Friday 25 October 2013

Friday Bake - Marmalade Tea Loaf

Is it just me or does time seem to go so much faster the older you get?! Is it because we try to pack more in or is it simply because we have so much more to do?? Or is it that as we get older we start to love life just a little more and we want to get the very most out of it?? What are your views on this?

Today is the last day of the school holidays so I have had my little helpers in the kitchen and credit where credit is due these two worked up a storm, well yes a storm of dust and mess shall I say, but not without some rather terrific results, but before I start going into the messy details, I just quickly wanted to give you a glimpse of this wonderful book, which to be honest I thought would act as the perfect antidote for knowing that we are all feeling a little blue that yet another wonderful series of the Great British Bake Off has come to an end, boohoo! Well done Frances, I was super chuffed that she won, she is super talented.

 


This  book is a wonderful compilation  of recipes from the ten home bakers that took part in the GBBO of the Summer of 2010. The book is divided into seven sections, 'Biscuits and Teatime treats, Bread, Tarts and Flans, Pies, Cakes, Puddings and Fancy Pastries', so there is something here for everyone from bread to Coffee and Walnut Cake and oh my Lemon Meringue just to name but a few. I also really like the styling in this book as it has a lovely vintage vibe to it and I think there is something lovely about recreating some of those wonderful GBBO bakes.




Today with small hands around, we opted for something really simple that we could throw in a bowl, mix and pop in the oven. Firstly we made  'Mark's Sticky Marmalade Tea Loaf', which is made with flour (in my case gluten free), butter (or pure olive spread), ground ginger, sugar, mixed nuts, eggs and marmalade. Little J mixed it all in for us, then some fingers attacked it before it got put in a loaf tin and popped in the oven. I love finding recipes like this, they are hassle free and so easy to pull together and I think we all need a little book for last minute cakes, this will most certainly be in mine.
 
 

 
 
It bakes in the oven for one and a quarter hour, which gave the kids time to make some chocolate chip cookies. Now back in the day my little guilty pleasure most certainly was to indulge in those delicious and giant white chocolate cookies that only Sainsbury's can get right in my opinion, well whether they inspired these or vice versa, these 'Jumbles' are the bizz. I am not sure whether it was the promise of white chocolate, but there was control, precision and complete concentration in a tremendous team effort to get it all made on their own from scratch. J read the recipe and assisted Es with the numbers when they got a bit 'big', there were no quarrels about who was stirring or adding what, it was a smooth and slick operation and at the end there were two very proud kids ready to pop their dollops in the oven.
 
 

 
So how did it all turn out, well all in all it has been a rather enjoyable and rather fabulous Friday Baking day.









Some marmalade was added on after the bake as instructed, just to make it 'bittersweet' and having sampled it I can confess that the flavours work really well together. I love the flavour and texture of the mixed nuts, I used hazels, wallnuts and peacans, but you can use whatever you like. What makes this a rather special tea loaf is the contrast between the ginger and bitter orange. I am most certainly NOT a marmalade fan per se, I wouldn't choose to put it on toast or anything like that, but I have discovered over the years, that I do really like it in cake. Now if you are not a fan, I also think this cake would be delicious without adding the marmalade to the top and only adding some to the cake mix, but to be honest it is all a matter of taste. All in all a very enjoyable tea loaf.





As for the 'Jumbles', the feedback was complete silence for all of two minutes before the begging started for the next, but unfortunately they will have to wait till tomorrow for that. Full bellies = happy kids= fifteen minutes for Ma to enjoy a cup of Rooibos and a slice of delicious tea loaf.


 
This week has signalled the start of the 'Christmas' countdown so to speak. I've ordered our turkey, yeah I know!! and then today I received my monthly Country Living magazine, and with it was a rather marvellous treat, A five week festive guide to help you to stay organised in time for Christmas. I am most certainly a list gal, I like a plan, as much as like things to be rather impulsive at times, but for Christmas I like to feel organised. For me there is just too much going on with school nativities and social gatherings to feel flustered and really by the time schools close I want us all to get into the Christmas zone, therefore relax and unwind. So this little booklet will undoubtedly be put to good use and I love the fact that it comes with some rather lovely recipes as well.
 
 




 
  
This weekend will be a fairly quiet one for us, I will try and get to the Treacle market on Sunday and I still have bulbs to get in the ground thanks to all this rain we've been having, but I haven't been feeling to clever this week, so we will just to have to see how the wind blows, speaking of which, apparently we are in for a big storm this Sunday in England and Wales with forecasted winds of around 80mph. I truly hope that it is nothing devastating. What do you all have planned for this weekend??
 
Thank you for all your sweet comments about the arm warmers, you are all very lovely and hopefully at some point I will try and put the pattern on my blog for you to use, but it wont be till December. Just a quick note on the Friday bake before I go and prepare our tea, if any of you would like to link in your bake(s) at any point in the week, please feel free to do so. I have named it Friday Bake largely because that is the day I bake, but I know that some of you would like to link, but the day just doesn't work, so please just link it in at any point during the week there are no rules here. The idea really is just for people to get some inspiration and recipes and there is really nothing more to it. Maybe I should call it Weekly Bake, what do you think? I will give this some thought. For now it preparing our tea for tonight, which will be Chilli. I have recently started to add some chorizo in the pot and oh my what a lovely flavour it adds. 
 

Wishing you all a very enjoyable weekend.
Warm Wishes
Hannapat
xoxo
 
 


22 comments:

  1. Lovely bakes they all look scrummy. I will be joining in with your link tomorrow. Finn and Zachy helped me bake this week.
    I have just planned to go to the treacle fair with my daughter on Sunday, I've heard about it but never been. We will have to wear pink carnations x

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  2. Mmm that look tasty! I think everything you said about time speeding along is soo true. I've been thinking the same thing lately. Most of our day is spent clock watching - and trying (and failing most days) to beat the clock. When you're a parent the day is not your own and I feel like a headless chicken most days just trying to get 'things done'.
    Will try to link my recipe - hope it works this time! Have a great weekend TTFN XXX
    P.s. the beach in my latest post is Ainsdale beach just down the road from Southport x

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  3. Hello my lovely Hannapat my little lovelies are coming on Sunday so I am thinking about using your recipe with them - would love to do some baking with them - so little time with them and so much planned, probably too much! You take care Hannapat and hopefully catch up soon - do stay warm and safe if Sunday is a bit wild. Lots of hugs to you
    Dorothy
    :-)xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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  4. Hello lovely Hannapat - another lovely post and I must say 'All of the above' to your comments in the first paragraph. I can't find enough time in the day and I don't even have youngsters at home any more - but I do have a retired hubby! I often wonder how you manage to fit so much into your days, and do it so well too!
    Your little ones do enjoy their baking day don't they, and it's so lovely to see their little faces and hands and their concentration and busy-ness, thank you for sharing your wonderful moments!
    I do hope you are feeling well again soon and that the threatened storms dissipate without damage. Have a wonderful weekend lovely! Love and hugs, Joy xo

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  5. well the books looks good. My baking and cooking skills come to to think of it, need a whole lot of something! Interesting to hear you thoughts on how you will cope with the whole xmas thing. The weekly bake sounds like a good idea, Heather x

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  6. What a gorgeous Post. I love seeing what others are baking and you've been cooking up a storm here, lovely. How cute are your kids! I have no idea why life seems to go faster the older we get but since my head feels like it's spinning off by the end of most days I'm quite worried about how things will be in another 20 years! Hope you are having a lovely weekend. Mel x

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  7. Hello lovely Hannapat :) This post is delicious. I'm not a marmalade fan either but you've made me wonder now if, like you, I'd like it in cake. Your cake certainly looks scrumptious! I'll add it to my to try list :) Have a wonderful weekend and I hope the storms don't reach you xoxox

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  8. Hi My favourite sort of post! Baking and cakes! I have yet to decide what to bake this weekend. Yesterday I baked princess cakes with my grandaughter (out of a packet-cheating I know but she brought it in excitedly and couldnt wait to get them baked and iced so she could put the little wafer pictures on).
    I got my country living mag too and couldnt believe it was the Christmas edition. I flicked through it briefly but will devour it thoroughly nearer the time!!

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  9. So much delicious baking! I would really enjoy that book, I wonder if the library would have it. It's so nice to see you baking with the kids, I'm sure they love it. I am a checklist kind of person too and I definitely need one for Christmas every year. I don't like to do anything at the last minute if I can help it. Have a good time at the fair!

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  10. Hi, sorry to here you've not been feeling too great, sending lots of healing energy your way. Wow the baking looks great. Today we've be getting the garden ready for the storm, putting things away and collapsing the mini greenhouse, lets hope it's not too bad. I did manage a bit of crochet time working on my winterwreath. Hope the weather treats you kindly.
    Clare xx

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  11. Hi lovely Hannapat, beautiful post as always. The tea loaf looks delicious, I adore marmalade and I actually saw this book in our local library last week so may have to get it and make this loaf. Hope you are feeling a bit better today and you manage to get to the market. It is raining here, but no storms. I adore your pretty china in this post too.
    Marianne xx

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  12. Dear Hannapat, you have no idea how many times I try to comment on your blog without success. The bottom of it sort of goes to half the page and looks like an extended barcode. Does anyone else have that problem? Anyway, it seems to be OK today....so I think your dad is fantastic, such an inspiration, I loved the pics of your little girl learning to ride her bike and as for all this baking, I could come and eat it right now. Sorry to hear you have been feeling under the weather and hope you feel a bit better soon. xxxxx

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  13. I fully agree that time becomes just so much more precious as we get older. In my case 'old'. I think we become aware of our own mortality and 'expire by date' and realise that we still have so much to do - or rather we still have so much that we want to do. But you are too young for that - I think you simply have to much to do. But thank you for sharing all of that with us. The children are so precious! baking up a storm like that, and completely unaided! I did not answer your blog about your pa because I cried so much that I could not see. And am now crying again! Oh dear! Little Esme's bike riding is so very special. And her darling precious Dad always ready to catch the fall. Love you so Much!

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  14. Just found your blog, lots of lovely creating and baking but I'm really interested in your ME posts and all the great links. I'm newly diagnosed so am trying to find out how to manage to live my life with three children and the info is really useful, thanks. Jo

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  15. Ooh, that marmalade loaf sounds the business to a lover of marmalade such as moi ... and it looks absolutely yummy. And the Christmas CL is out already you say ... I haven't read the November one yet ... yikes!

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    1. Oops I meant to say ... I think we just get busier in our middle years, and life sends ever more distractions and necessary tasks our way ... my parents generation didn't have such a large social circle, a weekly trip to town took care of things that take us hours online, etc. etc. etc.

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  16. I have that book!! I love all the GBBO books. And I was glad Frances won too. She looked rather stunned! As for time going faster as you get older. I think it's because we slow down and appreciate stuff more, that life seems to speed up around us. A paradox.

    Leanne xx

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  17. Hi HannahPat. I have tried to link to my blog but dont know if I have managed it! Let me know.XX

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  18. Hi! This is my first time to visit your blog- it's a lovely place&full of lovely things. Will be coming back soon!
    Lovely bakes by the way, looks yummy!
    Marion

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  19. Yummy! They look so good, and I like the idea of the marmalade. I am like you and don't spread it on toast, but I do use it for cooking and enjoy the flavor it adds. Hope the winds were not too bad.
    Blessings,
    Susie

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  20. I'm sure your kitchen smelled heavenly as you were baking. Thank you for sharing your booklet with us. I hope you are able to get those bulbs in the ground and have some time to relax.

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  21. That all looks so delicious! We often make tea loaf but I've never made marmalade tea loaf, I'll have to give that a go. I'm trying very hard not to buy any magazines at the moment but may have to break my ban for the Christmas Country Living. x

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