good old fashioned pancakes and coconut loaf!

There are still many delicious recipes for us to post here so I better crack on. Its snowing quite heavily outside and it made me think of Jane's Mum's yummy coconut loaf and all the desiccated coconut that went into it to make it so! Jane was the hostess with the mostess for our inaugural get together so she decided to impress with two recipes! Jane says her Mum has a battered little book full of old fashioned baking recipes handed down through the females in her family and she trawled through it for inspiration. Jane makes really good comfort food anyway so it was no surprise that her coconut loaf was simple, tasty and just the way it should be! She also made some pancakes but I'll get to those in a minute. It was utterly unbelievable that we all had the propensity to consume any more cake but we were all up for it! Jane lovingly sliced her loaf and brought it through to more oohs and aahs! It was quite amusing really - the universal language of food! We scoffed half of that load in a blink of an eye! Jane told us the basic recipe and method and although there was quite a lot of sugar in the recipe it didn't taste too sweet at all. I'd also imagined that the desiccated coconut dries things out but it was moist and lovely and I wanted more! I also knew that the hungry masses back at home would go crazeeee for some of this - as well as everything else!  So, here's a little pic to tantalise your taste buds and the recipe will follow!


Jane's Mum's coconut loaf

• 1 cup of self raising flour
• 1 cup of des coconut
• 1 cup castor sugar
• 1 egg made up to same cup with milk, slightly beaten

Mix all the dry ingredients together.  Add egg and milk mixture and beat in well.  Pour into well greased and lined 2lb loaf tin for approx 45 min.  Oven temp 150 - 160 deg cent.  Think I had my fan assisted oven at 150.  You can use a skewer to test if ready - prod in middle - if comes out clean then it's ready, if comes out sticky bake a little longer.

Next came Jane's Gran's pancakes. I defy anyone not to be tempted by a little round patty of batter smothered in butter! Its the most simple of recipes but probably the one that everyone, without exception loves! I doubt, however that we make them as often as we should. I'm just thinking what a great after school snack this would be...especially on a cold day like today. So, this recipe was handed down from Gran to Jane's Mum to Jane and now to all of us! All the other cakes looked so naughty that we only had small bites but nobody asked for just half a pancake! They just looked to innocently delicious lying on the plate that we just shrugged our shoulders and dug in! The only thing missing for me was a cuppa! Pancakes need a cup of tea! Anyway, they were really nice and I'm sure even nicer hot and straight from the oven! The picture here shows how lovely and golden they were. I'm sure there are other titles for them such as Scotch pancakes or drop scones but these will always just be Jane's Gran's pancakes!!! Here's the recipe...


Jane's Gran's pancakes

• 6oz self raising flour
• 2oz caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of milk
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt

Sift flour, sugar and salt together.  Beat egg lightly with milk.  Gradually add to the flour mixture and beat well.  Bake on a hot girdle or frying pan.

Tip - dollop a spoonful of pancake mix into the pan, look out for bubbles forming on top - then it should be ready to flip over.  Keep made panckes warm by wrapping up in a tea towel then smother in butter and golden syrup.

I will check with Jane what size of cup she uses here. With the loaf recipe it doesn't matter as long as you use the same cup for all the ingredients but I wonder if this is a teacup or maybe a proper cup measure. Jane has a few nifty little measuring gadgets! 

I know that I am going to make pancakes this avo...if they are half as good as these I'll be delighted! 

Love hot, sweet and yummy xxx