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Irish Tea Cake

annaepp.com-Irish-tea-cake-web-1Irish Tea Cake anyone? I do love a good tea party. Ever since I was young and my Mom would allow a tea party it was always a lot of fun and a real treat. Visiting my Scottish grandmother meant that we had tea often and it always seemed to turn into a bit of a party.

Fast forward to having a daughter to share my love of tea parties with and here we are. Since she was quite young she would host tea parties. In her room, outside, on the floor in the family room…wherever and whenever she could she would host a tea party. Even if it was just her and I.
annaepp.com-Irish-tea-cake-web-7We have the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa and they hold a High Tea. One of our daughters friends was going for a birthday party so I got all the questions. And then realized that I had never taken her! What have I been thinking? Since we can’t go yet, I figured I would make some tea treats to enjoy with a nice cup of Earl Grey. First up was the Irish Tea Cake.
annaepp.com-Irish-tea-cake-web-9Not too sweet, not too dense, not too dry, just right. The perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea or coffee. At first our daughter was wondering where the icing was, but once she tasted it with the sprinkled sugar she understood. It would have been too much to put icing on it. Although, when fresh strawberries and raspberries are out, we will be sure to make this again and enjoy with a bit of each.
annaepp.com-Irish-tea-cake-web-11Want to try it for yourself? A simple, quick and easy recipe that you can whip up in no time for guests to enjoy, or just for a random Friday.

I followed this recipe from Let’s Dish Recipe’s that I found on Pinterest. I had made one in the past, but couldn’t find that recipe and this one was as close as I could get. Enjoy!

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • Powdered sugar for dusting
  • Fresh berries and whipped cream, for topping (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch round pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into the batter alternately with the milk, starting and ending with the flour mixture.
  4. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  5. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutess, then turn out onto a serving plate.
  6. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar. If desired, top slices with fresh berries and/or whipped cream.

 

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Categories: Recipes

Farmhouse Strawberry Jam

When June finally arrives, there is nothing like farm fresh strawberries that we turn into our Farmhouse Strawberry Jam. The warmer the weather, the sweeter the strawberry. Last June we did an experiment, a batch of early Farmhouse Strawberry Jam and a batch of late Farmhouse Strawberry Jam. The early one was lighter in colour and a lot softer in flavor and sweetness. The later batch was darker red and had a full bodied strawberry flavor and was so naturally sweet.

While both are delicious, it depends on how you like your jam. For us, both are welcome, for some they like consistency of one flavor so they only do early or only do late strawberries.

Fresh Ontario Strawberries in a bowl

Strawberries in a bowl

Biscuits are a family favorite here and it takes just a few minutes to whip up a quick batch to taste test our jam. I use my grandmother’s stir and roll biscuit dough recipe from the 60’s and I think of her every time I make some.

Strawberry Jamon biscuits on a blue plate

Farmhouse Strawberry Jam on fresh biscuits

Never turn down a bowl of fresh strawberries!

Strawberries in a blue bowl

Bowl of Farm Fresh Strawberries

Recipe:

60 min prep

longer to sit

makes 8-10 half-pint jars

Ingredients:

2 quarts      fresh hulled strawberries

1 1-3/4oz    package powdered pectin

1/2 tsp        margarine or butter

7 cups        white sugar

Instructions:

  1. Crush berries a cup at a time in a large pot. Stir in pectin and margarine (or butter). Heat on high, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Add sugar all at once. Return to boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; skim off foam.
  2. Ladle at once into hot, sterilized half-pint jars, leaving a 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe jar rims, place lids. Process in a boiling water canning bath for 5 minutes. Remove jars: cool

*You will know they are sealing when you hear pops as the jars cool.

Server on biscuits, toast, ice cream… your options are endless, we even just eat it with a spoon!

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Categories: Farmhouse, Recipes, Uncategorized

Martha’s Shortbread

Years ago, and I mean YEARS ago, like before my kiddos were born years. I often made Martha Stewart’s dried cranberry shortbread hearts. This shortbread was a favorite at home and at the office that I worked at, coworkers would pop by often to see what treats I had and these were always gone in a flash.

annaepp_baking_www.lifeisgoodatthebeach.ca/marthas-shortbreadI almost always used candied cherries instead of dried cranberries as they give it an extra little something. I also would cut them into hearts, but hated that I lost cookies with the trimmings, so I started to cut them into squares. Then one day I had some mini chocolate chips to use up and thought, why not? Then I cut them into rectangles instead of squares.

A few weeks ago, I wanted some cookies for a workshop I was hosting, but I didn’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen. I remembered Martha’s Shortbread and that I could whip them up in minutes. Now I can barely keep them in the house, Hubby sneaks a few, the kiddos sneak a few, then all of a sudden the tin is empty. I throw together another batch, changing it up slightly and poof! Those are gone too! Thank you Martha Stewart, for giving us quick and easy shortbread for all to enjoy!

annaepp_baking_www.lifeisgoodatthebeach.ca/marthas-shortbreadRecipe

40 minutes

serves 24

Ingredients:

1 cup of butter, softened

3/4 cup of icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups of all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup finely chopped dried cranberries, or candied cherries, or mini chocolate chips

Instructions:

  1. preheat oven to 325.
  2. Combine butter, icing sugar, vanilla, flour and salt in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your electric mixer. Mix until all ingredients are combined.
  3. Add cranberries, cherries, or chocolate chips
  4. Press batter evenly into 8×8 or 9×9 square baking pan. Bake until just turning golden, about 20 minutes. Place pan on cooling rack until cool to the touch, about 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edge and turn shortbread out onto a cutting board. Use a heart shaped cookie cutter to cut into hearts or cut with a knife into squares or rectangles.

 

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Categories: Food, Recipes