Using up those apples - some toothsome recipes

APPLE YEASTBREAD

1 lb (450g) ordinary plain flour

Pinch of salt

1 oz (25g) butter

4 oz (100g) caster sugar

1/2 oz (15g)fresh yeast (or 1 teaspoon of dried yeast)

1/4 pt (150ml) warm milk

1/4 pt (150 ml) warm water

12 oz (350g) cooking apples

1 level teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon golden syrup

Lightly grease and flour a deep 8 " (20cm) square cake tin.

Sift the f lour and salt into a mixing bowl.  Rub in the butter.  Stir in 1 oz (25g) sugar.  Blend the yeast with the warm milk then mix in the warm water and pour into the flour.  Mix to make a firm dough.  

Put the dough on a lightly-floured worktop and knead for 10 mins.  Cover and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.  Knead risen dough again and roll out to an oblong 15 x 10 inches (38 x 25 cm).

Peel and roughly chop the apples and mix with remaining 3 oz (75g) sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle apple mixture over the dough.  Moisten edge and roll up, starting at a long edge.  Cut the roll into 9 slices.  Put the slices in the tin, cut sides up.  Cover and leave to rise to top of tin.

About 15 mins. before end of rising, turn on over, set at moderately hot, 425 deg. F. 220 deg. C, Gas Mark 7.  Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 40 - 45 mins, or until golden brown.  Brush with the syrup and serve warm or cold.  With cream, it's a lovely dessert.

    SPICY DORSET APPLE CAKE

    4 oz butter or margarine
    4 oz caster or brown sugar
    8 oz flour, S-R or adjusted
    1 lb cooking apples
    1 1/2 teaspoons mixed spice or a mixture to your taste
    3 oz currants or sultanas
    2 eggs

    Rub the margarine and the flour together, add the spices, sugar, peeled, cored and sliced apples,           currants and the beaten eggs.  Put the mixture in a large greased cake tin (10 inch round or 8"
    square)   and bake at gas mark 6 (425F, 220C) for 35 - 45 minutes.  The large amount of apple
    makes the cake a little fragile, so leave in the tin for 5 minutes or more before removing.
    If you do not have a large cake tin, use two smaller cake tins and reduce the cooking time
    a little.

    In the past I have arranged sliced apple around the top of the cake, but these can scorch so
    may need a covering of foil if this happens towards the end of the cooking time.  Good as
    a hot pudding too,      with cream or custard. . .

Here it is before it went in:

       And after it came out.   It is SCRUMMY!!!  

COUNTRY MINCEMEAT

Take sweet apples (though I have used windfall cookers in the past too) - even the ones which are getting a bit old and wrinkled from storage will do - peel, core and chop. Combine with dried fruit - I used an out-of-date packet which was fine, but may have been a tad drier than any I have recently bought. Sprinkle on demerara sugar, ground cinnamon and ground cloves and add a little home-made wine if you like (I added a slosh of Crab Apple Wine). You may add some finely-chopped (and well washed) orange and/or lemon peel if you wish. I mixed mine in a bowl, but in the past I usually put straight into my earthenware jar as I am cutting the apples up, layering with the sugar, spices and dried fruit. I also usually add chopped dried apricots, but you may add whatever fruit you wish to the mix. Even without the wine, the mixture will become moist and winey and believe me it smells DIVINE. It will keep a year in the earthenware jar, which is best kept in a cool place, though having said that mine lives on the bottom shelf of a little table in the back hall. I have a recipe which calls for suet too, and is stored in jars, but this one is a lovely old-fashioned recipe and keeps very well. You will make it year after year, I promise.

BANANA APPLESAUCE CAKE

2 1/2 cups/8 oz plain flour

2 cups (I halve this to 4 oz) sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tblspn. pumpkin pie spice (ground cloves)

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup (200ml/7fl. oz.) water

1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz) vegetable shortening (I use Stork marg.)

1 cup applesauce (1/2 pint) - cooked up previously and cooled

1 cup mashed banana (2 medium bananas - a good way of using up very ripe ones)

2 eggs

1/2 cup chopped almonds (I leave these out)

3/4 cup (4 oz) raisins

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl of an electric mixer and blend well.  Add water and next 3 ingredients, blend, then beat at medium speed until creamy.

Add eggs and beat 2 mins at medium speed.  Stir in nuts and raisins and pour batter into a wax paper lined 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan (or use a large loaf tin and cook for longer).

Bake at 350 deg.F for about 45 minutes.  Turn out onto a cake rack and peel off wax paper.  If wished, when you have turned right side up and whilst still warm, you can sift confectioner's (icing) sugar over the top.  I don't bother.