THIS week's recipes are two simple bakes that are great to keep you occupied on a wet Sunday morning.
We all know that there is nothing more comforting and warming than the smell of freshly baked scones consuming your home. If you are having friends or family around for tea this weekend, treat them to these delicious fruit scones paired with fresh cream and some local jam.
The second recipe is a sweet, light coconut breakfast cake - because some mornings just call for cake.
:: For more information, or to book an experience at the Waterman Cookery School, visit www.cookinbelfast.co.uk.
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Fruit Scones
225g of plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tablespoon of baking powder
50g of cold unsalted butter, diced
50g of caster sugar
25g of sultanas, soaked in a little milk or hot water to plump
150ml of whole milk
150ml of double cream
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon of water for glazing
Method
Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7/425F and dust a large baking sheet with a little flour.
Sift the measured flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub into the flour with the tips of your fingers until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar.
Next, drain the sultanas and add to the bowl. Stir into the mix, then make a well in the centre. Lightly whisk together the milk, cream and egg, then pour this mixture into the well.
Using a table knife or rubber/plastic spatula, quickly mix until it all comes together into a soft, sticky dough.
Dust some flour on a work surface and tip out the dough onto this. Dredge the dough and your hands with a little more flour, then fold the dough over several times until it is a little smoother.
Pat out the dough with your hands until it is about 4cm thick. Dust a 5cm round pastry cutter with a little flour, then use it to stamp out neat discs of dough. When stamping out, try not to twist the cutter or the scones will rise unevenly during baking.
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Coconut Breakfast Cake
(Serves 6)
275g of self-raising flour
140g of desiccated coconut, plus extra for garnish
4 eggs
300g of caster sugar
100ml of sunflower oil
400g of plain coconut yoghurt
1 tablespoon of honey
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 160C. Grease a 24cm cake tin with oil and greaseproof paper.
In a mixing bowl add the flour and coconut together. In a second bowl combine the eggs and sugar and whisk together until the mixture has doubled in volume and the colour has turned a pale yellow. Add the oil to the yolks whisking continuously. Fold in the yoghurt and whisk gently until smooth.
Keeping the liquid in the bowl, fold in the flour a little at a time and again, whisk continuously. Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake in the oven for 60 minutes until lightly golden and the sponge is bouncy. To check if cooked through you can poke a sharp knife into the centre and if it comes out clean it is cooked through.
Place the cake on a wire rack and leave to cool. Warm through the honey in a small pan on a low heat until the honey is more like a liquid and using a brush coat the top of the cake and dust with the coconut. It is best to eat this dish whilst it is still warm.
