White Tea, Spelt Cinnamon Apple Cake, Lincoln, and Wilderness Dreams

 

Thank goodness for tea. I must have drunk a gallon of green with star anise over the last few days. I've got a summer cold with swollen glands, sore throat and can't stop sneezing. We ran out of it  and I found some white tea hiding in the cupboard that I'd completely forgotten about. Lots of free samples sent to me ages ago from this website. I'm totally hooked now. It tastes even better than green. It's organic, and the leaves are enormous like big old pieces of rosemary...so no wonder it tastes good. 

It's been typical Wimbledon/Music Festival weather, rainy one moment sunny the next. H survived Download. Muddy boots in the kitchen and sleeping bag on the washing line ready for the next one. Shambala I think. Less rock  hippie...more flower power. I really, really want to go to the Wilderness Festival this year...

But at the moment, I haven't wanted to stray too far from home. We've been watching lots of films. The sofa beckoning when I'm not working. Loved this with all those grey and blue scenes and S.A.F's nightie. And watched this and this again... I needed to redress the male/female film choice balance a bit. Recent gatherings over the last few months have been male heavy, and so has the film choices. I am all for a good western but sometimes thanks to Quentin, there's just a bit too much blood and gore for me. 

I'm baking this bread again every week.It gets eaten much too quickly. This time with whole cloves of garlic roasted on top. And now that I've discovered my favourite apple cake recipe tastes even better with spelt flour, made this again:-

To make a Moist Spelt Cinnamon Apple Cake you will need:

• 5oz of spelt flour, I use Dove Farm organic spelt flour.
• 2 beaten eggs
• 4oz of butter or non dairy alternative
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon water or fruit juice to mix. 

I added a teaspoon of cinnamon and a little vanilla extract, this would work with lots of different spices even a little ground or freshly grated ginger. 

For the topping:

• 2 large cooking apples or four or so small windfalls in autumn
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• More cinnamon
  

Method:

1. To make the sponge cream the butter and sugar together.
2. Beat in the eggs gradually.
3. Sift in all the dry ingredients and then fold in. Add the water or fruit juice and vanilla extract and mix.
4. Pour into a greased oven proof dish.
5. Peel and slice the apples and place on top of the batter in overlapping rows or circles.
6. Mix the sugar and cinnamon for the topping and sprinkle over the apples.
7. Bake in a moderate oven 375-400F/190-200c/gas mark 4-5 for 20 to 30 minutes.
8. Test that the mixture is cooked by inserting a skewer into the cake. If it comes out clean the cake is cooked.
9. Leave in the tin to cool for a few minutes and then remove and put onto a cooling rack.

This is lovely made with pears too. 

...and now I'm dreaming about the wilderness festival and thinking that white tea would make perfect iced tea...