Tea Cakes

Its been a busy day today.  I popped into town at dinner and John Lewis have the Christmas decorations up!  I was not impressed with what I saw and in fact have been scouring my old Christmas magazines for some ideas for home made Christmas decorations.  After all I have a lot of fabrics upstairs, beads, tapestry wools, ribbons lace, fabric etc.  and I am very much in creative mode at the moment and this way on it won't cost me hardly anything.

When I got home I decided to pop on another bread loaf (OH informed me that he had run out and would I please put another loaf on).  I therefore obliged and decided to pop the other machine on as well.  I then decided to make some Tea Cakes. I am very partial to Teacakes by preference having them toasted with a little butter still warm with the butter dripping.  We have also been known to have them for breakfast as well as crumpets and pikelets. The photos will have to follow but the recipe for making the dough in the bread machine is as follows.  Next time though I am going to vary the recipe by using some of my cinnamon sugar, dried apricots, and raisins.  This time round I have used what I have to hand some Waitrose Vine fruits, some dried peel and some yellow sultanas.

Anyway here is the recipe:

Makes 8 Teacakes

For the dough

Ingredients:

150ml/1/4pint/2/3 cup warm milk
1 egg
30ml 2 tablespoons of butter
30ml/2 tablespoons caster sugar
7.5ml/1 1/2 teaspoons salt
350g/12 oz/3 cups strong white bread flour
7.5ml/1 1/2 teaspoons traditional active dry yeast
100g/4oz/ 2/3rds cup currants
30ml/2 tablespoons chopped mixed candied peel

For the glaze
1 egg beaten
10ml / 2 tsp water

1. Make the dough by placing all the ingredients apart from the currants and the peel in the bread pan in the order as listed above.  Place the pan in the breadmaker ensuring that it is locked safely into position.
2. Close the lid and select the dough option then press start.
3. Add the currants and peel when the buzzer goes on the machine or after the first kneading
4. When the cycle is complete carefully remove the bread pan and tip out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface
5. Knock back the dough and then divide into 8 equal sized pieces shape into smooth balls then flatten out slightly
6. Place the dough onto a greased tray cover with clingfilm, and leave in a warm place to prove for about 20 minutes
7. Make the glaze.  Mix together the egg and the water and brush all over the teacakes

Bake in a preheated oven at about 220 degrees C/425 degrees F/Gas mark 7 (Fan oven about 200 degrees C) for about 15 minutes

Enjoy

Pattypan

xx.

UPDATE: Well I promised I would update on how they turned out.  I am quite pleased with these and they taste absolutely scrummy.  I will certainly be making this recipe again -OH likes them -

There were eight buns in all but by the time I got home OH had snaffled some and I have had one; very nice with some butter on.  Will certainly be doing these again.