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

Berry Picking in The Garden and The Best Brownies this Side of The Pond ~~~

Gentle Reader ~~~ Welcome to the Garden on a beautiful Summer's afternoon ~~~ we have had some "rain stops play" weather this week, but it gave the garden, fruit, and vegetables some much needed watering and, of course, I had a most welcomed rest from lugging heavy watering cans! {big, smiley face icon here}  Mists swirled across the Shire and, as a friend said of this picture, "it is very Brigadoon~ish" I love that film!  Remember, it is Wimbledon so we must have rain ~~~

 {apologies ~ I could not resist making this photograph very large as I wanted you to see the land rising like islands out of the mists but just scroll along sideways and you can see it all}

As the rain fell the dust of weeks was washed away and the ground turned dark once again and leaves glowed brightly and appreciatively in the golden sun when it finally broke through the heavy, thundery rain clouds ~~~ and I watched ~~~ my eyes glittering ~~~ and I found magic ~~~

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.”  {Roald Dahl}

Glittering silver and golden raindrops ~~~ full of magic ~~~ sprinkled and strewn across the garden ~~~ I looked and and I found that which is hidden in the most unlikely places ~~~

 

I have picked a lot of raspberries in the last two days and I think this evening I might be making jam, if not today then definitely by tomorrow or Tuesday.  The picking is good but a constant battle against Mamma Blackbird who seems to think I've gone to all this effort for her dining pleasure!  I do not begrudge her some and I reckon I'm happy to allow up to a ten percent loss on my crop for the birds and mice ~~~ as long as I have enough for my Winter table then I am happy ~~~

~~~ I do wish, though, she wouldn't dive at me all the time ~~~

Right now there are bowls of freshly picked berries lined up on my kitchen counter top ~~~ raspberries ~ loganberries ~ blackcurrants ~ and gooseberries ~ oh! yummilicious things will be a jammin' and a pie~in' and a freezin' and a bakin' ~~~

Monty Don said, on BBC Two's Gardener's World programme aired last Friday that it is not too late to sow a wide variety of seeds, and he dug in and planted several courgettes that are at about the same stage as my left over plants still in their pots, so I am now in the process of digging in four more courgettes!  I reckon I will have a really good supply now ~~~ plenty for my plate, sharing, and chutney too ~~~ oh! yummy!  I will be happy if they grow for the space will be otherwise empty this summer ~~~

I have noticed that the planted into the ground earlier are much smaller but have more leaves, whereas the ones I have planted out today have fewer leaves but they are much bigger and stronger looking ~~~ so now the comparison begins!

This is the big leap of faith day too ~~~ the courgettes I planted out earlier, and my leaves are now too big for their night time 'slug and snail' protective cloches so from tonight they, and the runner beans, are on their own.  Of course I am afraid for them but they need their freedom now to grow and flourish if they are left alone ~~~ so, this morning I put the canes in and loosely tied the runner beans on using a "figure of eight" loop so as not to damage the delicate stems ~~~ oh! and the carrots have germinated ~ and a lot earlier than I thought.  It is not worth a photograph at present for they are mere specks of green on the surface of the compost but they are there!

Now, Gentle Reader ~~~ you know as well as anybody else that I love my cake and tea ~~~ and this week I have made a discovery and have decided to share it with you ~~~ I have discovered Sugar Moon Brownies that come to you by mail order ~~~ I have waxed lyrical over these delectable, home baked morsels of deliciousness on my Facebook page and now I will tell you about them here.  I ordered them on Monday and they were here on Wednesday ~~ so that is a BIG B~Z to Royal Mail {as well as to Sugar Moon for baking them on Tuesday} ~~ I did feel for the poor postie afterwards though, I think I have scarred him for life, for I confess to lying in wait for him and accosting him as he got to my door ~~~ but it was worth it {although he might not agree!}

This is the lovely brown box in which they arrived ~~ see, that is my name on the label and sweet Alice is on the sticker in the corner ~~ this is as close as you can get these days to a 'brown paper package tied up with string' {one of my favourite songs from one of my favourite films}

Open the box to a lovely card on top ~~ and a personalised Thank You from Rachel {the owner and baker} of Sugar Moon Brownies ~~

and through the layers of protective packaging to the first brown paper package tied up with a ribbon ~~

and to the second layer ~~ can you see me smiling?

oh, boy! do you see me smile now??? 

and if those weren't enough ~~~

Now, I've eaten some brownies in my time but I'm telling you these are the best I've ever had ~~~ these are perfect brownies.  Deliciously rich and decadent, perfectly moist and fudgey, slightly crumbly, and choc full of chunky chocolate pieces in milk, white, and dark that just melt in the mouth ~~ I had three sorts: Chocolate, Chocolate and Orange, and Walnut Fudge ~~~ each as delicious as the next ~~~ they are perfect {there's that word again} with coffee, or tea, or with vanilla Haagen Dazs {warming the brownie first is optional} or just on their own.  I slowly savoured each delicious mouthful, carefully picking up the crumbs on my fingers so as not to waste a single nibble ~~~ oh, there is my Emma Bridgewater mug hiding in this photograph too ~ more smiles!

All I can say is try them ~ if you love brownies you will not be disappointed.  I think they are the best brownies this side of The Pond.  Just get yourself settled in your comfy chair, make a pot of tea, grab a copy of your favourite magazine or a good book, take the phone off the hook {very important that} and curl up and enjoy yourself ~~~ next time I'm chasing the Salted Caramel ones as I have a bit of a thing going on with anything salted caramel at the moment ~~~

On that note, I am off to warm up a Chocolate Brownie and serve it in a limited edition Emma Bridgewater bowl with a scoop or two of Vanilla Haagen Dazs ice cream ~~~ after all I've worked hard in the garden today and I've earned it!  Remember ~~~

~~~A Gardener's Work Is Never Done~~~