Placek with Figs 2

• My father loved English Fig Rolls so he would have loved this pastry.
• It is based on an English recipe for a pie that was served on Palm Sunday – 2 April in 2023.
• You have to start the fig filling the evening before and then cook it the next morning.
• The filling needs to be completely cold before using.
• I made it using my kruche ciasto – shortcrust pastry.

INGREDIENTS – Pastry

• 250g plain flour
• 125g butter
• 1 egg yolk
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Cold water to mix the dough.
• *
• Egg white to glaze

METHOD – Pastry

• Rub the butter into the flour until you have breadcrumbs.
• Mix in the egg yolk, lemon juice and enough water until you have a soft dough.
• Cover and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS  – FILLING

• 250g dried figs
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons of cornflour
• 1 teaspoon of mixed spice

METHOD – Filling

• Place the figs in a bowl with the lemon juice.
• Pour enough boiling water over the figs to cover them and leave overnight.
• Sieve the figs from the liquid – but keep the liquid.
• Chop the figs into small pieces.
• Take a few tablespoons of the liquid and mix with the cornflour.
• Put the rest of the liquid in a saucepan and add the sugar and spice.
• Heat gently and then add the cornflour paste.
• Carry on heating until the liquid thickens.
• Add the chopped figs and heat gently to reduce the liquid until you have a thick paste.
• Leave to cool – this must be cold when you use it.

METHOD – Placek

• Grease and line a 26 x 16cm tin.
• Pre-heat the oven to GM 6 – 200°C
• Divide the pastry into two.
• Roll out one half and use this to line the base of the tin.
• Spread out the fig paste over the pastry.
• Roll out the rest of the pastry and cover the top of the tin.
• Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg white.
• Bake for 30 – 35 minutes

 

 

• Served on Crown bone china tea plates.

OPTIONS – Not Tested.

• Add 2 tablespoons of icing sugar to the flour when making the pastry dough.
• Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of granulated sugar on top of the egg white glaze.
• Dust with icing sugar when serving.

Baking with Cranberry Mincemeat 2 – Placek

• I have tried several bakes using the cranberry mincemeat.
• Here is the second one.
• You can use any version of shortcrust pastry but the richer ones are the best.
• This one is one my Mama used to make.

INGREDIENTS

• 250g plain flour
• 125g butter
• 1 egg yolk
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Cold water to mix the dough.
• *
• Egg white to glaze
• *
• Cranberry mincemeat

METHOD

• Rub the butter into the flour until you have breadcrumbs.
• Mix in the egg yolk, lemon juice and enough water until you have a soft dough.
• Cover and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• *

• Grease and line a 26 x 16cm tin.
• Pre-heat the oven to GM 6 – 200°C
• Divide the pastry into two.
• Roll out one half and use this to line the base of the tin.
• Spread out the cranberry mincemeat over the pastry.
• Roll out the rest of the pastry and cover the top of the tin.
• Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg white.
• Bake for 30 – 35 minutes.
• Cut into squares when cool.

Royal Doulton – Tapestry tea plate

Pineapple & Coconut Cake

• I came across this recipe ages ago but have only just had a chance to make it.
• The original recipe used a small tin of pineapples, which I have not seen for a while.
• I used part of a larger tin, which meant I had pineapples left to just eat or use in another dish.
• The original recipe was baked in a loaf tin, which would have made it a keks.
• However I think it is best in a flat rectangular tin – so maybe this is a placek!

Ingredients

• 150g plain flour
• 1½ teaspoons of baking powder
• 110g butter
• 75g granulated sugar
• 50g & 1 tablespoon of desiccated coconut
• 2 eggs – beaten
• 120g tinned pineapples – drained and chopped 
• 75g sultanas or raisins
• *
• 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
• 5 tablespoons of pineapple juice

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to GM5 – 190°C.
• Drain the pineapples, reserve the juice.
• Weigh out the 120g of pineapples and chop these up into small pieces.
• Grease and line a 26 x 16cm baking tin.
• Mix together the flour and the baking powder.
• Rub in the butter till the mixture is like breadcrumbs.
• Stir in the sugar and the 50g of coconut.
• Mix in the eggs.
• Mix in the pineapples.
• Mix in the sultanas.
• Put the cake mixture into the tin and smooth the top.
• Scatter the tablespoon of coconut over the top.
• Bake for 25-30minutes.
• *
• Mix the 2 tablespoons of sugar and pineapple juice together.
• *
• Spoon the juice mixture evenly over the top of the cake as soon as you get it out of the oven.
• Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Royal Doulton Carnation tea plate

Yeast Placek with Plums

• After making my late cousin Krystyna’s plum cake, I wanted to make something similar but with a yeast pastry base.
• The yeast pastry is the same as used earlier for my  drożdżówki – sweet yeast buns with rhubarb and with whinberries.

Ingredients 

• 200g & 50g plain flour
• 150 ml warm milk
• 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar
• ½ tablespoon of dried yeast
• *
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• 60g granulated sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• *
• 400g of ripe plums
• 1-2 tablespoons of sugar
• ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• *
• Egg white for brushing
• *
• Icing sugar to dust

Method 

• Mix the milk, yeast, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 50g of plain flour.
• Leave for 20 minutes.
• Put the 200g of plain flour, 60g of sugar, salt, yolks and yeast mixture in a bowl.
• Mix together to form a soft dough.
• Add a little extra milk if this is too dry.
• Knead for 10 minutes – set a timer – till you get a smooth ball.
• Cover and leave for 1½ – 2 hours.
• *
• Line a baking tray with baking paper.
• *
• Cut the plums in half and remove the stone.
• Cut the plums into slices – thinner ones if not so ripe.
• Mix them with the sugar and cinnamon.
• *
• Lightly mix the dough back into a ball.
• Roll out and stretch the dough to fit the baking tray.
• Brush the top with beaten egg white.
• Place the plums and sugar mix on top.
• Cover and leave for 30 minutes.
• *
• Pre-heat the oven  to GM5- 200°C.
• Bake for 20 -25 minutes.
• Leave to cool on a wire rack.
• Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Elizabethan – Carnaby – 1970s

Yeast Placek with Apples

• I had been making several recipes with plums and wanted to make a placek – flat cake – with a plum topping.
• However I ran out of plums whilst making other recipes, so decided to try this with apples instead.
• My Bramley apples are not yet ripe so I used eating apples instead.
• I might have to amended the recipe slightly if using cooking apples. 
• Yesterday I bought some more plums so will try this out next.
• The yeast pastry is the same as used earlier for my  drożdżówki – sweet yeast buns with rhubarb and with whinberries.

Ingredients 

• 200g & 50g plain flour
• 150 ml warm milk
• 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar
• ½ tablespoon of dried yeast
• *
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• 60g granulated sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• *
• 3 or 4 eating apples
• 1-2 tablespoons of sugar
• ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• *
• Icing sugar to dust

Method 

• Mix the milk, yeast, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 50g of plain flour.
• Leave for 20 minutes.
• Put the 200g of plain flour, 60g of sugar, salt, yolks and yeast mixture in a bowl.
• Mix together to form a soft dough.
• Add a little extra milk if this is too dry.
• Knead for 10 minutes – set a timer – till you get a smooth ball.
• Cover and leave for 1½ – 2 hours.
• *
• Line a baking tray with baking paper.
• *
• Peel and core the apples.
• Cut them into thin slices.
• Mix them with the sugar and cinnamon.
• *
• Lightly mix the dough back into a ball.
• Roll out and stretch the dough to fit the baking tray.
• Place the apples and sugar mix on top.
• Cover and leave for 30 minutes.
• *
• Pre-heat the oven  to GM5- 200°C.
• Bake for 20 -25 minutes.
• Leave to cool on a wire rack.
• Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Tea plate Primulette – by Royal Albert from the 1950s

Placek with Prunes – 2

• I have an earlier post –  prune placek, which is quite different from this one.
• This placek – flat cake- has a filling of prunes.
•  The pastry used is a variation on my Polish  kruche ciasto – shortcrust pastry.
• Prunes often feature in Wigilia – Christmas Eve dishes.
• A prune filling like this is used in a tart baked in Belgium and eaten on Ash Wednesday. (17 February in 2021)

Ingredients – Pastry

• 225g plain flour
• 110g butter
• 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 5 tablespoons of water
• *
• 1 tablespoon of caster sugar to sprinkle

Ingredients – Filling

• 300g of prunes – stoned
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
• 1 lemon – grated rind and juice

Method – Filling

This filling needs to be cold – so make this first.

• Put the prune, cinnamon stick and rosemary in a large bowl.
• Cover these with boiling water.
• Leave overnight.
• *
• Remove the cinnamon stick and rosemary.
• Put the prunes and liquid  into a  pan.
• Add the lemon rind and juice.
• Heat gently  and stir occasionally until the prunes are soft and the water is adsorbed.
• Use a stick blender to turn the prunes into a pulp.
• You might have to heat gently again to make sure the pulp is thick.
• Leave to go completely cold.

Method – Pastry

• A rich pastry is made in the traditional rubbed in method with the ingredients listed above.
• Chill the pastry for around 30 minutes.
• *
• Pre-heat the oven to GM 5 – 190°C.
• Grease and line a shallow tray 21cm x 26cm.
• Divide the pastry into two.
• Roll out one piece to line the bottom of the tin.
• Spread the filling evenly over the pastry – not quite to the edges.
• Roll the second piece of pastry out and use to cover the filling.
• Press the edges down to seal.
• Make some diagonal slashes across the top.
• Bake for around 30 minutes until golden.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the caster sugar.
• Leave to cool in the tin.
• Cut into squares when cold.

Royal Doulton – Counterpoint tea plates – 1973-1987

Mincemeat – Squares

• Fruit mincemeat pies I think of these as very British – but we all love them and they have become part of our Christmas Day and New Year celebrations.
• I use my mother’s recipe for the pastry  –  kruche ciasto – shortcrust pastry.
• I like the size and proportions of little mince pies, which seem to just jump of the plate into my hand!
• However they are time consuming to make so I have come up with this easier version, which I make after the holidays.
• Poles would say the mincemeat is a version of bakalie and this recipe is a placek – flat cake.

Mincemeat

I always make my own mincemeat using the recipe in Delia Smith’s Christmas cookery book but without the chopped almonds (I do not like the crunch of the nuts).

 

When using the mincemeat I add a little extra brandy or sherry and stir it in.

Ingredients – Pastry

• 225g plain flour
• 110g butter
• 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 5 tablespoons of water
• *
• 1 tablespoon of caster sugar to sprinkle

Method – Pastry

• Rub the butter into the flour to make “breadcrumbs”.
• Mix in the granulated sugar.
• First with a knife and then with your fingertips mix in the yolks and  some of the water – until it comes together.
• You are aiming to get a dough which is not wet.
• Chill the pastry for around 30 minutes.
• Pre-heat the oven to GM 5 – 190°C.
• Grease and line a shallow tray 21cm x 26cm.
• Divide the pastry into two.
• Roll out one piece to line the bottom of the tin.
• Spread the mincemeat evenly over the pastry – not quite to the edges.
• Roll the second piece of pastry out and use to cover the filling.
• Press the edges down to seal.
• Bake for around 30 minutes until golden.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the caster sugar.
• Leave to cool in the tin.
• Cut into squares when cold.

Tea plates by Queen Anne – unknown pattern name

 

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Placek with Figs

• This placek – flat cake- has a filling of bakalie – dried fruit and nuts – there are lots of figs in this mixture, which make it extra delicious.
•  The pastry used is a variation on my Polish  kruche ciasto – shortcrust pastry.

Ingredients – Pastry

• 225g plain flour
• 110g butter
• 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 5 tablespoons of water
• *
• 1 tablespoon of caster sugar to sprinkle

Ingredients – Filling

• 190g dried figs – chopped
• 60g currants
• 60g raisins
• 60g walnuts – chopped
• 60g soft dark brown sugar
• Grated rind of 1 lemon
• 125ml water

Method – Filling

This filling needs to be cold – so make this first.

• Put all the ingredients into a small pan and heat gently.
• Stir occasionally until the mixture is soft and the water is adsorbed.
• A little more water might be needed and more heating.

Method – Pastry

• A rich pastry is made in the traditional rubbed in method with the ingredients listed above.
• Chill the pastry for around 30 minutes.
• Pre-heat the oven to GM 5 – 190°C.
• Grease and line a shallow tray 21cm x 26cm.
• Divide the pastry into two.
• Roll out one piece to line the bottom of the tin.
• Spread the filling evenly over the pastry – not quite to the edges.
• Roll the second piece of pastry out and use to cover the filling.
• Press the edges down to seal.
• Bake for around 30 minutes until golden.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the caster sugar.
• Leave to cool in the tin.
• Cut into squares when cold.

Hand painted Paragon plates.

Friends who tried this said “Please make this again!”

Placek with Gooseberries

Ribes uva cripa – agrest in Polish – gooseberries are related to black and red currants.

Gooseberries are the first soft fruits of the summer.  They grow well in cooler climates. These gooseberries were picked the evening before this placek was made.

This placek – flat-cake has the lovely contrast of the sweet cake against the tart fruit.

Ingredients

• 400-450g of gooseberries
• 250g butter
• 200g icing sugar
• 3 eggs
• 360g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1-2 tablespoons of yoghurt
• *
• Icing sugar to dust

Method

• Pre-heat oven to GM4 – 180°C.
• Grease and use one sheet of greaseproof to line two sides and base of a 32 x 22cm baking tin.
• Top and tail the gooseberries.
• Cream the butter and sugar
• Add the eggs one by one and continue creaming.
• Mix the flour with the baking powder.
• Gently mix in the flour.
• Add yoghurt to make a soft dough.
• Lightly press the dough into the baking tin.
• Scatter the gooseberries on top.
• Bake for 45 – 50 minutes.
• Leave to cool on a wire cake rack.
• Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Grape Meringue Placek

This cake is a cross between my grape meringue cake and placek(flat cake) with rhubarb and meringue. 

There are two parts to this cake

• Short pastry base – baked and cooled
• Grapes* & Meringue topping.

Short pastry base

The base of this is made made from the recipe for  Ciasto kruche 1 – using raw egg yolks found in a previous post  – Pastry – ciasto kruche & półkruche.  

However as the topping is sweet, I used less sugar in the pastry – you might be able to omit all the sugar – I have not tried this.

Ingredients – Base

• 300g plain flour
• 200g butter – chilled
• 50g icing sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• pinch of salt

Method – Base

• Add a pinch of salt to the flour.
• Use a knife to cut the chilled butter into small pieces into the flour and then use your fingers to make the mixture like breadcrumbs.
• Add the icing sugar and mix this together.
• Add the yolks and gently mix them in
• Bring it all together into a dough – try and handle the pastry as little as possible.
• Form the dough into a rough rectangle.
• Wrap the dough in grease proof paper and chill it in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to GM 6 – 200°C.
• Grease and line a 33 x 23 cm baking tin – use one long piece for sides and base – helps to take it out. 
• Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough a little
• Press the dough into the tin – filling it up all the sides.
• Prick the surface with a fork.
• Bake for 20 – 25 minutes till golden.
• Leave to cool.

Ingredients – Meringue

• 4 egg whites
• 200g granulated sugar
• 2 sponge fingers  – crushed
• *
• 300g seedless green grapes

Method – Meringue

• Preheat the oven to GM 2 -150°C.
• Place the whites into a grease free bowl.
• Whisk till stiff.
• Add granulated sugar and whisk again till stiff.
• Fold in the crushed sponge fingers.
• *
• Place 1/3 of the meringue over the cake base.
• Place the grapes over the meringue.
• Cover the grapes with the rest of the meringue
• Put into the oven for 50 – 60 minutes.
• Leave to cool completely in the tin.
• Cut the cake into squares when cool to serve.

Served here on  Royal Doulton – Sonnet  1971-1998

* Note – I tried this with red grapes and found that the skins were too thick and the cake did not come out well – you need thin skinned small seedless green grapes