Home & Garden

cutting and sticking activity.

any medium.

APPLE SCONES

(8 to be displayed on a plate for judging)

Ingredients:

8oz/200g plain flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 tsp baking powder
2oz/50g margarine
2oz/50g caster sugar
1 medium-sized cooking apple, peeled, cored & grated
4 tablespoons milk

To glaze:
A little milk
1 tablespoon demerara sugar

Method:

Cooking time: 20-25 minutes. Oven: 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6

Sieve together the flour, salt and baking powder. Rub in the margarine. Add the sugar, then the grated apple and add enough milk to give a soft but not sticky dough. Turn the mixture on to a floured surface and knead lightly. Roll out to a 20cm (8in) circle and place on a greased and floured baking sheet. Score the scone into 8 pieces. Brush all over the top with milk and sprinkle with the sugar. Bake in a moderately hot oven for 20-25 minutes or until well risen and golden brown. Display on a plate for judging.

picture using coloured pencils – max A4.

any medium.

1 item – max 20cm x 20cm.

CHEESE TARTLETS

(4 to be displayed on a plate for judging)

Ingredients:

175g plain flour
Pinch of salt
85g butter
2-3 tbsp cold water to mix
2 eggs, beaten
60g grated Cheddar cheese
2 rashers of bacon, chopped into small pieces
150ml milk
Salt & pepper

Method:

Preheat oven 200°C/Gas mark 6. Sieve the flour and salt into the bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour. It should look like breadcrumbs. Sprinkle on the water and stir the mixture with a knife to make it come together. Press the pastry into a ball – the bowl should be clean. On a lightly floured surface slightly flatten the pastry with your hand. Then roll out to form a rough circle about 3mm thick. Grease the bun tin. Cut out the pastry circles and place in the tin. Fry the bacon in a frying pan until crisp. Mix together the eggs, cheese, bacon, milk and seasoning. Spoon the mixture into the pastry cases. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Leave to cool slightly and then place on a wire rack. Display 4 on a plate for judging.

picture using oil pastels.

any medium.

GLUTEN FREE VICTORIA SPONGE

(To be displayed on a plate for judging)

Ingredients:

225g/8oz caster sugar
4 free-range eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
225g/8oz butter, cubed and well-softened, plus extra for greasing
250g/9oz gluten-free white self-raising flour
1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
125g/4½oz Jam (fruit flavour of your choice)
1 tbsp icing sugar, sifted

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/Gas Mark 5.

Butter two 20cm/8in loose-based sandwich tins and line the bases with circles of baking paper.

Beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla until very pale, smooth and thick. It’s best to do this with electric beaters or a food mixer for around 5 minutes: the whisk should leave a thin trail of batter when lifted from the bowl.
Add the butter, flour and baking powder and beat together for 1–2 minutes more until smooth.

Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared tins and smooth the surface. Bake on the same shelf in the centre of the oven for 20–22 minutes, or until well risen, golden-brown and just beginning to shrink back from the sides of the tin.

Remove the tins from the oven and leave to cool for 15 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack. Peel off the baking paper and leave to cool completely.
Place one of the sponges on a plate or cake stand. Stir the jam to loosen and spoon onto the cake. Spread almost all the way to the edges. Sandwich the cakes together and dust with sifted icing sugar.

picture using watercolours – max A3.

any medium - max 35cm diameter.

any medium, digital or other – A3.

VICTORIA SPONGE CAKE

(Makes 1 cake - 20cm in diameter - to be displayed on a plate)

Ingredients:

225g softened butter
225g caster sugar
4 large eggs
225g self-raising flour
2 level teaspoons baking powder

For filling & topping:
4 tablespoons raspberry jam
a little caster sugar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas mark 4. Grease two 20cm sandwich tins, then line the base of each tin with baking parchment.

Measure the butter, sugar, eggs, flour and baking powder into a large bowl and beat until thoroughly blended. Divide the mixture evenly between the tins and level out.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes or until well risen and the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly pressed with a finger. Leave to cool in the tins for a few minutes and then turn out, peel off the parchment and finish cooling on a wire rack.

When completely cold, sandwich the cakes together with the raspberry jam. Sprinkle with caster sugar to decorate.

Display on a plate for judging.

CRUNCHY TOP LEMON CAKE

(Makes 1 cake - 18cm in diameter - to be displayed on a plate)

Ingredients:

100g/4oz soft margarine
175g/6oz caster sugar
2 extra large eggs
175g/6oz self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 tsp milk
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

For the Crunchy top

Juice of 1 lemon
100g/4oz granulated sugar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas mark 4. Grease a 18cm/7" round deep cake tin and line the base with baking paper.

Measure all ingredients for the cake into a bowl and beat well for about 2 minutes until smooth and well blended. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 35-40 minutes or until the cake has shrunk slightly from the sides of the tin and springs back when lightly pressed with a finger.

Whilst the cake is baking, make the crunchy topping. Measure the lemon juice and sugar into a bowl and stir until blended. When the cake comes out of the oven, spread the lemon paste over the top whilst the cake is still hot.

Leave in the tin until cold then turn out and remove the paper.

MANGO CAKE

(Makes 1 cake - to be displayed on a plate)

Ingredients:

½ cup milk or milk alternative
½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 ½ cup self-raising flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
¾ cup mango pulp
1/3 cup melted butter or oil
½ cup caster sugar
1 tbsp lime juice

Method:

Preheat oven to 200°C / Fan 180°C

Line a 2lb loaf tin with parchment/baking paper. Add the vinegar to the milk and mix, set aside for 10/15mins. This will turn into buttermilk. Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cinnamon into a bowl and mix together. Add the mango, butter, sugar and buttermilk to the flour mix and whisk together until combined.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and place in the oven. Bake for 30/35mins or until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool fully.

For the icing:

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add the lime juice, mix until smooth. It should be at a pouring/drizzle-able consistency. You can add more juice or icing sugar if needed. Drizzle over cake as desired.

vegetable to be included in the ingredients - to be displayed with recipe.

MEN ONLY – HONEY & ALMOND CAKE

Ingredients:

150g / 5½oz unsalted butter plus extra for greasing
115g / 4oz light muscovado sugar
175g / 6oz clear honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 eggs beaten
200g / 7oz self-raising flour
25g / ½oz flaked almonds
Warmed honey, to glaze

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas mark 4.

Grease an 8”/20cm deep cake tin and line the base with baking paper.

Place the butter, sugar, honey, and lemon juice in a saucepan and stir over a medium heat, without boiling, until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and quickly beat in the eggs with a wooden spoon. Sift in the flour and stir lightly. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and scatter the flaked almonds over the top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35/40 minutes until risen, firm and golden brown. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for about 15 minutes, then turn out and cool completely on a wire rack. Brush with the warmed honey over the top of the cooled cake to glaze.

Display on a plate for judging.

max size 23cm round flan tin - to be displayed with recipe.

LEEK & POTATO PASTRIES

(Makes 8 – 3 to be displayed on a plate for judging)

Ingredients:

1 leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 potato, peeled and thinly sliced
½oz (15g) butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt & pepper
2oz (50g) mature cheddar cheese, grated
12oz (375g) shortcrust pastry (use own recipe)
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 small sprigs thyme, leaves only

Method:

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 7 (220°C/200°C fan).

Fry the leeks and potatoes in the butter and oil for three minutes. Add 3 tablespoons water, cover and cook for five minutes. Season and stir in the cheese, thyme and mustard. Cool slightly. Roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin. Using a round cutter, cut out 8 x 12cm (5inch) circles. Spoon an eighth of the leek mixture into the centre of each, fold the pastry around the filling into a pastry chape and crimp the edge between your finger and thumb. Brush with the egg and place on a baking tray.

Bake for 20 minutes until golden.

Display 3 for judging.

COTTAGE LOAF

(Makes 1 loaf - to be displayed on a board for judging)

Ingredients:

450g strong white flour
7g sachet of fast-action yeast
40g butter, melted
1 level teaspoon salt
300ml warm water

To Glaze
1 large egg, beaten

Method:

Measure all the ingredients into a bowl or electric mixer and blend until you have a fairly sticky dough. Knead on a floured work surface, adding a little extra flour if needed until you have a fairly sticky, soft dough.

Transfer to a large, oiled bowl, cover tightly with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours or until the dough has doubled in size. Put the dough onto a floured work surface and knock back until smooth. Cut off a quarter of the dough and shape into a round ball. Shape the remaining dough into a large ball and place on a baking tray lined with parchment. Sit the small ball on top of the large ball.

Flour the handle of a wooden spoon and push the handle through the centre of the 2 balls until you hit the baking tray, then remove the handle carefully.

Slide the baking tray into a large plastic bag so the dough and tray are completely covered. Seal the end of the bag completely and leave to prove in a warm place for 35/45 minutes or doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 220°C/Fan 200°C/Gas mark 7.

Brush the loaf with beaten egg and slide into the pre-heated oven for about 20/25 minutes until golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the base.

Leave to cool on a wire rack.

The loaf to be displayed on a board for judging.

with applique and embroidery. The embroidery can be either by hand or free motion machine embroidery; but NOT an embroidery machine.

the finish could be either hand stitched, long-armed or machine quilted. No panels are permitted.

max 40cm x 40cm to include frame if used, kits permitted.

No kits and to be made from re-cycled materials or offcuts - photo evidence of the origin of the textiles to be provided.

on the theme BOTANICAL – any medium max A3.

please advise size on entry form.

please advise size on entry form.

Accessories allowed.

one vase, mixed, not exceeding 12 stems, excluding Chrysanthemums, Gladioli, Roses, Dahlias

(exhibitor who has not won a first prize in the Vegetable Section at the Bucks County Show) - a dish of vegetables selected from one of the following Classes H82-H86 or H88-H103 (one class only).

one of each of six different kinds. Displayed flat on the table, in a 500mm/18" wide space.

collection of four kinds of vegetables (three of each) from the following - potatoes (white or coloured), carrot stump rooted, beetroot globe, tomatoes, onions under 250grm, shallots culinary.

five different kinds, numbers & kinds as per Schedule Backboard allowed 1m / 3ft run of table.