• 3 cups cake flour
• 4 extra large eggs 
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking power
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Topping

• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 3/4 stick unsalted butter (melted)
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Glaze

• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon and flour. Set the topping aside.

Whisk all ot the ingredients for the glaze together until smooth. Set aside the glaze.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 11 inch springform pan.

In a mixing bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Using an electic mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients (flour mixture), do not overmix.

Pour one half of batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the batter. Pour the remaining batter over the blueberries. Sprinkle with the topping. Bake 50 to 60 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack and remove from pan. Transfer to a serving plate and drizzle with glaze.

Making a delicious garlic bread.

We can turn our day-old bread into a delicious garlic bread.  Just melt ½ cup butter mixed with 5-6 cloves of minced garlic. Do not brown garlic. Brush the butter mixture into the bread and toast until crispy and slightly brown. You can also serve your garlic bread with spaghetti.

Making croutons.

You can use a 2-3 day-old bread to make croutons. Slice them into 1-inch cubes. Get a sauce pan and melt plenty of butter over low heat. Soak the bread cubes into the melted butter. Layer the cubes so the butter sips in evenly into them. Toss until crisp and lightly brown. Let cool and store them in a jar with a tight cover. You can now drop your croutons with your favorite soup or add them in your tossed salad.

Making our bread fresh for a week.

 We can put our freshly-baked bread in a plastic bag. Then wrap them in clean damp kitchen towel. Store them in our refrigerator so the bread will not dry. By doing these, we can retain our bread’s freshness for about a week.

Freezing our bread.

We can also store our bread in the freezer. Wrap them well in a plastic bag or foil before putting it in your freezer. When about to use, transfer them in a paper bag and thaw them in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Making bread crumbs.

We can turn our day-old bread into bread crumbs. Just slice them into small cubes and toss in pan over a low heat until crisp and slightly brown. Do not put butter in the pan. You can also toast your bread cubes in an oven using a low temperature (about 200 degrees F) until crisp. Crush your toasted bread cubes with a rolling pin to turn them into powder and sift.

The 1 perfect breakfast

Do not eat: Cornflakes with sugar – and white bread with cheese and a cup of coffee.

Instead try: Oatmeal with milk and raisins, and one cup of coffee.

Good because:
* Contains healthy fats
* Excellent source of protein
* Raisins are superior alternative to sugar
* The coffee gives invigorating caffeine and antioxidants that are good for the immune system

The 2 perfect breakfast

Do not eat: Sweetened yogurt with muesli  and one glass of juice.

Instead try: Natural Cultura with the same two pieces of fruit and muesli rough.

Good because:
* Metter with protein
* Calcium strengthens bones
* Pro biotic bacteria are good for the bacteria in the intestines
* The fruit provides antioxidants
* Muesli gives you lots of fiber

The 3 perfect breakfast

Do not eat: Grilled rye bread with cheese and butter.

Instead try: rye bread and one egg, 200 grams of fresh fruit and a cup of tea.

Good because:
* Provides large amounts of energy-giving carbohydrates
* The bread provides much rug fiber – good for the intestines
* Good for the liver’s cholesterol production
Eggs give hearty protein and healthy fats
* Tea and fruit afrunder the healthy breakfast with plenty of antioxidants

The 4 perfect breakfast

Do not eat: Kneipp with butter and jam.

Instead try: Coarse bread with 2-3 slices lean cheese and red peppers – and, often, jam with lots of berries.

Good because:
* The coarse bread provides fiber which is good for digestion
* You get a lot of B vitamins, iron and energizing carbohydrates
* Peppers and berries in jam giving antioxidants
* The cheese offers as much hearty protein as an equivalent amount of meat

The 5th perfect breakfast – when you’re on the move

Do not eat: a croissant and a latte.

Instead try: 1 banana, 1 slice whole wheat bread or coarse bowl of butter and a latte with low fat milk.

Good because:
* Provides hearty protein
* Banana satisfy better than other fruits
* Coarse Bread is bread to compromise – but together with butter, you still plenty of slow carbs to keep you satisfied
* Skinny latte reduces the amount of calories from fat

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups seeded raisins

1/2 cup candied peel, cut small

1/2 cup shortening

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups sifted flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Boil together for three minutes, sugar, water, fruit, shortening, spices and salts. Cool; add flour and baking sifted together and vanilla. Mix well and bake in well greased loaf pan in slow onion 325-350F about one hour.

Ingredients:

• 2½ to 3 cups flour
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. oil
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 egg white

Instructions:

1. Pour 2½ cups flour into a large bowl and form a well in the center.
2. In a separate container, mix yeast, sugar, and two tablespoons of water (water from the 1 cup listed n the ingredients above).
3. Pour the yeast mixture into the well but do not mix with the flour at this time.
4. Cover the bowl with a cloth and set it in a warm place for 15 minutes.
5. Add the remaining water and oil and beat until mixed.
6. Turn dough out on counter top and knead until smooth.
7. Add the remaining ½ cup flour as needed.
8. Put dough in a bowl, cover, and let it rise until double in size.
9. Punch down and divide the dough into 12 parts.
10. Shape into oval rolls and place 5 cm apart on a greased and floured baking sheet.
11. Cover and let rise until double in size.
12. Beat egg white and 1 teaspoon water with a fork until frothy and brush on the rolls.
13. Bake in a preheated oven at 450° F for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

Ingredients:

• 3 oz. butter
• 3 lb. tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced into ¼ inch wedges
• 1 oz. sugar mixed with 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method:

1) Melt the butter over a moderate heat in a large, heavy frying pan.

2) When the foam subsides, drop in the apple slices and sprinkle them with the mixed sugar and cinnamon. Cook, stirring gently from time to time, until the apples soften slightly and begin to brown. Don’t overcook.

3) Set the pan aside, off the heat.

Pancake

Ingredients:
     
• 8 eggs
• 1 pint milk
• 4 oz. flour
• 1 tbs. sugar
• ½ tsp. salt
• 3 oz. butter
• Icing sugar

Method:

1) Preheat the grill to its highest point.

2) To make the pancake batter, put the eggs and milk into a large mixing bowl and beat them with a whisk till blended.

3) Mix the flour with 1 tablespoon of sugar and ½ teaspoon of salt and add it to the eggs and milk a few tablespoonfuls at a time, stirring constantly.

4) Melt ½ oz. of butter over a moderate heat in a fairly large , heavy frying pan. When the foam subsides, pour in 6 tablespoons of the batter and tip the pan from side to side so that the batter quickly covers the bottom of the pan.

5) Strew ¼ pint of apples evenly over the batter and let the pancake cook for 3 minutes. Watch carefully for any sign of burning and regulate the heat accordingly.

6) Loosen the sides and bottom of the pancake with a palette knife and carefully remove from the pan.

7) Add ½ oz. of butter to the pan for each successive pancake.

8) Just before serving, sprinkle the pancakes lightly with icing sugar.

9) The pancakes are best served at once but may be covered with foil to keep them warm until they are all ready to be served.

Ingredients:

• Soft butter
• 1 lb. plain flour
• 1 scant tsp. baking powder
• 1 scant tsp. ground cloves
• ½ tsp. ground allspice
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 9 oz. honey
• ¾ lb golden syrup
• 6 oz. sugar
• 1 oz. butter
• ½ oz. lard

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2) Coat two large baking sheets lightly with butter.

3) Put the flour, baking powder, cloves, allspice and cinnamon into a bowl and set aside.

4) Bring the honey, golden syrup, and sugar to the boil in a large, deep, heavy saucepan, over a moderate heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

5) Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes.

6) Remove the pan from the heat, add the butter and lard and stir until melted.

7) Beat in the flour mixture, about 4 oz. at a time.

8) When the batter is smooth, drop it by teaspoonfuls on to the baking sheets, leaving an inch or so between the biscuits.

9) Bake in the centre of the oven for about 15 minutes, until the biscuits are firm to the touch and light brown.

10) Transfer them to a cake rack to cool and proceed with the remaining batches, coating the baking sheets with a little butter each time.

Ingredients:

• 75 g Rolled Oats
• 125 g Castor Sugar
• 75 g Dessicated Coconut
• 100 g Plain Flour
• 2 tbsp Golden Syrup
• 1 teasp Bicarbonate of Soda
• 2 tbsp Boiling Water
• 100 g Butter, melted

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the oats, sugar, coconut and flour.
4. Place the golden syrup, soda and boiling water in a saucepan, heat gently then add the butter and mix well.
5. Add to the flour mixture and mix thoroughly.
6. Now place spoonfuls of the mixture onto lined baking sheets, allowing room for biscuits to spread,
7. Bake for approximately 15 minutes.
8. Cool on a wire rack.



Ingredients:

250 g butter

150 g Castor sugar

100ml fresh milk

140 g self-raising flour

100 g semolina flour +150ml milk

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bi-carbonate soda

Method:

1. Measure all the ingredients and put aside. .

2. Mix 150 ml milk with all the semolina flour. Leave aside for 1 hour.

3.Heat up the oven about 180 degrees Celsius

4. Sift flour with baking powder and bi-carbonate soda.

4. Cream butter with sugar and the semolina flour mixture till creamy. Add fresh milk and self-raising  flour alternately. Lastly add in vanilla essence for added aroma.

5.Pour the cake mixture in a greased round or square tin about 20 cm in diameter.

.

After you have got into the swing of it and are really hooked on making bread then try shopping around for a machine that suits your pocket and your tastes.

The big advantages of machines are speed and simplicity. But there’s a real sense of achievement in hand-made bread, so combine the two methods. When you have time, do it the old-fashioned way. If you just want the delicious result, use the bread machine.

For those first basic loaves, this is what you will need (to make two):

A large mixing bowl

1 cup of warm water (not hot, the heat will kill the yeast – about the temperature of a baby’s bottle)

3 tbsp of sugar

2 tbsp of yeast (use granulated; baker’s yeast may give a better result but it needs to be used fresh and is more of a challenge for the beginner)

3 tbsp of melted (and cooled) margarine or oil

1 cup milk

1 tsp salt

7 cups of flour (must be bread flour)

2 baking pans

Measure the warm water into the bowl, stir in 1 tbsp of sugar and the yeast. Sprinkle the yeast more or less evenly across the water and leave for 5 minutes.

Add the oil or margarine, the milk, salt and 2 more tbsp of sugar.

Mix well and then add 3 cups of the bread flour, stirring as you do so. Continue to mix thoroughly until the mix just ‘hangs’ from the spoon when you lift it out of the bowl.

Add the remainder of the flour and mix until the dough forms a lump that doesn’t stick to the bowl. Add a little more flour if the mix remains sticky, but be careful not to overdo it.

Flour your worktop and turn out the lump of dough onto it. Leave it to ‘rest’ for 10 minutes.

Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes, until it is just very slightly sticky. This is a tricky stage and you only learn when the bread is ready through experience. If you feel it is still too sticky after 10 minutes, add a little extra flour and knead some more.

A note on kneading: work outwards from the middle of the lump, flattening it out, turning in the edges as you go and making sure every part of it gets a good thumping. Flatten, fold in and knead over and over again.

After kneading, form the dough into roughly a ball shape, put it in a greased bowl, and cover with a clean cloth. Put it in a warm place to rise for about 90 minutes or until it has more than doubled in size.

Divide the dough into two equal parts and ‘rest’ it for about 10 minutes. Flatten it down, fold it over and flatten again to knock excess air out. Do this a couple of times, but don’t be too enthusiastic – you don’t want to knock all the air out!.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Grease the bread pans well, shape the dough into rough loaves and put it into the pans. Leave it to rise for 30-60 minutes until the dough has expanded to the sides of the pans and the top has risen and is (hopefully!) well rounded. This rising can take place on top of the oven as it warms up.

Cook in the middle of the oven for about half an hour, but make sure the pans don’t touch each other or the sides of the oven.

If it looks nicely brown test the loaves by tapping the crust. If it sounds hollow, that means your bread is done. If not, cook a little longer but be careful not to overcook.

Remove the loaves from the pans as soon as you are sure they’re done, place on a wire rack, and resist the urge to try out your newly-made bread until it has cooled thoroughly. Give it an hour. The irresistible aroma makes that hard to do!

http://www.justpeace.org/bread.htm