Tag Archives: Baking

Jam Tarts

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This weekend was the Summer Fair and I made plenty of scones and biscuits. I didn’t have quite enough ingredients for another batch of fruit scones so I decided to take the plunge and make some jam tarts. To most people this wouldn’t seem a particularly daunting task, however, I have managed to get into my 40’s without ever having made pastry! Watching countless cookery shows and the Great British Bakeoff has completely scared me off making pastry before.

I always remember my Mum making fruit pies when I was little, and her pastry was great. She used to make a jam tart for me and my brother with the offcuts. So no pressure at all (not..)

Anyway, I had a quick look through Delia’s Complete Cookery course and remembered the ‘half fat to flour’ regimine that had been drummed into me at some point. Out came the butter, flour and a little bit of lard (Mum always swore that lard made the best pastry). I added some water as directed and ended up with a lovely ball of pastry dough. I made a second batch and put them in the fridge to rest, while I went out on a last minute panic shopping trip to the corner shop as I didn’t have any jam to fill the tarts with.

After a half-hour rest, the pastry was cool and ready to roll. I used my new pastry cutters to make the cases and each batch made a dozen tarts.

Blackcurrant Jam Tarts

Strawberry Jam Tarts

I overfilled a few of the cases, but they looked ok I think. And oh what joy, no soggy bottoms!! They tasted good too and were very much appreciated by the kids after school and at the Summer Fair. I think next time I shall try to roll the pastry a little thinner and not overfill the cases.

Happy summer crafting
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Baking

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Tomorrow is the summer fair and although I’m going to be attending as a community member, I am also doing my bit by baking for the cream teas and cake stall.

So today I have a list of plain, sultana and chocolate scones for the cream teas and a batch of biscuits for the cake stall. It’s a busy morning for me in the kitchen then! I’m just hoping I don’t run out of milk, butter and flour, or I’ll be on an emergency trip to the shop.

Chocolate Raisin Scones

I love making scones and in particular the chocolate ones are so delicious. The recipe I use is on a previous blog post and I would recommend you give it a try. It’s a simple recipe and always goes down well at the local fundraiser (and at home). My only problem is that I have to give myself a talking too so I don’t eat any. What I want to know is, why, no matter how big I make the scones, do I always get left with a tiny piece of dough? Is it a subconscious decision I make so that I have to have a bit to try?

Easter biscuits

Well I ‘ve got all my ingredients out ready for the scones. I can’t decide whether to make lemon and fruit biscuits or ginger biscuits, so I’ll have to see how I feel when all the scones are made.

Time to get baking!

Happy baking
x

Something Different

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I haven’t done any baking for a while and thought I would have a go at something a little different for a change. I like to make scones. They’re quite simple and quick to make, as well as being totally delicious – especially warm with a little butter on the top. I love the recipe that my Mum uses, it’s over 50 years old but tastes great. Although I am starting to find cream of tartar more difficult to locate in the shops, and it’s this that makes the difference I think.

Anyway, I thought I’d have a go at a batch of scones, but this time I added chocolate raisins. It seemed a logical progression as I’ve made chocolate chip scones and fruit scones, why not combine them?

My daughter helped with the measuring and mixing and we watched the lovely scones rise in the oven together, mouths watering.

Chocolate Raisin Scones

They turned out pretty well. My daughter and I loved them. They were soft and light. Some had full chocolate raisins in the centre, whilst others had bits of chocolate and raisins. Delicious and a great experiment. It’s certainly got me thinking about what other ingredients I could add next time.

Happy crafting
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Easter biscuits

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It’s the school Easter holidays and, like many other parents out there, I am looking for ways to keep my daughter occupied whilst not having to spend a small fortune! There’s only so many times we can go out and about, and we need to do things around the home too. Coming up with new and interesting constructive projects for her is a challenge. Fortunately we’ve had some lovely weather, so we’ve been out in the garden, tidying borders and feeding the birds.

But the kitchen has been calling and today we have been making Easter biscuits to share with our family and friends. They are a lovely simple recipe to make, made easier still using a mixer! The main enjoyment for my 5 year old is weighing out all the ingredients, adding them to the mixer and then rolling out the dough and cutting out the biscuit shapes. Watching them bake in the oven is fascinating and then trying the first one when it’s still warm! Lovely.

Easter biscuits

The recipe I use is one I found in an Aldi magazine a few years ago, I like it’s simplicity and they taste fabulous at any time of year.

Ingedients
140g salted butter
280g self-raising flour
140g caster sugar
55g raisins
1 medium egg
grated zest of 1 lemon

Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 190C, gas mark 5
2. Rub the cold butter into the flour well
3. Add the sugar, raisins and lemon zest and bring together gently
4. Beat the egg and add to the mixture
5. When a dough has formed, roll out to 0.5cm think and cut out with your chosen cutter
6. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked
7. Remove from the oven, allow to cool and remove from the baking tray

I don’t always use the lemon zest and they work just as well as a plain raisin biscuit.

They were delicious after dinner tonight and the rest are being shared with some friends tomorrow.

Happy baking
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