Scones

This is a traditional British afternoon tea favourite, served with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Very simple and quick to make, my first attempt and I must admit I was amazed – they came out delicious.

This recipe comes from Paul Hollywood’s “100 Great breads”.  It makes about 12-13  scones. I used half of the below ingredients to make  6-7 scones. 

 

Ingredients:

500 g strong white flour

2 eggs, beaten, plus 1 egg, beaten, for eggwash

75g caster sugar

30g baking powder

75g butter, softened

230ml milk,

100g sultanas

Method:

Preheat the oven to 220 C.

Put all the ingredients except the eggwash and sultanas into a food mixer and mix for about 2 minutes on low speed. Use a paddle blade. If missing by hand this will take about 5 minutes, according to Paul.

Next incorporate the sultanas into the dough and tip out onto a floured surface.

Roll out the dough to about 5cm thick, then cut out the scones using a round cutter.  

Place the scones on the baking tray and brush with the eggwash. Bake for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool a little. Serve warm.

Best Carrot Cake

This is my favourite recipe for a carrot cake (and I've tried a few...) - very tasty and easy to prepare.


Ingredients:

Topping: 
150g of icing sugar (or less) 
100g of cream cheese, such as Philadelphia
50g of butter
zest of 1 lime (optional)

 





Cake:2 eggs 
200g of brown sugar150 ml of vegetable oil  
200g finely grated carrots
50g of chopped walnuts 
75g of finely chopped pineapple (fresh or canned)
50g desiccated coconut 
200g of flour
1 teaspoon: cinnamon, baking soda, salt 
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
Preparation:Topping: Mix cream cheese with butter using electric whisker. Add icing sugar and lime zest.
 
Cake:
 
Whisk the eggs, then add sugar and continue whisking until smooth and fluffy. Still whisking at high speed add oil.
Add carrots, pineapple, nuts, coconut and gently mix everything.  
Then add the sieved flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt and gently combine all the ingredients.

Pour into a small tin of 21 x 21 cm, lined with baking paper .Bake for 1 hour in an oven preheated to 150 degrees.
When cooled down, add the cream cheese topping and keep in the fridge.