Home-Brew Recipes

Posts Tagged ‘bread’

Stunning to look at and absolutely delicious to eat, this glazed dried fruit bread is perfect for any occasion. Simply leave it to cool in the tin and then slice and seve either on its own to spread with butter for a really decadent treat. It can also be made and given as a gift, wrapped in polythene and tied with a bow. This recipe makes two loaves, but you could halve the quantities and just make one loaf, if you prefer.

Ingredients:

25oml – milk, ½ cup – butter, ¼ oz packets easy-blend dried yeast, 1 – beaten egg, 115 g – candied peel, melted butter, icing sugar, nuts, 90g – caster sugar, 2.5ml – salt, 2.5ml – cardamom pods, 500g- white bread flour.

Preparation Method:

1. Grease two 450g loaf tins or a large baking tray. In a pan, bring the milk to just to just below boiling point. Add the butter and stir until melted. Pour into a large, heatproof of bowl and leave until lukewarm.
2. Put the water and the 5ml sugar in a small bowl, sprinkle in the yeast and leave in the warm place for 15 minutes until frothy.
3. Add the egg to the milk mixture then add the yeast mixture, remaining sugar, salt and cardamom pods. Add half the flour and beat the mixture.
4. Dust the fruit generously with flour, stir to mix and add to the mixture with sufficient flour to make a stiff dough that leaves the sides of the bowl clean.
5. Turn the dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead well until the dough feels firm and elastic. Put the dough in a bowl, cover with a damp dish towel and leave in a warm place to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
6. Turn the risen dough on to a lightly floured surface, knock down and knead again for 2 minutes.
7. Shape the dough into two loaves and place in the prepared tins and put on the baking tray. Leave to rise again for 1 hour.
8. Preheat the oven to 180^o C. If you wish, brush the loaves with beaten egg to glaze.
9. Place in the heated oven and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when knocked on the bottom.
10. Brush the cooked loaves with melted butter or dust with icing sugar and decorate with glace cherries and nuts. Leave to cool on a wire rack, then serve in slices.

Originally from Spain, these pretty little tarlets are filled with strips of roasted sweet peppers and deliciously creamy, cheesy custard. They make the perfect snack to serve with drinks.

Ingredients:

1 – red pepper, 1 – yellow pepper, 75g – diced and chilled butter, 30ml – cold water, 60ml – double cream, 1 – egg, 15ml – freshly grated grano padana cheese, 175g – plain flour and salt and black pepper to taste.

Preparation Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400^o F and heat the grill. Place the peppers on a baking sheet and grill for 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until blackened. Cover with a dish towel and leave for 5 minutes. Peel away the skin, then discard the seeds and cut the flesh into very thin strips.
2. Sift the flour and a pinch of salt into the bowl. Add the butter and rub it in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in enough of the water to make a firm, not sticky, dough.
3. Roll the dough out on a floured surface and line 12 individual moulds or a 12-hole tartlet tin. Prick the bases and fill the pasty cases with crumpled foil. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil from the pastry cases and divide the pepper strips among the pastry cases.
4. Whisk the cream and egg in a bowl. Season and pour over the peppers. Sprinkle with grano padano and bake for 20 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes to a wire rack. Serve warm or cold.