what have you baked today?

[Breadandwine]

[Breadandwine]

[anneskitchen]

[anneskitchen]

Nb after its assembled in the pan, allow to rise again for about twenty minutes before baking

[Breadandwine]

Hi Anne

Made a garbled version of your 'Tear and share' loaf in my teaching session this afternoon.

I was going to make it with the filling for apple turnovers, but apples were in short supply. Instead we combined mincemeat, orange juice, mixed spice, sultanas, and chopped glace cherries. The dough was just my bog-standard flour, sugar, water and yeast - with a splash of olive oil.

I combined two of my student's dough - each one making six balls of dough - so we had 12 parcels altogether. I have to say it was a real winner - and a method I shall use again and again, I'm sure. I'm already thinking of a savoury version. I can just picture it as a centrepiece on the dining table - with, say, three different fillings, and the diners all asking each other, "What have you got in yours?"

The loaf was too soft to get any hollow sound - I just went on appearance and how long it had been in the oven. Couldn't wait for 30 minutes, I'm afraid, not with a hungry student, Guy, at my elbow, just waiting for a taste. So I stuck a pair of scissors in, halfway up, between two segments, and cut, first the top, then the bottom. Soft, billowing, mouth-watering bread - then the lovely filling, just full of flavour.

I'll have a pic of this on my blog as soon as I can.

A real winner - thanks Anne!

[anneskitchen]

Awww thank you so much for such a glowing review!! I am so glad you and your students loved it, your mincemeat version sounds amazing too! Did you use any sort of milk in it then?
I agree the dough is so lovely and soft, everyone who tried it loved it including comments of 'best thing ever'! I barely trust myself to make another one as ate soooo much of it

[anneskitchen]

and Paul if you are thinking savoury - have done pesto versions before very succesfully http://anneskitchen1.blogspot.co.uk/201 ... bread.html

[frenchcheesequeen]

I have made a gluten free rich fruit cake for my coeliac son-in-law's birthday on New Year's Eve. It looks pretty good but much paler than my normal rich fruit cakes. I also added much more mixed spice than usual because it looked so pale as a batter. We shall see.

[FoodMary]

I have got so fedup since being on my own with my bread either being stale or if I buy a smaller one it doesn't make decent sized sandwiches.

I have now resorted to making my Grandmother's recipe for planche cake (as the Guernsey patois is not a written language I have no idea if this spelling is correct), which is a rustic round loaf made with unbleached flour and can have a variety of additions like seeds, cheese, roasted onions, etc., and about 1ft in diameter. I cut it in half and freeze half. I find that it keeps well as I only usually eat one slice a day, one slice cut in half makes a reasonable sandwich.

Today I have baked a cheese one.

Mary J

[irishcountry-cousin]

Is it a yeast bread? It sounds very interesting.

[FoodMary]

Yes, ICC it is and although it is better made with fresh yeast I have been using dried as I cannot get fresh locally.

Would you like me to post the recipe?

Mary J

[Hope]

yes please Mary. Sounds intriguing!

[Breadandwine]

[irishcountry-cousin]

Please, Foodymary, post the recipe and Paul, look forward to reading your post on it too.

[suffolk]

[FoodMary]

Guernsey Planche Cake - a round flattish loaf.
If using fresh yeast 1/2 oz added to the warm milk and water and stood to froth in a warm place.
If using cheese 4oz of grated strong cheddar

Ingredients.

1lb strong white flour, unbleached if available. I have used 2/3rds white and 1/3 wholemeal strong flour if unable to get unbleached
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 sachet dried yeast (1/4 oz)
12 fluid ozs milk and water (half and half)warmed to tepid
Preheat oven to 230 Gas 8

Put flour into a large bowl, stir in the salt and yeast, mix thoroughly, also add the cheese at this time if using and mix well. Make a well inthe centre and pour in the tepid liquid. Mix to a soft dough, but not sticky. Oil a large bowl then knead the dough until smooth, shape into a round and place in the oiled bowl. Leave to rise for 1 - 1 1/2 hours in a warm place. I use the airing cupboard.

Turn out onto a floured surface and knock back. Knead for 2-3 mins until elastic. Grease and lightly flour a baking tray. Shape the dough into an 8in round and place on the baking tray. Cover loosely with a damp cloth or oiled clingfilm. Leave to rise for 20-30mins.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. If it browns too quickly place a piece of foil or greaseproof paper gently over the top.

I have also made this with chopped fried and drained onions - approx 1 1/2 medium onions for the above ingredients.

Very simple but when you bake for a family every day as my Grandmother did it needs to be simple and plain.

Mary J

[suffolk]

Thank you - I don't know when I'll find time to try it, but it will be in my To Do folder for when retirement happens

[frenchcheesequeen]

My Christmas cake is in the oven. It is normally made by now but the fruit I had soaking got used to make a cake I was asked for to celebrate a 70th wedding anniversary. I like to soak the fruit in a combination of brandy and sherry for at least a week.

[FoodMary]

I have been asked to make another fruit cake for RAF Valley for just before Christmas. I sent one to the officers mess as a thankyou for taking Brian's plates and was told it disappeared in ten minutes flat at coffee break

Mary J

[Rocky]

I have made the lemon drizzle cake from the BBC Good Food site that has over 1,000 rave reviews and it has sunk in the middle. I can't remember the last time that happened to me Fortunately it is just for OH's lunches.

[Lily]

I have just made a banana and pecan fudge loaf, the kitchen smells devine.

[irishcountry-cousin]

Back from a recent trip to Vancouver, I brought some canadian maple syrup with me. It is so yummy! I made Jamie Oliver's american pancakes, bacon and lashing of maple syrup for breakfast.

Can't move now, ate too many.

[Rocky]

[Lily]

Rocky, yes it was from an old Good Food magazine. The chopping of toffee was such a faff but it did turn out lovely. I too had an accident I was cutting the toffee into smaller pieces and snipped my finger thankfully a plaster stemmed the flow of blood.

[frenchcheesequeen]

I have made some Dutch Speculoos biscuits. And eaten all but two of the ones I baked. I only baked a quarter of the dough so it is not as bad as it sounds - but is still very bad.

[Hope]

I made the boiled fruit cake from the RC cakes handbook a few days ago. it is honestly one of the nicest cakes ever! so good Mr Hope wants me to make it again today as we've finished it!

i won't. i don't like cooking the same cake twice in a row. not sure yet what i will make!

[Lily]

Today I have made Jo Wheatley's baked Rum & Raisin cheesecake. It turned out great but there are only 2 of us to eat it....

The calories in this are horrific so i guess it will be a trip to the gym tomorrow to work them off. It uses 2 x 300g of full fat philly cheese...and the rest.

[spotteddick]

[slimpersoninside]

I have a boiled fruit cake cooking as I type (recipe as per Hickybank's thread "quick fruit cake for Christmas" - minus the booze!).

Does having a loaf in the breadmaker count? .

[Seatallan]

I baked a double batch of 4Dogs scones. They came out perfectly. I'm so thrilled at finally turning out decent scones after all these years. Thanks again 4Dogs

[aero280]

Yesterday I made some key lime pie. Baked a base, but put most of the filling into Tesco pre-made tart bases. Then I made a couple of malt loaves and a wholemeal loaf.

[Suzanne]

On Sunday I made some vegan chocolate cupcakes and butternut squash rolls. Will be making some banana bread tonight.

[Breadandwine]

On Sunday I made two 'Fried pies', apparently!

I called them 'Soda bread calzones, done in the frying pan':



I posted about them on 'The fresh loaf' and received this comment:

"Fried pies!
Where I grew up we called these " fried pies" thanks for the nostalgia and reminder how delicious and truly easy these are! I will make some this week for sure"

Apparently they are deep-fried in Oklahoma City!

[smitch]

Yesterday, I baked a lemon drizzle cake, some mincemeat cupcakes with brandy butter frosting and from the Good Food website some mini cranberry and raspberry ripple cheesecakes and some 'snow capped fairy cakes' for a party in our staff kitchen this afternoon. Hope they taste ok cos I've never made the last 2 items before. Then again if I get enough mulled wine in everyone, they won't notice if they don't taste that great

[aero280]

Yesterday I made a fat free sponge. Today I iced it.

I think it will be a disappointment though. It was requested by a friend who is still the same size that Rio was!! But I have covered it in butter icing! It's to be "sold" tonight at a quiz for Water Aid.

[frenchcheesequeen]

I have made a dozen mince pies to test this year's mincemeat (excellent) and with the leftover pastry have managed a couple of small egg custard tarts.

[earthmaiden]

Yesterday I made a lovely Cherry and Almond loaf. Haven't made one for years , had forgotten how nice it is!

[ianinfrance]

Not strictly "me". But Jacquie is rolling out the pastry for a mincemeat tart for tomorrow. Yippee.

[aero280]

Just another loaf. But I'll be soaking the fruit for a stollen overnight.

On Wednesday I was out to tea and I had a stollen from Aldi. It was quite acceptable!!

[Hope]

[Lily]

I've just made the Almond Heart Cooking from the Good Food January magazine. Of the 14 made there are nly 3 left.

[irishcountry-cousin]

I made a gluten free Christmas Pudding as a present for my sister in law. The recipe is from Delicious Magazine from a while back. She gets one every year and is always delighted.

[fizl]

Have a loaf of bread proving at the moment to make my usual crusty poppy seed loaf. Made a stollen on saturday courtesy of St Delias recipe, which we still have half of to get through

[anneskitchen]

For anyone who wanted recipe properly written out and pictures - my chai fruity bread is now live on my

[earthmaiden]

[Lily]

This sounds delish, thanks earthmaiden. Off to stock up on the cherries.

Thank you.

[Mamta]

I have made a 'black' bread today
I was making a slow risen bread today, so left it out in the cold conservatory last night. I brought it in this morning and thought I will give it a boost by placing it in my oven with just the light on. Accidentally put the grill on and went into computer room. Smell of burning called me back, it is totally black and the whole house stinks !
Once the smell dies down, I might make the cherry and almond cake above once the smell is 'extracted' out. I have the ingredients.
Edited to add picture of my burnt bread;

[Hope]

I made a cherry and almond cake yesterday. Slightly different from EM's recipe as I couldn't get online to copy it down when I needed to, so had to go by what I could remember and intuition. (I remembered it quite well, though, amazingly!) Very nice it is too. I rinsed the syrup off the cherries with hot water as they are too sweet for us.

also made spelt soda bread as I'm really into it at the moment!

[fizl]

Going to make some saussage rolls and a puff pastry onion tart for tonights carpet picnic. Will be cheating with bought puff though

[Mamta]

I didn't know what a 'carpet picnic' meant, so just looked it up on line :