Tea Cakes

With Easter fast approaching I thought it would be a good idea to post some Easter themed treats for the next month. As iv'e not stopped eating hot cross buns lately, traditional ones and the gorgeous toffee and chocolate ones that Marks and Spencer's sell, I thought I would try my hand at tea cakes. Very similar to hot cross buns just flatter and rounder. I am still mastering the art of 'dough' so, these were my second.. third .. fourth attempt. Its all in the proofing time, you want to leave them long enough to rise to a good height, but you don't want them to over prove.

Once I was happy with the proofing times, they actually didn't take that long to make. To get them into the dough form takes around 15 minutes max but the proofing time is around 2 hours so make I recommend making these if you have a day with no interruptions as you will need to leave them. Or if your in the mist of dissertation like me you can leave them whilst you get on with work, or say your getting on with work when your really surfing the web for recipe ideas ... procrastination at its best.

The choice of dried fruit is really up to you which I really like in recipes, I chose the traditional mixed fruit but really anything goes and also you could add some spices like cinnamon or nutmeg to make them extra special. I also glazed them in apricot jam to give them a sweet sticky finish but you could just leave them plain.


Equipment
Electric mixer with dough hook attachment or
Mixing bowl
2 x Baking trays
Grease proof paper

Ingredients  Makes 8 
450g Strong white bread flour
1 tsp Salt
1 x 7g Sachet of dried yeast
2 tbsp Caster sugar
50g Unsalted butter
100g Dried mixed fruit
250ml Lukewarm milk

Combine the flour, salt, yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl or a bowl of a food mixer. Add the butter and rub into the flour, using your fingertips, until the pieces of butter disappear. Mix in the dried fruit.

Make a well in the flour and pour in the milk. Mix with your hand or with the dough hook attachment of the mixer, to make a soft but not sticky dough.

Turn the dough out on to a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, or knead the dough in the mixer for 4 minutes on the lowest speed, until it feels stretchy and elastic.

Return the dough into the bowl and cover with a damp tea towel, leave in a warm dry place for one hour until it has doubled in size.

Punch down the risen dough to deflate, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a neat ball and gently flatten to make a cake about 10 cm across and 2 cm high, Arrange on the baking trays well spaced apart and cover loosely with a damp tea towel. Leave to rise as before until doubled in size - 40 minutes. Towards the end of the proofing time, heat the oven to 200 degrees, gas mark 6.

Uncover the tea cakes and brush with a little milk, bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

P.s REALLY great toasted with heaps of butter, im not counting calories, are you?