and there was cake...

Finnish Karelian piirakkaa are a favourite with Hazel's family at any time of the year.

Filling

2 cups water

1 cup uncooked rice

2 cups milk

salt

 2 tbsp. butter

Rye Crust

¹⁄₂ cup water 

1 teaspoon

1 cup rye flour

¹⁄₄ cup plain flour

 1 tbsp. vegetable oil

Glaze

• ¹⁄₂ cup of warm milk
• 2 tbsp. butte

Egg Butter

• 2 eggs, hard boiled and chopped
• seasoning
• 3 tbsp. soft butter

1. For the Filling:
2. In a saucepan combine the water and rice. Bring to a boil.
3. Stir, cover, and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the milk, cover, and continue cooking until the milk is completely absorbed and the rice is soft and creamy.
5. Preheat oven to 220C
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. For the Pastry:
8. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the water, salt, oil and rye and white flours to make a stiff dough.
9. Shape the dough into a log and cut into 16 portions and shape each into a round.
10. On a lightly floured board, roll out each round into a 6-inch circle.
11. Spread about 3 tablespoons of filling evenly on each round.
12. Fold two opposite edges of the pastry over the filling and crimp the edges of the dough toward the centre to make an oval-shaped pastry, allowing about 1/2-inch of the crust to overlay the filling and leaving the centre of the filling exposed.
13. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
14. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter and hot milk and brush on the pastries.
15. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, brushing once during baking, until the pastries are golden on the edges.
16. Remove from the oven and brush again. Cover with a clean tea towel.
17. For the Egg Butter:.
18. In a small bowl, cream the butter. Stir in the eggs.
19. Season with the white pepper and salt.
20. Cool the pastries and serve with the egg butter at room temperature.

And there was cake...

By popular demand the 'and there was cake...' feature returns to the InStitches blog!

Chocolate fudge cake

A real 'can't go wrong' cake - very moist, and rises well.  For workshops I double the recipe and split it between 3 loaf tins and spread the fudge icing over the top.

 
Ingredients:

For the cake: 6 ½ oz {165 g) plain flour 2 level tablespoons (30 ml) cocoa 1 level teaspoon (5 ml) bicarbonate of soda 1 level teaspoon (5 ml) baking powder 5 oz (125g) caster sugar                   2 level tablespoons (30 ml) golden syrup 2 large eggs        ¼ pt (150ml) salad or corn oil ¼ pt (150ml) milk

For the fudge icing: 2 oz (50 g) butter 4 level tablespoons (60 ml) cocoa 3 tablespoons (45 ml) milk 5 oz (125 g) icing sugar, sieved

You will need a food processor and either 2 8 inch (20 cm) sandwich tins or one 8 inch (20cm) deep cake tin, lined with baking parchment.

1.       Heat the oven to 170 deg. C. Gas No. 3. Grease and line the bottom of two 8 inch" (20 cm) straight-sided, sandwich tins with silicone paper.

2.       Put the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda, and baking powder into the food processor bowl.

3.       Add the sugar and syrup, and the eggs, lightly beaten.

4.       Put on the cover and remove the white plastic pusher: Switch on, and pour in the oil and milk, mixed, down the funnel into the bowl. Mix for about 5 seconds (count 5 slowly) after all the liquid is in.

5.       Remove the bowl and knife from the machine, lift out the knife, and scrape clean. Turn the mixture into the prepared tins, and bake in the centre of the oven for 30-35 minutes, until the cakes spring back when lightly pressed with the fingertips. Turn out on to a wire rack to cool.

6.       To make the icing: Melt the butter in a pan, add the cocoa, stir to blend, and cook for 1minute. Stir in the milk and icing sugar, and mix to smooth consistency. Leave to cool and thicken, Spread half the mixture between the two cakes, and the remainder on top. Decorate with broken chocolate flake, or grated chocolate.