Currant Squares Food

CURRANT SQUARES

Steps:

• To make pastry:.
• Freeze butter or margarine for half an hour before grating.
• Sift flour and salt, then add butter or margarine.
• Mix into flour with palette knife.
• Add iced water until a dough is formed. Wrap and chill in fridge for 30 minutes.
• Put all filling ingredients into a saucepan and bring to boiling point.
• Set aside to cool.
• Preheat oven to 200°C/ 400°F Roll out half the pastry very thinly and line a Swiss roll tin.
• Pour on currant filling, spreading evenly, then cover with the rest of the pastry.
• Glaze with egg or milk and bake for 30 minutes or until light gold in colour.
• Dust with caster sugar and cut into squares when cool.
• Makes 20 squares.

COCONUT-RED CURRANT CAKE ROLL

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet or jelly roll pan with coconut oil; line the bottom with parchment paper. Brush the parchment with more oil and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl; set aside. Place the eggs (in their shells) in a medium bowl and cover with hot tap water; let stand 5 minutes, then drain. Crack the eggs into a separate large bowl and add the granulated sugar. Beat with a mixer on medium-low speed, 30 seconds, then increase the speed to medium high and beat until thick, pale and fluffy, 8 to 10 minutes. (Don't underbeat; the beaten eggs are essential to help the cake rise.) Pour the egg mixture over the flour mixture and gently fold together with a rubber spatula until combined. Add the melted coconut oil and coconut extract and stir to just combine. Spread the batter in the prepared pan; bake until the cake springs back when gently pressed, about 18 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.
• Generously sift confectioners' sugar over the top of the warm cake and loosen the edges with a knife; lay a clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth) over the cake. Place another baking sheet over the towel and flip the cake with the baking sheets to invert it onto the towel. Remove the top baking sheet and parchment. Starting at a short end, roll up the cake and the towel together into a spiral. Transfer seam-side down to a rack and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F, stirring once, until lightly browned and toasted, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool. Whisk the egg whites, granulated sugar, lemon juice and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Cook, whisking, until the sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and beat the egg white mixture with a mixer on medium-high speed until thick, glossy and cooled, about 6 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and coconut extracts.
• Gently unroll the cake. Spread the jelly over the cake about 1/4 inch from the edges; reroll (without the towel). Trim the ends with a serrated knife. Transfer to a platter and spread the frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle with the toasted coconut.

IRISH CURRANT SQUARES

Steps:

• 1. To make pastry: freeze butter or margarine for half an hour before grating.
• 2. Sift flour and salt, then add butter or margarine, mix into flour with palette knife.
• 3. Add iced water until a dough is formed, wrap and chill in fridge.
• 4. Put all filling ingredients into a saucepan and bring to boiling point, once done set aside to cool.
• 5. Preheat oven to gas mark 6/ 200°C/ 400°F.
• 6. Roll out half the pastry very thinly and line a Swiss roll tin.
• 7. Pour on currant filling, spreading evenly, then cover with the rest of the pastry.
• 8. Glaze with egg or milk and bake for 30 minutes or until light gold in color.
• 9. Dust with caster sugar and cut into squares when cool.

SCOTTISH CURRANT SLAB

Steps:

• For the pastry:.
• Sift the flour and salt together. Rub in the butters. Stir in the sugar, then add the egg, mixing to a soft dough.
• Knead dough until smooth. Cover with cling film and chill for 20-30 minutes.
• For the filling:.
• Put the currants, spice and sugar into a large pan and add enough cold water to JUST cover the fruit.
• Bring to the boil, turn down the heat, and simmer gently for no more than 5 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat. Gradually add the custard paste, stirring until the fruit mixture thickens slightly (it will thicken more when cool).
• Preheat the oven to Gas 3. Grease and line a 30x18cm Swiss roll tin.
• Divide the pastry into half.
• Roll out the pastry and use to line the tin, pressing pastry over the base and the sides. Lightly brush the top edges with water.
• Spoon the fruit mixture into pastry case, spread evenly and pack well.
• Roll out the remaining pastry, slightly larger than the tin. Lay over the filling and pat down.
• Trim away the excess pastry and crimp the edges. Cut 2 slits into the middle of the pie.
• Bake for 50-60 minutes. Sprinkle the top with caster sugar while pastry is still warm.
• Serve hot or cold.

CURRANT SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 2 tablespoons sugar.
• With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in currants. Make a well in center; add buttermilk and egg, and stir just until combined (do not overmix).
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface; knead 5 or 6 times. Pat into an 8-inch disk. With a floured 2 1/4-inch biscuit cutter, cut out rounds. Reroll and cut scraps once.
• Transfer to baking sheet, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Brush rounds with milk; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake until scones are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.