Me Ol' Fruitcake!!

 

Ingredients

• 400 g mixed fruit (with cranberries and apricot)
• 250 ml water
• 250 g butter  - melted in the microwave
• 350 g sugar
• 260 g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 eggs (small - medium)

• Preheat oven to 160°C (140 fan)) conventional. Line a 20 or 22cm square cake tin with greaseproof paper.
• Place dried fruit and water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat. Boil  most of the liquid has been absorbed.
• Remove from the heat and add the melted butter. Stir through until all the butter is mixed in. Add the sugar and stir in well. Set mixture aside to cool for 20-30 minutes. 
• While the mixture is cooling, sift the flour and baking powder together in a bowl. Once the mixture has cooled down, add the sifted flour and baking powder and stir together with a large spoon. Add the lightly beaten eggs and vanilla extract and continue to stir until everything is fully combined.
• Pour the mix into the prepared baking tin. Bake for about 1 hr 25 minutes or until the middle is cooked and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. I like the top of my cake quite dark but cover with foil is that is not to your taste. Last time I left the cake in the over as it wasn't cooed and turned the heat off. After we returned from the pub, the cake was perfect! Allow to cool in the tin for 15-20 on a wire cooling rack to continue.
• Once cooled, cover the cake with cling film and place in an airtight container - or like me, you can delve straight in. The cale gets better if left overnight!!

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!

Spiced Apple Cake (Thermomix)

This cake came out a little like a parkin and was delicious. Next time round I may cook for a little longer and adjust the ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 0.5kgs of eating apples (3 or 4 approx)
• 3 eggs, separated
• 75gms of caster sugar
• 75gms of soft dark brown sugar
• 25gms of sunflower oil
• 125gms of plain flower
• 1 tsp of bicarbonate of soda
• 0.5 tsp of cinnamon
• 1 tsp pf cocao

Pre-heat oven to 180°C . Prep a 20cms square baking tin (4cms deep) (I use butter) and put to one side. Peel and core the apples and chop roughly in TM for about 3 secs, Speed 5. Cover and put to one side. Clean TM and thoroughly dry. Insert butterfly whisk into TM. Add the egg whites and beat until stiff for 3mins,speed3. Now add the sugar gradually until well mixed – speed 3 again. Remove the butterfly, scrape down the bowl and add all the ingredients excluding the apples and mix for 15 seconds, speed 5. Add the apples and mix to combine well for 10 seconds on reverse, speed 1. Scrape down with a spatula and ensure well combined. Pour the mixture into the baking tin and bake for 30mins until a stick comes out clean from the cake.Remove from tin and place on a rack to cool down. Serve in slices plain or with a spread of butter with a cup of tea – Perfect!