Tea Biscuits

This is a recipe that I modified from a recipe book that I found in my boyfriend's mother's (Trudy's) cupboard. I think it was a Company's Coming recipe book, but I'm not entirely sure. It was actually a bit of an accident. It turns out that "buns" and "biscuits" are quite different. I was making the "tea bun" recipe from this book, but it didn't seem quite right. The dough was very sticky. I decided to add a lot more flour to get a more dense consistency, like that of a biscuit. I had my doubts, but the extra flour did give a more biscuit consistency and they were quite delicious. I now make these every Sunday, so that we have enough during the week. They're great with a cup of tea!

What you'll need:

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cold salted butter
1 cup raisins*
1 egg
2/3 cup whole milk

Using a wooden spoon, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.

Cut the butter into the flour mixture until it is crumbly. Generally, I just mix the butter into the flour mixture with my hands. Although it's slightly more messy, it's easier.

Stir in the raisins and then make a well in the center.

In a small bowl, using a fork, beat the eggs and milk together. Pour into the well. Mix together with hands, kneading a few times. Sometimes, I find I need to add a bit more flour. The dough shouldn't be too sticky.

Roll out the dough onto a floured surface so that it's about 3/4 inch thick. Cut into biscuits using a glass or cutter. Place the biscuits onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 375 F for ~15 minutes until the tops are golden brown.

Let the biscuits cool on a wire rack. Serve warm with butter and/or jam.

Makes 10-12 biscuits.

*You can substitute the raisins for a variety of dried fruit. I've tried this recipe with chopped dates as well as chopped apricots. So far, I think the chopped dates are my favourite.

Maple Banana Bread

Mmmm. Banana bread. I've made a lot of banana bread and this one is my favourite. It came out really moist and I enjoyed the touch of maple syrup.

What you'll need:

2 cup AP Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup salted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2-3 bananas, mashed
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup milk
1/2-1 cup walnuts or raisins (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5" load pan.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat brown sugar, butter, and vanilla until the mixture is fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Stir in the mashed bananas and maple syrup. Then stir in the flour mixture alternating with the milk. Finally, if you want, you can throw in some walnuts and/or raisins. I really enjoy walnuts in my banana bread!

Pour into your prepared baking pan and bake for ~50-60 minutes. When a toothpick comes out clean, your loaf is done baking! Let cool, then serve with a big slab of butter. YUMMY.