Bread, one of the simple pleasures of life.

This is only a kind of break in my staying home series, as home made bread is actually a big money saver for us. I've loved to bake my own bread for a long time. Once I moved Stateside it became essential to bake my own bread as I found all the commercial breads too sweet for my palate. These recipes are for 2 loaves. I usually double the recipe then split into 3 loaves as I use 2lb loaf tins. I will then slice up 2 loaves and pop them in the freezer while we enjoy the fresh one. This way at our current useage I only bake bread about once a week. However as the boys grow, and their appetites with them I know it won't be long before all the bread is eaten fresh.

I should also probably mention that this freshly baked bread will not keep like the commercial breads do. In the hot humid climate of South Florida we will start seeing mold after a few days if the bread is left at room temperature. It will also start to go stale after only a few days too. This is normal. Home made bread doesn't have all the preservatives that you will find in commercial breads. Bread is not meant to stay fresh for more than a day or two.

So here are my 2 favourite bread recipes.

Sandwich Bread

2 cups warm water
drizzle of honey
1 1/2 tablespoons dried yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup oil
5 cups flour (I like 3 cups bread flour & 2 cups wholewheat)

Dissolve the honey in the water. Add yeast & mix. Leave for 10-15 minutes (until it starts to froth)
Add the salt & oil.
Gradually work in the flour. Keep working until it forms a smooth dough. Leave to rise for about an hour.
Knock back the dough and knead for a few minutes.
Divide in 2 and place in loaf pans. Leave to rise for about 30 minutes.
Bake at 350f for 30 minutes and cool on a wire rack.


Whole Wheat Bread

drizzle of honey
1/3 cup of oil
2 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 tablespoons dried yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
6-7 cups whole wheat flour

Dissolve the honey in the water. Add 2 cups flour and the yeast & mix. Leave for 10-15 minutes (until it starts to froth)
Add the salt, gluten & oil.
Gradually work in the rest of the flour. Keep working until it forms a smooth dough.(about 7-10 minutes)
Divide in 2 and place in loaf pans. Leave to rise until double in size, (about an hour.)
Bake at 350f for 30 minutes and cool on a wire rack.

Once the bread has cooled, cut and enjoy.

Lemon Shortbread

I've only recently been able to get back to experimenting in the kitchen. First on my list was Lemon Shortbread. I first tasted this wonderful delight many years ago when visiting a dear friend who at the time was living in Cardiff. We were both just learning about organic whole foods and eagerly shared new finds with each other. And so I was introduced to Duchy Originals Sicilian All Butter Shortbread. It was and is for me the perfect treat.



Since moving to Florida it is a treat I've been without, and missed. So I finally decided it was time to make my own version of this light, sweet, tangy treat.

This is my own original lemon shortbread recipe. So far I have not found anyone who hasn't liked the taste of it.

1 cup butter
1 lemon (juice and grated rind)
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoon of sugar to garnish

Beat the butter until light and creamy (this step makes everything else easier.)
Beat in the juice & rind of 1 lemon.
Beat in the sugar. (All this beating does make a very light crisp shortbread.)
Add everything else and mix thoroughly.
Form into marble size balls.
Place on a baking tray (cookie sheet) and flatten each ball to about 1/3 inch thick.
Bake in a moderate (350f/gas 4/180c) oven for about 15 minutes.
Sprinkle with sugar while still warm, and leave on the tray for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Allow to cool and enjoy. These are very complimentary to a nice warm cup of Earl Grey tea.

This post and recipe are dedicated to that wonderful friend mentioned above. She knows who she is and I know she will enjoy trying this recipe for herself.

Crock Pot Yogurt

Yesterday/today I made my very first batch of crock pot yogurt.

It was so easy I can't believe I haven't tried to do this before now.



I ended up with 7 cups of yogurt and 2 cups of whey from this process. The whey we will keep and use in smoothies or soup to add extra protein.

So here are the ingredients:
1/2 gallon (64fl oz) milk (must not be ultra pasteurized)
1/2 cup plain live yogurt ( I used Greek style as its what we had in the fridge.)

Heat the milk in a crock pot, on low for 2 1/2 hours.
Turn OFF the crock pot.
Leave to stand for 3 hours.

Remove 1-2 cups of the milk, and mix thoroughly with the 1/2 cup of live yogurt.
Add the milk & yogurt mix back into the crock pot.
Wrap the whole crock pot with a large towel to insulate the warmth inside.
Leave for at least 8 hours. I left it overnight.

To remove some of the whey strain the yogurt through a coffee filter. Removing whey produces a thick consistency.



Best served cold from the fridge.

You can also just keep aside 1/2 cup of this homemade yogurt to be your yogurt starter the next time.

A few seasonal favourite recipes.

A few friends have asked for some of my seasonal favourite recipes so I thought it would be easiest to just share them here.

Pumpkin Cheesecake
(This has become one of our favourite Thanksgiving traditions in our home, and a nice alternative to pumpkin pie.)

1 cookie/biscuit crust in a springform cake pan
(in the USA normally Graham Crackers, in the UK normally Digestive Biscuits. This year I used homemade ginger biscuits [recipe to follow] which added a nice flavour.)

2 x 8oz pkts cream cheese, room temp
1 cup sugar
1-2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/3 tsp each of ginger & nutmeg
1/8 tsp (pinch) cloves
1/8 cup flour
4 eggs, room temp
1 1/2 cups pureed pumpkin

1. Combine cream cheese, sugar & vanilla.
Add sour cream & whipping cream
Beat until just smooth

2. Mix in spices & flour.
Add eggs one at a time, beating in between.
Beat in pumpkin.
Do Not Over Beat, it will make the cheesecake sink.
3. Pour the mixture onto the crust evenly.
Place in the middle rack of the oven.
Put a pan of water on the lower rack.
Bake for 15 min at 350f/180c/gas4
Then lower to 300f/140c/gas2 for 70min.

4. When done turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door ajar for about 30min.
Cool completely on a wire rack.
Cover with cling film/plastic wrap & refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

Shah Biscuits (Ginger Cookies)
I got this recipe when I lived in Malawi. It came from a lovely missionary wife called Betsy Mann who had previously been a missionary in the Lebanon, where she got the recipe. She is also the wonderfully wise lady who taught me to keep balls of cookie dough in the freezer ready to bake at a moments notice when unexpected guests arrived. Thanks Betsy.

1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp syrup
2 cups flour
1 level tbsp soda
1 level tbsp ginger
1 level tbsp mixed spice/allspice

1. Cream together the butter & sugar.

2. Add the egg & syrup, mix together.

3. Add all the other ingredients and mix thoroughly.

4. Roll into small balls.

5. Place on a tray at least 1 inch apart.

6. Bake at 300f/140c/gas2 for 15min.

7. Cool on a wire rack.

If using these for the cheesecake you might want to bake for a few extra minutes, otherwise they might be too chewy to crumble for the crust.

Cinnamon Swirl Cookies
The smell of these baking in the oven always reminds me of Christmas. They are a light crunchy cookie/biscuit that are perfect for a mug of steaming hot coffee or a nice cup of tea.

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp b. soda
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs

For filling
softened butter
1 cup brown sugar
cinnamon

1. Beat together butter & sugar, beat in the eggs.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients until just combined.

3. Refrigerate for at least an hour (or over night.)
(For the next step it is easier to divide the dough in two at this stage.)

4. Roll out dough on a floured surface, then refrigerate for another 10min.

5. Mix together some butter and the sugar from the filling.
(I use about 2-3 tbsp of butter.)
Spread evenly over the rolled out dough.
Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon.

6. Roll the dough into long logs and chill again for at least an hour.

7. Cut dough into 1/4 inch slices.
Place on baking tray about 2 inches apart.
Bake at 350f/180c/gas4 for 20 min. (or until only lightly golden brown.)

Hope you enjoy these treats. I'll try to add pictures later as the baby has woken up and I need to tend to him.

Guilt free, never fail, Chocolate Cake

As requested on Sunday by some of the ladies in our Sunday School Class this is my guilt free, never fail Chocolate Cake recipe.

Sift together: 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 heaped tablespoons cocoa

Make 3 wells in the mixture and add in:
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon vinegar
6 teaspoons oil

Pour in 1 cup of water and stir mixture well.

Bake in a 9inch by 9inch cake tin in a moderate oven (Gas 5, 350f, 180c) for 25 minutes.

I like to top with either chocolate water icing or chocolate buttercreme icing.

I've been using this recipe for 17 years and I've never had it fail me yet. I've even used it as the cake base for novelty cakes, including an Elmo cake for my sister's 21st birthday.

This cake is guilt free as it has no dairy products, no butter, no eggs, no chocolate. I have tried substitutes for the sugar but the chemistry that makes this cake so light and moist just doesn't work so well with anything but white sugar. It does make 16 portions so I feel that 1/16 cup of sugar is not really so bad for such a yummy cake.

I did experiment with this cake for a friend who could not eat cocoa. I substituted 6 heaped tablespoons of dessicated coconut for the 3 tablespoons of cocoa, and added just a little less water. It also needs to bake for 40 minutes instead of 25. I like the coconut version topped with lemon water icing, as the lemon flavour goes very nicely with the coconut.

Both versions can also be made up as cupcakes, just reduce the baking time a little.