Baking - Tips, Questions, Discussions, Recipes.

Hi Daloni

Thanks for the welcome, it means a lot. Unfortunately I did mean 10.00 am for the opening, sometimes even earlier, 9.00 am. I know it's not good but it helps when watching daytime TV. Just like you would sit down at 8.00 pm to watch a period drama and would open a bottle, I do the same, only earlier. My life has been upside down for a while now.

Raspberry scones are my favourite, not keen on cheese scones but I'll try making them. What kind of cheese? Just small pieces the same size as raspberry pieces? And would fresh raspberries be better than the frozen types that I see Jennifer using? When my yellow raspberries are ready, they're going to be interesting!

Salivatingly yours 

Tvman xx

Hi tvman

I think it's the Protestant in me that balks at a morning drink. Do what you need to do to get through the day, though. 

I do sometimes wonder whether men are at a disadvantage when it comes to weathering poor health. I have a wealth of skills to fall back on that keep both hands and enough of my brain busy to pass the time, especially sewing, knitting and crochet. Baking too. My brain is too fuzzy to read much and I hate watching tv in the day and I've been able to make some lovely things for the friends and relations who are helping me through. My dad used to knit but he was an unusual fellow to say the least. 

Cheese scones - I use whatever comes to hand. Cheddar in small chunks is good. Stilton is not half bad either if there's a stubby end hanging about in the fridge. And they are splendid as an accompaniment to soup. 

Xx

Heya Tvman,

Happy to admit I've done the same as you a few times in cracking one open with breakfast. There are some days when needs must, and inspiration for crafts or cooking just aren't there.

I always say, when it comes to cooking or baking, that if you enjoyed eating it - then that's all that matters. Don't stress about if it could have been improved looks wise. Don't worry about if something could have been improved taste or texture wise. Just take note for next time, but enjoy the one made.

I've got a good friend's Dad into baking too. He's currently dealing with incurable cancer and heart failure - and was very frustrated at home as he couldn't do anything he used to. But saw my pics of bread and thought he'd give it a try, so I sent him a copy of a very good book I have. And you can't get him out of the kitchen now!

Here at home, I generally use Stork as it's designed to be baked with. There are only a few things that I'll insist on using real butter for - like a curd - but generally the Stork works perfectly.

I mix my scones by machine, but they are absolutely right about not over working the dough. When you make bread, you work the dough to develop the gluten. That's part of what gives bread that springy stretchy quality when you eat it. You want your scones to be light and airy, with a little crumble to them and that line in the middle where they just break in two when you pull. So you do not want to develop the gluten for that reason, and also you'll end up with tough, oval scones instead of light round ones.

So I put it all in a bowl and use the mixer until it's 3/4 together. Then add the fruit and mix until it's like 7/8 done. Then out onto the bench with a gentle squish of the flaky bits and rolled out. Using a mixer is faster and less strenuous on the back - which is where my Mets are.

After you've cut out your first batch, you need to gently squish the remaining dough back together. Just remember that everytime you bring it together and roll it out, you're developing the gluten. So those first ones you cut out, are going to be the best ones.

As for raspberries, love them! But I'd always put them into a Blondie with white chocolate personally.

Lass

Xx

I may have been bad the other night.... >.>

I was on Amazon looking for gifts for people, and ended up buying myself some new recipe books! Oops! Lol

Some arrived today, so had a quick nose through them.....

There's a tomato recipe book for someone else - so I've snapped a pic of the recipes I'd like to try myself.

There's a book purely on pies - some really interesting looking ones.

There's a book on old fashioned and traditional puds - so lots of suet involved. Lol

Then there's a book claiming to be full of Granny's favourites.

Then there's a book called "The ten unexpected Greeks just arrived for dinner". Lol

So they can all be added to the collection of recipes to try when I'm more fit and able.

Def not today, today is a terrible day. Migraine all morning that I tried to sleep off. Still feeling the after effects now. Then ended up soiling myself twice in an hour. So had that to clean up. And still bleeding and in pain from the op last Wed.

So bleh! Today sucks.

Lass

Xx

Dear Lass, 

‘the ten unexpected Greeks...’ I love it! Was it the last one? 

Pepys xx

Just checked, there are 24 more starting at a penny with postage on top.

It's quite funny inside. Some nice looking recipes, but really weird notes and pictures, including the "unexpected bikini".

Lol

(Might have just bought a couple more I found too..... *Closes Amazon and goes back to tutuing*)

Lass

Xx

I bought some to give as presents Lass! 

Pepys xx

Are you feeling any better Lass? It doesn’t sound like the best day 

Peoys xx

Oh Lass

Such a horrible day for you, certainly a day that sucks! The bright light to hang on to is that tomorrow will hopefully bring a much better day. 

What an interesting collection of books you have, For me, the tomato recipe book would be great because I usually have a glut of tomatoes in September/October from my greenhouse, when they need to be removed from the plants because they're really not going to ripen more due to falling temperatures and light levels. Quite a few greenish ones. Also, the pie recipes sound intriguing.

Keep your chin up Lass, there's light at the end of your tunnel. Sending you love and hugs. 

Tvman xx

Heya,

Still trying to work out how I feel today. Everything aches from whatever position the cats made me sleep in last night - but that's normal. They bully me.... Lol

Two more of my random recipe book purchases arrived yesterday! Both are gifts so one has had pics taken of some interesting recipes. Lol. That one is a book ALL about potatoes. Every recipe involves potatoes, and there are some interesting cakes and breads I've stolen. The other is a toasted sandwich recipe book. I've not taken any recipes out of it, but there are a few that made my eyes widen in interest. I just have the wrong sort of sandwich press for it. You need one with scallops. Mine is one my Granny and Grandpa got as a wedding present. So it's about 80 years old or so now. It's the best machine ever!!

The other book that came is another gift. It's called 'Crafting with cat hair'. And yes, that is literally what it tells you how to do. Lol.

Then I'm still waiting on: a book about Citrus, 2 copies of Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons: Enchanting dishes from the Middle East, Mediterranean and North Africa, The Whole Earth Cookbook, Pie in the Sky, and Recipes with beer and cider.

So the Earth book will go to the Lady who made the bottom half of the Earth costumes, the Crazy Water book will go to the Lady who put together the Water costumes, and you guessed it.... The Sky book will go to the Lady who put together the air costumes. Lol.

Tvman, if you look on Amazon the book is literally called The Tomato Cookbook. It's a £2.37, with free postage, and there are some really interesting recipes. I do a lovely spiced tomato cake, and there's a strawberry and tomato jam recipe in the book that I think would match perfectly with the cake. There are even recipes specifically for green tomatoes!

But yeh, the friend I've got the tomato, potato, and Toasties books for needs cheered up a bit. And when we go to charity shops, we always nose through the recipe books to find the most random ones we can. Lol.

Lass

Xx