Tea Time Teacakes

I had all the right intentions to post Christmas and New Year baking but Christmas feasting got in the way, and now festive recipe's of mince pies and Christmas cake just do not seem right. So, here is an afternoon tea time treat, no mincemeat, royal icing or chocolate in sight. This recipe is from How to Bake by Paul Hollywood, I cannot recommend this book enough, each recipe is clearly written with a little explanation of its origins, a photo accompanies each recipe and the book covers all manner of lovely bread, cakes and pastries!

Tips

1. Make sure you kneed well for at least ten mins, just keep going even if the dough is wet at the start. It is nearly impossible to over knead dough by hand. 

2. This makes 8 huge Teacakes, I think dividing the dough into 12 would be a little less greedy. 

Teacakes

Makes 8 large teacakes, could make 12 medium

500g strong white bread flour plus extra for dusting

10g salt

60g caster sugar

1tsp ground cinnamon

10g instant yeast

50g unsalted butter, softened

300 ml cool water

Vegetable oil for kneading

100g sultanas

100g chopped mixed peel

1 egg, beaten, to glaze

1.     Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the salt, sugar and cinnamon to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Add the butter and three-quarters of the water, and turn the mixture round with your finger. Continue to add the water, a little at a time, until you have picked up all the flour from the sides of the bowl. You may not need to add all of the water, or you may need to add a little more – you want dough that is soft, but not soggy. Use the mixture to clean the inside of the bowl and keep going until the mixture is a rough dough.

2.     Coat the work surface with a little vegetable oil , then tip the dough onto it and begin to knead. Keep kneading for 5-10 minutes. Work through the initial wet stage until the dough starts to form a soft smooth skin.

3.      When you dough feels smooth and silky, put it into a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a teatowl and leave to rest until at least doubled in size – at least one hour, but its fine to leave for 2 or even 3 hours.

4.      Line two baking trays with baking paper, or lightly oil with vegetable oil.

5.     Tip the sultanas and mixed peel on top of the risen dough in the bowl and start to work them into it. After a minute of two, tip the dough out onto a light floured surface and knead until the fruit it thoroughly mixed in,

6.     Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Shape each into a ball, then using a rolling pin to flatten each one out to a round bun, about 1cm thick. Transfer to prepared baking trays, spacing them apart.

7.     Put each tray into a clean plastic bag and leave to rise for about an hour until the teacakes are at least doubled in size. Meanwhile heat your oven to 200^oc. 

8.  Brush the top of the teacakes with beaten egg. Bake the teacakes for 10-15 minutes until risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack.