Tag: Fruit Keks

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.

Keks – With Yorkshire Connections

  • Keks is the word for a light fruit cake which is baked in a loaf tin or even more so a long narrow rectangular tin.
  • This recipe is adapted from an old Yorkshire recipe but would equally be liked in Poland.
  • The fruit in this recipe is may be bit higher than in some keks recipes,
  • In England this cake could be made at Christmas time.
  • The soft brown sugar could be replaced by granulated sugar (not tested)
  • The cake has to be started the night before.

INGREDIENTS

155g butter

140g soft brown sugar

3 eggs

*

225 raisins

225 currants

80g glacé cherries

50ml of brandy

*

155g plain flour

1½ teaspoons of baking powder

55g ground almonds

½ teaspoon of freshly ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon of mixed spice

METHOD

Soak the fruit with the brandy overnight.

Use a cake liner to line a 2lb loaf tin.

Pre-heat the oven to GM2.

Mix the dry ingredients together.

Cream the butter with the sugar.

Add the dry ingredients with an egg one at a time.

Stir in the fruit mixture.

Place the cake mixture into the cake tin and cook for around 1 hour 20 -25 minutes.

Option – not tested – replace some of the currants with chopped peel.