the buns again with the tea towel and set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes.
• Grease a baking tray with butter and transfer the buns to the tray. Top the tray with the buns on it loosely in greaseproof paper, then cover in cling film so that no air can get in and set aside in a warm place for a further 40 minutes to rise.

tick tick tick…

• Preheat the oven to 240C/475F/Gas 8.
• Meanwhile, for the topping, mix the plain flour to a smooth paste with 2 tablespoons of cold water.
• When the buns have risen, remove the cling film. Spoon the flour mixture into a piping bag and pipe a cross on each bun.
• Transfer the buns to the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes, or until pale golden-brown.

As soon as you remove the buns from the oven, brush them with the hot golden syrup, then set aside to cool on a wire rack.

Find the BBC recipe here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/hotcrossbuns_397