Sunday 13 April 2014

Caramel Walnut Teacake



Easy to make and wonderfully soft, this caramel walnut teacake is perfect tea-time treat.

Ingredients:
  • 65g butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup caster sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup self raising flour, sifted
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 3/4 roughly chopped walnuts
Caramel icing:
  • 15g butter
  • 11/2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp milk
  • 1/4 cup icing sugar, sifted
Method:

Preheat oven to 180C/160C for fan oven. Grease a 6cm deep 9cmx19cm loaf pan. Line base and sides with baking paper.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, egg and vanilla together for 2 minutes or until combined. Stir in half the flour, then half the milk. Repeat with the remaining flour and milk. Spoon mixture into the prepared pan. Level top. Top mixture with walnuts.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Stand in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn, top-side up, onto aa wire rack.Cool.

Make a caramel icing: Place butter, brown sugar and milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minutes or until melted and combined. Whisk in icing sugar until combined.

Drizzle cake with icing. Set aside for 20 minutes to set. Serve.

Dorset Apple Cake





Ingredients:
  • 225g self raising flour
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 115g unsalted butter, diced and chilled, plus extra for greasing
  • 115g light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 8 tbsp milk
  • 100g sultanas
  • 225g Brambley or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
  • 2 tbsp demerara sugar
Method:

Heat the oven to 180C/160C for fan oven. Grease and line a deep 20cm cake tin with baking parchment.

Mix the flour and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub into the flour using your fngers, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the light brown sugar. Beat in the egg followed by 8 tbsp milk. You want to achieve a smooth, thick batter.

Add the apples and sultanas and mix to combine. Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and gently level out. Sprinkle over the demerara sugar and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Allow to col in the tin for 15 minutes and then carefully turn out onto a wire rack to cool further. Best served still warm with a little custard.