Wheaten Bread for St. Patrick's Day

I know it's a day late but in honour of St. Patrick's Day (and just because I wanted to) I decided to make Irish wheaten bread.

I've wanted to go to Ireland since I was a little girl. I think the initial reason had something to do with a movie I saw about fairies (or faeries...I'm not sure what the difference is) and leprechauns. Ireland seemed to be a magical place with the sea and the fisherman that lived by the sea, with women that had thick red hair and with mysterious, dark men that spoke in lilting accents.... Whatever the initial reason, Ireland has been the place that comes to mind when people ask, "if you could go to one place in the world, where would it be?"
Well, this December I finally got to visit Ireland with my siblings. We stayed in Dublin and then in Lisbon, just outside of Belfast. It was beautiful, over and above my expectations, and this brief description could never do it justice! I got to experience the windiest day of my life when we traveled to the coast and saw Giant's Causeway, I felt the amazing warmth and hospitality of the Irish, discovered their teasing humour and tasted their amazing food! But my appetite for the country has not been satisfied, only whetted and teased; I am determined to go back! I want to see the country in the Summer, to learn more about its history, about the division between north and south, to spend time with the people who showed me such love.

One thing I enjoyed in Northern Ireland is wheaten bread - a hearty, grainy bread. Here's Mrs Bittle's (our hostess in Lisbon) recipe...enjoy a little taste of Ireland!

Wheaten Bread

2 C wholewheat flour (actually its wheaten meal flour but I assume wholewheat is the American equivalent)
3/4 C plain flour
1/3 C rolled oats (heaped)
1/4 C sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter/margarine softened
1 C buttermilk

Mix all the dry ingredients. Bind with the marg and buttermilk. (dough will be dry-ish...I found mixing it with me hands easier) Place into greased and floured loaf pan and cook on 150 C/ 300 F for about an hour. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes then remove and cover with a cloth.
Tastes great hot with butter - eat for breakfast or afternoon tea!

Lemon poppy seed muffins

Ever since I watched Jamie Oliver make an amazing pie - and then tried it myself the next day and had the crust come out light, crumbly and delicious (quite a feat for me, pies are not my best friends...unless I'm eating them), since then, I have been calling myself a fan of Jamie Oliver. I find him kind of endearing, especially since he reminds me of my cousin.
That being said, here is an adaption from one of his recipes - Almond cake with lemon poppy seeds
I decided to change them into muffins - and they turned out really well! It's a very sweet, slightly crunchy muffin - moist and perfect with a cup of tea.


Heat Oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 12 muffin cups or a 20cm round cake tin.

Beat together until light and fluffy:
120g (1/2 Cup) soft butter
1/2 Cup sugar

Add 4 egg yolks one at a time
Add the zest and juice of 2 lemons and beat until smooth.

Pulse in 1 & 1/4 Cups self-raising flour and 1/2Cup finely chopped walnuts (The original recipe called for almond flour which I don't have but this seemed to work just fine)
Add 2T milk and stir until just combined. Stir in 2-3T poppy seeds and set aside.

In another bowl whisk the egg whites from your four eggs til they form soft peaks (ahem - a little bragging; I did this by hand...I'd suggest walking a round the room while doing it, and making grunting noises every now and then to take your mind off the pain in your arm).
Beat in 1 T sugar until smooth.

Stir a few spoonfuls of the egg into the flour mixture and mix together. Fold the rest of the egg carefully into it.
Spoon into muffin or cake tin and pop it into the oven for 25-30 minutes (muffins) and 45 minutes (cake), until it has risen and is a golden brown.

Banana Nut Cake

Add chocolate chips or make these into muffins. mmmm!
2 1/3 cup flour
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups mashed bananas
2/3 cups chopped nuts
2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/.4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt


Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour 13x9x2 inch pan.

Beat all ingredients on low speed, scraping sides of bowl constantly, 30 secs.
Beat on high for 3 min. Pour into pan

Bake for 45 to 50 min. Frost with Creamy vanilla frosting or just sprinkle with icing sugar.

Maple Oat Cookies

These are a healthy, nutty, crunchy delight! My friend found this recipe on a korean website and we baked them together. Its really versatile - add any sort of nut, seed, coconut etc - whatever tickles your fancy!

Makes 20-24 cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/4 C wholewheat flour
1- 1.5 C plain oats
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2tsp salt
100g butter
2/3 C brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup nuts (or seeds etc)

Mix together butter and brown sugar. Beat the egg in a seperate bowl and add to the sugar mixture. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda and salt, then add to the sugar mixture. Add oatmeal and nuts.
Shape into balls and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake on 360 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Chocolate Squash Cake

This is a delicious, chocolatey cake and you can use zucchini or yellow squash. Once the cake is cooked you don't even notice it!

Heat Oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13" pan.

Cream together:

1/2C butter
1/2C oil (or applesauce)
1 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Beat in 2 eggs. Then stir in 1/2 C yogurt or sourcream alternately with 2 1/2C flour.
Add 3/4 C cocoa powder and 2 tsp expresso (optional). Fold in 2 C shredded zucchini and 1/2 C chocolate chips.

Bake for 35-40 minutes and frost with chocolate icing if desired!

Carrot Cake - Joy of Cooking

This is a lovely, flavour-filled cake from the recipe book "Joy of Cooking". Use apple-sauce instead of the oil and it makes the cake really moist.

Grease and flour two 9x2" round pans, two 8" square pan, or one 13x9" rectangle pan.

Whisk together:

1 1/3 C flour
I C sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt

Whisk together and then combine with the flour mixture: 2/3 C vegetable oil (or applesauce) and 3 eggs

Stir in: 1 1/2C shredded carrots, 1C chopped walnuts (or cashews), 1C raisins, 1/2 C crushed pineapple, drained lightly (optional)

Bake 25-30 minutes for rounds/square pans or 30-35 minutes rectangle pan.
Allow to cool and then frost with cream-cheese icing, or brown butter frosting.

Quick Brown Butter Icing
Heat 6 T butter in a sauce pan on medium heat and stir constantly. Gradually whisk in 1 1/4 Cups Icing/powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. Scrape into bowl and beat til smooth. Use immediately.

Custard Powder Biscuits

These are a childhood favoutite of mine - I love their buttery flavour and the way they crumble in your mouth as you bite into them!

Since custard powder is not readily available in the States, and I was desperate to make these, I decided to try a substitute. I used cornstarch (cornflour) in place of the custard powder and added an extra 1/2 tsp of vanilla. It worked wonderfully!
I've heard you can find custard powder in some Asian food stores but haven't looked myself...

7 oz butter

1/3 cup icing/confectioners sugar

1 1/2 cups self-raising flour

1/2 cup custard powder (or cornstarch + 1/2 tsp vanilla)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

3 Tbsp milk

Cream together the butter and the icing sugar. Add the flour, cornstarch and vanilla and beat well.

Add the milk and mix firmly until dough forms a large ball.

Roll into small balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press each one down with a fork and bake on 300 for 15 minutes or until lightly browned (Be Careful! It is very easy to burn the bottoms of these - be sure to check them continually) Remove from cookie sheets and allow to cool on wire racks.

Makes 35-40 cookies.

Fridgecake - Search for the BEST recipe!

Having at last moved into a new apartment and unpacked most of my kitchen things, I decided to try a new fridgecake recipe. I have been searching for the best recipe/combination of ingredients and the one below is my latest experiment/attempt - if anyone knows of a top notch recipe please let me know!

Fridgecake is a chocolatey treat that I loved when I was a child, though my mother herself did not make it very often - I mainly had it at the houses of friends. I recently discovered that it has Scottish origins/connections and is called Tiffin. It is a fairly versatile recipe; you can play around with the ingredients you wish to include, so long as you keep the basic quantities the same. The recipe below is for a fridgecake that I made last night.

1 C (2 sticks) butter/margarine
2 T honey (golden/corn syrup works too)
2 T cocoa powder (or several slabs melted chocolate)
1 package (200g) *Marie biscuits/cookies (several options for this - see below!)
1/2 C powdered sugar
1/2 C coconut flakes
1/2 C raisins
1/4 C nuts

Melt the butter and honey together. Add the cocoa powder and mix well.
Place the Marie Biscuits in a plastic bag and beat/crush until it is a mixture of crumbs and chunks. Add this to the butter mixture and combine. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Press firmly into a 7x11" brownie pan (or any dish of a similar size) and refrigerate overnight.
Cut into squares and enjoy! It is best to keep them stored in the fridge...unless of course you finish them all at once ;)

*There are several different options for the crushed cookie/biscuit ingredient. I have only ever used Marie Biscuits, which can be found in Zimbabwe. I was delighted to find them in American grocery stores too! - they are usually in the International or Spanish Foods section with the GOYA products. Other possibilities vary depending on where you live:

UK - Digestives
South Africa - Tennis Biscuits
USA - Graham Crackers

Aunty Sue's Granola

Not sure where my aunt got this from but it's delicious!

Mix Together:
     5C Oats
     1C wheat germ
     1C shredded coconut
     1/2C sunflower seeds
     1/2C sesame seeds
     1/2C nuts
     1/2tsp salt

Heat together:
     1/2C honey
     1/2C sunflower oil
Then add another 1/2C oil to heated mixture.

(When I make this I often cut down on the oil and honey so that it is less sweet and mor healthy)
Mix with the dry ingredients and place on 1 or 2 baking/cookie sheets. Bake for 30 minutes on low heat - until crispy. Be sure to continue to check and stir the mixture so that it does not burn. Once cooked, turn off the oven and let the granola dry in the oven.

Muesli

A taste of home...

3C oats
1C branflakes, crushed
2T sesame seeds
2T wheat germ
2T bran
2T brown sugar
2T milk powder
1/2C chopped nuts
1/2C raisins
1/2C coconut

Mix together and add any sort of other seed or cereal or nut (sunflower seeds, pumkin seeds etc)
Delicious with milk or yogurt. Also great in rusks!

Cinnamon Rolls

Every Christmas my mom makes a lot of these and then freezes them. During December and especially on my birthday and Christmas day we have them for breakfast with a cup of tea. They are a sweet, nutty, cinnamony treat! The original recipe is from an old Betty Crocker Recipe book.

Sweet Roll Dough:

     Dissolve 1 package active dry yeast in 1/4C warm water.
     Stir in 1/4C milk (scalded then cooled)
               1/4C sugar
               1/2 tsp salt
               1 egg
               1/2C shortening (softened)
               1 1/4C flour

Beat until smooth. Mix in up to 1 1/4C more flour until easy to handle. Knead until smooth and elastic - about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl and cover with a dish towel. Let rise in a warm place until double (from 1.5-2.5 hours) - or until an impression remains in the dough when touched. Punch down.

Roll dough out on a floured surface into a 15X9" rectangle. Spread with 2T soft margarine/butter and sprinkle with a mixture of 1/4C sugar and 2tsp cinnamon. (optional - sprinkle with handful of raisins) Roll up and pinch edges to seal. Cut into approx. 15 slices.

Meanwhile, melt 1/4C margarine/butter. Stir in 1/2C brown sugar, 2T corn syrup/honey, 1/2C pecan or walnut halves. Spread this mixture in the bottom of a 9X13" pan. Place the rolled slices on the pan and let rise in warm place until double (30 minutes-1 hour). Bake 25-30 minutes.

Eat them fresh and warm or stick them in the freezer and pop one in the microwave whenever you want a treat!

Walnut French Toast

My own experiment - and it worked! The fried walnuts give this a wonderful flavour.

2 eggs
1/4 C milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
handful of chopped walnuts
4 slices bread
oil for frying

Beat the eggs til fluffy. Add the milk, cinnamon and vanilla, Add the walnuts.
Heat 1T oil in a frying pan on med-high heat. Dip the bread into the egg mixture and let soak, turn over for the otehr side. Press the walnuts into the soft bread (you may have to scoop some on top of it). Fry on each side.

Shortbread

This is my Grandmother's recipe - adjust as needed!

6 parts flour

4 parts marg

2 parts castor sugar

Mix all ingredients well. Press into pan and cook for approx ½ hour at 325.

 

Ginger Nut Biscuits

These are a delicious ginger biscuit/cookie that can be made crunchy or chewy; whatever your heart so desires! This is another recipe that my mom would make - filling the house with a scrumptious, warm, ginger aroma.

Cream together:
     1C margarine/butter
     2C sugar
     2 eggs
     1C golden syrup/honey/corn syrup

Add in together:
     4C flour
     2t ginger
     1t cinnamon
     1t mixed spice
     2t baking soda

Set oven temperature to 375. Shape into balls and bake on ungreased baking sheet for 10-12 minutes.

Chewy - remove from tray immeditely and cool on wire rack
Crunchy - leave to cool on the trays

Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes

I found a coconut cupcake recipe on the foodnetwork site - then I made my own adjustments...

3/4 cup butter/margarine
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 heaping tsp grated lime/lemon zest
1 1/2 T lime/lemon juice (bottled or freshly squeezed)
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/3 cups loosely packed sweetened coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl and folding in after each addition. Add the vanilla, zest, juice and mix well. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 5 parts total, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in the coconut.
Grease a muffin pan or line with paper liners and fill almost to the top with batter. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer cupcakes to a baking rack to cool completely.
Frost if desired.

Yum Yum Coffee Cake

Another from my mother; I'm not sure where it comes from originally but the cake turns out fluffy and light - mmmmm!


½ C marg (softened)
1 C sugar
2 eggs
2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
½ tsp salt
1 C sour cream/buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla

Cream together marg and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to marg/sugar mixture alternately with the sour cream. Lastly add the vanilla. Spread half the batter into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle half the filling (1/3 C brown sugar, ¼ C white sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 C chopped nuts) then spread remaining batter over that. Lastly put the remaining batter on top. Bake at 325 for 30-35 minutes - til inserted toothpick comes out clean

Mini Sweet Potato Scones

Another recipe that I found online (allrecipes.com) and tweaked a little...

Mix together and set aside:
2 1/2 Cups flour (if using self-raising flour omit baking powder and salt)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

In a seperate bowl cream together 1/2 Cup butter/margarine/applesauce and 1/4 Cup white sugar, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar.

Add 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest/lemon juice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup honey
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Mix in 1 Cup grated (raw) sweet potatoe.
Stir in to flour mixture.

Drop 2 inces apart on ungreased cookie tray. Bake on 350 for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and leave on tray for 5 minutes before removing to cool on wire rack.

Spread/drizzle with mixture of powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice. Add water to desired consistency.

Sweet Potato Cake (or muffins!)

This cake recipe is another adaption from an online source (sorry I can't remember where!) The potato gives it an eye-catching orange hue and a sweet flavour that is quite addicting! I have made it as both a cake and as muffins and both are delicious!


3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup chopped golden raisins (optional)
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 2 9"cake pans or one 9x13" pan. (or grease/line a 12 muffin muffin-pan)

Mix together buttermilk, potatoes, and raisins in a medium bowl and refrigerate. In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and ginger. In a large bowl, cream butter or margarine. Gradually add white and brown sugars, creaming until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly.
Beating only until smooth after each addition, alternately add dry ingredients in fourths and potato mixture in thirds to creamed mixture. Turn batter into prepared pan(s), and spread evenly.
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until cake tests done. Cool, and remove from pans.

Ginger Pudding

This is a unique take on the traditional South African malva pudding. Serve hot with ice-cream or whipped cream, or cold with hot home-made custard.

1c. sugar
1 egg
1T butter
1 T vinegar
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp bi carb
1 T apricot jam

Mix all  of the above ingredients together. Add 1cup of milk and then 1cup of flour. Pour into a greased 11x7 inch pan and bake at 400 F. for 35 minutes.

Sauce
1 c. milk
1/4 c. water
1/2 c. butter
1 cup sugar

Boil together about 5 min before pudding is due out the oven and pour hot sauce slowly over pudding. Set aside and allow sauce to soak into the pudding before serving.

Rusks

Another family favourite. My frist memory of these is when we first went to South Africa for a family holiday at the beach and would sit drinking tea and eating rusks early in the morning.
This recipe makes quite a large batch of rusks - I usually devide it in half...

500ml sugar
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk or lacto
300 grams margarine/butter
1 kg self raising flour
10 ml salt
25 ml baking powder
5 cups muesli/granola (muesli recipe found here )

Melt the margarine/butter then add the sugar, eggs, and buttermilk. Mix dry ingredients and add to mixture, mix well. Mixture will be sloppy. Divide into thirds, and then divide each third into small balls. Place in greased cake pan(s) side by side (can use 9x13'' or round cake pans or loaf pans). Bake at 180 or 350 for 45 to 60 min - until cooked fully through.
Break balls apart when cool and then cut into rectangles (about four rectangle per ball) Cake may be crumbly!
Place gently on cookie sheets and bake on low til dry and crunchy. This may take several hours.