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      Crochet and Cardamom and cinnamon cake

      30th January

      Crochet and tequila, is that a good mix?


      We are now two thirds through the crochet course and the ladies are becoming ever so slightly rowdy.  I cannot fault them in their crochet skills, who would have thought 28 days ago, they would be so productive and proficient.  I am immensely pleased with progress.  There is much laughter and fun to be had around the table with crocheting taking place most of the time, the odd sip of tea or coffee and the occasionally munch on some cake, but tequila!  That was not on the cards...

      This week they learnt a new stitch, the bobble and as often the case some do not like change and are resistant to leave the stitch they are on. But in the end we all seem to get there and be happy in having learnt something new.






      Here are some of the blankets to date,
      two are missing as I was not able to photograph them last night...












      It would appear that crochet is sending us to drink...







      So what to dish up to these very deserving ladies... I decided to spoil them with meringues and cream this week and some fresh fruit and so made them a few days ahead.  However, I made a fatal error in wanting to photograph them for another post, see HERE  and left them in the family 'help yourself' jar.  I just wasn't thinking, blogging took over and I had such fun.  On coming down to the kitchen yesterday morning I did experience a heart stopping moment when I noticed the number of meringues had reduced from 24 to 3!  Not enough to feed my cake starved Thursday evening ladies...  I had neither the time nor the inclination to pop to any shops whatsoever, so wracked my brain as to what we had in store.  I came up with another family favourite using yeast and knew as the day ahead was busy I needed to get a shift on.  This may have been my second downfall...
       
      Cardamom and cinnamon cake
       
      I made the lovely Cardamom and cinnamon cake as usual and then dashed off to complete various appointments.  It was only when dishing it up to said ladies that I felt it was much heavier than normal and although it looked fantastic, if I do say so myself, on delving in was somewhat dry.  It's a good job we drink copious amounts of tea and coffee.  Please do not let this little tale put you off, I have made this cake numerous times and never before have I had a failure.  It was a freak of nature and all began to go wrong when I could not serve up my meringues.  Give it a try, you will really love the lightness of it with the combined taste of cardamom and cinnamon.
       
       
      Cinnamon and cardamom cake  
       
      You will need:  
       
      For the dough:   
                      
      225ml whole milk
      75g butter
      300g spelt or plain flour
      125g wholemeal spelt or wheat flour
      70g caster sugar
      2 tsp cardamom
      1/2 tsp salt
      10g fast action dried yeast
      1 egg, eaten
       
      For the filling:
      75g butter, softened
      50g caster sugar
      2 tsp cinnamon
      drop of vanilla essence
      For the glazing:
      1 egg, beaten
      sugar to drizzle

      A well greased cake tin (8") with high sides.
       
      1  Scald milk with the butter until melted and hand warm, do not let it boil
      2  Sift all dry ingredients together and add yeast, mix well. 
      3  Make a well in the middle and add the beaten egg and hand warm milk mixture.  Stir together to forma sticky dough.
      4  cover with lightly greased cling film and leave in a warm place to prove for half an hour.
      5  For the filling, cream the butter, sugar and cinnamon.
      6  Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to a rectangle to approximately  35x25 cm
      7  Spread filing over the entire side.
      8  Roll up the dough so it looks like a Swiss roll.
      9  Cut seven slices with one perhaps slightly smaller than the others.
      10  Place smallest slice in the middle of the cake tin and surround it with the remaining six slices.
      11  Allow the dough to prove for another 30 mins in a warm place, covered with Clingfilm
      12  Glaze buns with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar
      13  Place in a pre heated oven, 180 degrees Celsius and bake on the middle shelf for approximately 20 -25 minutes.
      14  Cool on a wire rack
       
       
      ♥  Happy Friday 

      10 comments:

      1. That cake does look rather yummy, I'll give it a go this weekend if time permits. I thought you were going to say you had a swig of tequila with it to combat the dryness :o)

        ReplyDelete
        Replies
        1. Now that would have been a great idea. Let me know if you get time to make it. X

          Delete
      2. Wow, everyone is doing an amazing job.
        Hugs,
        Meredith

        ReplyDelete
        Replies
        1. They are. I agree. Soon they will be teaching me at this rate!

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      3. Wow! These blankets look amazing. I wish there was a group of like-minded people here in my village. But in Germany crochet is no as popular as in the States or in Britain. Your cake looks yummy. I love to bake with yeast, so I will definitely give it a try. Viola

        ReplyDelete
        Replies
        1. A shame there is not a group. Could you start one maybe? Let me know if you make the cake and what you think x

          Delete
      4. Crochet + tequila + me = one hot yarnie mess

        Have fun
        Xoxo
        Susie

        ReplyDelete
        Replies
        1. A hot yarn or mess. Great image has popped into my head. One should not be unleashed with a hook and tequila I agree!!!

          Delete
      5. Wow, the class are doing really well aren't they! Not sure that I can crochet and drink, it would go all wibbly - although that might be good for a ripple! xx

        ReplyDelete
        Replies
        1. In all honesty there was no drinking. The class were reading me with the tequila and one if the husbands took the photo shot before she came on Thursday. The other with port was again me being teased as she laboured at home on the puffy spike stitch saying it was driving her to drink!!! A fun humourous bunch of ladies

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      I will always read all comments and will try to reply but it may take me a couple of days, do please pop back and lets get a conversation going...