by Jane Brocket
680g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
15g salt
120g butter
TO FINISH & FILL
icing sugar, for dusting
jam
whipped cream
YOU WILL NEED
1 or 2 baking sheets, lined with baking parchment
makes 16–20 buns (depending on size)
1/ Put the yeast and honey or sugar in a bowl. Gently heat the milk in a saucepan to blood temperature (lukewarm, no hotter), then pour over the yeast and honey in the bowl. Stir to mix, and set aside.
2/ Put the flour, salt and butter in a mixing bowl. Rub in the butter using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Make a well in the centre and pour in the liquid ingredients. With your hand, mix to a soft, slightly sticky dough.
3/ Turn out onto a floured work surface (don’t wash the bowl). Knead for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape into a squat ball. Lightly oil the mixing bowl and return the dough to the bowl. Cover with clingfilm or a damp cloth and leave in a warm place to rise until it has doubled in size. This will take 1½–2½ hours depending on the temperature of the room.
4/ Punch down the dough – with a floured hand, press down the dough to knock out the air. Turn out of the bowl onto a floured work surface. Knead lightly for 1 minute. Divide the dough into 16–20 equal pieces, depending on how many splits you want to make. Electronic scales will help you to be accurate. Roll each piece into a smooth ball and place in rows well apart on the baking sheet(s). Cover with oiled clingfilm and leave to rise for 20–30 minutes. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 200°C (gas mark 6).
5/ Bake for 20 minutes or until the buns are well risen, golden brown, and sound hollow when tapped on the base. Put the baking sheet on a wire rack, and remove the buns from the sheet after a couple of minutes. Dust with icing sugar while still hot. Let the buns cool. When you are ready to serve, make a diagonal cut through each bun (without slicing completely). Fill with a layer of jam then a layer of whipped cream, and eat straightaway.
STORAGE: Eat Devonshire splits on the day of making.
brownies
It’s no wonder chocolate brownies have been adopted so enthusiastically by cake-lovers beyond their native America; the combination of rich chocolate flavour and chewy, fudgy texture is irresistible. They are supremely easy to make, and can be eaten on their own as an indulgent snack or with cream as a pudding. They are very portable and make a delicious picnic or party treat and, should it ever happen that they are not all eaten immediately, they keep well for several days. For best results, use good-quality dark chocolate, and take care with the baking time as a slightly undercooked brownie is the best sort.
FOR THE BROWNIES
300g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
120g plain flour
20g good-quality cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
½–¾ teaspoon salt
4 eggs, lightly whisked with a fork
250g soft butter, plus extra for greasing
300g golden caster sugar
icing sugar, to decorate (optional)
YOU WILL NEED
a 23cm square baking tin, greased with butter and lined with baking parchment or greaseproof paper
makes 12–16 brownies
1/ Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4).
2/ Break the chocolate into squares and melt in a bowl suspended over a saucepan of just-boiled water, with the water level coming halfway up the bowl. Take care not to get any water in the chocolate. Leave for 5 minutes to melt, stirring once or twice. When the chocolate is fully melted, remove the bowl from the pan and set aside to cool a little.
3/ Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl and whisk lightly with a fork.
4/ Put the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. With a wooden spoon or an electric whisk, cream them together until they are pale and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs, beating well after each addition.
5/ Now add the melted chocolate, the sifted flour, baking powder and salt and fold in gently and thoroughly with a flexible spatula or large metal spoon, making sure there are no pale streaks. Do not rush this; be patient and fold in until the mixture looks (and tastes) like a rich chocolate mousse.
6/ Spoon the mix into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes. The top will rise and have a slightly crackled, bubbly surface and the centre will still have a hint of a wobble. When done, a skewer or sharp knife should come out with some sticky brownie on it, but not uncooked mixture. Check after 25 minutes and, if necessary, leave in the oven for a further 2–3 minutes, but do not walk away and forget the brownies as they can overcook in no time at all. The point of brownies is that they come out of the oven looking slightly undercooked and sticky – they should not be dry and spongy.
7/ When done, leave the brownies to cool completely in their tin on a wire rack before slicing into squares. If you try to cut them when warm, it makes the edges very messy. If desired, sift a little icing sugar over the brownies to finish.
STORAGE: Brownies keep well for 2–3 days stored in an airtight tin in a cool place.
fat rascals
These charmingly named, scone-like cakes are a speciality of Yorkshire and north-east England, where they have been baked since Elizabethan times. Originally made from scraps of dough cooked over turf fires, they are now associated with the more genteel surroundings of Bettys Tea Rooms in York and other nearby towns in Yorkshire. They are still as large as ever, though, and should be eaten fresh, warm, split and buttered.
FOR THE CAKES
275g self-raising flour
a pinch of salt
a grating of nutmeg or pinch of mixed spice (optional)
100g cold butter, cubed
100g caster sugar
150g mixed dried fruit (ready mixed or your own choice of fruit, such as sultanas, raisins, currants or candied peel)
150ml double cream plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice (or use soured cream)
1 egg, lightly beaten
TO DECORATE
2 or 3 whole blanched almonds and a glacé cherry sliced in half per fat rascal
YOU WILL NEED
1 baking sheet, lined with baking parchment.
makes 8 fat rascals
1/ Preheat the oven to 200°C (gas mark 6).
2/ Sift the flour, salt and spice (if using) into a large mixing bowl.
3/ Add the butter and rub it into the dry ingredients using your fingertips, until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and fruit and stir to mix.
4/ Measure out the cream in a jug and add the lemon juice (if using). Stir the cream – it will thicken and stiffen as you go, but take care not to overmix. Alternatively, measure out the soured cream in the jug.
5/ Add this to the bowl along with the beaten egg. Stir with a wooden spoon or flexible spatula to make a soft, sticky dough. With floured hands, make 8 balls and place well apart on the baking sheet. Decorate each with 2–3 blanched almonds and a glacé cherry sliced in half.
6/ Bake in the preheated oven for 22–25 minutes until the fat rascals have expanded, risen, and are golden brown.
7/ Transfer to a wire rack, and leave to cool, taking the cakes off the sheet after 5 minutes. Serve fresh and warm, whole or split and spread with butter, preferably on the day of making.
STORAGE: Fat rascals are at their best on the day of making, although they make a pleasant and welcome elevenses treat the following day. Store in an airtight tin in a cool place.
almond slices
‘Slices’ have always had an air of bakery poshness, even though they are one of the most widely available baked treats of all. This one is the first cousin of the Bakewell tart, but without any claims to historical accuracy. With their buttery mix of pastry, sponge, jam and nut topping, homemade slices beat shop-bought slices hands down.
&n
bsp; FOR THE BASE
200g plain flour
50g ground almonds
50g caster sugar
125g soft butter, plus extra for greasing
1 egg, lightly beaten
FOR THE TOPPING & FILLING
125g soft butter
125g caster sugar
2 eggs
125g ground almonds
75g self-raising flour
4–6 tablespoons raspberry jam (about 300g)
a handful of flaked almonds
YOU WILL NEED
a Swiss roll tin, about 20 x 30cm, greased with butter
makes 16–20 slices
1/ Begin by making the shortbread base which needs to be chilled before baking. Put the flour, almonds and sugar into a bowl. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles large breadcrumbs. Add the egg. With a knife or your hand, mix well to bring the ingredients together into a soft, sticky dough.
2/ Press the dough out in the tin so that it is evenly distributed, making sure you push the dough into the corners and out to the edges. Prick the dough all over with a fork (about 12–16 times), cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Before you take the tin out of the fridge, preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4).
3/ Bake the shortbread base in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes until the biscuit base is dry and just beginning to change colour, but do not overcook. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool for 10–15 minutes. Leave the oven on if you are continuing with the recipe. If not, turn off and remember to preheat again to 180°C (gas mark 4) when you are ready to make the topping.
4/ While the base is cooling, make the frangipane topping. Put the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. With a wooden spoon or an electric whisk, cream them together until they are pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition. Add the ground almonds and flour. With a large metal spoon, fold in gently until the ingredients are thoroughly and evenly mixed.
5/ Spread a layer of raspberry jam over the shortbread base. Then spread the frangipane mix to cover the jam. You need to do this very gently and carefully to avoid mixing the sponge mix with the jam. The mix will spread a little during baking, so if it is uneven around the edges, it doesn’t matter too much. Sprinkle with flaked almonds.
6/ Bake for 22–25 minutes until risen and golden brown. Test with a metal skewer or sharp knife: if it comes outs clean the almond slice is done. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely before removing from the tin. To remove, cut into 16–20 slices with a sharp knife or bread knife. Carefully lift out a slice with a palette knife. Once one slice has been removed, it’s easy to lift out the rest.
STORAGE: Almond slices will keep well for up to 3 days if wrapped in foil and stored in an airtight tin in a cool place.
chelsea buns
Sadly, the famous Chelsea Bun House closed in 1839 after a few glorious decades of selling its buns to ordinary Londoners and royalty alike. But the recipe survived and the distinctive spiral in the squashed square shape is still instantly recognisable. Although a good Chelsea bun is a generous mix of sweetened dough, sugar, butter and fruit, it’s never overpowering, heavy or sweet, which is no doubt why 18th-century Londoners flocked to buy them.
FOR THE BUNS
1 x 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast or 1 level dessertspoon dried yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
250ml milk
500g strong plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
50g cold butter, cubed
50g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling (optional)
1 egg
FOR THE FILLING
50g butter, melted
75g dark soft brown sugar or dark muscovado sugar
150g mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, currants)
FOR THE GLAZE
2–3 tablespoons milk
1–2 tablespoon caster sugar
YOU WILL NEED
1 baking sheet, lined with baking parchment
makes 16 buns
1/ Make the yeast starter first following the instructions on page 17. Put the remaining 400g flour and the salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles very fine sandy breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and stir to mix.
2/ Pour the yeast mix onto the flour, add the egg, and with your hand, bring the ingredients together into a soft, rough dough. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead for 4–5 minutes until the dough is smooth and pliable, and starts to feel slightly clammy. Form into a ball. Lightly oil the mixing bowl (no need to wash before doing this) and return the dough to the bowl. Roll the ball round the bowl to ensure it picks up a very light coating of oil. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm, draught-free place for 1½–2 hours until doubled in size (the time taken depends on the room temperature).
3/ With floured hands, punch down the dough and turn it onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead for a minute until all the air has been knocked out. Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Roll out each one into a rectangle about 35 x 20cm. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with brown sugar, then scatter the dried fruit on top.
4/ Starting at the wider end, roll up into a tight roll, pressing firmly as you roll. Pinch the seam together tightly (a little milk brushed over helps) to prevent the roll undoing. Trim the ends, and cut each roll into 8 pieces, each about 3cm long.
5/ Place on the baking sheet, cut side up and almost touching (about 1–2cm apart). The buns will expand and touch during rising and baking. Cover with a piece of lightly oiled clingfilm and leave in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes. Towards the end of the rising period, preheat the oven to 200°C (gas mark 6).
6/ Put the buns in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes before brushing with the glaze, which should be made just before you need it. To do this, heat the milk in a saucepan until it is very hot but not boiling, take off the heat, add the sugar and mix well with the brush you are using. Open the oven, pull out the sheet halfway, and brush the buns with the glaze. Return to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes until the buns are brown and shiny.
7/ Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Sprinkle with sugar (if using) and leave to cool. Pull the buns apart when you are ready to serve them.
STORAGE: Chelsea buns are at their best on the day of making and lose their freshness very quickly. They are delicious on their own.
raspberry jam cakes
Recipe leaflets produced in the 1930s and 1940s by major flour companies can often be found in secondhand bookshops, and frequently contain little gems. The recipes are frill-free, and are very plain by comparison with today’s recipes, as they focus on cheap and available ingredients such as flour and jam. Raspberry jam cakes are a fine example of this plain-but-good vintage baking, but using high-quality jam and butter will elevate them to a new taste level.
FOR THE CAKES
250g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon baking powder
85g cold butter, cubed
85g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 large egg, beaten
2–3 tablespoons milk, plus extra for brushing
about 6 teaspoons raspberry jam (don't use soft-set or very runny jam as this will make closing up the cakes messy and difficult)
YOU WILL NEED
1 baking sheet, lined with baking parchment
makes 12
cakes
1/ Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4).
2/ Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips, until it resembles fine sandy breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and stir to distribute evenly.
3/ With a fork, mix the egg with a tablespoon of milk first and then add it to the contents of the bowl. With a round-ended knife or your hands, bring the ingredients together to make a soft, damp, but not sticky
dough. Add a little more milk if necessary (it is unlikely you will need more than 2–3 tablespoons of milk).
4/ On a lightly floured surface, using your hands and working quickly, shape the dough into a flattish rectangle and divide into 12 roughly equal pieces with a knife. Roll each piece into a ball.
5/ Flatten each ball slightly, then make a little depression in the centre and bring the edges up, as if you were making a very basic clay pot. Place half a teaspoon of raspberry jam in the middle of each cake.
6/ With your fingers, gently bring the edges together to close the dough over the jam. Then turn the cakes over and place them well apart on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with milk and sprinkle each cake with a little caster sugar.
7/ Bake in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes until the cakes are pale gold, but not brown. Do not overcook them, as you want to keep them relatively moist. If you cook them too long they become biscuity.
8/ Transfer to a wire rack and leave the cakes to cool before eating. Do not eat straight from the oven as the hot jam could burn. Pile them on a plate and serve with tea.
STORAGE: Raspberry jam cakes are at their best on the day of making.
eccles cakes
Eccles cakes have been made in the Lancashire town of that name since 1793, and have changed very little since. The basics of buttery flaky or puff pastry, a dense, curranty filling, a whiff of spice and a topping of caster sugar are so simple they endure as the perfect pastry package of sweetness and texture. They are delicious, eat-anywhere cakes with a proud history, and can be made quickly and easily.
FOR THE CAKES
50g butter
100g dark soft brown sugar
250g currants
a good grating of nutmeg
500g puff pastry (such as ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry)
1 egg white, lightly beaten
caster sugar, for sprinkling
YOU WILL NEED
1 or 2 baking sheets, lined with baking parchment
a 7–9cm round cutter
makes 12–16 cakes
1/ Preheat the oven to 220°C (gas mark 7).
2/ Make the filling first. Put the butter and sugar into a saucepan and melt gently, stirring to mix. Take off the heat, add the currants and nutmeg. Mix well; set aside.