The Lazy Baker's Hot Cross Buns

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 The Lazy Baker's Hot Cross Buns

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Make the dough the night before and be sure it's in a nice big bowl (so it doesn't overflow!) and well covered (no one likes bug-buns!)

Yeast Mixture:
2 7g sachets of dried yeast
1 tsp white sugar
1 3/4 cups of warm milk (not hot!)

Mix above ingredients together and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes to get the yeast going and the milk frothy.

Dough Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar (yes, more sugar!)
a pinch of salt
50g butter - softened (not melted though!)
4 cups good quality plain flour
1/2 cup sultanas (or you could add some currants as well!)
1 tbsp chopped mixed peel
1 egg
ground cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spice - a good shake of each or about 1/4 tsp if you are shy

Make the dough:
Sift the salt and flour together. Sprinkle in the 1/2 cup of sugar. Now add the cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spice. Rub in the butter next until well mixed. Plonk the egg in with the milky/yeasty mixture - and whisk with a fork to combine. Now pour the eggy/milky/yeasty mixture into the floury/buttery mix. Add the sultanas and peel. It might be quite sticky. Flour your hands and push on. Sticky is good. Sticky means they will end up moist and bubbly. Knead together with springy, spirit fingers until it's all nicely combined and looks like a nice big lump of speckled dough.

First Rise (the night before!) :
Place into a greased bowl and sprinkle with some cinnamon and nutmeg. I brushed mine gently with some melted butter to keep it moist. You might like to do that if you can be bothered. Allow to rise covered with a clean cloth (until doubled in size). It will rise more quickly in a warm, draught free area.

Here is where you cover them and let it sit overnight. If you want the 'do it in one day' recipe look here!

Get up and shape your buns: 
Good morning! I like your hair! Okay. Make a cup of coffee. Preheat your oven to 200C. Next, turn the dough out gently onto a floured surface. Don't knead it! Just carefully cut it into rough square-ish pieces around 4cm square (or bigger if you like big buns!) Gently push them into a nice bun shape with your finger tips, as though you are a very gentle dough sculptor. You should get about 16 or so buns from this - enough for 2 trays - don't worry if you get less (but don't try for 20 or they'll be TINY!) Grease your trays and pop the buns on - a little way apart - they will join together as they rise and bake.

Recovery Rise:
Now cover these nearly oven-ready buns with a couple of tea towels and let them rise again for half an hour or so in a warm spot. They may not double in size, but they will have time to recover and get ready to rise more in the oven. 

While you are waiting you could pop over here and have a bit of a read?

Make the flour paste and get piping if you want traditional crosses:
Mix half a cup of plain flour with four or five tablespoons of water and pipe onto the uncooked buns in crosses (use a piping bag or a plastic bag with the corner snipped off a teensy bit)

Uncover the buns and brush them with egg wash:

Mix 1 Egg Yolk with 1 Tbsp Milk to make 'egg wash'. Now brush your buns all over with this mixture using a pastry brush. Be sure to avoid your crosses if you added them! This egg wash will help make your buns a nice burnished golden colour!

Buns in the Oven:
Put your buns in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Put them as high up as you can in your oven, allowing room for the buns to rise upwards too. Keep an eye on them while the cook, they are a bit prone to burn on the bottoms. If they do, they'll still be yummy, but obviously we want crisp bottoms, not burnt bottoms!

Make a pot of tea

Next:
While they are cooking make the sugary glaze to make your buns sticky! 

Mix 100g sugar with 50ml water in a pot on the stove. When your buns are ready, boil the sugar and water mix up and pour or brush it onto the just baked buns! Not too much, though, just enough to make them shiny and delicious! Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar if you would like! Maybe some nutmeg too?!

Icing Crosses for Hot Cross Buns : instead of the traditional floury crosses :
Mix 1 cup of sifted icing sugar with 1 dessert spoon full of warm milk (or enough to make a piping consistency) - pipe onto your warm (not hot!) buns!

Variation for Fussy Kids:

Omit the sultanas and peel and add 150g of choc chips!

Basic Sweet Pastry - For Dessert Tart

Blitz the following in the food-processor until it forms a ball

2 1/4 cups of plain flour
1/4 cup of sugar
180g butter
2 egg yolks lightly beaten
1 tbsp cold water

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 mins.
Roll out and top/fill with whatever fruit takes your fancy

Nanna-rific Raspberry Jelly Cake

via

from 1977 Royal Flying Doctor Women's Auxiliary Historical Cookbook


two and a half cups self raising flour
one tablespoon custard powder
four dessertspoons of raspberry jelly crystals
three tablespoons of boiling water
four ounces of butter
six ounces of sugar
three eggs
two tablespoons of milk


Sift the flour and the custard powder. Dissolve the jelly in boiling water. Cream the butter and sugar until pale, add the eggs and beat well. Add the milk to the jelly (it will curdle). Mix in the dry ingredients alternately with the jelly/milk. Place into a greased 7" cake tin. Bake in a moderate oven for 50 minutes. Ice with soft icing and sprinkle with jelly crystals.

Quiche Lorraine...

This is super delicious - via the Hairy Bikers..

For the pastry
180g/6¼oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
100g/3½oz cold unsalted butter, cubed
50g/2oz parmesan, grated
2 tsp thyme, leaves only
1 free-range egg yolk
1 tsp chilled water (more if needed)

For the filling
3 free-range eggs
150g/5¼oz pancetta, cubed
250ml/9fl oz crème fraîche
150g/5¼oz Gruyère
freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. For the pastry, sieve the flour into a mixing bowl. Add the butter, parmesan and thyme and rub into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Add the egg yolk and the water and mix to form a firm dough. Wrap the dough in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. On a floured surface, roll out the pastry to fit one large flan tin. Line the tin with the pastry, then place a circle of baking paper over the pastry and fill with baking beans.
5. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and paper and return to the oven for five minutes.
6. For the filling, place all the ingredients (except 50g/2oz of the Gruyère) into a large bowl and mix gently, to avoid filling the mixture with air.
7. Spoon the filling into the pastry case and sprinkle the remaining Gruyère on top.
8. Bake the quiche for 15 minutes, or until the filling is set. Serve hot or cold with a green salad.

Never Fail Chocolate Cake

Okay.. this cake is missing two pieces.. but that's because they've scooted into the lunchboxes of two hungry boys. I got up early to face the week and make soup and cake for the boys and cake for Brown Owls too. Lots of early making makes me happy, I can tell you! I'll show you the cherry cake a bit later on (it's still in the oven.)

Never Fail Chocolate Cake
1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup cocoa
pinch salt
1 cup of milk
dash of vanilla essence
2 cups of SR Flour

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time beating constantly. Add salt and vanilla. Mix cocoa and milk together in a jug. Add this cocoa/milk mix alternately with spoonfuls of the flour until nicely combined. Bake in a moderate oven in a 7"pan for 40 mins or until done!

*adapted from 'Royal Flying Doctor Women's Auxiliary Cookbook'

Cherry Cake

Cherry Cake

2 cups of flour
3 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
100 g butter
1 cup of sugar PLUS 1 extra tablespoon of sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
1 cup of milk
1 cup of frozen or fresh pitted cherries
rind of a lemon


Cream the butter and the sugar until pale. Add the eggs, one at a time, and then the lemon rind, salt and the vanilla. Beat in the sifted together flour and baking powder, and the milk alternately until just combined. Pour into a well greased 7" tin and dot with the cherries, then sprinkle with the extra sugar. Bake for 40 minutes in a medium/moderate oven - or until a skewer in the centre comes out clean. Enjoy! Yum!

* adapted from this recipe

I think I cooked this one a bit long... it was a tiny bit gooey in the centre after 40mins... but I'll just be sure to douse it with lots of cream and I think it'll be fine.... perhaps I might even warm it to serve?!

Pip's Brownies

via

200g dark cooking chocolate
200g butter
200g caster sugar
3 large free range eggs
150g plain flour
100g cocoa
1tsp vanilla


Melt the cooking chocolate with the butter very gently in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.
Meanwhile beat the sugar and eggs in a mixer until light and fluffy, add vanilla.
Next mix in the chocolate/butter melted mix.
Now fold in the flour and cocoa.
Pour into a very well greased tin - i use a pastry brush to paint melted butter on every mm of the tin! And I do that twice!
Bake in a moderate oven for about half an hour until the centre is ALMOST cooked (a skewer in the centre should come out a bit chocolaty, but the sides should be pulling away from the tin and the top should be shiny and cracked). YUM!

Stephanie's (and Elizabeth David's) Chocolate Cake

I double this recipe and use a bigger tin!

125g good cooking chocolate, chopped
1 tbsp brandy
1 tbs black coffee
100g unsalted butter
100g caster sugar
100g ground almonds
3 eggs, separated
icing sugar to dust


Preheat the oven to 160 C. Butter and line an 18cm baking tin - springform is best.

Combine the chocolate, brandy and coffee in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir when melted and add the butter and sugar. Mix very well. Add the ground almonds and mix well. Lightly beat the egg yolks, take the bowl off the heat, and mix in. Beat the egg whites with a mixer until stiff. Fold one tablespoon of the whites into the chocolate mix to loosen it up. Then gently fold in the remaining whites. Goop into the tin and bake for 40 minutes or so. It will be crusty on the top, but fudgy in the middle. Cool completely and serve dusted with icing sugar.

Pop Them In Plum Cake

I really DO love a cake with fresh stone fruit dotted about it! You can make this with plums - or other things too. Apricots, nectarines, apple segments.... yum.


125g butter
125g caster sugar
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
zest of one lemon
700g plums, halved and pitted
4 eggs
cinnamon
1/3 cup of milk
extra tablespoon of sugar
icing sugar


Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Butter and line a 22cm springform tin.

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the lemon zest. Beat in the eggs one at a time until fluffy and light and creamy and nice. Carefully fold in the flour and baking powder. Next mix in the milk, gently. Pour into the prepared tin. Pop in the plums and regular intervals. Sprinkle with cinnamon and extra sugar. Bake for 45 minutes. Dust with icing sugar when cooked and serve with icecream or thick cream thank you very much.

Max's Favourite Muffins - Carrot and Cheese!

We like these a lot. We eat them with a big bowl of cream of cauliflower soup for soothed sighs all round.


2 cups of self raising flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of grated carrot
1/2 cup of grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup of milk
1/2 cup of melted butter
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 200 degrees c

Mix all ingredients together until just combined. Don't mix too much! Fill muffin cases (which are sitting happily in a muffin tray) two thirds full of mixture. Bake in a hot oven for 15 minutes or until cooked and browning around the edges. Eat hot with a big bowl of soup!

LoobyLu's Mum's Chocolate Cake

via Loobylu and her Mum

Melt 85 grams (3 ounces) of butter.
Put in bowl (in order of appearance) with:
1 cup of sifted self raising flour,
1 cup of caster sugar,
2 Tablespoons of cocoa (sifted) — not drinking chocolate, but real cocoa
2 cold eggs
dollop vanilla
pinch of salt
1/2 cup of whole cream milk



combine & beat 3 minutes.
Cook for 45 minutes on 180°c.
Cool and ice with chocolate glace icing.
Eat. With ice-cream.

Best Ever Choc Chip Cookies - via the Frankie Cookbook

I am lucky. Frankie asked me to be in their cookbook last year. Of course i said Y.E.S. With pretty bells on. Here is my Frankie-Famous recipe.

125g salted butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 small eggs
1 or 2 drops of vanilla essence
1 3/4 cups self raising flour
250 grams ! choc chips

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter with the sugars until pale.
Beat in the eggs and the vanilla until nicely mixed.
Beat in the sifted flour until mixed through.
Fold through the choc chips.

Grease or line a baking tray with baking paper. Roll dough into teaspoon sized balls and pop onto the tray. Bake for ten to twelve minutes. If you like them chewy don't let them brown. They will crisp up as they cool down. makes about 48.

cookie jar via here

Lemon Squares - Not For Sour Pusses

Did you know... that this is really a lovely slice. A simple cake topped with a fresh lemony sugary syrup. It's really lemon soaked loveliness... in a square!

Make Le Cake...
175g butter
175g caster sugar
175 g self raising flour
2 eggs

Make Le Topping...
juice of two lemons
120g caster sugar

Cream the butter and the sugar. Beat in the eggs. Fold in the flour. Bake in a greased, square pan measuring 25 X 17 cms. The oven should be at 180 degrees. Bake for about 40 minutes or until cooked.

Meanwhile, mix together the lemon juice and the sugar. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour it over the hot cake. Leave to cool and then cut into squares and serve.

Make some tea.

Play scrabble.

Have fun.

Yellow Tea Bowls from here

Honey Madeleines and Moustaches

My big girl grew up on these. Icing sugar dusted madeleines sent home from Stephanie's for her munching pleasure. She did turn out pretty sweet. Perhaps it was due to these.

100g butter (unsalted)
1/2 tbsp honey (i like leatherwood)
2 eggs
100g caster sugar
a tiny slosh of vanilla essence
pinch of salt
100g plain flour sifted with 1 tsp baking powder

Melt the butter and honey together. in a big mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla. fold in the flour. Let rest for an hour or so.

Butter and flour the madeleine tins well (or if you don't have a fluted madeleine tin - use a patty pan tin). Spoon tin 2/3 full of mixture and bake for just under ten minutes in a 180 degree oven. Allow to cool for a minute or two - then bang the tin on your benchtop to dislodge the sticky cakes. Cool on a rack and dust with icing sugar. Eat lots of them.

Mug from here

Nigella Lawson's Cupcake Recipe

put zem on zis....

250g softened unsalted butter
250g caster sugar
3 large eggs
250g self raising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 200 (or 400)

Throw all ingredients into a food processor. Mix until combined. Spoon into cupcake case lined muffin tin - fill them 2/3 full. Cook for about 15 minutes until well risen and golden and springy on the top. Ice with your favourite icing*. Decorate. Share. Gobble them down!

Cake stand with birdys from here

Coconut Tarts with Raspberry Jam a la Mike....

My nan used to make these.. this is not her recipe.. but it is nearly as nice!

For the pastry
50g butter
100g plain flour
pinch of salt
one tsp caster sugar
one egg yolk and cold water to mix

For the filling
raspberry jam
50g butter
50 g caster sugar
1 egg, beaten
50 g dessicated coconut
3 tbsp self raising flour

Preheat oven to 190 degrees (or 375 degrees farenheit) This recipe makes one dozen.

• For the pastry - rub the butter into the flour and salt until it resembles breadcrumbs; stir in the sugar.
• Make a well in the centre and pour in the egg yolk and enough cold water to make a firm dough. Turn onto a floured board and roll out thinly.
• Cut into rounds large enough to fill a shallow patty pan tin. (We used a glass to to this.. like nan used to).
• Line each patty pan hollow, and then put a little bit of jam in each one.

Now make the filling:

• Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
• Add the egg a little at a time. Then fold in the coconut and the flour.
• Place spoonfuls of this mixture on top of the jammy lined patty pans.
• It will spread out as you cook it.. so don't be too precise...

Bake for 15 to 20 mins until golden and firm. Cool and eat!

Gorgeous cake stand from here

Rustic Tomato and Onion Tart

Biscuity Dough Base
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup whole milk

Topping
Dijon Mustard - or Seeded Mustard is nice too!
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of crushed garlic
6 ripe tomatoes sliced thickly
1 red pepper sliced thinly
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Thyme/parsley... whatever you have on hand

ALSO - you could add capers, anchovies or olives.. whatever you like... even very thinly sliced potato if it's sauteed till tender! You might like to add something meaty or fishy if you are so inclined.


Make the dough - add all ingredients except milk to food processor (or do it by hand) - combine well - until crumby - and then slowly add the milk. Don't handle/process for too long. Roll out (on a well floured surface) to fit a WELL GREASED baking sheet (you should use butter here) - messy is good - rough edges are perfect!

Make the topping - fry the onion in the olive oil until it's caramelising and getting golden - add the garlic and peppers - fry until soft and melding together nicely. Add salt and pepper.

Assemble - Spread the uncooked base with a generous coating of mustard. Then place the tomatoes evenly over the base. Next add the onion and pepper mix (and any other treats you want to put on!) - and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Drizzle with olive oil. Add some more freshly ground pepper and put in a hot oven for about 15 - 20 minutes until the base is crispy and the edges re browning and rustic!

Eat with a nice bottle of wine and a rocket salad!


Tomato Tea-Towel Apron from here

Zucchini Slice via Stephanie's

This recipe was found in Stephanie's 'Travelling and Tasting' book. It's called 'Anna-Maria's Zucchini Slice'. Dur-e used to bring home the small bits that were left over from the restaurant's 'Centre Table' lunches. We warmed it in the oven for a little while and it was just so good. I think the quality of the ingredients makes a huge difference to this dish - but use what you can afford and it'll still be wonderful.


500g grated unpeeled zucchini
1 onion chopped finely
1 cup bacon finely diced
1 cup grated parmesan
1 cup self raising flour
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
3 tomatoes


Mix all ingredients together except for the tomato slices.
Grease your tin thoroughly with olive oil or butter.
Pour into 25cm square tin - (or a bigger rectangular dish for a flatter slice that cuts into more pieces!)
Top with the tomato slices and more salt and pepper (some basil would be nice too).
Drizzle with olive oil.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes until firm.
Sometimes it can take longer.
And if you go for the shallow dish, it will only take half an hour or so.
Serve hot or warm or cold.
With some salad and a glass of crunchy wine.
Voila!


Zucchini Print via Here

Easy As... Chicken and Vegetable Pie

I miss the days when you could buy a delicious pie from your local corner store. But it's really super easy to make a nice pie yourself - and you SO don't need ALL THAT PASTRY UNDERNEATH. Just make a lovely filling and whack a lid on it! This pie is really easy, really tasty and generally fun for the whole family. Make it. Go on!


500g chicken fillets, chopped roughly
500g pontiac or desiree potatoes diced roughly
200g carrots, diced roughly
1 cup of frozen peas
1/2 cup of frozen corn
1 leek
1 onion, diced finely
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 litre of chicken stock
2 tablespoons of seeded mustard
30g butter
1/2 cup plain flour
1 or 2 sheets of puff pastry

You need an oven proof casserole dish (no lid necessary) for this recipe.

In a large saucepan, bring the potatoes, carrots, peas and corn to the boil in the STOCK. Simmer until all vegetables are tender.

Whilst that's going on, take a fry pan and saute the onion, leek, chicken and garlic in the butter for about 5 minutes. Add the mustard and fry a bit more. Then throw in the flour and mix through - it'll be a gluggy pasty mess - but don't worry.

Now, the vegetables are tender, right?! If they are, throw in the chickeny, oniony, floury mixture and simmer until the mixture thickens nicely. Season with lots of pepper and a wee bit of salt.

Pour into casserole dish and cover with a piece of puff pastry cut to the correct size. Press down the edges with a fork to seal and poke a few forky holes in the pastry to allow the air to escape. Paint with egg yolk and bake for 20 minutes in a moderate oven - or until golden! Eat!

tiny hearty pie dish from here

Truly Delightful Egg and Bacon Pie

My paternal nanna was the queen of egg and bacon pie. In my quest to recreate my childhood I began to make it too. Here is my recipe - based on one in Stephanie's BIG orange cookbook.

2 sheets of puff pastry (the frozen type is good)
8 nice free range eggs
3 rashers of bacon, chopped roughly
1 onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1/2 cup chopped parsley
salt and pepper
30 g butter


Melt butter in a fry pan and add onion and garlic - saute until softened. Add bacon and cook until starting to crisp up. Set aside.

Line a greased pie dish with a sheet of pastry. Cut it to size and press down around top edge to secure. Pop in the bacon/onion mixture and the parsley. Crack in the eggs - they don't need to be beaten. Season with salt and pepper. Put another sheet of pastry on top to make a lid. you can decorate with little pastry chickens or piggys at this stage if you choose!

Pierce pastry lid with a fork a few times. Brush with egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp of milk. Bake in a moderate oven for 35 minutes until golden and puffed up on top. Serve with tomato sauce or chilli sauce.. or both and a crisp green salad. Delicious cold the next day too!

via here

felt egg and soldiers here