Spiced Fruit Teacakes

So Christmas is coming and if you're anything like me there's a bunch of stuff sitting in the cupboard that was bought to make Stollen last year (that one might be coming up this year!).

So, to make sure adequate stock control is occurring in the bread and cake ingredients department I looked up this 'Mum Knows Best' Hairy Bikers recipe.

Stuck it all together this morning and we've now got some lush teatime treats...lush...

Ingredients (makes 12 large buns)

2 eggs and 1 orange - not the other way round, Mr. Glass

750g strong white bread flour

• 1 tsp sea salt flakes, lightly crushed
• 4tsp or 2 sachets fast-action dried yeast
• 2 tsp ground mixed spice
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (about 3/4 of a whole nutmeg)
• 1 orange, zest only (yes, I know there's 2 in the photo)
• 100g caster sugar
• 100g unsalted butter, cubed
• 300ml semi-skimmed milk (I've used skimmed - doesn't make a huge amount of difference)
• 2 free-range eggs, beaten (yes I know there's only 1 in the picture - picky!)
• 250g mixed dried fruit

Method

Mix the flour, salt, yeast, spices, orange zest and caster sugar in a large bowl. I normally muddle them together using a whisk.

Put the milk and butter in a small saucepan and warm gently - DO NOT BOIL.

Let the butter melt into the milk, stirring occasionally.  Once all the butter is melted, take the pan off the heat and allow to cool a little.  The mixture is ready when it's at 'blood' temperature - test it with the little finger of your left hand and if it feel neither hot or cold then it's just about right. 

• Disclaimer : that's how I do it any way, if you choose to heat your milk and butter to a stupid temperature and then burn your little finger then you've only yourself to blame - use a thermometer if you're a bit of an idiot.

Show Off

Make a well in the dry mixture and pour the milk, butter and egg mixture.


Mix together with a wooden spoon until well incorporated and starting to form a nice ball of dough. You might want to finish this stage off with your hands...




























Kneed the dough for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic a good rule of thumb to know that it's about ready is to form it into a ball and give it a prod with your knuckles - if it springs back then you're just about there...

















Flatten the ball of dough out and pour the mixed fruit over it.
Roll the dough up, a bit like a stomboli or swiss roll, then start kneeding again for about 4 minutes to mix and distribute the fruit as evenly as possible.






























Be warned - bits of fruit will keep trying to escape - so be on your guard and slap them back into the dough if any of then get out of line - especially the bloody currants!

Escapee

Mass escape!

Grease your bowl with a little butter and stick the ball of dough in it. Cover the top of the bowl with greased cling film (or a shower cap - which is what I prefer to use) and set aside in a warmish place to rise for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours - or whenever it's doubled in size.



























Meanwhile get your baking trays ready. 


Line them with greased baking parchment, or that special re-useable baking liner stuff - it's bloody brilliant and you don't need to grease it beforehand...




Once the dough is risen empty it out of the bowl and kneed lightly for a minute or so.

Divide out into 12 equal parts.  Roll each of them into balls, flatten them slightly with the heal of your hand. 

Sorry forgot to take photos of this bit -  I get a bit anal at this stage and actually weigh each ball of dough to make sure they're equal, but be as random as you like 

- honest it doesn't matter to me....          

 really...         no - don't worry about it....          

Well, OK do me a favour and just don't tell me you've been 'roughly' dividing up your dough OK? It might start off one of my 'episodes'...
















Place the flattened dough balls on your prepared baking trays. and cover with greased clingfilm. Leave to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 190c / fan 170c / gas mark 5.





Bake in the centre of the oven for about 18 mins turning / swapping the trays about half way through.

Cool on a baking tray for at least 1/2 an hour - they'll still be warm, so enjoy cut in half and spread with butter, or even better - cut in half and toast them the next day.

...mmmm.... nice....

Christmas Stollen coming up in the next couple of weeks - keep an eye out for updates...