Malt Loaf

Maureen S says that this is a regular standby and her grandchildren like the mini loaves in their lunchboxes. It’s a fatless recipe (unless you butter it!)

Ingredients
150mls hot black tea
175g malt extract* 
60g dark brown sugar 
200g sultanas ( as an alternative can use mixed dried fruit ) 
2 large eggs
250g plain flour ( can use SR flour) 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 

Method
Dissolve the malt extract in hot tea, put the dried fruit in a large bowl and pour the tea/malt mix over the fruit. Leave overnight or for at least 4 hours.

Line a 2lb loaf tin/2 x 1 lb loaf tin/ 12 mini loaf tins ( depends on tin sizes ) but don’t fill the tins more than 3/4 full or you might get a volcano effect !

Preheat the oven at 165C fan/180C/Gas Mark 4

Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda ( sifting optional). Beat the eggs, add all the remaining ingredients into the soaked fruit and stir together well. Pour the mixture into the tins but no more than 3/4 full.

Bake on a tray in case of the volcano effect!
Cook for about 45 – 55 mins or until a skewer comes out clean 

Leave to cool in the tins.

This is better if left for a couple of days before eating so it gets stickier. If not eating after two days, these can be frozen and the mini loaves will defrost very quickly. If not frozen, these will keep for a week in a tin. It can be buttered or eaten as it is.

*malt extract is usually stocked in wholefood shops

Dairy Free Carrot Cake

Hilary W recommends this cake and says it is very popular, but do allow time to soak the carrots before starting to make the cake. It is measured in cups, rather than by weight.

Ingredients:
6 cups grated carrot
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup coarsely chopped raisins
4 eggs
1.5 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable or rapeseed oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
3 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Mix the grated carrots and brown sugar in a medium bowl, and leave for 1 hour, then add the raisins.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C and grease and flour two 10-inch cake pans (or three 8-inch cake pans or two 8-inch cake pans and 8 cupcake tins).

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and gradually beat in the white sugar, oil and vanilla extract. Stir in the pineapple. Stir the flour mixture into the wet mixture, being careful not to overmix. Gently fold in the carrot mixture, and nuts if using.

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans, and bake as follows: 10-inch pans – 40-50 minutes, 8-inch pans, 35-40 minutes, cupcakes 20-22 minutes. Cook until the cakes are springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Depending on your oven, cooking time could be up to 15 minutes longer.

Place the pans on a wire rack to cook for 10-20 minutes before removing them from the pan. Once the cake is completely cool you can frost it or drizzle with icing.

Parmesan and Paprika Nutters

These are very moreish, so don’t expect to have any left over!

Makes around 40 biscuits

Preheat the oven to 180o and grease/line two baking trays

Ingredients:
100g very soft butter (warm but not runny)
50g semolina
85g self-raising flour
75g freshly grated parmesan
salt and freshly ground black pepper
40 salted cashew nuts for topping

Method:
Measure all the ingredients except the nuts into a food processor and whizz until thoroughly mixed. If the mixture is a little stiff, add a little more butter.
Transfer the mixture to a piping bag with a 1cm nozzle.
Pipe out small blobs, about 2 cm in diameter, spacing them regularly on greased baking trays.

Press a nut into the centre of each biscuit. Bake at 180o for 12-15 minutes until golden brown, then cool on a wire rack.

If you don’t like using a piping bag, chill the mixture in the fridge until firm and then roll marble-size pieces of the mixture between your hands and flatten slightly – equally good, it just takes longer!

Courgette and Tomato Tarte Tatin

This recipe was given to Olivia B some years ago by a friend who had a glut of courgettes on their allotment. It’s easy to make, and a lovely accompaniment to salad

2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, sliced
1 tsp caster sugar
3 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 courgette, thinly sliced
1 onions, sliced
2 tsp chopped fresh oregano, or 1 tsp dried oregano
6 oz shortcrust pastry
seasoning
fresh oregano leaves to garnish

Pre-heat oven to 200oC/400F/Gas Mark 6.  Heat the oil in a heavy based pan and fry the onions for about 5 mins until flecked with brown.  Sprinkle with sugar and stir for 1 minute, then add 3tbsps water and simmer until tender.

Spoon the onion mixture into a shallow 8″ round sandwich tin.  Arrange the tomatoes and courgettes in an overlapping layer.  Season and sprinkle with the oregano.

Roll out the pastry to a 10″ round and place over the vegetables, tucking the edges down inside the tin.  Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is deep brown (not black).  Turn out onto a serving dish, scatter with oregano leaves if using, and serve hot or warm.

Blueberry and Lemon Drizzle Cake

This recipe was supplied by Lisa M, she believes it came from a WI magazine some time ago.

Ingredients

170g salted butter at room temperature
200 g caster sugar
3 medium eggs
zest of 3 lemons, plus 2-3 tablespoons juice
Lemon slices to decorate (optional)
200 g self raising flour, plus 1 extra tablespoon
1 tsp baking powder
100-120g fresh blueberries, plus extra to decorate
100 g icing sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C/160 deg Fan/Gas Mark 4.
Prepare a 900 g loaf tin, grease with butter and line with paper.

Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Next add the eggs and beat together, followed by the lemon zest and 1 tbsp of juice, the flour and the baking powder.  Mix until just incorporated,

Rinse the blueberries and gently pat them dry, leaving them slightly damp.  In a separate bowl, toss them with the extra tablespoon of flour, this will help to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.

Spoon two thirds of the cake mixture into the tin, and evenly distribute about half the blueberries on top.  Add the remaining cake mixture and spread over them. Bake on the middle shelf for 15 minutes, then add the remaining blueberries on top and bake for a further 35-40 minutes or until a skewer pushed into the middle of the cake comes out clean. 

Meanwhile, prepare the glaze by beating together the icing sugar and 1-2 tbsps of the lemon juice.  When the cake is done, remove from the oven and while it is still warm, poke holes in the top with a skewer.  Drizzle at least half the glaze over the cake so it soaks in evenly.

Leave to cool completely before removing it from the tin.  Drizzle with the rest of the glaze, and decorate with additional blueberries/lemon slices if using. 

Tea bread

A simple tea bread that has proved very popular, this recipe was supplied by Marion G, who has been making it for many years.

10 oz/300 g dried fruit
5 oz/150 g soft brown sugar
2 lemons/oranges – zest only
1/2 pt/300 mls hot tea
10 oz/275 g self-raising flour
1 egg

Mix the fruit, sugar, citrus zest and tea together, cover to keep the heat in and leave overnight.
The following day, preheat the oven to 180oC/350F/Gas Mark 4. Mix the flour and egg into the fruit mixture and turn into a 2lb/1kg loaf tin. Bake for about 1 hour, until firm to touch.