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Cream and milk

I do like some fat and therefore also cream. The recipes in this book call for double cream, a British name for cream with a fat

content of at least 48 percent. In many countries full cream has a fat content of between 33 and 35 percent. Look carefully on

the packaging, choose the fattiest, and stay away from light versions.

The milk used in this book is always whole milk. If you are making cheese, I specify raw milk, which you can buy from

the farm and some markets. It has a very short shelf life because it is not pasteurized. You can also make cheese with sour milk

or milk to which an acid has been added, but you won’t have the exact result needed for these recipes because cheese made with

sour or soured milk is more acidic, while cheese made with raw milk is sweet. If you can’t find raw milk, it’s better to use ricotta in

recipes that ask for curd cheese.

Eggs

I use medium-sized organic eggs for my recipes. Eggs ensure that your cakes increase in volume and also add nutritional value, but

also make your cakes drier. The egg yolk gives your cakes a nice color. For the recipes, assume that one medium egg weighs around

50 g (1¾ oz).

Apricot kernels

In the past, bitter almonds were used instead of almond flavoring. These almonds contain a toxin that can be harmful if you eat

too many of them. Apricot kernels contain the same toxin but to a much lesser extent, making them a good alternative. Bashed

apricot kernels to which rosewater is added give the same marzipan-like odor and taste as bitter almonds. Adhere strictly to the

quantities in this book and do not eat the kernels without incorporating them into the bake. The kernels may not be eaten in any

case like regular nuts. Therefore keep them out of the reach of small children and housemates who are looking for something

to nibble.

Golden syrup and black treacle

Golden syrup and black treacle are two typical English sugar syrups that are by-products from the sugar refinery. Golden syrup

can be replaced by maple syrup or honey, while black treacle can be replaced by molasses, although the latter tastes much harsher

than treacle. You can also use honey for treacle, but then you will miss out on that beautiful dark color.

Candied citrus peel

In England this is simply called candied peel or mixed peel, and it is often a mix of candied lemon and orange peel. For convenience,

I have asked for candied citrus peel in the recipes – just use what you can find, unless it is specified in the recipe what kind of peel

is needed. A good citrus peel is equal to or thicker than ¼ inch. The skin must be sticky and not as tough and dry as candy. In some

recipes I also talk about candied cedro, which is a type of lemon with a very thick skin. This candied skin is usually pale yellowish

green and may be purchased from online sources.

Currants and raisins

Currants and raisins are often soaked for a few hours before use, but this isn’t preferable for all bakes. When it comes to some

cakes, fruit loaves, and buns, it’s better to use currants and raisins that haven’t been soaked. If you add soaked fruit to a bread or

bun dough, it will get damaged during the kneading process, and if you add it before shaping, it might introduce an unnecessary

amount of moisture to the dough, often making it annoyingly sticky. I prefer to work with a wetter dough that compensates for

the fact that the fruit isn’t soaked. I add the fruit before the first rise and it attaches itself perfectly to the structure of the dough.

You should, however, always rinse the fruit to remove any dust, and then pat it dry with paper towels.