Fed up with being cooped up again over the weekend due to the rather moist weather conditions, we set about baking.
I made bread - not as virtuous as it sounds! I have had a serious case of the wanties for a bread maker for ages and this year, for my birthday I received a rather tasty one. Over the weekend our house had a delicious warm bready-scent tickling our taste buds.
Youngest fancied making scones but a quick foray into the baking cupboard revealed a grave deficiency of baking powder. We reached for a baking cook book and found ourselves a very tasty quick and easy biscuit recipe. Youngest was soon at work, much dusting with flour and decorating of biscuits occurring.
The were super yum!
So yummy that I have included the recipe below:
All butter cookies**
275g/10oz plain flour
90g/3 1/3oz caster sugar
10ml/2 tsp vanilla essence
200gm/7oz butter
- Mix flour and butter until looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
- Add sugar and vanilla and process until it forms a dough.
- At this point the recipe calls for the dough being rolled into a thick sausage and chilling for half an hour - trying telling that to an 11 year old......
- So we rolled little lumps into balls and flattened, then 'stamped' to make decorated biscuits.
- Bake at 200deg c/400deg f/gas mark 6. for 8 - 10 mins.
- Try to cool on a baking tray alternatively slap backs of hands as they sneak over to pinch still steaming hot biscuits.
- Scoff with copious amounts of tea as you watch the clouds clear and decide that now would be a good time to go for a quick walk.
- Don boots and grab camera and go!
Last few instructions are not necessary to make the biscuits - they were our optional extras!
We are lucky where we live, not far from our door is this wonderful spot. Not that you can see with all this lush growth but on the right of the spout is a cave, my two boys and a dog! Told you, you couldn't see them, you'd have to wait till winter before anything would be revealed.
The meadows were full of wild flowers and in the breeze the grass waved and undulated like huge sheets of water - it was cathartic to be able to get out - I think I was beginning to suffer cabin fever!
And suddenly it's Monday again- how does that happen?
How was your weekend?
Good?
Wet?
Productive?
Have yourselves a lovely day and may the sun shine where ever you are xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
oops nearly forgot ** All Butter cookies came from this book and it was on page 400.
Oh you have a bread-maker! I have found mine to be wonderful. The smell of fresh bread is one of the best scents. Have fun with it. I am drooling over the biscuits...
ReplyDeleteA cave - what fun for boys and giddy dog. Thank goodness there is no worry about what may lurk in caves - eg African snakes and creepy crawlies!!! :>)xx
ReplyDeleteI use to have a bread maker and absolutely loved it. However, when the kids grew up and it was just my hubs and I, I stopped using it. I think I gave it away. My daughter is a great bread baker and makes several loaves once a month. Loved the photos of your walk. You have such a lovely area around you. My weekend was spent resting trying to ease a headache and trying to stay cool. Our weather has been in the triple digits for the past 3 days or so. But I did get to watch the TDF which is always a treat for me in July. The biscuits look wonderful. I'm glad your Youngest likes to bake. It is a wonderful skill for anyone.
ReplyDeleteWish there was more baking in our house but my 2 only want to do the eating
ReplyDeleteNo rain here! We are in our dry season......no rain until at least Halloween. I would gladly take some of your! :)
ReplyDelete