Christmas Spiced Loaf

Christmas Spiced Loaf

This festive bread can be made ahead and frozen and makes a lovely treat for breakfast on Christmas morning

Serves 6-8

Prep time:  2 hours 40 minutes

Cooking time:  1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

450g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting

Pinch of salt

2 tsp mixed spice

115g unsalted butter, chilled & diced

7g sachet easy blend dried yeast

115g unrefined caster sugar, plus extra for dusting

115g currants

115g raisins

50g mixed peel, chopped

1 orange, zest only

1 egg, beaten

150ml milk, warmed

Vegetable oil, for oiling

1 egg, beaten for egg wash

½ tsp ground cinnamon 

Preparation method

1.  Sift the flour, salt and mixed spice into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Stir in the yeast, sugar, dried fruit, mixed peel and orange zest, then add the egg and the warm milk and bring together to form a soft dough.

2.  Knead the dough briefly on a floured work surface.  Flour a clean bowl and add the dough.  Cover the bowl and leave to rise in a warm place for 2 hours.

3.  Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and oil a 900g loaf tin.  Knead the dough again briefly then pace it in the tin, cover and leave to prove for 20 minutes.  Use a little egg wash to brush the loaf, and sprinkle with a little caster sugar and ground cinnamon.

4.  Bake in the oven for 1 hour 10 minutes, the loaf should be golden and well risen.  Leave to cool in the tin.

Sticky Gingerbread

Sticky Gingerbread

A deliciously spicy and sticky ginger cake originating from northern England – brings back childhood memories of family Sunday teas.

Serves 10 pieces

Prep time:  10 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients

225g/8 oz self-raising flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tbsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground mixed spice

115g/4 oz unsalted butter, chilled and diced

115g/4 oz golden syrup

115g/4 oz dark brown muscovado sugar

275ml/9 fl oz milk

1 free range egg, beaten

Method

1.       Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

2.      Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice into a large bowl.  Add the butter and rub into the flour with the tips of your fingers until you have a mixture that looks like breadcrumbs.

3.      Pour the treacle and syrup into a small pan and melt gently until runny and then set aside.

4.      Put the sugar and milk into another pan and gently heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.  Set aside until lukewarm then whisk the milk into the flour mixture followed by the treacle mixture and then the egg.  Mix all together until you have a thick batter just like double cream.

5.      Pour into a 900g/32 oz loaf tin about 26cm x 13cm x 7cm , greased with butter and lined with grease proof paper.  Bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until a skewer put into the centre comes out clean.  Leave to cool then remove from the tin and wrap in foil for at least a day before cutting it.  The bread will get stickier the longer you leave it.

Stuffed Focaccia

Stuffed Focaccia

A most warming and fragrant rustic bread stuffed with Spinach, Parmesan, Olives, Mozzarella & Herbs... I can only describe this as moreish – you can’t get enough of it!

Serves 6

Prep time: 2 hours

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

450g/16oz Strong Plain White Flour, sifted

7g/2 tsp dried yeast

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

300 ml warm water

100g/3 ½ oz spinach

125g/4 ½ oz mozzarella cheese, chopped

2 tbsp parmesan cheese

4 tbsp/16 kalamata olives, pitted & chopped

2 tsp thyme leaves

1 tsp rosemary, chopped (plus extra for decoration)

Salt & freshly ground pepper

Sea salt for sprinkling

Method

1.  Place the flour in a large bowl and mix in the yeast, make a well in the centre and pour in the oil and water.  Mix together.

2.  Do not worry if the dough is too wet and sticky just add extra flour.  Knead the mixture on to a floured surface for at least 10 minutes until you have smooth and elastic dough.  Put the dough into an oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 ½ hours until it has almost doubled in size.

3.  Meanwhile blanch the spinach in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water.  Squeeze the spinach to remove all excess water and place in a bowl with the mozzarella, olives, thyme and rosemary. Season and mix well.

4.  Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7.  Brush a 25cm loose cake tin with oil.  Punch the dough and divide it into two pieces, roll one piece slightly bigger than the other.  Place the larger piece on the bottom of the tin and mould the dough around the sides so it is slightly higher than the base.

5.  Spread the spinach mixture over the base and leave a gap 1cm from the edge.  Brush the edge with water and place the other rolled piece of dough on top pressing the edges to seal.

6.  With your finger press the dough all over and pierce in places with small snips of rosemary and then brush with extra virgin olive oil.  Sprinkle the bread with sea salt and place in the oven for 30 minutes until risen and firm.

7.  Remove the focaccia from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes in the tin and then place on a wire rack to cool slightly.  Serve whilst warm.

Cooks Tips

*  If you are lucky to have some focaccia leftover it will make a delicious lunch.

the BEST Banana Bread

The Best Banana Bread

This has to be the BEST banana bread I have ever tasted.  It is very easy to make with perfect results every time... a perfect breakfast!

Makes 10 slices

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients

285g/10oz plain flour

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp salt

110g/4oz butter, softened plus extra for greasing

225g/8 oz caster sugar

2 eggs

4 ripe bananas mashed

85ml/3fl oz buttermilk

1tsp vanilla extract

Method

1.  Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

2.  In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar together until you have a light and fluffy mixture.  Mix in the eggs, mashed bananas, buttermilk and vanilla extract. 

3.  Sift in the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda and fold into the mixture.

4.  Grease a 20cm x 12.5cm/8in x 5in loaf tin and pour in the cake mixture.

5.  Place in the oven and bake for an hour or until risen and golden brown.  Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 5 minutes then place on a wire rack to cool completely before serving.  Enjoy. 

Cooks tips

v  Make sure to use over-ripe bananas and the right size cake tin. 

v  If you do not have buttermilk you can use normal milk mixed with 1 ½ tsp of lemon juice or vinegar.