ALMOND SHORTBREAD BISCUITS
Makes about 16
50g (2 oz) caster sugar
•
120g (4
1
/
2
oz) plain flour
•
85g (3oz) ground
almonds
•
85g (3oz) softened butter, straight from the fridge
•
1 egg yolk
Fit the
plastic kneader.
Add the sugar, flour and almonds. Cut the butter into
pieces and add to the bowl. Process for 10 seconds until the mixture is like fine
breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and process for about 15-20 seconds until mixed.
Turn the mixture onto a floured surface and press together with your fingertips to
form a smooth ball. Roll out to about 3 mm (1/8 inch) thickness. Cut out rounds
using a 7 cm (3 inch) cutter. Place on non-stick baking trays and bake in a
preheated oven at 180°C/350°F (Fan oven 170°C), Gas mark 4 for 12-15 minutes
until a light golden brown. Cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack.
DEVON SCONES WITH WHIPPED CREAM
Makes about 6 - 8
225 g (8 oz) self raising flour
•
2.5 ml (
1
/
2
tsp) cream of tartar
•
2.5 ml (
1
/
2
tsp)
baking powder
•
pinch of salt
•
15 g (
1
/
2
oz) caster sugar
•
50g (2 oz) butter,
straight from the fridge cut into cubes
•
1 medium size egg
•
about 75 ml
(3 fl oz) milk
For the whipped cream
284 ml carton whipped cream
•
1 tsp caster sugar
•
jam and butter, to serve
Place the flour, cream of tartar, baking powder, salt and sugar in the bowl with the
plastic kneader.
Process briefly to mix. Add the butter and process for 10-15
seconds, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Beat the egg and milk together
in jug. With the machine still running, add the egg mixture through the feed tube,
and process for a few seconds until it binds together. Take care not to over process.
Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and lightly knead into a smooth ball. Roll out to
about 2 cm (
3
/
4
inch) thickness. Cut into rounds using a 5 cm (2 inch) cutter. Place
on a greased baking tray and brush the tops with milk. Bake in a preheated oven at
200°C/400°F (Fan oven 190°C), Gas mark 6 for about 10-15 minutes until risen and
golden brown. Leave to cool.
To whip the cream, fit the
whisk
in the bowl. Add the cream and sugar. Process but
manually reduce the speed to minimum as soon as possible to prevent over
processing. Process for about 1 minute but frequently check on the consistency to
avoid over whipping. Serve the scones split and buttered with whipped cream
and jam.
Try this:
Add 25 g (1 oz) glace cherries and 1 teaspoon ground ginger to the dry
ingredients to make Cherry and Ginger Scones.
For Cheese Scones
omit the sugar and add 50 (2 oz) mature cheddar cheese
grated using the fine grating disc (H) plus a pinch of dry mustard powder.
Pastry, batters and bread
PANCAKE BATTER
Makes about 20 large pancakes
4 eggs
•
750 ml (1
1
/
4
pt) milk
•
100 ml (7 tbsp) sunflower oil
•
40 g (1
1
/
2
oz)
caster sugar
•
pinch of salt
•
375 g (13 oz) plain flour
Place the eggs, milk, oil, sugar, and salt in the
liquidiser.
Remove the stopper from
the lid. Blend for a few seconds. With the machine still running, spoon the flour
through the hole in the lid and process for 1
1
/
2
minutes. Stop and scrape down the
sides with a spatula if necessary. Leave the batter to stand for at least an hour
before cooking the pancakes.
Try this:
For Yorkshire pudding batter or a smaller quantity of pancake batter, place
1 egg and 300ml (
1
/
2
pt) milk in the
liquidiser.
Process for 20 seconds. With the
machine still running, spoon 100g (4 oz) plain flour through the hole in the lid and
process until well mixed. Leave the batter to stand for 1 hour. After standing the
consistency may thicken and need adjusting with more liquid.
For a Coating or Fritter batter
prepare in the same way as the Yorkshire pudding
batter but only use 150 ml (
1
/
4
pt) milk instead of 300 ml. When making fritters a
lighter texture batter can be obtained by using beer, lager or cider instead of milk.
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