What could be better than a tasty carrot bread??? All spicy and moist . . .




An Apple and Carrot Loaf, that's what!!! All spicy and moist and filled with lovely tart apples and sweet carrots . . .

Hmmm . . . And what could be better than an Apple and Carrot Loaf???




Why an Apple, Carrot and Walnut Loaf . . . all spicy and moist and filled with the tart flavours of apple, sweet carrots and the crunch of toasted walnuts!

But hey . . . you can go one step further you know . . . and make it even more scrummy!



How about glazing it with a sweet/tart apple glaze while it is still warm from the oven !!!




Oh my . . . this smells heavenly when it is baking. You almost can't wait for it to come out of the oven . . . it smells so good! And then once you get it out of the oven, you almost can't wait for it to cool down enough so that you can slice it . . . and then . . .



You want to sit down with a cup of your favourite brew and cut the loaf into thick slices . . . and then slather lovely softened sweet butter alllllll over them . . . mmmmm . . .




Every mouthful brings joy . . . sweet . . . moist . . . crunchy and nutty . . . pure bliss.

The loaf is so spicy and moist and nutty . . . the butter so sweet and rich . . . every mouthful is oh so very scrummy yummy nummy!

I just love autumn . . . don't you?



* Glazed Apple, Carrot and Walnut Bread*
Makes one 8 by 4 inch loaf
Printable Recipe

Moist, simple and delicious! Very nice plain, or spread with softened butter or cream cheese.

250g plain flour (2 cups)
150g light muscovado sugar (1 cup packed)
1 TBS baking powder
a pinch of salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
(about 1/3 of a nutmeg)
healthy pinch each ground ginger and allspice
100ml cloudy apple juice (1/3 cup)
75g of butter, melted (1/3 cup)
2 larger free range eggs, beaten
1 large tart cooking apple, peeled and grated
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
a handful of toasted walnuts chopped

For the glaze:
4 TBS cloudy apple juice
2 TBS caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter an 8 by 4 inch loaf pan and line with baking paper. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice in a large bowl. Set aside.

Whisk together the apple juice, melted butter and eggs. Set aside.

Squeeze as much liquid out of the apple and carrot as you can with your hands. set aside.

Add the liquid ingrediets to the dry ingredients, and fold together just to combine and evenly moisten the dry ingredients. Fold in the apple, carrot and nuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Level the top and then bake in the heated oven for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. It should be well risen, nicely browned and a toothpick inserted in the centre should come out clean.

Leave to cool in the tin while you make the glaze. Stir together the juice and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Spoon evenly over the hot loaf. Let sit a few more minutes to absorb, then turn out onto a wire rack, rightside up, to finish cooling. Serve cut into slices, and or not spread with butter. Store in a tightly covered container.

At first glance these don't seem very remarkable . . . do they? Rather plain looking even . . .



One might even be tempted to quibble as to the fact that they be called buns . . . they don't look much like buns after all . . . except that they are somewhat round and perhaps a bit puffy . . .



They look more like a cookie actually, and rather an ordinary looking one at that!

Except for that light dusting of caster sugar scattered across their buttery looking tops . . .




I dare to suggest that they be a little nibble that would make a wonderfully elevenses snack served up with a nice cup of something hot to dunk them in . . . or an afterschool teatime treat, with a tall glass of cold milk . . . again . . . for dunking.



Dare to break one in half though, and you'll soon see that they are anything but ordinary! Oh what a sweet surprise lurks beneath that buttery crust!



Oh how scrummily delish! Crisp and buttery on the outside and sweet and fruity on the insides. Oh my . . . these are good . . . very . . . very . . . good! I'd even hazard to say that they are scrumdiddlyumptiously moreishly addictive!

I bet you can't eat just one!

Go on . . . have a bite. You know you want to!



*Rasberry Buns*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

A deliciously buttery teatime treat, just stogged full of raspberry jam!

225g of self raising flour (1 1/2 cups plus 2 TBS)
1 tsp baking powder
75g of butter (a scant 1/3 cup)
75g of caster sugar (1/3 cup plus 1 1/2 TBS)
1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
a little milk
raspberry jam

To glaze:
a little extra milk
a little extra sugar

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a large baking tray. Set aside.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Drop in the butter and then rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips, rubbing until the mixture resembles dry bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar. Beat the egg and stir it into the flour mixture with a fork, along with just enough milk to make a soft dough. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Flatten the ball and place a dab of jam in the middle of each. Bring the edges of the dough up around the jam to cover it completely enclosing it. Flatten slightly and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Brush each with a bit of milk and sprinkle with more sugar.

Bake in the heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Scoop off onto a wire rack to cool. Cool completely before tucking in as hot jam can really give you a nasty burn!

I've had this Marks & Sparks' cookery book burning a hole in my bookcase for several months now. I take it out every now and again and think I should make something from it, but then I either don't have all the ingredients or I get distracted and, well . . . you know how it goes . . .

A few days later, I haven't baked anything from it and Todd is nagging me to put it away . . . sigh . . .



Today I finally cooked a recipe from it! There was this really scrummy looking recipe in it for Cappuccino Brownies and I thought I wanted to give it a go.



Except I'm a Mormon and we don't do coffee . . . these looked really moist and delicious though . . .



What to do . . . what to do . . .



I used Camp Chicory Essence instead. 2 TBS of it. They turned out lovely.

The original recipe called for a 7 by 11 inch shallow pan. There is no way this batter was fitting into that size of pan. I cooked them in a 9 inch square pan instead.



In retrospect, I should have cooked them in my 9 by 13 inch tray bake pan as the batter rose right up to the top in the smaller pan, it took them longer to cook as they were thicker and they ended up more like a cake than a brownie.



I want to try them again in the larger pan, cooked for a shorter amount of time and see what happens. Nevermind though, this is really a scrummy cake, if not a Brownie . . .

And that icing is to die for!





*Cappuccino Brownies*
Makes 15
Printable Recipes

Moist and delicious with a mild coffee mocha flavour and a rich white chocolate frosting.

8 ounces of butter, softened (1 cup)
225g of self raising flour (scant 2 cups)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cocoa powder
225g of caster sugar (generous cup)
4 large eggs, beaten
3 TBS instant coffee granules, dissolved in
2 TBS hot water (Note - I used 2 TBS camp chicory essence)

White chocolate frosting:
4 ounces white chocolate, broken into bits
2 ounces butter, softened (1/4 cup)
3 TBS milk
6 ounces icing sugar, sifted (1 1/2 cups)

To decorate:
sifted cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Grease and line the base of a shallow 9 by 13 inch baking tin.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and cocoa into a bowl. Add the butter, eggs, and coffee mixture. Beat well with an electric whisk until smooth. Spread in the prepared tin, smoothing the top.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until well risen and the top springs back when lightly touched. Leave in the tin to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, place the chocolate, butter and milk in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Don't let the bottom of the bowl touch the water. Heat and stir until the choclate has melted. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and sift in the icing sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy. Spread over the top of the cake. Sift with more cocoa powder. Cut into squares to serve.

I love scones and am having a lot of fun developing new combinations and varieties. Todd's having fun testing them too, I must say! He loves being my taste tester, and . . . lucky him, he is one of those people who can eat whatever they want to eat without putting on an ounce! (I know, I'm jealous too!)



They're so easy to make, using techniques very similar to that of making biscuits (a scone type of quick bread, very popular in North America, not a cookie!) But that is where the similarity ends!



Scones are a lot lighter, and in many cases sweeter, often varying between cake-like and cookie-like in texture . . . but then again there are savoury versions that are more biscuit-like.



I guess there is no definitive way to describe a scone except to say that they are delectably delicious and the perfect thing to munch on with a hot cup of tea in the middle of the afternoon. (My choice is a lovely herbal tea, but I have friends that love Earl Grey and I do love the smell of a nice hot cup of Earl Grey.)



Whatever your poison . . . a cup of something hot and a plate with a warm scone on it just can't be beat on any occasion.



Today I thought I would try some dried sour cherries, white chocolate and flaked almonds in a scone . . . three wonderful flavours that go so very well together. The sour cherries help to cut the sweetness of the white chocolate that can sometimes be a bit cloying and the flaked almonds added a delightful bit of crunch.



All in all I'd say these are da bomb!! Definitely repeatable! These are going in my success file of things I have conjured up!



*Sour Cherry, White Chocolate and Almond Scones*
Makes 8 wedges
Printable Recipe

Cherries, white chocolate and almonds . . . the holy trinity of sconedom!! Seriously, these are fabulous!

8 1/2 ounces plain flour (2 cups)
2 1/4 ounces caster sugar (1/3 cup)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 ounces unsalted butter, chilled (1/4 cup)
125ml of double cream (1/2 cup)
1 large freerange egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pure almond extract
6 ounces of good quality white chocolate, cut into small bits, or use
good quality white chocolate chips
5 ounces dried sour cherries, quartered (1 cup)
3 ounces toasted flaked almonds (1 cup)

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Drop in the butter and then cut it in using a pastry blender or two round bladed knives, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk together the cream, egg and extracts. Add all at once to the flour mixture, mixing it all in well and kneading until it is well combined. Lightly knead in the chocolate chips, cherries and almonds. Pat out with lightly floured hands to a 9 inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges. Place on the lined baking sheet, leaving some space in between each.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tops are lightly browned. Allow to cool on the pan for five minutes, before scooping off with a spatula to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container.


Note - if you want your scones to have soft sides, place the whole round onto the baking sheet, and cut into wedges there, leaving them together and baking them as a whole. Cut them apart again once they come out of the oven with a serrated knife. Me . . . I love crunchy sides, and so I bake them apart!!

I have a special friend who is celebrating her 82 birthday today and I wanted to make her something special to help mark the day and celebrate it in a special way.



She lives pretty much on her own. She is in a lot of pain most days so no longer does any cooking for herself. Her caregiver does all it and helps to clean the house and anything else she needs, but it's a man and well . . . he just doesn't bake.



I often pop over half of whatever it is I have been getting up to in my kitchen and it is always much appreciated.



I did want to make her something extra special for today though and so I baked her a Victoria Sponge cake . . . just a small one . . .



And . . . a box of these lovely cookies. I just love Jammy Thumbprints, and I think she will love them too.



I just know she will have all sorts of people popping in off and on all day to bring her their Happy Birthday wishes and these cookies should come in really handy!



Crisp and buttery and filled with tasty, sweet jam. It goes so well with the almost shortbread texture of these lovely biscuits.



*Jammy Thumbprints*
Makes about 45
Printable Recipe

A buttery cream cheese cookie dough filled with your favourite jam and then baked until crisp and golden. The perfect teatime treat!

250g (9 ounces) unsalted butter
140g (1 cup) Icing sugar, sifted
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
90g (3 1/4 ounces) cream cheese, cut into chunks
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp finely grated fresh lemon zest
350g of plain flour, sifted (2 3/4 cup flour)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
2 TBS each of three of your favourite flavours of jam

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter three baking trays. Set aside.

Using an electric whisk cream together the butter, sugar and egg yolk until pale and fluffy. Beat in the cream cheese, vanilla and lemon zest. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture using a wooden spoon, until a soft dough forms. Let sit for about 10 minutes so that the dough can firm up.

Shape TBS of the dough into 1 inch balls. Place evenly spaced about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Using your thumb make an indentation in the middle of each. Fill each indent with 1/4 tsp of jam. Bake in the heated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until light golden. Allow to cool on the baking sheets for several minutes before lifting off to finish cooling on a wire rack.

Note - if desired you can dust with some icing sugar before serving. These cookies will store well up to 3 days in a tightly covered container, but are best if eaten on the day.

What do you call a tasty little brownie type of square that is oh so buttery, rich . . . and moist.



Sweetly moreish with the lovely taste of light muscovado sugar . . .



Studded with scrummy chunks of oozing dark chocolate . . .



Sweet creamy hunks of delicious white chocolate . . .



Crunchy bits of toasted walnuts . . .



Decadently moreishly scrummily ADDICTIVE!!! That's what!!!



Bet you can't eat just one! And if you can . . . you're a much better woman than I am!



These little babies have been my undoing . . . but what a way to go . . .




*Double Chocolate Chunk Blondies*
Makes 48
Printable Recipe

Butterscotch flavoured brownies, moist, delicious and stogged full of white and dark chocolate chunks, and toasted walnuts. Moreishly delightful!

140g of butter, melted (1/2 cup, plus 1 1/2 TBS)
400g light brown muscovado sugar (3/4 cup, plus 1 TBS lightly packed)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs, beaten
300g plain flour (2 1/2 cups)
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
50g of toasted walnuts, coarsely broken (1/3 cup)
50g of good quality white chocolate, coarsely broken (1/2 medium sized bar. I use Green and Blacks)
50g of good quality dark chocolate, coarsely broken (1/2 of a medium sized bar. I use Fair trade dark chocolate with 72% cocoa solids)



Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F. gas mark 4. Line an 8 by 12 inch baking pan with foil. Lightly spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

Place the butter into a large saucepan and melt over low heat. Once melted stir in the muscovado sugar and stir in completely. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool for several minutes to lukewarm. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Fold into the wet ingredients, mixing only until thoroughly blended. Do not beat or overmix. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the nuts and chocolates evenly over top.

Bake for 25 minutes, until just firm. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes. Lift out by the foil and allow to finish cooling on a wire rack. Cool completely before removing the foil and then cutting into squares. Store in a tightly covered container for up to 4 days.

One thing that I have enjoyed since moving over here to the UK, is learning about and how to cook traditional dishes from all over this wonderful land. There is a wonderful variety of recipes available and most are steeped in wonderful history and tradition.

I just love learning the traditions and histories of different food stuffs, don't you?



Over here in the UK they call cookies biscuits and there are many delicious and scrummy regional varieties.



Like these Cornish Fairings . . . a sweet and gingery biscuit commonly found in Cornwall. Their name is said to have orginated due to their having been sold at feeast and fair days down in Cornwall. A 'fairing' is basically any type of gift bought at a fair, edible or otherwise!

Most town or village fairs over here have a certain type of food attributed to them and more often than they are spicy things . . . probably going back to Medieval times when spices were greatly loved and widely used.



According to Wikepedia, this particular recipe is reputed to have originated at the "maid hiring" fair, held the week after Christmas in Launceston.

Whatever their origin, they are quite tasty! Kind of like a spicy gingernut biscuit, but with added little bits of candied mixed peel.

Very easy to make, quick to bake and really scrummy with a hot cup of tea, herbal or otherwise I am sure!



*Cornish Fairings*
Makes 20
Printable Recipe

A traditional biscuit from the West Country. Sweet and spicy, with the added surprise of chopped mixed peel. Using two sources of raising agents makes the biscuits crack. Scrummy!!

100g plain flour (about 3/4 cup)
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp mixed spice
40g of caster sugar (about 1/4 cup)
50g of unsalted butter, chilled and diced ( 3 1/2 TBS)
1 TBS very finely diced mixed peel
3 TBS golden syrup

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter several baking sheets and set aside.

Sift the flour into a mixing bowl along with the salt, baking powder, soda, ginger and mixed spice. Stir in the sugar. Drop in the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until it resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in the mixed peel and then the golden syrup, mixing it all to a stiff dough.

Using your hands, roll the dough into 20 marble sized balls. Place them well apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 7 minutes until golden brown and cracked on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets for several minutes before scooping off to finish cooling on a wire rack. Let cool completely and then store in an airtight container.