Tag: Placek

Jam Cake

  • This is based on an English recipe, which originated in a town very near to where I live.
  • It is called Batley Cake.
  • It is a simple recipe a bit like a placek with shortcrust pastry – kruche ciasto –  but with the addition of baking powder
  • I am sure it will be liked very much in Poland.
  • It could be called ciasto z dzemem.
  • I thought the original version had too much sugar in it – so this has been adjusted.
  • Also I increased the amount of jam used and this turned out much better.

INGREDIENTS

  • 250g plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons of baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon of salt
  • 125g of butter
  • 80g of granulated sugar
  • 1 egg beaten and 1-2 tablespoons of milk
  • 5 – 6 tablespoons of jam (raspberry was used here)
  • *
  • Beaten egg to glaze and 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.

METHOD

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM4 – 140ºC.
  • Grease and flour a baking sheet.
  • Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together.
  • Rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs.
  • Mix in the sugar.
  • Add the beaten egg and a little milk until you get a soft dough.
  • Divide the dough into two halves.
  • Roll out the halves until you make two circles about 20cm in diameter.
  • Place the first round onto the baking sheet.
  • Spread the jam over this going nearly to the edges.
  • Cover with the over round of cake and pinch the edges together.
  • Brush the top with beaten egg white.
  • Sprinkle the top with the tablespoon of sugar.
  • Bake for 30 – 35 minutes until the top is golden brown.
  • Leave to cool in the tin on a wire rack.

Royal Doulton Counterpoint tea plate

Placek with Dried Fruits

  • Placek is a thin flat cake.
  • Dried fruits are called bakalie in Polish – fruit from the Balkans.
  • If this were a loaf shaped fruit cake it would be called a “keks” – however it works better in this thin version.
  • Dried apricots are used, which is a bit different.
  • The apricots are soaked overnight in brandy – so you have to start the cake the night before.

INGREDIENTS

  • 175 dried apricots – chopped
  • 3 tablespoons of brandy
  • 175g butter
  • 175g granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs beaten
  • 175g plain flour
  • 225g raisins
  • 225g currants
  • 225g cherries*
  • *
  • *Or a mixture of cherries and mixed peel if you are short of cherries

METHOD

  • Put the apricots and brandy in a small bowl.
  • Cover and leave overnight.
  • *
  • Pre the oven to GM3 – 160°C
  • Line 3 sides of a 32 x 22 baking tin.
  • Mix the apricots with the other dried fruit.
  • Cream the sugar and the butter.
  • Add the eggs and beat together.
  • Mix in all the dried fruit.
  • Fold in the flour.
  • Spread the cake mixture into the tin.
  • *
  • Bake for 50  –  60 minutes.

Placek with Figs 2

  • My father loved English Fig Rolls so he would have loved this pastry.
  • It is based on an English recipe for a pie that was served on Palm Sunday – 2 April in 2023.
  • You have to start the fig filling the evening before and then cook it the next morning.
  • The filling needs to be completely cold before using.
  • I made it using my kruche ciasto – shortcrust pastry.

INGREDIENTS – Pastry

  • 250g plain flour
  • 125g butter
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Cold water to mix the dough.
  • *
  • Egg white to glaze

METHOD – Pastry

  • Rub the butter into the flour until you have breadcrumbs.
  • Mix in the egg yolk, lemon juice and enough water until you have a soft dough.
  • Cover and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS  – FILLING

  • 250g dried figs
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons of cornflour
  • 1 teaspoon of mixed spice

METHOD – Filling

  • Place the figs in a bowl with the lemon juice.
  • Pour enough boiling water over the figs to cover them and leave overnight.
  • Sieve the figs from the liquid – but keep the liquid.
  • Chop the figs into small pieces.
  • Take a few tablespoons of the liquid and mix with the cornflour.
  • Put the rest of the liquid in a saucepan and add the sugar and spice.
  • Heat gently and then add the cornflour paste.
  • Carry on heating until the liquid thickens.
  • Add the chopped figs and heat gently to reduce the liquid until you have a thick paste.
  • Leave to cool – this must be cold when you use it.

METHOD – Placek

  • Grease and line a 26 x 16cm tin.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM 6 – 200°C
  • Divide the pastry into two.
  • Roll out one half and use this to line the base of the tin.
  • Spread out the fig paste over the pastry.
  • Roll out the rest of the pastry and cover the top of the tin.
  • Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg white.
  • Bake for 30 – 35 minutes

 

 

  • Served on Crown bone china tea plates.

OPTIONS – Not Tested.

  • Add 2 tablespoons of icing sugar to the flour when making the pastry dough.
  • Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of granulated sugar on top of the egg white glaze.
  • Dust with icing sugar when serving.

Baking with Cranberry Mincemeat 2 – Placek

  • I have tried several bakes using the cranberry mincemeat.
  • Here is the second one.
  • You can use any version of shortcrust pastry but the richer ones are the best.
  • This one is one my Mama used to make.

INGREDIENTS

  • 250g plain flour
  • 125g butter
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Cold water to mix the dough.
  • *
  • Egg white to glaze
  • *
  • Cranberry mincemeat

METHOD

  • Rub the butter into the flour until you have breadcrumbs.
  • Mix in the egg yolk, lemon juice and enough water until you have a soft dough.
  • Cover and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  • *
  • Grease and line a 26 x 16cm tin.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM 6 – 200°C
  • Divide the pastry into two.
  • Roll out one half and use this to line the base of the tin.
  • Spread out the cranberry mincemeat over the pastry.
  • Roll out the rest of the pastry and cover the top of the tin.
  • Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg white.
  • Bake for 30 – 35 minutes.
  • Cut into squares when cool.

Royal Doulton – Tapestry tea plate

Pineapple & Coconut Cake

  • I came across this recipe ages ago but have only just had a chance to make it.
  • The original recipe used a small tin of pineapples, which I have not seen for a while.
  • I used part of a larger tin, which meant I had pineapples left to just eat or use in another dish.
  • The original recipe was baked in a loaf tin, which would have made it a keks.
  • However I think it is best in a flat rectangular tin – so maybe this is a placek!

Ingredients

  • 150g plain flour
  • 1½ teaspoons of baking powder
  • 110g butter
  • 75g granulated sugar
  • 50g & 1 tablespoon of desiccated coconut
  • 2 eggs – beaten
  • 120g tinned pineapples – drained and chopped 
  • 75g sultanas or raisins
  • *
  • 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
  • 5 tablespoons of pineapple juice

Method

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM5 – 190°C.
  • Drain the pineapples, reserve the juice.
  • Weigh out the 120g of pineapples and chop these up into small pieces.
  • Grease and line a 26 x 16cm baking tin.
  • Mix together the flour and the baking powder.
  • Rub in the butter till the mixture is like breadcrumbs.
  • Stir in the sugar and the 50g of coconut.
  • Mix in the eggs.
  • Mix in the pineapples.
  • Mix in the sultanas.
  • Put the cake mixture into the tin and smooth the top.
  • Scatter the tablespoon of coconut over the top.
  • Bake for 25-30minutes.
  • *
  • Mix the 2 tablespoons of sugar and pineapple juice together.
  • *
  • Spoon the juice mixture evenly over the top of the cake as soon as you get it out of the oven.
  • Leave to cool on a wire rack.
Royal Doulton Carnation tea plate

Yeast Placek with Plums

Ingredients 

  • 200g & 50g plain flour
  • 150 ml warm milk
  • 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar
  • ½ tablespoon of dried yeast
  • *
  • ¼ teaspoon of salt
  • 60g granulated sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • *
  • 400g of ripe plums
  • 1-2 tablespoons of sugar
  • ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • *
  • Egg white for brushing
  • *
  • Icing sugar to dust

Method 

  • Mix the milk, yeast, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 50g of plain flour.
  • Leave for 20 minutes.
  • Put the 200g of plain flour, 60g of sugar, salt, yolks and yeast mixture in a bowl.
  • Mix together to form a soft dough.
  • Add a little extra milk if this is too dry.
  • Knead for 10 minutes – set a timer – till you get a smooth ball.
  • Cover and leave for 1½ – 2 hours.
  • *
  • Line a baking tray with baking paper.
  • *
  • Cut the plums in half and remove the stone.
  • Cut the plums into slices – thinner ones if not so ripe.
  • Mix them with the sugar and cinnamon.
  • *
  • Lightly mix the dough back into a ball.
  • Roll out and stretch the dough to fit the baking tray.
  • Brush the top with beaten egg white.
  • Place the plums and sugar mix on top.
  • Cover and leave for 30 minutes.
  • *
  • Pre-heat the oven  to GM5- 200°C.
  • Bake for 20 -25 minutes.
  • Leave to cool on a wire rack.
  • Dust with icing sugar to serve.
Elizabethan – Carnaby – 1970s

Yeast Placek with Apples

  • I had been making several recipes with plums and wanted to make a placek – flat cake – with a plum topping.
  • However I ran out of plums whilst making other recipes, so decided to try this with apples instead.
  • My Bramley apples are not yet ripe so I used eating apples instead.
  • I might have to amended the recipe slightly if using cooking apples. 
  • Yesterday I bought some more plums so will try this out next.
  • The yeast pastry is the same as used earlier for my  drożdżówki – sweet yeast buns with rhubarb and with whinberries.

Ingredients 

  • 200g & 50g plain flour
  • 150 ml warm milk
  • 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar
  • ½ tablespoon of dried yeast
  • *
  • ¼ teaspoon of salt
  • 60g granulated sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • *
  • 3 or 4 eating apples
  • 1-2 tablespoons of sugar
  • ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • *
  • Icing sugar to dust

Method 

  • Mix the milk, yeast, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 50g of plain flour.
  • Leave for 20 minutes.
  • Put the 200g of plain flour, 60g of sugar, salt, yolks and yeast mixture in a bowl.
  • Mix together to form a soft dough.
  • Add a little extra milk if this is too dry.
  • Knead for 10 minutes – set a timer – till you get a smooth ball.
  • Cover and leave for 1½ – 2 hours.
  • *
  • Line a baking tray with baking paper.
  • *
  • Peel and core the apples.
  • Cut them into thin slices.
  • Mix them with the sugar and cinnamon.
  • *
  • Lightly mix the dough back into a ball.
  • Roll out and stretch the dough to fit the baking tray.
  • Place the apples and sugar mix on top.
  • Cover and leave for 30 minutes.
  • *
  • Pre-heat the oven  to GM5- 200°C.
  • Bake for 20 -25 minutes.
  • Leave to cool on a wire rack.
  • Dust with icing sugar to serve.
Tea plate Primulette – by Royal Albert from the 1950s

Placek with Prunes – 2

  • I have an earlier post –  prune placek, which is quite different from this one.
  • This placek – flat cake- has a filling of prunes.
  •  The pastry used is a variation on my Polish  kruche ciasto – shortcrust pastry.
  • Prunes often feature in Wigilia – Christmas Eve dishes.
  • A prune filling like this is used in a tart baked in Belgium and eaten on Ash Wednesday. (17 February in 2021)

Ingredients – Pastry

  • 225g plain flour
  • 110g butter
  • 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 5 tablespoons of water
  • *
  • 1 tablespoon of caster sugar to sprinkle

Ingredients – Filling

  • 300g of prunes – stoned
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 2 sprigs of rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
  • 1 lemon – grated rind and juice

Method – Filling

This filling needs to be cold – so make this first.

  • Put the prune, cinnamon stick and rosemary in a large bowl.
  • Cover these with boiling water.
  • Leave overnight.
  • *
  • Remove the cinnamon stick and rosemary.
  • Put the prunes and liquid  into a  pan.
  • Add the lemon rind and juice.
  • Heat gently  and stir occasionally until the prunes are soft and the water is adsorbed.
  • Use a stick blender to turn the prunes into a pulp.
  • You might have to heat gently again to make sure the pulp is thick.
  • Leave to go completely cold.

Method – Pastry

  • A rich pastry is made in the traditional rubbed in method with the ingredients listed above.
  • Chill the pastry for around 30 minutes.
  • *
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM 5 – 190°C.
  • Grease and line a shallow tray 21cm x 26cm.
  • Divide the pastry into two.
  • Roll out one piece to line the bottom of the tin.
  • Spread the filling evenly over the pastry – not quite to the edges.
  • Roll the second piece of pastry out and use to cover the filling.
  • Press the edges down to seal.
  • Make some diagonal slashes across the top.
  • Bake for around 30 minutes until golden.
  • Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the caster sugar.
  • Leave to cool in the tin.
  • Cut into squares when cold.

Royal Doulton – Counterpoint tea plates – 1973-1987

Mincemeat – Squares

  • Fruit mincemeat pies I think of these as very British – but we all love them and they have become part of our Christmas Day and New Year celebrations.
  • I use my mother’s recipe for the pastry  –  kruche ciasto – shortcrust pastry.
  • I like the size and proportions of little mince pies, which seem to just jump of the plate into my hand!
  • However they are time consuming to make so I have come up with this easier version, which I make after the holidays.
  • Poles would say the mincemeat is a version of bakalie and this recipe is a placek – flat cake.

Mincemeat

I always make my own mincemeat using the recipe in Delia Smith’s Christmas cookery book but without the chopped almonds (I do not like the crunch of the nuts).

 

When using the mincemeat I add a little extra brandy or sherry and stir it in.

Ingredients – Pastry

  • 225g plain flour
  • 110g butter
  • 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 5 tablespoons of water
  • *
  • 1 tablespoon of caster sugar to sprinkle

Method – Pastry

  • Rub the butter into the flour to make “breadcrumbs”.
  • Mix in the granulated sugar.
  • First with a knife and then with your fingertips mix in the yolks and  some of the water – until it comes together.
  • You are aiming to get a dough which is not wet.
  • Chill the pastry for around 30 minutes.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM 5 – 190°C.
  • Grease and line a shallow tray 21cm x 26cm.
  • Divide the pastry into two.
  • Roll out one piece to line the bottom of the tin.
  • Spread the mincemeat evenly over the pastry – not quite to the edges.
  • Roll the second piece of pastry out and use to cover the filling.
  • Press the edges down to seal.
  • Bake for around 30 minutes until golden.
  • Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the caster sugar.
  • Leave to cool in the tin.
  • Cut into squares when cold.

Tea plates by Queen Anne – unknown pattern name

 

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Placek with Figs

  • This placek – flat cake- has a filling of bakalie – dried fruit and nuts – there are lots of figs in this mixture, which make it extra delicious.
  •  The pastry used is a variation on my Polish  kruche ciasto – shortcrust pastry.

Ingredients – Pastry

  • 225g plain flour
  • 110g butter
  • 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 5 tablespoons of water
  • *
  • 1 tablespoon of caster sugar to sprinkle

Ingredients – Filling

  • 190g dried figs – chopped
  • 60g currants
  • 60g raisins
  • 60g walnuts – chopped
  • 60g soft dark brown sugar
  • Grated rind of 1 lemon
  • 125ml water

Method – Filling

This filling needs to be cold – so make this first.

  • Put all the ingredients into a small pan and heat gently.
  • Stir occasionally until the mixture is soft and the water is adsorbed.
  • A little more water might be needed and more heating.

Method – Pastry

  • A rich pastry is made in the traditional rubbed in method with the ingredients listed above.
  • Chill the pastry for around 30 minutes.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM 5 – 190°C.
  • Grease and line a shallow tray 21cm x 26cm.
  • Divide the pastry into two.
  • Roll out one piece to line the bottom of the tin.
  • Spread the filling evenly over the pastry – not quite to the edges.
  • Roll the second piece of pastry out and use to cover the filling.
  • Press the edges down to seal.
  • Bake for around 30 minutes until golden.
  • Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the caster sugar.
  • Leave to cool in the tin.
  • Cut into squares when cold.

Hand painted Paragon plates.

Friends who tried this said “Please make this again!”