Method
Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl then rub in the butter with your fingertips. Stir in the yeast, sugar, currants, mixed peel and spices.
Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in ¾ of the milk and mix together. Add more milk until you have a soft dough.
Lightly dust a surface with flour and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl and cover with lightly greased cling film. Leave to rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
Knock back the dough by punching it. Then knead for 5 minutes before dividing into 12 tea cakes. Place on a greased baking sheet and cover once again with the greased cling film. Leave to rise again in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/400F/Gas 6. Remove the cling film from the tea cakes and lightly brush them with milk. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until golden.
Heat 3 tbsp sugar with 3 tbsp water in a pan until dissolved. Brush over the tea cakes and serve warm or cooled and toasted with butter.
Ingredients
- 500g (1 lb 2oz) strong white bread flour, plus some for dusting
- 1 tsp salt
- 50g (2oz) unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 x 7g sachet fast action dried yeast
- 40g (1½oz) caster sugar, plus 3 tbsp
- 150g (5oz) currants
- 75g (3oz) mixed peel
- ½ tsp ginger
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 300ml (½pt) warm semi skimmed milk, plus 2 tbsp for brushing
Top Tip for making Tea Cakes
Make the dough and after kneading place in a greased bowl covered in cling film. Leave in the fridge to slowly rise over night
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