Easy Gooseberry Cake

  • I love gooseberries but in the last few years I have not seen any fresh ones for sale in the shops near me.
  • I will try the larger markets around me in the next few weeks.
  • I bought some bottled gooseberries in the Polish shop and decided to use these in this cake.
  • I have based this cake on an easy apple cake I made a few years ago and on – 
  • Easy Rhubarb Cake which I posted a few weeks ago.
  • This is based on an American idea with just a free form base and slightly raised sides.
  • Two secrets to success are:
  • 1) NOT have too much pastry and
  • 2) NOT to have loads of filling.
  • Also it is better to use fruit which has been cooked but NOT a “mush”
  • The pastry should be rolled out until it is thin.

Ingredients – pastry

  • 200g flour
  • 100g butter
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Juice of 1 lemon and water or just cold water.
  • *
  • 1 egg yolk – use it all – for sealing
  • *
  • 1 egg white – beaten
  • 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar

Ingredients – filling

  • 1 jar of gooseberries
  • Strain the gooseberries
  • Leave in the sieve for around 30 minutes
  • 1 tablespoon of icing sugar

Method 

  • Rub the butter into the flour until like breadcrumbs.
  • Add the egg yolk and lemon juice and mix to a soft dough.
  • Add more water sparingly if necessary.
  • *
  • Wrap in plastic and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  • *
  • Butter / Grease a large baking sheet.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM6 – 200°C.
  • *
  • Roll out the pastry thinly until you have a rough circle around 25cm.
  • Place the pastry onto the sheet.
  • Brush the egg yolk over the circle.
  • Place the gooseberries onto the circle.
  • Sprinke the icing sugar over them.
  •  
  • Bring up the sides of the pastry.
  • Brush the sides with the egg white.
  • Sprinkle on the tablespoon of granulated sugar.
  • *
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is golden.
  • Leave to cool on a wire rack.
  • *
  • Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving – optional

Duchess – Bramble Rose – Tea Plate

Poppy Seed & Lemon Buns

  • These little buns are based on one of my poppy seed cakes.
  • This amount makes 12 buns made in bun cases.

INGREDIENTS – buns

  • 100g butter
  • 100g granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 120g plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 3 tablespoons of poppy seeds
  • Fine zest of 1 lemon
  • Juice of 1 lemon

    Topping

  • 1 large lemon – rind pared & juice
  • 50g granulated sugar & 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar

METHOD

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM 4 – 180°C.
  • Cream together the butter, sugar and lemon zest.
  • Add the eggs, one by one and whisk again.
  • Mix the flour with the baking powder.
  • Fold in the flour.
  • Mix in the lemon juice.
  • Fold in the poppy seeds.
  • Divide the mixture between 12 bun cases in a bun tray.
  • Bake for 25 -30 minutes.
  • Leave on a cake rack to cool.
  • *
  • MEANWHILE
  • Take the rind parings and boil them in a little water for 2 minutes.
  • Sieve and dry.
  • Add these to 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and mix.
  • *
  • Mix the lemon juice with the 50g of granulated sugar.
  • *
  • Divide the topping over the buns.
  • Sprinkle parings over the buns.

Heathcote, made in England, cake plate.

Duchess Bramble Rose Tea Rose

Herring Salad 3

  • This makes a super all in one lunch.
  • It has many classic Polish ingredients: beetroot, hardboiled eggs. herrings and horseradish.
  • The garlic chives grow well in my garden – they are lovely for a garnish – the flowers are super to eat.

INGREDIENTS

  • Shredded lettuce
  • Bottled herrings & the onions
  • Milk to soak the herrings
  • 2 large steamed beetroots – peeled and chopped.
  • 4 hardboiled eggs – chopped
  • Juice from 1 lemon.
  • *
  • Flowers from garlic chives (or chopped garlic chives or chives)
  • *
  • Horseradish sauce to serve

METHOD

  • Drain the herrings and onions from the liquid.
  • Soak the herrings in milk for  couple of hours to remove a lot of the salt.
  • Chop the herring into small pieces.
  • In a dish place the shredded lettuce at the bottom.
  • Layer up with the eggs, beetroots, herrings and the onions from the jar.
  • Pour the lemon juice over them.
  • Lightly mix the ingredients.
  • Sprinkle garlic chive flowers over the top if available (or chopped chives)
  • *
  • Serve with a large dollop of horseradish sauce.

Chicken & Beer Soup

  • This is my second Polish soup which uses beer.
  • It is quite different from my first recipe – more savoury.

INGREDIENTS 

  • 4 rashers of smoked bacon
  • 250g of cooked chicken (roast or poached) – shredded
  • 500ml of chicken/vegetable stock (from powder or cube is fine)
  • 400ml of light larger type Polish beer (I used Tyskie)
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • 1 tablespoon of plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon of hot paprika or cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoons of paprika
  • 125ml of Greek style yoghurt
  • I doubt if any extra salt will be needed

METHOD

  • Cook the bacon in a frying pan or grill.
  • Chop the bacon into small pieces.
  • Add this to the stock.
  • Melt butter and add the flour and the 2 types of paprika.
  • Stir well till combined.
  • Add this to the stock.
  • Bring to boil then simmer for 10 minutes,
  • Add the beer
  • Bring back to the boil and simmer for another 10 minutes.
  • Add yoghurt
  • *
  • Serve with rye bread croutons.

Easy Rhubarb Cake

  • I only have a small amout of rhubarb growing this year – must be the hot dry Spring we are having.
  • I have based this cake on an easy apple cake I made a few years ago.
  • This is based on an American idea with just a free form base and slightly raised sides.
  • Two secrets to success are:
  • NOT have too much pastry and
  • NOT to have loads of filling.
  • Also it is better to use fruit which has been cooked but NOT a “mush”
  • The pastry should be rolled out until it is thin.

Ingredients – pastry

  • 200g flour
  • 100g butter
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Juice of 1 lemon and water or just cold water.
  • *
  • 1 egg yolk – use it all – for sealing
  • *
  • 1 egg white – beaten
  • 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar

Ingredients – filling

  • 250 – 350g rhubarb
  • 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method – filling

  • Cut the rhubarb into small chunks
  • Put the rhubarb into a shallow oven proof dish.
  • Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over it,
  • Set aside for around an hour.
  • Mix the fruit up with the sugar.
  • Put the dish into a pre-heated oven at GM2 – 150°C.
  • Cook gently for around 50 minutes.
  • NOTE – you are aiming for nearly cooked fruit – times may vary depending on the fruit.
  • Leave to cool completly.
  • Remove the fruit from the sugar mixture.
  • Heat the sugar mixture to remove some of the liquid.
  • Once again the amount will vary depending on the fruit.

Method – Pastry

  • Rub the butter into the flour until like breadcrumbs.
  • Add the egg yolk and lemon juice and mix to a soft dough.
  • Add more water sparingly if necessary.
  • *
  • Wrap in plastic and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  • *
  • Butter / Grease a large baking sheet.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM6 – 200°C.
  • *
  • Roll out the pastry thinly until you have a rough circle around 25cm.
  • Place the pastry onto the sheet.
  • Brush the egg yolk over a circle round 25cm in diameter.
  • Pile up the rhubarb onto the circle.
  • Dripple the sugar syrup over the top.
  • Bring up the sides of the pastry.
  • Brush the sides with the egg white.
  • Sprinkle on the tablespoon of granulated sugar.
  • *
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is golden.
  • Leave to cool on a wire rack.
  • *
  • Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving – optional

Royal Doulton – Sonnet – Tea Plate

Zupa Piwna – Beer Soup

  • I have seen this in several books – thought I should give it a try.
  • Beer soups are very early soups found in many old recipe books and notes.
  • You need a light lager type beer.
  • I used ‘Tiskie’.
  • A bottle is 750ml.
  • *
  • I thought it needed some sweetness and added sugar lumps to taste when it was served.
  • *
  • I have added this for completeness – Polish soups  – but I must admit it was not my favourite 

Ingredients

  • 750ml of beer (1 bottle)
  • 2 whole cloves
  • Small piece of cinnamon bark
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon of milk or soured cream
  • *
  • Several sugar lumps to taste
  • *
  • To serve – fingers of toasted sour dough bread with cream cheese or similar 

Method

  • Heat the beer with the cloves and cinnamon – stirring to keep the froth down. 
  • Leave to simmer for around 3 minutes.
  • Remove the cloves and cinnamon.
  • *
  • Whisk together the milk/soured cream and the egg yolk.
  • Whisk this into the soup.
  • Serve straight away with the toasted sour dough bread and cream cheese.
  • *
  • Not Tested – sponge fingers or sponge cakes could go well with this.

Royal Doulton Burgundy soup plate

I am going to look at other soup recipes that use beer in them – keep a look out.

Apricot & Sultana Keks

  • This is a lovely moist cake which stays good for several days.
  • It was made in a long narrow Continental loaf tin.
  • I am sure it would be good in a 2lb loaf tin – but this has not been tested.

INGREDIENTS

  • 150g dried apricots – chopped into small pieces (I used already chopped apricots)
  • 100g sultanas
  • Hot Earl Grey Tea
  • *
  • 225 butter
  • 300g caster sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 3 eggs
  • *
  • 200g plain flour
  • 40g ground almonds
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • Large pinch of salt
  • *
  • 80g Greek style yoghurt

METHOD

  • Make some strong Earl Grey tea – if using loose leaf tea – strain the leaves from the liquid.
  • Cover the apricots and sultanas with the hot tea.
  • Leave for 20 minutes.
  • *
  • Strain the fruit and pat them dry with kitchen roll.
  • *
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM5 – 200ºC
  • Grease and line a long narrow loaf tin.
  • Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla essence till pale and fluffy.
  • Add the eggs – 1 at a time – beating after each addition.
  • *
  • In a seperate bowl mix the: flour, baking powder, almonds and salt.
  • Toss the fruit in the flour and mix together.
  • *
  • Put half the flour and fruit mixture into the creamed butter mixture.
  • Stir lightly.
  • Stir in the yoghurt.
  • Stir in the rest of the flour and fruit mixture.
  • *
  • Pour the batter into the baking tin.
  • Bake for 50 – 55 minutes.
  • Cover the top with greaseproof or tin foil if it starts to burn before being cooked through.

Royal Doulton Sonnet tea plate.

Yeast Buns with Polish Custard & Dark Fruit

This is a variation on my post Kołaczyki which means little wheels from the word koła which means wheels.

This uses my favourite Basic sweet yeast dough. 

The buns are filled with budyń – Polish custard and dark forest fruits.

I used frozen blackberries.

A few reminders when using yeast in baking

  • Learn to be patient – you cannot control the timings exactly with yeast, it depends on the temperature of the room and the flour used and other variables.
  • Do yeast baking on a day you are planning to be in & have other things to do, but ones you can break off from when needed.
  • Heat the milk so it is at body temperature – use the finger test – too hot and you will kill the yeast – too cold is okay – it will just take longer.
  • Older Polish recipes use fresh yeast.
  • I have used dried yeast and have had very good results. 

Ingredients – for the dough

Leaven – Starter

  • 100g plain flour
  • 15g dried yeast
  • 125ml  milk

Rest of ingredients

  • 3 egg yolks
  • 60g sugar
  • 50g melted butter or block margarine
  • 400g plain flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2-3 drops of vanilla essence
  • 125ml milk

Method

  • Warm the milk slightly – so it is just warm to the touch – and add the yeast and mix together.
  • Put the flour in to a bowl and add the milk and yeast  mix it all together and leave it covered until it is double in size.
  • *
  • Melt the butter and leave it to cool.
  • *
  • Whisk the yolks and sugar until they are pale and fluffy.
  • *
  • Grease 2 baking sheets – You should get around 14 buns. – invite people round!
  • I think these are best on the day they are made – start early in the morning.
  • Into a large bowl put: the flour and the salt, the yeast starter, the yolk mixture, the zest of a lemon, the vanilla essence and the milk.
  • Mix it all together so that you get a soft dough that comes away from the side of the bowl – you do not have to knead it.
  • *
  • Then work in the melted butter (this is the hardest part) until it is all incorporated and you have a uniform shiny dough.
  • Cover the dough with a cloth and leave this to rise until it is double in size.
  • *
  • Onto a floured surface place the dough and form it into a rectangle and then roll this out until it is around  2cm thick.
  • Using a 8cm diameter cutter cut out circles of dough and place them on the greased baking sheets, leaving room for the dough to rise.
  • Gather together the left over dough and repeat the process.
  • *
  • Cover the trays and leave the circles to rise and double in size.
  • Pre heat the oven to GM5 – 190ºC
  • Use a clean napkin or tea towel and cover the base of a tumbler.
  • Use the covered tumbler and press down on the centre of each circle to form an indentation into which you will put the filling.
  • *
  • Add the budyń to each bun.
  • Top with the fruit.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes
  • Can dust with icing sugar
  • INGREDIENTS for  budyń 
  • 500ml of milk (full fat is best)
  • 1 tablespoon of butter
  • 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar
  • 2-3 drops of vanilla essence or 2 bay leaves (fresh are nice if you have then)
  • 3 tablespoons of potato starch(or you can use cornflour)
  • 3 egg yolks
  •  
  • METHOD
  • Put 300ml of the milk into a saucepan.
  • Add the butter, sugar and the vanilla or the bay leaves.
  • Heat gently till the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved.
  • Stirring all the time.
  • Bring this to the boil for a few seconds then take of the heat.
  • *
  • Blend the rest of the milk with the egg yolks and potato flour.
  • Add some of the boiled milk mixture and stir well.
  • Add this to the rest of the boiled milk mixture and stir well.
  • Heat gently, stirring all the time until the mixture thickens.
  • Leave to cool completely before using.

INGREDIENT for fruit

  • Around 250g of forest fruits – they can be frozen and left to defrost.
  • 1 – 2 tablespoon of granulated sugar – to taste.
  • 1 tablespoonful of water.

Best on day of baking!

Racuszki made with Yeast

  • One of my Polish friends came over and whilst we were chatting we found that we both had a copy of the Kuchnia Polska, that I call my bible.
  • She had wanted to show me how to made Racuczki (fritters/pancakes) made using yeast.
  • We followed the instructions from the book.
  • We had ours with a bought apple and rose petal jam.

INGREDIENTS

  • 250g  of  plain flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 250 ml of milk
  • 15g of fresh yeast
  • 50g of granulated sugar
  • *
  • Sunflower oil for frying.
  • *
  • Jam or fruit syrup to serve.

METHOD

  • Warm the milk to hand heat and add the yeast and  ½ teaspoon of the sugar.
  • Leave to start to bubble.
  • Mix the eggs with the rest of the sugar.
  • Mix together the yeast mixture and the egg mixture with the flour.
  • You are aiming for a thick cream mix – adjust with more milk or flour as necessary.
  • Cover and leave until the mixture rises.
  • *
  • Heat sunflower oil in a frying pan.
  • Add large tablespoonfuls of the mixture to fry.
  • Using 2 spoons is a help.
  • Fry till golden on both sides.
  • *
  • We had ours with apple and rose petal jam.

Herring Salad – 2

This is another version of herring salads.

  • INGREDIENTS
  • 1 packet of Matjes style herrings
  • Milk for soaking
  • 2 small onions peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 or 2 eating apples – cored and chopped into small cubes
  • 2 gherkins – chopped into small pieces
  • Juice from 1 lemon 
  • Dollops of soured cream or yoghourt – Optional

METHOD

  • Remove the herrings from the packet (keep the liquid).
  • Place the herrings in a shallow dish of milk.
  • Soak in the milk for several hours.
  • Dry with them off with kitchen roll.
  • Cut them into small chunks.
  • Layer up the ingredients on the long plate.
  • Pouring the herring liquid over the onions.
  • Pour lemon juice over the apples.
  • Place some dollops of soured cream on the top.