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Saturday Teatime Supper

Name: Sour Cream Chocolate Loaf
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 25 h 25 min
Ingredients: 6 TBS Dutch cocoa powder, sifted; 2 tsp instant coffee powder; 3/4 cup (180ml) boiling water; 1/2 cup (120g) of butter, room temperature; 1 1/2 cups (300g) of soft light brown sugar, packed; 1 tsp vanilla; 2 medium free-range eggs; 2 cups (280g) all-purpose plain flour; 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/2 cup (60g) of full fat sour cream

Saturday, 21 January 2023

It was four years ago today we lost our mother unexpectedly. At the time I was living way over in England and had no way of getting home. She had been in hospital, but was doing well. We had no reason to believe that she wouldn't fully recover.

I miss her every day. We were always very close. It still pains me that I was unable to say goodbye properly.

I decided to make myself a picky-bits Teatime Supper today to help distract myself from the nasty weather we are having outside and to cheer me up. Just because I now live alone, that doesn't mean I can't enjoy a nice teatime supper ever now and then.

This was something I often did when I was in the UK. You don't always feel like making a bit meal do you? Sometimes picky bits are just the ticket for filling that gap! Supper in the UK was always something quite different than dinner.

Supper is meant to be something much more casual than dinner. Supper can be an evening meal but normally when one is invited to supper the invitation is quite different than when one is invited to dinner, which is usually more formal. Supper can also mean a hot or cold snack before bedtime.

It is not meant to be meat, potatoes and veg, but rather a rather informal gathering of picky bits and cakes. Not as formal as a high tea, but meant to be enjoyed on a small plate, next to a fire and, if you are so lucky, enjoyed with some bright conversation and company.

It is a delicious opportunity to gather together some picky bits that you have in house into a simple repast of tasty delights that will please everyone, all washed down with hot cups of tea of course!

Of course, any tea table should have a host of savory bits to choose from. These can range anywhere from finger sandwiches to sausage rolls, deviled eggs, savory scones, sliced meats, cheeses, and pickles.

Today I chose to bake some savory scones. Scones don't always have to be sweet and served with cream and jam. They can also be incredibly delicious served with cold meats and pickles.

I chose to make MARY BERRY'S CHEESE SCONES today because they are the best savory scones out there. They are light and fluffy and filled with lovely cheese flavors. I was living in England the last time I baked these! They're beautiful, as one would expect!

I had some thinly sliced ham as well. Finger sandwiches are also very nice. Some popular flavors are Egg Mayonnaise, Ham and Pickle, Cheese and Pickle, Cheese and Onion, Cucumber and these ones that I chose to make, Cheese and Tomato.

I can remember the first time I enjoyed a Cheese and Tomato sandwich when I was in the UK. It was not a combination I had ever considered but was it ever delicious! Soft white bread was lightly buttered (crusts cut off or not as you please) and filled with grated cheese and thinly sliced tomato.

I baked my own FRENCH SANDWICH PAIN AU LAIT for these sandwiches. I bake a loaf of bread every week anyways, so this week I chose a sandwich loaf. This bread makes beautiful sandwiches.

Some things to bear in mind when making Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches. One, make sure you use a really nicely flavored cheddar cheese. I used some cheese that I had leftover from Christmas. It had not gotten used. A two year aged cheddar that was nice and sharp and well flavored.

Grate your cheese by hand on the large holes of a box grater.

Use a serrated knife to cut your slices of ripe tomato thinly, and then leave them to drain on some paper towels for about 10 minutes. This helps to prevent them from making the bread soggy.

Butter both slices of bread. This not only helps the cheese to adhere, but it also keeps the bread from drying out and getting soggy as well.

I add the grated cheese to the buttered side of one slice of bread, top with the sliced tomato, add a grinding of black pepper, and then place the other slice of bread on top, butter side down. Slice as you wish.

Something crunchy is also very nice to add to the table. Today I added some sweet mixed pickles and slices of sweet eating apples. Oh, how I miss the pickled onions you get in the UK. They are rather larger than our pickled onions and not so sweet, having been pickled in malt vinegar.

You could do crisp raw vegetable sticks such as carrots and celery, or thick slices of cucumber. Potato Chips/Crisps also go down very nicely if you are so inclined.

Of course, one of the highlights of any supper/tea table is something sweet to end the meal. This can take the form of cakes or cookies, just whatever tickles your fancy really. Today I had a few cakes leftover from Christmas and some small dainties (Queen Anne Slices, date squares, etc.)

One favorite is the VICTORIAN SANDWICH CAKE. I say that because it is the favorite of all the cakes that I bake. I often choose that to be my birthday cake.

Another favorite choice would be a COFFEE CAKE. By that I don't mean the crumb type of cake that is best served at breakfast with a hot cup of coffee. I mean a delicious buttery coffee flavored cake, filled with a layer of buttercream!

You can't go wrong with either of those.

Being as I am on my own however, today I chose to bake my favorite Sour Cream Chocolate Loaf. I have been making this delicious loaf for years and years.

The recipe comes from the pages of my Big Blue Binder. I can't tell you where I copied it down from, but I can promise you that it is moist and chocolately and delicious!

It is beautiful cut into thick slices and enjoyed with a hot cup of tea, or coffee for that matter. It's also very nice served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Rich and fudgy with a beautiful chocolate flavor. Simply put, it's delicious and something I think you and your family will really enjoy!

Yield: 8 - 10

Author: Marie Rayner

Sour Cream Chocolate Loaf

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 H & 10 MInactive time: 24 HourTotal time: 25 H & 25 M

Rich, moist and very chocolatey. A real longtime favorite of mine.

Ingredients

6 TBS Dutch cocoa powder, sifted
2 tsp instant coffee powder
3/4 cup (180ml) boiling water
1/2 cup (120g) of butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (300g) of soft light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp vanilla
2 medium free-range eggs
2 cups (280g) all-purpose plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (60g) of full fat sour cream

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F. gas mark 3. Butter a 9 by 5 by 3 inch loaf pan and line with baking paper.
Combine the water and coffee powder. Allow to cool. Stir in the sour cream. Whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, soda and salt.
Beat the butter together with the brown sugar. Beat in the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the wet, beginning and ending with dry. Mix well together. Pour into the prepared baking pan.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes until risen and the top springs back when lightly touched. Cool ten minutes in the pan before tipping out to cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap tightly once cooled and let stand overnight before cutting.

Notes

You can also fold in up to 3/4 cup (170g) of semi sweet chocolate chips.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it # marierayner5530

So as you can see a Saturday Teatime supper can be a lot of fun and something that everyone in the family will enjoy. You can make it as complicated or as simple as you wish. The most important thing is to have fun with it! Why not make this simple meal a tradition in your home? Why not indeed!

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The ABC's of Baking

Friday, 13 January 2023

Growing up I never thought of myself much as a baker. My sister was the baker. I was more of a cook. Through the years however, I came to appreciate that I was a baker and a pretty good one at that. I learned as I went along. Trial and error are really great teachers.

I did do Home Economics in High School and learned a lot about baking from those classes. They started me on my journey. Getting married young and raising a large family also helped me to gain valuable experience.

Going to Culinary College further cemented my skills, and then working in the industry was another great teacher. One of my very first jobs in the field was as a Pastry Chef at a local hotel here in the Valley.

I have learned so much through the years, professionally and from friends and family. What good is knowledge if you can't share it. I thought today I would share with you my ABC's of baking and then some of my favorite recipes at the end.

Baking is a science as well as an art, a basket filled with skills and techniques that build a foundation upon which you can build your baking artistry. It is precise and not something you can fiddle with a great dependance upon the chemical reactions of ingredients used. Baking is not a very forgiving art, not like cooking. Add too much liquid to a stew and you will still have an edible dish, add too much to a cake and you are more likely to produce a cake that cannot be saved.

Baking for the most part requires very simple and basic ingredients - flour mixed with a combination of salt, eggs, sweetener, leavening agent and fat, things such as butter, oil or shortening - how these things are combined and in what proportions is especially important.

To achieve success, home bakers really only need four basic things:

Reliable recipes, written to accommodate your level of skill.
Good Equipment
Quality ingredients
The ability to pay attention to what you are reading and what you are doing.

It is important to have confidence in your recipe source. Make sure that the instructions are well written and not vague, easy to understand and follow. Failure in the baking arena can almost always be traced back to fault with one of those four components mentioned.

BAKING TOOLS

Using the right equipment and tools for your purposes is an essential part of successful baking. Accurate wet and dry measures, mixing bowls, spoons, spatulas and wire racks are essential as is a good assortment of quality pans and dishes. I also would not be without a good set of digital scales. I find them invaluable and if you have a set of scales there is no recipe from any part of the world that will be deemed a mystery to you.

Baking by weight is the most precise way of measuring your ingredients. The sizes of cups, both wet and dry can vary a great deal, as can your manner of filling them, whereas an ounce is always an ounce and a gram is always a gram. Once you get used to baking by weight, you will not want to bake any other way.

Depending on how much and what you are baking you might also find it very handy to have an electric hand mixer, a food processor, cutting boards (both wood and plastic), several sizes of fine mesh strainers, a good rolling pin (I recommend Beechwood), a pastry board and parchment paper for lining pans.

YOUR OVEN

Your oven is probably the single most important piece of baking equipment that you have or need. Oven temperature plays a critical role in baking. Too hot and your baked goodies will be overly dark on the outside and not cooked in the middle. Not hot enough, and you risk overcooking the centers of what you are baking in order to achieve the desired degree of browning.

Ideally when you set your oven temperature, that is how hot your oven will be, once it has finished preheating. In all truth, most ovens 25*F (10*C) hotter or cooler than their setting says. One solution is to have your oven calibrated professionally, which can be costly. A simple, more effective approach is to learn how your oven bakes. You can also purchase a simple oven thermometer which will show you exactly what your oven temperature is and allow you to adjust the setting accordingly.

A. Watch for hotspot in your oven. Most ovens have hot spots which result in unevenly baked goods. This is why you will often see a recipe asking you to rotate the pans halfway through the bake time. If you do this and bake on the center rack, don't stack, you will achieve much more reliable results.

B. Check your baking earlier than the suggested bake time. Use your recipe as a guideline and then begin checking what you are baking at least 10 minutes prior to the end of the recommended time.

C. Don't peek. That's what oven lights are for. If you keep opening your oven door to check the temperature of your oven will fluctuate. Keeping the door closed helps to maintain your oven temperature.

D. Timing and temperature depends on the types of pans you are using. Whether their surface is shiny or dull can affect the bake time. If you are using glass or nonstick pans, especially those which are dark in color, you should lower your oven temperature by 25*F (10*C).

You can also use a convection oven to bake. If you do so you will need to either reduce your baking time by about 25 percent or the oven temperature by 25*F (10*C).

PANS

Good quality, shiny, metal pans and baking sheets are a worthy investment because they bake more evenly and they do not rust. It is money well spent as they will often (with proper care) last a lifetime.

Unless you are an incredibly experienced baker, always use the size of pan recommended for the recipe you are using.

Basic Pans (I recommend having the following)

one each 8-inch and 9-inch square cake pans
two 8-inch round layer pans
two 9-inch round layer pans
one 10-inch Bundt pan
one 10-inch tube pan
one 8 1/2-inch by 4-inch loaf tin
one 9-inch by 5-inch loaf tin
one 12 cup muffin tin
one 13 by 9-inch cake tin
one 15 by 10-inch jelly roll pan
three cookie sheets in a variety of sizes (I like them with rims, but that is a personal preference.
one 9-inch pie tin
one 9-inch deep dish pie tin

Always use the size of pan as recommended by the recipe.

OTHER EQUIPMENT

These are other things which I recommend a baker has in their kitchen.

Mixing bowls in an assortment of sizes. I recommend glass or metal rather than plastic, and plastic can retain oils and flavors from other foods.

Measuring cups and spoons. I have a set of cups for dry measures and a set of cups for liquid measures. I also have several sets of measuring spoons. This saves me from having to wash them multiple times during a baking session.

Cooling racks. Essential for cooling cakes and cookies. You want your cooling rack to clear the countertop by at least 2 inches so as to prevent your baked goods from "sweating" on the bottom while they are cooling. Soggy bottoms are a no no.

Wire whisks for mixing. I have two medium sized wire whisks. A large balloon whisk is ideal for whisking things like egg whites or cream if you do not have an electric mixer.

A fine grater and zester. Ideal for zesting citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and limes.

A fruit juicer. There are several different kinds available. I have a small wooden reamer, and a larger metal one that you can place a whole half a lemon or lime into, which serves to juice the fruit and keep the pips behind.

An assortment of cookie and biscuit cutters. You can go crazy here. I have one good set of round metal cutters that includes about every size of round cutter you will ever need. I also find a heart shape and a star shape invaluable.

Rolling pin. I have a good beechwood rolling pin. It is essential to have a rolling pin if you plan on making pie crusts and certain kinds of cookies.

Spatulas. I have two rubber ones for scraping out bowls and folding in ingredients. I also have a large metal one for lifting cakes and cookies from pans, and an assortment of metal offset spatulas. These are great for smoothing out icings on cakes and cookies.

Pastry brushes. Essential for applying washes or glazes, or for greasing pans.

Knives. I recommend having a good, serrated knife and a sharp chef's knife. I also recommend a good pair of kitchen scissors.

INGREDIENTS

Flour, sugar and fat are the most common ingredients needed to make delicious baked goods, but adding eggs, leavening agents, flavorings, chocolate and nuts opens up a cornucopia of tasty delights!

FLOUR - I recommend keeping a good all-purpose plain flour for most of your baking needs. Bleached or unbleached is a personal preference. You can also keep a self raising flour, a strong/bread flour and a fine pastry or pasta flour. I also like to keep a whole wheat flour. Store your flours in clean airtight containers in a cool dry place. White flour will last for approximately a year whilst whole wheat lasts for about 6 months. For longer storage, keep your flour in sealed containers in the freezer or refrigerator.

FATS - There are two kinds of fats. Those that are solid at room temperature and those that are liquid.

Butter is the most popular fat in baking, but technically speaking it is not the best fat to use. Since it is only 80% solid fat and has a low melting point, all butter pie crusts will not be as flaky as those made with shortening or lard. (I use both lard and butter in my pastry). Also, cookies made with butter rather than shortening will not hold their shape as well.

Margarine can be used interchangeably with butter, unless flavor is an issue (such as a buttercream frosting). I do understand why, economically speaking, it is what a lot of people have to use. Do be sure if you are using margarine you use a solid type rather than a spreadable margarine, as spreadable margarines do not perform well in baking.

Lard is 100% fat and has a high melting point. It is to be used when flakiness is desired.

Vegetable Shortening is made from vegetable oils. It is also 100% fat and is excellent in producing flaky pastry and biscuits.

Vegetable oils, liquid at room temperature cannot be used in recipes based on creaming fats and sugars together and do not contribute to leavening. You will more often see them being used in quick breads and muffins.

SWEETENERS - Sweeteners are what gives baked goods much of their appeal.

Sugar - is what is most commonly used and comes in many varieties, which will or should always be specified by the recipe you are using. White sugar is the most common used, followed closely by brown sugar, which is granulated sugar with molasses added. Icing sugar (or confectioner's sugar) has a tendency to clump so it is best to sift it prior to use.

Other Sweeteners - Molasses, honey, agave syrup, maple syrup, corn syrup are all effective sweeteners depending on the recipe used. Molasses has a strong color and flavor, is rich and dark and adds flavor and moisture to recipes. If it is not to your taste, you can substitute an equivalent amount of honey, corn syrup or maple syrup in its place.

EGGS - These are indispensable in baking and play many different roles. They contribute to leavening, texture, color, flavor, volume and richness in baked goods. The also act as an emulsifier, binding ingredients together as well as adding nutritional value. I find it is best to allow eggs to come to room temperature before using them in baking. It is also important to use the size of egg specified by the recipe you are using.

LEAVENING AGENTS - These are what causes baked goods to rise, usually by creating a chemical reaction with the ingredients used in the recipe.

Yeast - this is what gives bread it's volume. It is also used in certain cakes and donuts. It comes in a variety. Quick rise. Bread machine. Regular. It is important to use the type of yeast specified by your recipe.

Baking Soda - (also known as Bicarbonate of soda) this is a chemical which, when combined with acids such as buttermilk, yogurt, fruit juices or even chocolate, creates bubbles of carbon dioxide causing the batters to rise. When using baking soda it is best to bake the items as soon as mixing because it will start to react as soon as it comes into contact with the acid.

Baking Powder - This is baking soda combined with an acid, so it works better in batters with a low acidity.

Check your baking soda and baking powder regularly to make sure they are still active. To test baking powder, stir 1 tsp of it into 1/2 cup hot water. If it does not bubble immediately, throw it out. To test soda, add 1 tsp to 2 TBS of white vinegar. If it does not bubble immediately, throw it out.

DAIRY PRODUCTS - You can use either full fat or semi skimmed milk interchangeably. You can also use lactose free or reduced milks in their place. Buttermilk is also a common ingredient used in baking which results in baked with a tender and moist crumb.

Other dairy ingredients which are often used for baking are cream, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, dairy sour cream, yogurt and cream cheese. Use what is specified by your recipe.

CHOCOLATE - This is one of the most popular ingredients in baking, second only to vanilla as a flavoring. There is a wide assortment of products available to choose from these days. It is important to choose whichever chocolate product is recommended by the recipe you are using.

Cocoa powder is a dry unsweetened powder made from chocolate liquor with most of the cocoa butter having been removed. When baking use natural or Dutch process cocoa powder, not the sweetened drinking mix. They are not interchangeable.

OTHER ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS

Nuts - These add flavor and texture to many baked goods. They are high in fat however and are best stored in the freezer to maintain their freshness. When you are ready to use them thaw and use as per the recipe. Toasting your nuts adds exponentially to their flavor. To toast spread them onto a baking sheet and toast at 350*F/180*C. for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant. Allow to cool before proceeding.

Coconut - As with nuts this is best stored in the freezer for optimum freshness. Sweetened and unsweetened can be used interchangeably. Again, its flavor is improved with toasting. To toast spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Toast at 350*F/180*C for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Flavorings - Vanilla is the most commonly used, followed by almond. I recommend the use of pure extracts rather than artificial, as they have a much better flavor.

Spices - Essential to the success of many recipes and you need to have a good selection on hand. The ones most commonly used for baking are cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, and cloves. They lose their potency quickly when ground or grated so it is recommended you buy them in small amounts and replace within 6 to 9 months.

Fruits - I like to keep an assortment of dried and candied fruits in my baking cupboard. Raisins, apricots, currants, cranberries and dates are the most common dried fruits used. Buy speciality items such as candied fruits for holiday baking or as needed.

Love - This is the topmost essential baking ingredient. A small pinch of love goes a very long way!

And now for some great basic baking recipes!!

A BASIC VICTORIA SPONGE CAKE - My favorite of all the cakes. It was the Victorians that invented this lovely cake by adding butter to an ordinary sponge mixture, which baked better in two flat tins rather than one deep tin. (Oh those Victorians, they were very clever at inventing things I have to say!) I like to layer it with a layer of jam and some vanilla buttercream in the middle. This cake is a necessary component of a great tea table!

CLASSIC ENGLISH SCONES -These are buttery and flaky tender with just the right number of sticky sultanas. Serve with cream and jam for a real treat! These are another tea party essential. Which do you put first? The jam or the cream? It all depends on where you come from!

CRISP CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES -Crisp and buttery, packed full of chocolate chips and toasted pecans. In short, dangerously delicious! These are THE perfect chocolate chip cookie in my opinion!

MOM'S BEST APPLE PIE - Nobody can make an apple pie like mom can! This pie boasts a flaky tender crust and plenty of sweet apples in the filling. Now are you a person enjoys this with a scoop of ice cream or a wedge of good cheddar, or maybe both?

SUPER DUPER BRAN MUFFINS - This is everyone's favorite bran muffin. Not too sweet. Just right. Moist and filled with raisins. If you are on a quest for the perfect bran muffin, I think you may have just stumbled upon it. Your search ends here! These moist bran muffins are delicious! Honed after years of searching for the perfect and best bran muffin!

OLD FASHIONED PULL APARTS - If you are looking for a good recipe for a bread roll, look no further. This is the best bread roll recipe. You have never tasted better pull-apart dinner rolls than these ones. This is an old-fashioned yeast rolls recipe that you are sure to fall in love with. If I can make them anyone can!

APPLE DUMPLINGS - You have never tasted heaven until you've eaten one of these. Nothing speaks more about Home Sweet Home I think than a warm apple dumpling. Fresh from the oven and served warm with cream or ice cream, you really can't get a tastier dessert!

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com

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Most Popular Recipes of 2022

Sunday, 1 January 2023

Happy New Year! I wish for all of us a very prosperous and happy 2023. May it be filled with lots of the people and things that we love, and here in the English Kitchen that means delicious recipes and good food to eat! (Focus being on DELICIOUS!)

I hope the coming months will be filled with lots of tasty traditional recipes intermingled with some new, some old, some healthy, and everything in between.

More and more I want my focus to be on smaller sized recipes, geared towards the smaller family, singletons, and empty nesters. But you larger families never fear, there will be plenty stirred into the mix for you as well, and as always, I am happy to give you the measurements for a larger sized recipe if you ask!

Everybody is doing this so I thought I would just jump on the bandwagon and share what were the most popular recipes on the blog over these past twelve months! I am sure you will be acquainted with many of them, but there may be a few that you have missed out on.

In any case, I can promise you this. All are delicious!

Coming in at #20: GINGERBREAD MUFFINS.

No surprise here. Moist and gingery with a bit of crunch from the demerara sugar sprinkle on top. A great basic gingerbread muffin that you can adapt by making a few additions if you like such as dried or candied fruit, etc.

Number 19: OLD TIME BREAD PUDDING

This is also not a surprise. This is an old traditional recipe for a solid bread pudding that cuts like a cake and is stuffed with plenty of spice and loads of fruit. Delicious warm, but equally as delicious cold. You will see this sold by a single serving slab in many of the bake shops in the UK. Perfect to enjoy with a mid morning or afternoon cuppa.

Number 18: PAN FRIED COD

I was really happy to see this one and not at all surprised. This is one of my favorite ways to prepare one of my favorite types of fish. This simple recipe boasts wonderful flavors and a really simple cooking method. Using very few ingredients, you can be enjoying perfectly cooked and delicious fish in less than fifteen minutes.

Number 17: GRATIN OF CHICKEN

Who doesn't struggle with using up all of the cooked chicken leftover from a roast chicken or a rotisserie bird. Struggle no more as I have the perfect solution and it is perfectly delicious! This creamy chicken gratin recipe is also perfect for those nights when you are starving, and you want to feed your family something warm and comforting. There is nothing like a creamy chicken gratin to tick all the boxes when it comes to creating a delicious and yet simple supper dish.

Number 16: TRADITIONAL SEED CAKE

I am really excited about this one as it is one of my absolute all-time favorite cakes to enjoy with a hot cuppa. It was also said to be the favorite cake of William Wordsworth's sister Dorothy Wordsworth! A good seed cake recipe would have been included in any Victorian era cookbook! They are very traditional.

Number 15: MARY BERRY'S MINCEMEAT BUNS

And there is no more perfect time of the year to bake them than now, with some of us having leftover mincemeat in the larder that we be wanting to use up! These may be baked in a muffin tin, but they are as far away from muffins as they can be. Instead they are dense fruited cakes, meant to be enjoyed with hot drinks. Not a dessert, but an indulgent teatime treat!

Number 14: NIGEL'S POTATOES

I absolutely adore this simple potato dish which comes from Nigel Slater. this one is such a simple dish. It's basically just layered raw potato, fried onions and chicken stock. You don't even need to peel the potatoes. And you can adapt it up or down to serve as many or as few people as you like. I can't think of anything that this tasty side dish wouldn't sit well next to!

Number 13: BLUEBERRY BUTTER SWIM BISCUITS

If you are a fan of North American style Biscuits you are going to just love this version of Butter Swim Biscuits. Butter swim biscuits are soft and fluffy biscuits that bake in a pan loaded with butter. There is no butter in the biscuits themselves, but with plenty of butter in the baking tin, you don't need it. These bake up light and fluffy with a lovely buttery crust, and crispy outside edge. This version is particularly nice as it is stuffed with sweet blueberries and glazed with a sweet glaze.

Number 12: BANBURY CAKES

A close cousin to Eccles cakes these delicious pastries are not cakes at all but a round shaped flaky and buttery puff pastry turnover filled with a filling of dried fruits, butter, spices and brown sugar. They are melt in the mouth delicious. Another very traditional recipe from the UK.

Number 11: MARY'S PERFECT SHORTBREAD

Another recipe adapted from Mary Berry. You just know it is the perfect shortbread biscuit/cookie. Crisp and buttery. Not too sweet. Perfect with a hot cup of tea or a bowl of ice cream. If you are looking for a great shortbread cookie, look no further. You just struck gold!

Number 10: CARAMEL POPCORN TWISTS

If you love caramel corn but are not fond of the husks on the popcorn getting stuck in your teeth, this delicious and easy recipe is the perfect solution. It uses a bag of hull-less popcorn, or popcorn twists as they are also called here in Canada, the popular brand being put out by Old Dutch. I know there is also a brand of these in America, but am not sure what it is called. In any case I call this easy to make snack DELICIOUS with a capital 'D!"

Number 9: GREEN BEAN & POTATO CASSEROLE

Cooked cubed potatoes and green beans in a delicious cheese sauce, topped with a buttery crumb and baked until golden brown and bubbling. This is an excellent side dish for any occasion or weeknight supper! Quite simply delicious!

Number 8: HOW TO COOK CHICKEN IN THE MICROWAVE

This is my tried-and-true way of preparing perfectly cooked chicken breasts in the microwave oven. I often buy whole packs of chicken breasts when they are on offer at the shops and poach or cook them, packing the meat into two cup containers, and freezing them. That way I always have a quantity of cooked chicken ready to use in a tasty dish at any given time. One of the easiest ways to cook this chicken is in the microwave. If you know how to cook chicken in the microwave you will never be short of cooked shredded chicken. It is very simple to do and very quick. The chicken always comes out moist and delicious. Perfect for shredding or dicing.

Number 7: LEMON POSSET

Nothing could be quicker or easier to make than this rich and creamy dessert. It uses only three simple ingredients. Heavy cream, lemon juice and sugar. It is, quite simply, one of my favorite desserts to make and to eat. Its rich and delicious with loads of lemon flavor. Prepare to fall in love. It's probably one of the simplest and yet most impressive desserts you could ever make!

Number 6: FRIED CABBAGE WITH BACON AND ONIONS

This is fabulously tasty no matter what you choose to enjoy with it. Rich and salty and earthy. I think it is the earthy quality of cabbage that draws me in the most. I can never get enough of it. I could eat a whole plate of this and nothing else and be a very happy person. It's also delicious tossed together with buttered noodles.

Number 5: MARY BERRY'S SAGE & ONION STUFFING

I fell in love with this stuffing the first time I made it. Such a simple thing and yet incredibly tasty. Onions, breadcrumbs, butter and dried sage along with some salt and pepper. Simple ingredients done well. I'd expect nothing less. DELICIOUS! Of all the stuffings I have ever made, this is my favorite version and clearly you all agree!

Number 4: SUPER DUPER BRAN MUFFINS

If you are on a quest for the perfect bran muffin, I think you may have just stumbled upon it. Your search ends here! These moist bran muffins are delicious! Honed after years of searching for the perfect and best bran muffin! These are moist and generous . . . stogged full of lots of nuts and plump sultanas . . . and best of all . . .they are incredibly low in fat, which may in fact mean that they are even better than the others. If I can deliver a muffin which is not only low fat, but also moist and flavorful, well then . . . I think I'm on to a real winner, don't you??

Number 3: GERMAN CASSEROLE

When I posted this simple casserole six years ago, I never dreamed it would become so popular, and yet, here it is, within the top five favorite recipes on the blog. It's a great casserole to make when you have leftover ham and potatoes. I usually cook extra potatoes if I am boiling them, just so that I can make dishes like this. You can never have too many leftover cooked potatoes. They always get used up. Cooked potatoes are layered with a mixture of sautéed onions, sauerkraut and ham in a buttered shallow casserole dish, and topped with a nice layer of cheese prior to baking to perfection.

Number 2: MARY BERRY'S CHEESE SCONES

These are THE perfect cheese scone. I have made cheese scones before in the past and they were good, but these are excellent. Then again, what would you expect from Mary Berry! She is an expert in all things baked and otherwise when it comes to cooking. I trust her judgement explicitly!

These scones are beautiful served warm and split with some cold butter and some chilli jam. Its that sweet/hot/savoury combination that most people love. They are best on the day, but you can have it on good authority that they are also very good eaten cold the day after, whilst hunched over a computer keyboard.

DRUM ROLL PLEASE . . . .

Number 1: MARY BERRY'S BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

These are a lovely muffin. Light and beautifully textured. Not too sweet and stuffed with plenty of berries. I highly recommend!! If they are good enough for Mary, they are plenty good enough for me!

No surprise there either!

And just as a matter of interest some of these recipes are also amongst the most popular recipes on the blog of all time! (Going back almost 15 years.)

I am curious however did you have a favorite recipe on here over the past 12 months that didn't make the list? Why not share it with us and why!

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