I know that several of you joined me for afternoon tea a few days ago, I had so much fun baking that I did some more today. I was awake early and could almost hear my Granny saying " come on Pam the oven is getting hot and the tea is made"
She liked to do her Sunday baking in the wall oven, the sort where you light a real fire under it and stick your arm in the oven to see how hot it was. There was an indicator on the front but she preferred the arm test!
Just as we did then, 55 years ago, I started with sausage rolls and shortcakes.
I only made 900 gm of flour into pastry whereas we used to use about 5 lb.
The shortcakes are assembled like this.
Roll out the pastry and dab butter over 2/3 rds, sprinkle with sugar and dried fruit.
Fold up the naked bit halfway and then fold up again to cover the fruit.
Roll out so you can just see the fruit through the pastry, brush with a little milk and a final sprinkle of sugar, cut up and cook at 200 c for around 25 minutes.
Lovely with a cup of tea, when if they get stale warm them up and have with custard, we have not had them like that for as long as I can remember.
I also made a tray of little quiches, Granny called them Breakfast Pies.
I made 2 more Apple and Walnut cakes from Dirt Under My Fingernails, that is 4 since I read the recipe, Shaz you have a lot to answer to.
They are a little darker this time as I had some SR wholemeal flour to use up also this time I put the walnuts in the cake with the apple, I did not mean to I was distracted by Francesca walking through the kitchen and swiping a sausage roll and a mini quiche as she went.
Why is it that any baking swiped off the cooling tray as twice as nice?
Any way I picked up the walnuts instead of the apples and in they went, hey ho it still looks good, Nev has got one as well as some sausage rolls and quiches.
My next baking day will be some of the latest recipes from Sharon of Miss Townmouse. Between them I will be lucky to get into jogging bottoms soon, never mind my LBJ, Little Black Jeans.
Reasons to be grateful.
1. A bright sunny day.
2. Watching Ben running round with a sock in his mouth like a puppy.
3. A fresh breeze blowing my laundry dry.
4. My latest project looking good so far.
5. Planning a trip to do some Christmas window shopping, I do not need to buy anything but like to harvest some ideas ready for next year.
I do not like to do laundry at the weekend but in the winter I take advantage of every good day and today is perfect, strong sunshine and a lively breeze.
I will be sewing and pressing later so will get my laundry ironed in the meantime.
Francesca has just made more tea so . TTFN Pam
