Teacakes
Ingredients
- 375 g strong white bread flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 sachet (7 g) fast-action dried yeast
- 1 tsp ground or freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1 orange (finely grated zest only)
- 50 g caster sugar (golden or normal)
- 50 g butter (salted or unsalted)
- 150ml milk (any kind)
- 1 egg
- 75 g raisins
- 75 g sultanas
- A little sunflower oil for greasing
Accompaniment
SponsoredStoneleigh Vineyards Pinot Noir
Trapiche is situated in the Mendoza region of Argentina. The winery was established in 1883 and they are well known for producing quality wine at affordable prices. This is a great example of Sauvignon Blanc from the Mendoza region. Fresh aromas of grapefruit, crisp blackcurrant leaf, green pepper and grassy back notes. Buy this wine if you like: Dry whites with lively fruit and fragrant aromatics.
Description
These are really worth the extra effort to make at home - delicious warm from the oven, and toasted the next day. Far superior to shop bought and very satisfying to make.
Method
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1
Sift the flour into the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook or into a large bowl if making by hand.
Stir in the salt, yeast, orange zest, spices and sugar.
Chop the butter into little pieces and heat gently, with the milk, in a small saucepan.
Remove from the heat as soon as the butter has almost melted and the milk is warm, but not hot.
Lightly beat the egg.
With mixer – with the dough hook on a low speed (Kitchen Aid 2), add the warm milk and butter and the egg and ‘knead’ for 10 minutes, adding the fruit after 5 minutes.
By hand - make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the warm milk and butter, and add the egg.
Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball, then turn out on a very lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes to form a smooth, pliable dough.
Knead the fruit into the dough after the first 5 minutes.
Bring the dough together into a ball.
Lightly grease the bowl and a large piece of cling film with a little sunflower oil.
Put the dough back in the bowl, cover loosely with the clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm place for 1½ hours, or until almost doubled in size*.
Knead for another 5 minutes, with the dough hook or by hand, divide into 6 equal portions (for jumbo teacakes - 8 for smaller ones) and roll into balls.
Flatten each ball to about 1 – 1.5cm thick.
Line 2 or 3 large baking trays with baking parchment, and lightly grease some more cling film.
Put the balls of dough on the baking trays, spaced apart to allow space for them to grow.
Cover loosely with oiled clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm place for another 45 minutes until almost double in size.
Preheat the oven to 190C.
Remove the clingfilm, brush the tops with a little milk and bake the teacakes in the centre of the oven for about 15 minutes.
Smaller ones may only take 12 minutes. They should be well risen and golden-brown with a crusty top, and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Serve warm or leave to cool on a wire rack, then toast. Best eaten within 2 days.
Chef's Tips
* If you find the dough doesn't rise, do not panic as it can be rescued (as I have proved to myself!). There are 4 main causes:
1. It was not kneaded sufficiently - make sure you knead for a full 10 minutes.
2. The milk was too hot and killed the yeast.
3. There was not enough yeast.
4. It was not in a warm enough place. (I put it next to a hot radiator, with a tea-towel draped over the top to keep the heat in).
If another half an hour in a warm place doesn't make any difference, mix a little more yeast (half the original amount) with 1/2 tsp sugar in some warm (not hot) water, leave for 5 minutes to go foamy, and knead in with the dough hook or by hand with some extra flour (try 50 g first and add more if too sticky), then leave to rise for the required time again, and carry on.
You can use any dried fruit / mixed peel you want - 150 g in total.
I am sorry you have had difficulty with this today - we have all the recipes backed up and so have relaoded the ingredients for you - let us know if you need any help - we all love your recipes - thanks SO much xx
In the meantime:375g strong white bread flour ½ tsp salt1 sachet (7 g) fast-action dried yeast1 tsp ground or freshly grated nutmeg1 tsp ground cinnamon1 tsp ground mixed spice1 orange (finely grated zest only)50 g caster sugar (golden or normal)50 g butter (salted or unsalted, as your prefer)150ml milk (any kind)1 egg75 g raisins75 g sultanasA little sunflower oil (for greasing bowl / cling film)
I did list out the ingredients, and have just tried editing again, but there seems to be a technical problem. I have contacted the team and it will hopefully be rectified soon.