Desserts and Breads

Wholemeal bread

Queen cakes

Wholemeal scones

Irish tea brack

Banana bread

Carrot cake

Coffee cake

Apple or rhubarb crumble

Bread and butter pudding

Simple sponge

Simple oat bread

Ultimate basic muffins

Eton mess

Wholemeal bread

Ingredients

425 g of wholemeal flour
10 g of wheatgerm
10 g of bran
275 ml of buttermilk
1 tsp of bread soda (sodium bicarbonate)
1 tsp of brown sugar
1 tsp of salt
2 tsp of sunflower oil
1 egg (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
Mix all the ingredients well together. Then pour the lot into a lightly oiled loaf tin.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 150°C / 300°F / Gas Mark 2 and bake for a further 40 minutes.

In an electric oven you can turn off the heat for the last 5-10 minutes and leave the bread in the oven to finish baking.

Serves:

2 adults and 2 kids

Preparation time:

30 minutes

Cooking time:

55 minutes

Utensils needed:

Loaf tin
Mixing bowl
Wooden spoon
Measuring jug

Queen cakes

Makes 24 small buns

Ingredients

225 g of self-raising flour
115 g of soft margarine
115 g of caster sugar
2 eggs
a little low-fat milk

Add some sultanas or cherries to the mixture for variety.

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas Mark 6.
Sieve the flour into a bowl.
Cream the margarine and sugar together in a separate bowl.
Beat the eggs in a small bowl.
Add the flour and eggs gradually to the creamed margarine and sugar, beating gently to avoid curdling.
If the mixture is dry add a little milk.
Divide the mixture into bun cases.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

If soft margarine is used all the ingredients can be beaten together.

These buns freeze well.

Serves:

24 servings

Preparation time:

20 minutes

Cooking time:

20 minutes

Utensils needed:

2 x bun trays
Sieve
2 x mixing bowls
Whisk
Wooden spoon

Wholemeal scones

Ingredients

180 g of wholemeal flour
200 g of plain flour
1 dstsp of caster sugar (optional)
pinch of salt
1 tsp of baking powder
50 g of margarine
275 ml of low-fat milk

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas Mark 6.
Sieve the wholemeal flour, plain flour and sugar (if using) in a mixing bowl. Sieve in the salt and baking powder and mix well.
Rub in the margarine until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add enough milk to make a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured board and gently knead.
Roll out the dough to 2 cm in thickness. Dust a baking tray with flour. Using a 5 cm shape cutter, cut out scones and place on the baking tray. (You can use a small glass or cup as a cutter.)
Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes.

Serves:

12 servings

Preparation time:

20 minutes

Cooking time:

20 minutes

Utensils needed:

Baking tray
Mixing bowl
Sieve
Wooden spoon
Measuring jug
Rolling pin

Irish tea brack

Useful for school lunches.

Ingredients

1 cup of strong tea
180 g of brown sugar
450 g of mixed dried fruit
1 egg, lightly beaten
250 g of plain flour
½ a level tsp of bread soda (sodium bicarbonate)

Method

Put the tea, sugar and dried fruit in a bowl, cover and leave to soak overnight.
After the fruit mixture has been allowed to soak overnight, preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
Grease a loaf tin.
Add the lightly beaten egg to the fruit mixture.
Sieve the flour and bread soda together and fold into mixture.
Turn into the greased tin. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 1½ to 1¾ hours.
Cool on a wire tray and serve sliced with butter.

Serves:

2 adults and 2 kids

Preparation time:

30 minutes.

You will need to soak some of the ingredients overnight.

Cooking time:

1 hour 45 minutes

Utensils needed:

Loaf tin
2 x mixing bowl
Sieve
Wooden spoon

Banana bread

Serve with hot, low-fat custard

Ingredients

280 g of self-raising flour, sieved
140 g of brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
3 bananas, mashed
½ tsp of baking powder
110 g of walnuts, chopped
½ tsp of cinnamon
½ tsp of nutmeg
200 g of margarine, melted

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl.
Mix the wet ingredients in another bowl.
Mix the wet mixture and the dry mixture together.
Put into well greased loaf tin.
Bake in the preheated oven for 1½ hours.

The mixture can also be split into muffin cases to make 8 large muffins - great for a quick breakfast. Note that cooking time for muffins will be reduced to 20-25 minutes.

Serves:

4 adults and 4 kids

Preparation time:

10 minutes

Cooking time:

1 hour 30 minutes

Utensils needed:

Loaf tin
2 x mixing bowl
Masher
Chopping board
Chopping knife
Wooden spoon
Sieve

Carrot cake

Ingredients

225 g of caster sugar
225 g of grated carrots, raw
2 eggs
100 ml of vegetable oil
250 g of white self-raising flour, sieved

Sultanas can be added to the cake mixture.

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F / Gas Mark 4.
Mix sugar, grated carrots, eggs and oil together. Fold in flour and mix well.
Turn into a 20 cm cake tin lined with greaseproof paper, and bake in the preheated oven.
Check after 50 minutes, by which time the centre of the cake should have risen.
Place on a wire tray to cool, with the greaseproof paper removed.

Serves:

2 adults and 2 kids

Preparation time:

20 minutes

Cooking time:

50 minutes

Utensils needed:

20 cm cake tin
Sieve
Grater
Vegetable peeler
Wooden spoon
Mixing bowl

Coffee cake

Ingredients for the cake

180 g of margarine (at room temperature)
180 g of caster sugar
3 large eggs
180 g of self-raising flour, sieved
1 dstsp of coffee essence

Ingredients for the icing

225 g of icing sugar, sieved
1 tsp of coffee essence
10 ml of low-fat milk

All-in-one cake method

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
Place all the ingredients for the cake in a mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until well mixed (2-3 minutes).
Grease the tins and put a circle of greaseproof paper at the base of each tin.
Place half the mixture in each of the prepared tins.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes.
When cooked remove from the tins and allow to cool on a wire tray.

To make icing

Place all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.

To finish cake

Sandwich the 2 cakes, with a little of the icing in the middle.
Pipe the remaining icing on top of the cake.

To make a chocolate cake substitute 110 g flour and 50 g drinking chocolate for 180 g flour. Leave out coffee essence.

Serves:

4 adults and 4 kids

Preparation time:

30 minutes

Cooking time:

35 minutes

Utensils needed:

2 x 18 cm cake tins
Mixing bowl
Wooden spoon
Sieve

Apple or rhubarb crumble

Serve hot or cold

Ingredients for the fruit filling

3 cooking apples or 6 stalks of rhubarb
50 g of brown sugar
30 ml of water

For the topping

180 g of flour
50 g of margarine
50 g of caster sugar
2 heaped dstsp of porridge oats

Fresh or tinned pears can also be used.

Ground or chopped almonds can be added to the crumble mixture for added flavour.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
Put sliced apples (rhubarb), sugar and water in a saucepan and cook gently until they are soft. Place cooked fruit mixture in a pie dish.
Sieve flour into a bowl. Rub in margarine until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add sugar and porridge oats and mix thoroughly.
Sprinkle crumble mixture over fruit mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Serves:

8 adults

Preparation time:

15 minutes

Cooking time:

30 minutes

Utensils needed:

Pie dish
Bowl
Chopping board
Chopping knife
Saucepan
Sieve
Wooden spoon

Bread and butter pudding

Serve with hot, low-fat custard

Ingredients

6 slices of bread
50 g of low-fat butter
sultanas
brown sugar
1 egg
a little low-fat milk
pinch of nutmeg

A good way of using up stale bread. Stale cake or scone crumbs may also be used.

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F / Gas Mark 5.
Cut the crusts off the bread (if preferred), butter it and cut into fingers.
Grease the dish. Then put a layer of bread fingers on the base of the dish. Sprinkle with sultanas and sugar. Continue the layers, finishing with a layer of bread.
Beat egg and milk together and pour over the bread.
Sprinkle nutmeg on top.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Serves:

4 adults and 4 kids

Preparation time:

10 minutes

Cooking time:

30 minutes

Utensils needed:

Pie dish
Chopping board
Chopping knife
Mixing bowl
Whisk

Simple sponge

Serve with fresh fruit

Ingredients

125 g of caster sugar
4 large eggs (ideally at room temperature)
125 g of self-raising flour
strawberry or raspberry jam, for filling
icing sugar, for dusting

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas Mark 6.
Place sugar in a bowl and whisk together with eggs over a pan of hot water for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and continue whisking for 5 minutes.
Gently fold in sieved flour, in about 4 lots.
Pour sponge cake mixture into 2 greased and floured cake tins.
Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes.
When the sponges have cooled, spread the jam and put the sponges together.
Using a sieve, dust the top with icing sugar.

Serves:

8 adults

Preparation time:

20 minutes

Cooking time:

20 minutes

Utensils needed:

2 x 18 cm cake tins
Mixing bowl
Wooden spoon
Sieve
Saucepan
Whisk

Simple sponge variations

Use our sponge recipe to make a Swiss roll, fruit flan, or sponge tray bake

Swiss roll

Use a Swiss roll tin (about 20 cm x 30 cm) instead of 2 cake tins.
When baked, place a sheet of greaseproof or parchment paper on top of a damp tea-towel.
Sprinkle lightly with caster sugar.
Turn the Swiss roll out onto the sugared paper.
Remove the paper from the bottom of the cake and trim the edges of the cake.
Spread quickly with warmed jam and roll up using the greaseproof paper as a guide.
When cold unwrap and sprinkle with icing sugar.
If you like, mark the top with diagonal lines, using a hot skewer.

Fruit flan

Use a round flan tin (about 30 cm diameter) instead of 2 cake tins.
When sponge is cooled, arrange fresh or tinned fruit (strawberries, raspberries, peaches, kiwi, tinned orange segments, grapes) on top.
Serve with crème fraiche, custard, ice-cream or cream.

Fruit tray bake

Use a Swiss roll tin (about 20 cm x 30 cm) instead of 2 cake tins.
Before cooking gently mix sliced fruit (e.g. apples, plums, raspberries, chopped tinned pears, chopped tinned peaches) into the mixture.
When cooked slice into 9 portions.

Simple oat bread

Serve with fresh fruit

Ingredients

500 ml of natural yoghurt
1 beaten egg
350 g of porridge oats
2 tsp of bread soda (sodium bicarbonate)

Try adding a few dessert spoons of seeds like sunflower, poppy, pumpkin or sesame seeds to the bread mix.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
Place the yoghurt and egg in a bowl and mix well.
Add the oats and bread soda to the yoghurt mixture and stir well.
Place the mixture (it should be wet, but not a liquid) in a greased or parchment-lined loaf tin and bake for 60 minutes.

Add dried fruits like raisins, cranberries or chopped apricots for a sweeter tasting bread.

Serves:

8 adults

Preparation time:

10 minutes

Cooking time:

1 hour

Utensils needed:

Mixing bowl
Wooden spoon
Loaf in
Whisk

Ultimate basic muffins

Ingredients

2 medium-sized eggs
125 ml of vegetable oil
250 ml of milk
(low-fat works fine)
250 g of golden caster
sugar
400 g of self-raising flour
(or 400 g of plain flour
and 3 tsp baking powder)
1 tsp salt

For fruit muffins

Use 3 dstsp of the following: raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, cubed apple and cinnamon.

For Christmas muffins

Add a good handful of cranberries, a tsp of cinnamon and mixed spice, and use brown sugar instead of white.

For lemon muffins

Add juice and rind of 1 lemon (use slightly less milk).

For jam and coconut muffins

Add 3 dstsp of desiccated coconut to the mixture, and put a tsp of jam to the top of each muffin, then put them into the oven.

Method

Heat oven to 180°C fan or Gas Mark 6.
Line 2 muffin trays with paper muffin cases.
Beat the eggs lightly with a wooden spoon for about 1 minute.
Add the oil and the milk and beat until mixed.
Add the sugar and mix until you have a smooth batter.
Sift in the flour and salt and mix until smooth. Don’t over mix.
If you want other ingredients like above mix them in now.
Fill muffin cases two-thirds full and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until they have risen.
Cool on a wire tray.

Serves:

24 adults

Preparation time:

10 minutes

Cooking time:

25 minutes

Utensils needed:

Mixing bowl
Muffin tray
Wooden spoon
Sieve

Eton mess

Ingredients

600 g of strawberries and raspberries
4 scoops of vanilla ice-cream
2 to 3 ready-made meringue nests, roughly broken into bits
fresh mint, to garnish

Method

In a bowl, puree half the berries using a hand blender (or use a liquidiser).
Chop the remaining berries, reserving a few for decoration. Leave in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
Mix the ice cream in a bowl to soften it, then fold in the berry puree and crushed meringue. Fold in the chopped berries.
Spoon equal amounts of the mixture into 4 cold
glass dishes.
Garnish with the remaining berries and a sprig of mint.

Serves:

4 adults

Preparation time:

10 minutes

Utensils needed:

Mixing bowl
Wooden spoon
Hand blender
Chopping board
Chopping knife