Scottish Raisin Bread

This bread and recipe was given to us recently from my mom and has become one of my husband's favorites. Sometime in the past few months, I discovered the idea to toast sweet bread and add a little butter (I know, I'm probably a little slow!). Well, this bread is a perfect candidate and is just the thing for a snack or with a cup of tea (insert favorite hot beverage).  When I toasted this bread, I let it go a little longer because it is so dense and I wanted it a little crispy. Was it ever good! The toasting really brings out the sweetness of the raisins and adds more flavor to the nuts and oats. You could also add some jam or other toppings, but I don't feel it needs anything else.

I have not found a recipe quite like this before and was excited to share it here. The only place I was able to find a somewhat similar recipe was over at Always In The Kitchen. As the author of that site noted, this recipe may not be Scottish- but it sounds nice, and Scotland brings to mind oats and raisins (or currants), right? My recipe has much more oats and a little more sugar (still is not very sweet)- but these recipes do not have any oil. For a stronger molasses flavor, I used about 1/2 black strap molasses. So put your spin on it and give it a try! (By the way, if you don't have a toaster oven, be very careful trying to toast sweet breads in a regular toaster without some type of a sleeve for toasting as the slice will probably fall apart and you will be burned trying to remove it.)

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 1/3 cups buttermilk or soured milk
• 2/3 cup molasses
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (I used quick oats and it was fine)
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 1 1/2 cups raisins, dried currants or craisins, or a mix

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F- (25 degrees lower if using glass baking pans).
• Mix eggs with sugar in a large mixing bowl, then add in the milk and molasses.
• Sift the dry ingredients together and add into the wet mixture.
• After mixture starts to come together, add in the nuts and dried fruit.
• Divide the batter between 2 greased loaf pans.
• Bake for approximately 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out dry- start checking around 50 minutes if top of bread appears less moist

*My mom told me, after I originally posted this recipe, that she got it from What's Cooking At Myrtle cookbook by Levia Lerch. I increased the liquids since the bread seemed too dry. If you find it takes too long to finish baking, you can decrease the liquid to 2 cups buttermilk.

Blueberry Scones... a tea party... and reminiscing about Victoria magazine



Our cooking club had a wonderful tea party at my house the other evening. This was our first one together, and the table was overflowing with the massive array of treats. Since having this tea,  I read If Teacups Could Talk by Emilie Barnes and was so inspired to take moments with my family and friends to celebrate life and relationships in this way.

Somehow, in the midst of this, I was taken back to my late teens and early adult years when I spent hours poring over the "Victoria" magazines that came every month. This was truly something that shaped my tastes for clothing and decorating, although I would not say that I really decorate or dress in that style today. However, there were timeless and classic qualities about much of the clothing, decor and furniture. There is something pretty and restful about the magazine and the way it encouraged people to have a place of beauty to relax in either alone or with others. I would also dream of traveling someday to many of the beautiful places across the countrysides of England and France, among others, that were featured in those pages. It is funny that in the intervening years, getting married, moving away from my hometown and later stopping the subscription because I was overrun by magazines and needing to save some money, I still could not bring myself to throw out or give away the old copies. They were always so wonderful and enjoyable to reread. Right now, they are sitting in boxes in the garage, and all these last 5 years, I kept trying to get up the nerve to de-clutter and get rid of them. Instead, I think I am going to put them on a shelf in my soon-to-be organized office so they will be more easily accessible for relaxation and inspiration.

So, enough with my memories. I want to share my latest scone recipe that I made for our tea party and have been really enjoying. I loved them when they were fresh, but they are also very good days later. Just keep them stored in an air tight container in the fridge and then toast them when you want to have some. The outside becomes just slightly crispy like they just came out of the oven and the inside stays moist, tender and so flavorful. This is my new favorite snack or breakfast with tea or coffee after my youngsters are fed and I have a few minutes to sit and relax.

Serving: 16 mini scones or 8 regular sized
Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 3-4 Tbsp sugar, divided
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6 Tbsp butter, cubed
• 2/3- 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp lemon peel
• coarse (decorator) sugar for sprinkling on top

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Lightly grease cookie sheet, or may use a smaller rectangle baking dish
• Sprinkle fruit with 1 Tbsp of sugar and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and remaining 3 Tbsp of sugar. 
• Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or a fork (or just your fingers!) until chunks are very small pea-sized.
• Whisk together the cream, 1 egg, vanilla extract and lemon peel and then add into the dry mixture. 
• Stir until the wet and dry ingredients begin to come together.  If there is a lot of flour left in the bottom of the bowl, add a couple Tbsp of cream to the bowl and mix it all together. 
• Then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and lightly knead the dough a few times just until it holds together and some of the extra flour from the bowl has been incorporated in.
• Press or roll out into a rectangle or press into the rectangle pan if using one. Divide into 4 equal sections, pressing straight down with a sharp knife. Then cut diagonally across each section, pressing straight down.
• Lightly beat the remaining egg and brush over top of the scones. 
• Sprinkle with the coarse sugar.
• Bake 12-15 minutes just until the outside is golden brown.
• Cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes-- wonderful served warm with lemon curd.

Parts of this recipe was inspired by Lady Behind The Curtain's scones.

This was shared on the following:
I Should Be Mopping The Floor party #55

Crumpets

These are a type of  English muffin that was popular with lemon curd, jellies/fruit spreads at tea time.

Ingredients:

1 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1/3 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 Tbsp butter, melted
1 cup unsifted flour
1/2 tsp salt

Mix yeast with sugar; add water and let stand for 5 minutes until foamy. Stir in milk, egg and 1 tsp melted butter. Add flour and salt. Using a wooden spoon, mix until well blended to make a smooth batter. Cover bowl with a cloth towel and leave in a warm place to rise until almost doubled (45min- 1 hr). With remaining melted butter, thoroughly coat the insides of crumpet/english muffin tins (you can save tuna cans and cut the ends off and use them after thoroughly cleaning them, or you could try using a muffin tin and cook on top of the stove over a griddle). Also grease the heavy frying pan/griddle where the rings will be placed. Arrange as many rings as possible in the pan. Over low heat, heat rings in the pan. Pour enough batter into each ring to fill halfway. Cook 5-7 minutes, until bubbles appear and burst on surface. Remove rings and turn crumpets. Cook 2-3 minutes more, until lightly browned. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm and generously buttered.

Lemon Curd

Lemon Curd is the quintessential English tea condiment for scones, crumpets and whatever other type of breads that are served. It takes a simple time of tea and scones to another level. The is the classic flavor of curd, although I have seen curd recipes that are very tempting made with other types of fruits. The same recipe could be used but substitute the juice of other fruits, like berries or other citrus fruits. Lemon curd is also wonderful when used as a filling for a dessert tart made of shortbread or small individual tarts, or on top of thumbprint cookies/shortbread cookies. I have seen some people recommend bottled lemon juice because the acidity is standardized. However, I believe the fresh juice and rind makes a better product. I personally don't want to use bottled lemon juice and still need to grate a lemon for the rind- I would rather use the entire fruit.

There are also so many methods to making the curd, but it really will work any number of ways. I think this is one of the easier ways to make it and still have great results. If you have a problem and some of the eggs curdle or clump, just pour it all through a fine mesh sieve at the end.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 medium- large lemons- about 1/2 cup of juice (microwaving the lemon for about 10 seconds makes it easier to juice)
• rind of the lemons, grated
• 3 eggs
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 1/3 cup sugar

Directions:

• Wash lemons and grate the rind firmly but careful not to get any of the white pith. 
• Place the lemon juice, grated rind, butter and sugar in a glass bowl set over a saucepan of hot water (or just use a non-reactive saucepan). Stir until butter has melted and sugar dissolves. 
• Remove from heat and cool slightly.
• Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add slowly to the lemon mixture, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon or non-metal implement.  
• Return the bowl/pan to the medium heat and cook (do not allow it to boil), stirring occasionally, until the curd thickens and coats the back of the spoon. 
• Pour into cleaned warm 1/2 pint jars and cover.

Makes about 1 1/2 - 2 cups.

 This can be kept in the fridge for about 2-3 weeks or it can be canned in half pint jars via a hot water bath for 15 minutes. If it is stored for more than 3 month, there is a chance it will darken in color, but the flavor will still be great.