A recipe that's not!

I occasionally make a good old-fashioned Bread Pudding, (not a Bread and Butter pudding).  I make it the same way that my Nan and my Mom made it, with not a pair of scales in site.  So that's why it's not really a recipe, more of the feel for it.

First of all use up any left-over stale bread, today I had just over half a loaf, I roughly break it up and place it in a large bowl.

Then cover with cold water, and leave to soak for half an hour or so.

Tip the whole lot into a colander, and then (this is the best bit!) squeeze out most of the water, breaking it up as you go.

Then, tip back into the mixing bowl and add some sugar to sweeten. 

(Probably less than a quarter amount in mass)  I used Golden Granulated Sugar as that was to hand.

Then add dried fruit, any sort that you like.  I use mixed fruit with candid peel.  I have used enough to generously cover the mixture.

Now add enough flour to bind, I use SR flour, but plain would do.

Give it a quick mix

Then I add suet, if you prefer you can add butter.

Than I add two (or three if a larger mix) eggs

Mix together to a heavy dropping consistency

Tip the mixture into a greased tin, or line with silicon paper as I do!  Sprinkle with a little granulated sugar - my friend spreads marmalade on instead.

Bake at approx 180 deg. C for about an hour, checking after about 40 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.

When cool slice and serve with a nice cuppa.

Once cold, store in an air tight container, it will keep - but I bet it doesn't ;o)

I prefer mine to be more of a cake like consistency than the slimy lump that is often sold in bakers shops....

Sorry I can't be more definite with quantities.  Hope you have a go at making it, if you do let me know what you think.

Have a great week.

Best wishes

A few bits 'n bobs.

Hi all,

First things first - Welcome to my new follower :o)

Vicky has asked me to pass on her sincere thanks for all your lovely comments on her garden and jewellery, she has been knocked out by them :o)

Up date on the home Made Vanilla Extract I started on the 26th July.  This is what it looks like now, two weeks on.

It's darkening up nicely and smells divine! 

I have found a few things from the charity shop for those of you who were worried I'd lost the plot ;o)

I found this 9" high egg and birds for 70p - thought it'd come in useful around Easter time.

Now, I think I must have suffered a blow to the head with this jug - £14 from an antique centre, but still cheap.  It stands approx. 10" tall and I love the shape of it.   Made by Burleigh, and the design is Arden.  Not surprisingly, I do have other pieces in the same design.

This beaded cotton jug cover is modern, but I love them as they harp back to Victorian days - it was only £1

Works a treat keeping out dust and flies with the beads to weight it down.

Then of course I found this little wooden box containing the brown pottery do-dah - can you guess what it is?

Have you guessed yet?

A biscuit stamp - how great is that? It was only 75p :o)

Then there was this (1 of a pair) of Gothic wrought iron candle sconces - £1 each

They will be winging their way to Nottingham on my next visit!

I already had the large crystal ball, but it was on a very dull stand - so when I found this one for £3 I thought it was 'just the ticket'  (The cobalt glass liner is also my own.)

Well that's the lot for now folks!  I'd just like to thank my dear friend Jan who is George the Lad's

Mom for lending me her rather splendid Panasonic Lumix camera with which these photos were taken....

 ...Now I know just what I'd like for my birthday :o)  !!!

Hope you all have a good week, bye for now and best wishes

A little home cooking.

Picture this - A warm, sunny Sunday.  Men in whites on the village green with the crack of leather on Willow.  A typical 'English' Cricket match.  (For me, the most boring sport in the world LOL!)

Clip art from here

My Mom-in-law Brenda May used to make the cricketers tea for the team my brother in law played for.  The house smelt of home baking for a couple of days before 'the match', one of her recipes was for Tea Bread.  It's a family favourite and a very simple fat free, flexible recipe.  I mix it by hand as you will not need a mixer.  I made some today and I'd like to share the recipe with you.  Ideally, start the mix a day before baking to allow the fruit to 'plump up' overnight if possible.

Brenda-May's Tea Bread

Ingredients for a 1Lb loaf

1 cup of black tea.  (I use hot freshly brewed)*

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of any dried fruit

(I used sultanas, currents and candid peel)

2 cups of SR flour

(OR for the US

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt)

                                                                             1 egg

Method

Place the dried fruit, sugar and tea into a mixing bowl, mix together.  Cover and leave overnight if possible, but even an hour or two would do.

(After the overnight soak, nice plump fruit)

Then, next day line a loaf tin with enough silicon paper or foil to lift over the mixture to form a loose 'tent' to prevent burning.

Give the fruit mixture a stir and add the flour and egg,

then mix to amalgamate the ingredients well.

  Pour into the lined loaf tin

then lift up the excess lining and make a loose 'tent' to prevent burning

 and bake for approx 1 hour (checking after 30 minutes) at 180 Deg. C, 375 Deg F, or Gas 5.  The loaf is cooked when a skewer** comes out clean. (** no skewer?  Use a dry spaghetti stick!)

Mmmmm!

Lift out the bread with the liner and place on a baking tray to cool.

Slice and serve warm or cold

or, as we do and butter - lovely with a cuppa :o)

Store in an air tight container.  It keeps and freezes well.

* I make three times this amount at a time as I have 3 tins!  I halve the sugar (I'm diabetic).  I use half wholemeal and half white flour.  I have posted this recipe on an American site and it has been adapted to use with other fruits such as cranberries and fruit teas.  I have also added a couple of chopped plums that were left in the fruit bowl.....as I stated a VERY flexible recipe!  They also dared to just grease the tin and not 'tent' over the top without it catching, but I wouldn't dare to as my oven can be unpredictable.

Hope you make it and enjoy it :o)

Best wishes to all, happy baking!

07th June 2011

I've just found a photo of Tea Bread made with all white flour, looks different again!