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Scottish Shortbread

Sunday, April 15th, 2012

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ball of homemade Scottish shortbread dough with antique wooden shortbread mould, vintage pottery mixing bowl and cookery book open on the page with Scottish shortbread recipe

Justin brought home this antique wooden shortbread mould this week. It was only fair that it got tested out for quality control purposes before going on sale in our shop!

uncooked homemade Scottish shortbread dough moulded into a round

I’d made Scottish shortbread biscuits a couple of times recently and they don’t last very long chez H is for Home!

reshly cooked homemade Scottish shortbread round with vintage Lord Nelson Pottery caster sugar storage jar

I normally use Delia Smith’s recipe where she uses semolina for a bit of a crunch, but I thought I’d try the one in the Great Big Cookie Book which uses cornflour, not semolina, and very pretty moulds that make rounds imprinted with a thistle.

There are lots of different variations – wholemeal flour, rice flour, oatmeal flour… you won’t go far wrong so long as you stick to the ratio of one part sugar, two parts butter and three parts flour. If you’d like to try the recipe I used, here are the instructions:

(Makes 2 large or 8 individual shortbreads)

  • 175g/6oz/¾ cup plain flour
  • 50g/2oz/½ cup cornflour
  • 50g/2oz/¼ caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
  • 115g/4oz/½ cup unsalted butter, chopped
  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas mark 3. Lightly flour the mould and line a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper
  2. Sift the flour, cornflour and sugar into a mixing bowl. Rub the butter into the flour & sugar mixture until it binds together and you can knead it into a soft dough
  3. Place the dough into the mould and press to fit neatly (I went over it a couple of times with a rolling pin). Invert the mould on to the baking sheet and tap firmly to release the dough shape (I had to give mine a big old bang on our kitchen table!)
  4. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until pale golden in colour
  5. Sprinkle the top of the shortbread with a little caster sugar and cool on a baking sheet
  6. Cut the larger rounds into ‘petticoat tails’ while still warm

freshly cooked homemade Scottish shortbread cut into petticoat tails with a mug of tea

Mmmmmm… shortbread petticoat tails with a mug of tea. I think we may just have to keep the mould!

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Baked Vanilla Cheesecake

Saturday, November 19th, 2011

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Baked vanilla cheesecake still in its spring-form cake tin

I’ve been making this baked cheesecake from a Gordon Ramsay recipe that I tore out of a weekend newspaper magazine supplement since way back in 2004!

Baked vanilla cheesecake made from a Gordon Ramsay recipe

It’s a dish that I go back to again & again – it’s really easy to make and is simply delicious – especially the day after, when it’s spent a few hours in the fridge. It’s great served with a ginger or summer fruit compote. We had some with a lovely wild blueberry preserve.

slice of baked vanilla cheesecake made from a Gordon Ramsay recipe served with a wild blueberry preserve

biscuit base

  • 100g unsalted butter, plus a little to greases the tin
  • 200g digestive biscuits (I sometimes us ginger nuts with about half the above quantity  of butter)
  • 50g caster sugar (Again, I use half this amount if using ginger nuts)

filling

  • 500g cream cheese (I’ve used both Philadelphia and marscapone successfully) at room temperature
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tbsp cornflour
  • 300g sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  1. Lightly grease a 20cm spring-form cake tin
  2. Melt the butter gently in a small pan on a low heat. Roughly break up the biscuits and and place them in a food processor. Process the biscuits for 2-3 minutes until they resemble fine crumbs. Add the sugar, then pour in the melted butter and process for 30 seconds to combine
  3. Put the biscuit mixture into the base of the tin, using the back of a tablespoon to smooth the surface evenly. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes
  4. Rinse out the processor bowl. Place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl and process for 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the cornflour, sour cream and vanilla essence and process for 30 seconds to combine
  5. Pour the filling into the tin and bake in a low oven at 150°C for 1 hour. When cooked, the cheesecake should be well-risen, with a golden brown top. It should feel slightly firm to the touch – if the mixture still appears wet, continue to bake a little longer. When cooked, turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven, with the door open. When completely cool, place in the fridge. Serve with summer berries and pouring cream

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Afternoon Scones

Sunday, September 11th, 2011

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homemade scones, homemade strawberry jam and clotted cream

I’ve been meaning to make some scones for a while – in fact ever since coming back from our holiday in Wells-Next-the-Sea. While we were there, I spent a sunny afternoon at Wiveton Hall Fruit Farm picking strawberries. I filled this massive punnet with sweet, fat, fragrant strawberries – specimens such as I’d never tasted before!

homemade jam made with strawberries we picked at Wiverton Farm on the North Norfolk coast

Those that didn’t get eaten there & then returned home with us and made into a massive pan of strawberry conserve. We gave lots away to friends & family and kept a couple of jars for ourselves. We’ve had it on toast & croissants, some was used as sponge cake filling, but you can’t beat it on warm, freshly baked scones!

baking ingredients to make homemade scones

To make the scones, I once again used a recipe from The Great Big Cookie Book by Hilaire Walden. Here it is:

  • 225g/8oz/2 cups plain flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 2.5ml/½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 5ml/1 tsp cream of tartar
  • 25g/1oz/2 tbs butter
  • 150ml/¼ pint/⅔ cup milk or buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas mark 7. Flour a baking sheet. Sift the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Gradually stir in just enough milk to make a light, spongy dough.

rolled out and cut out scone pastry

Turn the dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Roll to 2.5cm/1in thick. Cut into rounds with a floured 5cm/2in cutter.

cut out scones on a baking tray ready to be put in the oven

Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet and brush the tops with milk.

freshly cooked scones cooling on a wire rack

Bake for 7-10 minutes until the scones are well risen and golden brown. Serve with jam and a big dollop of clotted cream!

Rodda's clotted cream container & packaging

PS – We usually buy Rodda’s clotted cream which is delicious – but don’t you just love the packaging too?!

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Banana Parkin

Saturday, August 27th, 2011

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sliced banana ginger parkin on a vintage wooden chopping board alongside a vintage tiered cake tin

I opened the car’s glove compartment yesterday in search of a CD… but came across a couple of “past their sell by date” bananas instead. They’d been put there a few days earlier as an “on board” snack for a trip we’d made to Penrith. Rather than throw them out (or giving them to Fudge as a treat) I decided to make some banana ginger parkin.

sliced banana ginger parkin on a vintage wooden chopping board sliced banana ginger parkin on a vintage wooden chopping board

Parkin is a cake traditionally eaten in the autumn – and especially on Bonfire Night. It’s very popular, and thought to have originated, in the north of England – probably Yorkshire or Lancashire.

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The method I used was taken from The Great Big Cookie Book by Hilaire Walden.

ingredients to make banana ginger parkin sitting on a vintage wooden butchers block

Here’s the recipe: (makes 26)

  • 200g/7oz/1¾cups plain flour
  • 10ml/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 10ml/2tsp ground ginger
  • 150g/5oz/1¾cups medium oatmeal
  • 60ml/4tbs muscovado sugar
  • 75g/3oz/⅓cup margarine
  • 150g/5oz/⅔cup golden syrup
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 3 ripe bananas, mashed
  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas mark 3. Grease & line an 18cm x 28cm / 7” x 11” tin.
  2. Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ginger, then stir in the oatmeal. Melt the sugar, margarine and syrup in a saucepan over a low heat, then stir into the flour mixture. Beat in the egg and mashed bananas.
  3. Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for about an hour until firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin, then turn out and cut into squares. (I made mine in a loaf tin, so I cut it into slices).

sliced & buttered banana ginger parkin on a plate with a mug of tea

Perfect with a mug of strong (Yorkshire or Lancashire) tea!

Parkin improves with age and, if stored in an airtight container, keeps for a couple of months.

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Our Daily Bread

Monday, March 21st, 2011

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homemade Irish soda bread loaf cooling on a vintage wire rack

It’s been a long, long time since I featured a recipe in one of our blogs, but I just had to share this one. It was the first time that I’d made an Irish soda bread loaf and couldn’t believe how quick & easy it was!

homemade Irish soda bread with slice removed

Here’s the recipe for 1 loaf:

  • 225g/8oz/2 cups unbleached plain (all purpose flour)
  • 225g/8oz/2 cups wholemeal (wholewheat) flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 1tsp salt
  • 2tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
  • 2tsp cream of tartar
  • 40g/1½oz/3tbsp butter or lard (shortening)
  • 1tsp caster (superfine) sugar
  • 350-375ml/12-13fl oz/1½-1⅔ cups buttermilk
  1. Preheat oven to 190ºC/375ºF/Gas mark 5. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Sift the flour & salt into a large bowl
  2. Add the Bicarbonate of soda & cream of tartar, then rub in the butter or lard. Stir in the sugar
  3. Pour in sufficient buttermilk to mix to a soft dough. Do not over-mix or the bread will be heavy & tough. Shape into a round on a lightly floured surface
  4. Place on the prepared baking sheet and mark a cross using a sharp knife, cutting deep into the dough
  5. Dust lightly with wholemeal flour and bake for 35-45 minutes or until well risen and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Serve warm

THAT’S IT!

"Bread" cookery book by Christine Ingram & Jennie Shapter

I had a slice straight out of the oven, slathered with butter with a fried egg sprinkled with salt & cracked black pepper – delicious!

The recipe above is from Bread by Christine Ingram & Jennie Shapter

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