Baking and Berries

 Hello Friends!

This is going to be brief, but I have to write a blog and publish under the new format, more out of curiosity.  I haven't written for a while now, partly because I haven't felt up to it, and partly because this new Blogger is making me rethink my presence here, and maybe I'll go over to WordPress.  We'll see.

So, it's already annoying me by putting in extra spaces as I type. Heigh Ho!

Growing up, I remember Mum baking a delicious light fruit cake called American Tea Cake.  Several have asked me the provenance of the name, and the simple answer is, I don't know.  I haven't had it since Mum last made it years ago, and hadn't given it much thought, until the other day when I came across a battered and tattered handwritten copy of her recipe.  Of course, there were tears, but then I set about making it.  Here's the recipe. 

It is important to be using the same cup throughout.  In a mixing bowl add

2 cups SR flour

1 cup mixed dried fruit 

1/4 cup sugar

mix the above together, then add:

1 egg beaten, with enough milk to make up to 1 cup

2 oz unsalted butter, melted

Stir together, pour into a greased loaf tin and bake in a preheated, moderate oven for 45 minutes to an hour until cooked.

No need to use a mixer of any kind, it comes together quite quickly with a wooden spoon.

I used a set of American cups in a 2lb loaf tin, which was a bit too big for the amount of cake batter, so it came out a wee bit on the flat side, but is still good.  Mum used a teacup and a much smaller loaf pan.  It makes it a bit hit and miss, and open to interpretation, but the end result is good, and even better spread with butter!

Another bake is this one, I'm calling it the Kitchen Sink Tray Bake because I went through my cupboard gathering up things that needed using.  So, this one I used my KitchenAid bowl and put everything in together.  In went

3 eggs

5 oz SR white flour

4 oz SR whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teasp baking powder

6 oz sugar

6 oz Stork

14 oz dried fruit {I had currants, raisins, sultanas, dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, and candied peel}

1 teasp mixed spice

2 tablespoons marmalade

milk for achieving dropping consistency.

Beat all together until combined.  Pour into a greased and lined 13 x 9 inch pan and bake for about 45  minutes on Gas Mark 4.  Cool in pan 10 minutes before turning out.

I am enjoying this cut in squares with hot custard sauce.

Blackberry picking season is here!  This is the time I always end up not being sorry that I left a large part of my garden to go wild, for I harvest pints upon pints of sweet, juicy, wild blackberries.  This is my first proper pick, and it's a pint and a half, so not a bad start.  Now all I have to do is decide what to make.  Apple and blackberry pie with apples from the garden, or a crumble, or freeze them to make some Blackberry Jelly?  Of course, I could defrost the raspberries and Loganberries to make a delicious Jumbleberry Jam too.  Decisions, decisions.

Well, dear friends, I said it would be short this time, but I am now within an inch of hitting the Publish button, then time will tell!

Until next time

Stay safe, stay well

Deborah xoxo