from The Guardian

The smoky peat flavour of malt whisky is given a kick by the sharpness of the ginger. No longer the Methodist tea-time cake, but hopefully a slice won’t send anyone to hell just yet.

50g unsalted butter
100g black treacle
75g muscovado sugar
2 medium eggs
25ml sunflower oil
75ml blended or single malt whisky
100g chopped glacé ginger
175g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
ground ginger and mixed spice
175g icing sugar

Line the base and sides of a small 17cm long loaf tin or similar with non-stick baking paper, and heat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/gas 4. Melt the butter then remove from the heat then stir in the treacle and sugar until any lumps soften. Beat in the eggs until mixed through evenly then do the same with the oil and whiskey. Stir in the glacé ginger. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and 3 tsp each of ground ginger and mixed spice into the treacle mixture and beat this through well. Spoon into the loaf tin and bake for about 45 minutes or until a skewer poked into the middle to the crack in the crust pulls out cleanly. Leave to cool in the tin then beat 1/4 tsp mixed spice with the icing sugar and 25ml water then spread this over the top of the cake.

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from The Guardian

Serve with a little vanilla ice cream or pouring custard.

300g plain flour, and more for rolling
50g icing sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
200g unsalted butter, cold
1 medium egg, separated
100ml cold milk
8 ripe peaches, skinned and cut into big chunks
2 dessert apples, peeled, cored and grated
2 tbsp arrowroot
225g raspberries
sugar, granulated or caster

Put the flour, icing sugar, baking powder and salt into a bowl and rub in 50g butter. Chop the remaining butter into 1 cm cubes and toss this through. Mix in the egg yolk and milk to make a rough dough. Chill for 30 minutes then roll into a 40cm rectangle. Fold it in by thirds, roll it out the same and fold in again. Chill another 30 minutes then repeat the double rolling and folding twice more at 30 minute intervals. Roll two-thirds of the dough to line the base and sides of a 24cm deep flan tin in a single sheet. Mix the peaches, apple, 1 tbsp sugar and arrowroot with the raspberries. Spoon into the case, make a lattice top with the remaining pastry. Brush with egg white, dredge with sugar, bake at 210°C/fan 190°C/410°F/gas 6 1/2 for 20 minutes then at 170°C/fan 150°C/335°F/gas 3 for 50 minutes until the middle juices are hot. Leave until cold before slicing.

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from The Guardian

A loaf that’s unfairly despised by foodies and artisan bakers, but you know what: it’s time to forgive and welcome it home. Excellent with cured meat and soft cheese.

100g natural yoghurt
25g tomato paste
25ml olive oil
150g sundried tomatoes in oil, not the semisoft ones
1 sprig rosemary
400g strong white flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp instant dry yeast
polenta or coarse cornmeal for shaping

Mix the yoghurt, tomato paste and oil well, add 125ml water then stir in the roughly chopped well-drained tomatoes and the rosemary. Combine the flour, salt and yeast in a large mixing bowl, pour in the tomato mixture and work to a soft dough. Leave 10 minutes, lightly knead on an oiled surface for 10 seconds then return to the bowl. Repeat twice more at 10 minute intervals then leave the dough an hour. Pat the dough into an oval then roll it tightly like a scroll. Roll it back and forth on the worktop pressing down on the ends so they taper slightly, then wet the outside and roll it in cornmeal. Place it seam-side down on a tray lined with non-stick paper, cover with a cloth and leave an hour. Slash down the centre and bake at 220°C/fan 200°C/425°F/gas 7 for 45 minutes.

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from The Guardian

Very easy baked chocolate truffles to serve post dinner with coffee, except for the insanely tricky bit of pressing the pine nuts onto the unbaked dough. Makes about 18.

200g pine nuts
100g ground almonds
finely grated zest of a large orange
100g caster sugar
25g plain flour
25g cocoa
1 medium egg, separated
1 tbsp rum or water

In the bowl of a food processor place 75g pine nuts with the almonds, orange zest and sugar and mix until the pine nuts are finely chopped. Add the flour and cocoa, mix again then add the egg white and rum and mix till evenly combined. Shape the mixture into 20g balls then brush lightly with a little beaten egg yolk and press onto a plate covered with the remaining pine nuts until you have a rough coating. Place on a tray lined with non stick paper, go back and stick pine nuts onto any bare patches, then bake at 160°C/fan 140°C/320°F/gas 2 1/2 for about 30 minutes. Leave to cool then store in an airtight container.

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