Guinness Bread

Want to be able to make an impressive bread? One that is easy as well? then here you go!

Ingredients:

• 325g of Malted Blend stoneground wholemeal flour
• 125g of plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tbps of Demerara sugar
• 50g of butter
• 1 tbsp (heaped) baking soda
• 300ml of Guinness
• 150ml of milk
• 2 tbsp of treacle

Place all the dry ingredients into a bowl (except the soda) and rub in the butter until the mixture is even and looks like breadcrumbs, lifting as you go. Add the soda to the mixture and mix thoroughly. Add Guinness, milk and treacle to the dry mix and mix until you have an even wet mix. Put in a baking tin and bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour until risen and hollow when tapped underneath (180degC fan). Cool on a wire tray.

This bread is so easy to make and there is no proving etc. It is quite a heavy bread but cut thinly it is delicious with cheese, pate or soups. Or simply with some good butter!

Simple Roasted Nectarines

I love simple dishes especially if they are easy and tasty as well! This makes for a very easy pudding and you will wish you had cooked one extra nectarine! Maderia is quite a rich sweet wine which you may not have. A dessert wine could be used or just replace with water and add a little extra sugar to the water in the tray.

Ingredients (Serves 4):

• 4 ripe nectarines, halves and stones removed
• 1 tbsp of demerara sugar
• ½ teaspoon of butter per half
• 1 glass of Madeira wine
• 1 glass of water
• Pinch of cinnamon per half

What simpler dish than a roasted peach or nectarine!

Prepare the nectarine halves and put into a baking dish. Add the wine and water around the halves (the halves being placed cut side up). Place the butter in the hollow of the nectarine and sprinkle each half with demerara sugar followed by a pinch of cinnamon. Roast for approx 30 minutes in an over at 190degC or until soft and golden. Serve with a couple of spoonfuls of the liquor in the pan and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Simple and delicious.