The English Teacake

The teacake in England is more like a bun and less of a cake. It is a light yeast based bun with dry fruits.  Flat and circular.  And the recipe of Paul Hollywood has dry fruit, mixed peel and cinnamon powder giving it an amazing flavour.  Most times, the teacake is split, toasted and buttered generously. This was better than the store bought teacake.  Just out of the oven, it tasted great !  And they say it tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients: - I got 10 medium sized teacakes

All purpose flour - 350 g ( the recipe called for strong white bread flour)
Salt - 7 g
Caster sugar - 42 g
Cinnamon powder - 3/4 tsp
Instant yeast - 7 g
Unsalted butter, softened - 35 g
Water - 210 ml
Vegetable oil for kneading
Sultanas - 70 g
Mixed peel - 70 g ( I used a little less)
Egg - 1 beaten for glaze

Take a large mixing bowl, place the flour in it.
Add the salt, sugar and cinnamon to one side of the bowl and yeast to the other.
Add the butter and three quarters of the water.  Turn the mixture with your fingers
Continue to add all water ( if required a little more - I didn't need to ) - the dough should be soft but not soggy.
Use the  mixture to clean the inside of the bowl and keep gathering the mixture till it forms a rough dough.

Coat a work surface with little vegetable oil, tip the dough onto it and knead for 5-10 minutes till the dough forms a soft, smooth skin. Then put it into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise until doubled in size for at least an hour or more.

Prepare two baking trays with parchment

Once the dough has doubled, tip the sultanas and mixed peel on top of the risen dough and work them into it.
After a minute, put the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the fruit is thoroughly mixed in.

Divide the dough into equal pieces.  Shape each into a ball and use a rolling pin or fingers to flatten it to a round bun about a cm thick.  Space them apart on the prepared trays.  Put each tray into a clean plastic bag and leave to rise for about an hour or once again till they double in size.

Meanwhile heat the oven to 200C.
Bake the teacakes for 10-15 cms till risen and golden.  Cool on a wire rack.