I Love Spotted Dicks. (Cakes)

Member Name: cindy1

Product:	Cakes
Date:	04/12/01 (3571 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Tasty, Easy to prepare, Quick

Disadvantages: None

Ever since I've been young, I've always been great at baking cakes, pudding and biscuits. Everyone who samples my creations always compliments me on how tasty they are. Some people even go, as far as to say that they are the best cakes they have ever tasted.

I'm not really into cakes myself, to be honest the only cakes I like are crumbles and Spotted Dicks. However, because of my cake making abilities the rest of my family constantly demand a variety of cakes, biscuits and puddings.

I am going to include my favourite, which is Apple Crumble, and two firm family favourites, which are Spotted Dick and Saucy Chocolate Pudding. I mentioned in my previous recipe opinion that I like to use the microwave to cook cakes so two of the recipes are cooked using a microwave. Right here they are.

Spotted Dick.
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Preparation Time: 8 minutes.
Cooking Time: 10 minutes.
Method: Microwave.
Heat Setting: High.
Serves: 4 people.

Ingredients.

75g of self-raising flour.
A pinch of salt.
75g of fresh brown breadcrumbs.
75g of shredded suet.
50g of soft light brown sugar.
175g of currants.
90ml of milk.

Instructions.

Step 1. Mix the flour, salt, breadcrumbs, suet, sugar and currants in a large mixing bowl. Add just enough of the milk to give the mixture a soft dropping consistency.

Step2. Spoon the mixture into a 900ml pudding basin and cover the bowl loosely with cling film. Microwave on HIGH for five minutes. After five minutes turn out on to a hot serving plate.

Step 3. If desired serve with custard.

Wasn't that easy? The secret of a good Spotted Dick is to get the consistency just right, if you can master this your Spotted Dick will come out perfect every time. You might be dubious about using the microwave to cook cakes, however I can assure you that it tastes exactly the same as it would with the oven method. My f
amily thinks that it tastes better when cooked in the microwave.

Here is the next one.

Saucy Chocolate Pudding.
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Preparation Time: 10 minutes.
Cooking Time: 14 minutes.
Method: Microwave.
Setting: High.
Serves: 4 people.

Ingredients.

100g of plain flour.
75ml of cocoa.
10ml of baking powder.
A pinch of salt.
275g of soft light brown sugar.
175ml of milk.
30ml of vegetable oil.
5ml of vanilla flavouring.
50g of finely chopped walnuts.

Instructions.

Step 1. Sift the flour, 10ml of cocoa, the baking powder, and the salt in a large mixing bowl. Then stir in 100g of the sugar.

Step 2. Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk, oil and vanilla flavourings. Then beat the mixture to a smooth batter. Now stir in the nuts.

Step 3. Pour the mixture into an 8 inch baking dish. Mix the remaining sugar and cocoa together and sprinkle evenly over the batter.

Step 4. Pour over 350ml of boiling water. Microwave on high for 12-14 minutes or until the top looks dry and the sauce is bubbling through.

Once again another simple but tasty recipe, the trick to this one is to get the batter right, the smoother it is the better it will come out.

Last but certainly not least the Apple Crumble, this one is cooked in an oven.

Apple Crumble.
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Preparation Time: 20 minutes.
Cooking Time: 50 minutes.
Method: Oven.
Setting: Gas mark 4.
Serves: 4 people.

Ingredients.

Crumble.

3oz of margarine.
6oz of self-raising flour.
3oz of castor sugar.

Fruit Filling.

1.5lb of cooking apples.
3oz of sugar.
2 tablespoons of water.

Instructions.

Step 1: Grease a medium sized pie dish.

Step 2. Rub the margarine into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Then stir in the cas
tor sugar.

Step 3. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples.

Step 4. Place the prepared fruit in the pie dish and sprinkle each layer with sugar and water.

Step 5. Pile the crumble mixture over the apples until completely covered.

Step 6. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 40-50 minutes until fruit is cooked and the crumble is golden brown.

The great thing about crumble is that you can adapt it to suit yourself. Instead of using fresh fruit, try adding some tins fruit. Also instead of one type of fruit experiment with two or three different fruits. My favourite is Strawberry and Peach Crumble and Apple and Pear Crumble.

The secret of making a good crumble is to get the crumble right. The crumble should be very fine, with no lumps in it, keep rubbing until it resembles very fine breadcrumbs.

That's your lot.
ENJOY!

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