Fruited tea cakes

Since buliding my confidence in tackling the basics of bread, I've been working my way through different forms of bread to keep building on my experience and fruited teacakes are beginning  to make a regular appearance since they are one of the few breads that my husband genuinely enjoys & loves them for a quick breakfast, and the kids love them as well

So after a couple of attempts making them, and being happy with how they've turned out , I thought I would share my recipe.

To make 6 teacakes you will need:

100 milk
100ml cold water
30g unsalted butter
350g bread flour
7g fast action yeast
2tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp mixed spice
65g dried mixed fruit ( sultana raisins fruit peel )
1 medium egg beaten

• Warm the milk with the butter until the butter melts. Add in the water and stir together. Set aside
• Place the flour into a bowl and on opposite sides, add the sugar, salt , cinnamon, mixed spice and yeast.
• Make  well in the middle and slowly begin to add the milk, mix togther with your hand to form a soft dough. If you find the dough is too sticky, add in a couple of tbsp of flour.
• Knead the dough until it's smooth and elastic. If you prefer to use a freestansing mixer with the dough hook you can do so.
• Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, cover with cling film ajd leave to rise until doubled in size
• Once the dough has risen, lightly flour your work surface, remove the dough from the bowl, and gently knock out the air from the dough. 
• Tip the fruit into the dough and knead for a couple of minutes until the fruit is evenly dispersed. 
• Divide the dough into 6 equal sized balls, roll into smooth rounds and then flatten each round - I flattened each round out to the size of my palm.
• Place onto a greaseproof lined tray, and leave to prove for about 35 -40 minutes. And preheat your oven to 200c/180c fan
• Brush the tops with the beaten egg, and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown all on top and well risen
• Serve cut in half with butter or toast them the next day again with butter and jam for brekfast. They will keep for 2-4 days in an airtight container or well sealed food bag

Cheese and Marmite scones

When it comes to Marmite, Im a rather late comer to the party, I only dared try it a couple of months ago for brekfast on my toast and I was instantly converted, and left wondering what took me so long to actually try the stuff.


This now meant that I began wondering instantly what else I could use it for, I began trawling through pinterest for ideas. The first thing that caught my eye was a recipe for cheese scones with marmite added into the dough along with a drizzle on top once baked, so cheese and marmite scones it was.

I didn't even need to go out and buy any of the ingredients, luckily i had just about enough to make one batch and so I did and they did not disappoint


To make 12-14 scones you will need

250g plain flour
250g strong bread flour
5 tsp baking powder
100g grated cheese
2 tsp marmite
1 medium egg whisked
80g butter
250ml milk
3tsp marmite to drizzle (optional)

• Preheat your oven to 180c (fan) Place both flours and the baking powder into a bowl and mix together. Add the butter and use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour to make a breadcrumb like consistency.
• Add in the cheese, stir through. Then add in the marmite to the whisked egg and add this to the bow, of flour, along with the milk, a little at a time, mix together to form a soft , slightly sticky dough. You may not need all the milk 
• Flour your work surface and turn out the dough onto your work surface. Knead the dough for a couple of minutes till soft. Flatten the dough out using your hands to 1 - 1 1/2 inch thick.
• Use the fluted edge of a round cookie cutter to cut out the scones, place the cut out rounds onto a baking tray and brush the tops with beaten egg. Leave to rest for at least 10 minutes.
• Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until double in size and golden on top
• Melt the 3 tsp of marmite for a few seconds in your microwave then liberally drizzle all over the tops of the still hot scones and tuck in. You can also eat them the next day toasted, with butter for brakfast

Who says Nandos is just for chicken ?!

Sundays go hand in hand with long lie ins, late breakfasts, staying in your pyjama's for as long as possible and most importantly a good old roast dinner. I don't know about you but a sunday without a roast of some form is just criminal.

With that said a roast isn't always possible when you've kids running crazy around the house or are desperately (is it just me ?)  trying to catch up with the mound of laundry and ironing. This is a recipe that really requires hardly and prep at all, and cooks away slowly while you can get on with whatever else needs doing..  Or if your anything like myself .. plonk yourself on the sofa and do as little as possible !!




To serve a family of 4 for you will need :
2- 2 1/2 kg lamb shoulder
2 sachets of Nandos garlic & herb seasoning (medium hot)
100ml olive oil
fresh rosemary sprigs*
2 medium red onions

• Start by preheating your oven at 200c, (fan assisted) then in a small bowl combine the 2 sachets with the olive oil and stir together and put aside.
• Take the lamb shoulder and lightly score all the top and underside. Take the garlic marinade, pour over the shoulder and rub in well with your hands, making sure you get into the scored cuts.
• Take the rosemary sprigs and tuck into a few of the cuts on top and the underside
• Cover the lamb with foil and place in the oven and leave for 2 hours
• After 2 hours, remove the foil from over the lamb**, add in 2 roughly chopped onions. Lower the heat down to 150c and place back in the oven for a further 3 hours
• The lamb now should be golden and fully roasted. Remove from the oven, recover with the foil and leave to rest for at least 10 minutes.
• Serve with your favourite roast veg, my easy peasy yorkies and gravy  … and lashings of gravy