Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Retro baking - Rock cakes rock











Rock cakes

One of the first things I baked as a child – some people call them “childrens cakes” because they are so easy and quick to make, they are ideal for impatient eager young bakiers. Rock cakes are a bit like a fruity sweet scone – excellent with a cup of tea or a glass of milk.

1 cup of plain flour
1 heaped tsp baking powder
50 g butter or olivani
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup currants
¼ cup sultanas – or a tablespoon of candied mixed peel
1 egg – lightly beaten
a pinch of mixed spice
a splash of milk -1-2 tbsp should be enough
Pre heat the oven to 200°

Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs or stir in the sugar, baking powder, spice and dried fruit. Mix in the egg and just enough milk to make the mixture moist enough to clump together. You can make rock cakes in the food processor, pulsing the mixture to as not to over- mix it and pulverize the fruit .
Place mounds of mixture onto a cold greased baking tray – this quantity makes approximately 8 Rock cakes but you can easily double it.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until turning golden.

4 comments:

  1. Yum! Hubby loves rock cakes so will have to give these a go :)

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  2. I so love rock cakes!!! Got a great recipe when helping a chef in Australia. Always make them when I don't know what else to do. My fave are with dates in them!

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  3. I made them with chrystillised ginger, dates ans sultanas-didn't turn out the way i thought they would --might keep it simple next time.

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  4. I love these. Mum made them all the time on the farm when we were kids. Simple and yum and filled our hungry little tummies.

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