Irish Brown Soda Bread

Wrapped in an old tea towel, straight for the oven.

Notes

The Art of Afternoon Tea has her bags packed, tremendously excited to be boarding a plane bound for Ireland this afternoon for the wedding of two very special friends.

A few months ago the beautiful bride-to-be Aoife, was kind enough to share some of her Redmond family recipes with me. She informed me that traditional Irish afternoon teas tend to be rustic, simple and very hearty with a focus on local produce, possibly due to their economic and political history. They seemingly did not have the gentry to support the lavish high teas found in neighbouring England. Nonetheless, drinking tea is a very important part of their day-to-day lives, so much so Aoife once had a childhood friend give it up for Lent!

At the bottom of this recipe Aoife has included a little note suggesting this bread is delicious spread with butter or jam accompanied by a cup of tea as a quick pick-me-up and that her Aussie hubby-to-be loves his toasted and spread with Vegemite.

The perfect marriage of two cultures!

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup brown or wholemeal flour
3/4 cup plain white flour
1/2 cup porridge oats
1 tbsp wheatgerm or 1 tbsp rolled all-bran
1 tsp bread soda – bicarbonate of soda
2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 160C and grease and line a loaf tin. In a large bowl sift the flours and bicarb, add the oats and wheatgerm/all-bran then pour in the buttermilk. Stir til well combine. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45min until golden. Remove from the oven and wrap in a tea towel.

Delicious toasted with soups or served warm spread with butter or jam or Anthony style, toasted and slathered with Vegemite.

Buttermilk Cinnamon Scrolls

This beautiful vintage cut-glass bowl was found in a second-hand shop on King Street, Newtown.

Notes

Next week our old darl’ of a house goes under the knife for a much-needed extreme makeover. These tasty scrolls, best eaten with a spread of butter fresh from the oven, is the last thing that my ancient oven cooked before hanging up her mitts.

Whilst excited at the prospect of a brand new kitchen I am beginning to feel a bout of nostalgia kick in for my moody oven. She has served me well the old girl and I feel sorry for her undignified end of landing on the scrapheap after years of (albeit temperamental) service.

So as I step into the minefield that is the search for a new oven, I ask my baking readers, any advice you can pass my way?!

Ingredients

2 cups self-raising flour
1 tbsp cinnamon
3/4 cup buttermilk
30g butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cocoa
1 tsp extra cinnamon
extra flour for dusting
20g butter, melted, extra for brushing

Preheat the oven to 200C and grease and line a 20x30cm slice tin. In a large bowl sift the flour and cinnamon. Make a well in the centre and add the milk then bring together with a butter knife to form a rough dough.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour, turn out the dough and knead lightly. Press the dough into a rectangle 20x30cm, 1cm thick. Spread with butter right to the edge and sprinkle with the sugar, cocoa and extra cinnamon.

From the longer side, roll the dough up and pinch the long end to close. Cut into 2cm slices then place face-up on prepared trays and brush with melted butter. Bake for 20-25min until well risen and golden. Best served warm.

Fancy Aussie Damper

An old Bushells tea tin, chipped enamel plate and cup and striped cotton tea towel make for the perfect no fuss feast.

Notes

This recipe is not for a traditional damper, which consists only of flour, salt and water, but a damper recipe devised by a school student as part of a Design and Technology assignment. The results were so successful that it was included in the Year 8 programme becoming instrumental in teaching boys and girls how to plait!

My Dad grew up in the beautiful Snowy Mountain region of NSW/VIC. It was perhaps because of this that as kids we spent every holiday in a tent somewhere in the bush. My sister and I now have a treasure trove of amazing memories of nights spent under the stars, roasting marshmallows in the middle of nowhere and playing spotlight as we crashed through the darkness of an Australian bush night. One of the best memories is the camp fire. Those licking, crackling flames and the bush tales just waiting to be told.

So stoke the fire my friends, get those coals nice and hot and put the billy on to boil cause this is afternoon tea, Outback Aussie style!

Ingredients

2 cups self-raising flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp milk powder
30gm butter
1/4 cup mixed fruit
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp water
a few drops lemon juice
extra milk for glazing

Preheat oven to 220C and grease an oven tray. Sift the flour, salt and milk powder into a large bowl. cut the butter into small cubes and using your finger tips, rub into the flour mixture. Mix in the fruit. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the water and lemon juice and using the blade of a knife, mix to form a soft dough. Divide the dough into 3 pieces and roll each piece into a strip measuring 5cm wide, 24cm long and 1.5cm thick. Stick the three ends together with a little milk then plait the strands to create a compact loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared tray and brush with milk. Bake for 15-20min until golden brown. Serve warm with butter.

If you want to cook this on the camp fire, follow the method as above and place in a well oiled camp oven, immersed in the hot coals. Bake with the lid on for approx 15-20min, checking after 10min. The cooking time will vary greatly depending on the heat of the coals so keep checking on it’s progress until it is risen and golden and ready to be slathered with lashings of butter!

Cinnamon Doughnuts

This beautiful Japanese bowl was a gift from MoMA in New York. It is resting on an antique linen napkin.

Notes

This Friday 3rd June is National Doughnut Day. In 1938 a fund raiser for the Chicago Salvation Army was set up, the goal being to help the needy during the Great Depression and to honour the Salvation Army “Lassies” of World War I, who served doughnuts to the soldiers. The Salvos have been out in force this week for the Australian Red Shield Appeal as they continue their plight to help those in need. So this Friday give generously then bake some doughnuts to treat yourself!

Ingredients – makes 10-12 doughnuts

1 cup milk
40g butter melted
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tsp instant dried yeast
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
olive oil

Preheat oven to 200C. Grease and line two baking trays. Heat the milk in the microwave in a heat proof jug for 30-40 seconds then stir through the tbsp of butter. In a large mixing bowl sift the flour, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 cup sugar. Then stir through the yeast. Make a well in the centre and add the milk mixture. Mix to form a soft dough then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3min until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling wrap and drape with a damp tea towel. Leave the dough to rise in a warm position (near the oven) for 1-1 1/2hrs until doubled in size.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and punch down the dough, then lightly knead until smooth. Press out the dough to 2.5cm thick. Using a 6cm cookie cutter cut rounds from the dough, reforming the leftover scraps to continue cutting rounds until all the dough is used. If you do not have a cookie cutter, I find the top of a glass works just as well. Using a 2.5cm cookie cutter, cut holes in the middle of all the rounds. Use these leftover scraps to form new rounds until all the dough is used. Again if you don’t have a 2.5cm cookie cutter I find the screw cap off my olive oil bottle sufficient for this job. Place the doughnuts on the trays allowing for room to rise and spread. Cover the trays with lightly oiled cling wrap and a damp tea towel and leave to rise in warm position for 30-40min.

Place trays in the oven and cook for approx 10min until the doughnuts turn golden. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10min. Sift the remaining sugar and cinnamon onto a plate. Melt the butter and one at a time brush over the doughnuts top and bottom then dip the doughnuts in the sugar mixture until well coated. Set aside to cool.

Banana Bread

I found this late 1890's S. Fielding & Co English pottery jar at the Sydney Antique Centre in Surry Hills. The company was renamed Crown Devon in 1913 and manufactured extensively throughout the 20th C. The side plate is part of my Wileman - Shelley "Jungle Print Turquoise" tea set, circa 1888-89, featured in Lamingtons.

Notes

But I can’t eat that! Where is the food?! Calm down friends of The Art of Afternoon Tea, the recipes are back this week after a short hiatus last week during which I felt compelled to display some fashion illustrations in celebration of Australian Fashion Week!

But back to Afternoon Tea! Toasted banana bread smothered in butter is one of my favourite indulgences. Whether for breakfast, brunch, morning or afternoon tea it always goes down a treat.

Ingredients

100g softened butter
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp honey
2 eggs at room temperature
2 large, very ripe bananas
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 180C and thoroughly grease and line a loaf tin. In a large mixing bowl cream the butter, sugar, lemon juice and honey. Add the eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Dice the bananas and stir into the mixture. Add the milk then sift the flour, bicarb and cinnamon and stir in until all ingredients are well combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for approx 50min. Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to rest for 5min before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

I prefer my banana bread without walnuts but if you are partial to them you can add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts when you add the bananas.

This is delicious served warm from the oven but if you want to toast the bread, allow to cool completely before slicing otherwise it may crumble in the toaster.

Hot Cross Buns

My favourite mixing bowl is this crazed 1950's Cornishware piece I found at a country market in outback NSW. The gorgeous teacups are Legle Porcelaine De Limoges from France.

Notes

With Easter just around the corner, the smell of hot cross buns wafts through the streets and I find myself craving a warm toasted bun, smeared with butter, straight from the oven.

Ingredients – Buns – makes 12

¼ cup caster sugar
1 cup warm milk
1 tbsp dried yeast
3 cups plain flour
1 heaped tsp mixed spice
50g butter melted
1 egg lightly beaten
1 cup sultanas or currants (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil

Ingredients – Cross Paste

¼ cup plain flour
3 tbsp cold water

Ingredients – Glaze

2 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp cold water
1 tsp powdered gelatine

Preheat the oven to 200C. Grease and line a deep baking tray. Combine the milk, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Stand for 5-10min until frothy. In a large bowl sift the flour and mixed spice together. Form a well in the flour and add the melted butter, beaten egg and yeast mixture. Using a wooden spoon mix until a loose dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic. Knead in the currants/sultanas. Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a tea towel. Leave to rise for 30min in a warm, non-drafty position until dough has doubled in size. Punch down the dough and divide into 12 even pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball and place on the prepared baking tray 3x rows of 4. Cover the tray with a tea towel and leave to rise in a warm position for 20min.

To make the cross paste, combine the flour and water to form a smooth thick paste. Put the mixture into a piping bag, (or a snap lock bag with the end snipped off) and pipe a cross through the centre of each bun. Bake for 20-25min until golden.

To make the glaze, place the sugar, gelatine and water in a small pan on medium heat and cook, stirring for 5min until sugar is dissolved and mixture has thickened slightly. Remove pan from the heat. Take the buns from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Brush the glaze over the top while buns are still hot. Stand for 15min until the glaze sets. Serve warm with butter.

For chocolate buns add ¼ cup cocoa to the sifted flour mix and knead on a surface lightly dusted with cocoa (not flour). Substitute 1 cup chocolate chips for the sultanas/currants. For cinnamon buns substitute 1 heaped tsp cinnamon instead of mixed spice.