Getaway Bay Cozy Mysteries Box Set 1

by Grace York

  INGREDIENTS

  3 cups self-raising flour

  1 teaspoon caster sugar

  Pinch of salt

  50g (2 ounces) butter, chilled and chopped

  1 1/4 cups milk

  Extra milk to glaze

  Jam and cream to serve

  METHOD

  Step 1

  Preheat your oven to 230oC (450oF). Sift the flour, sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Add the butter and use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture.

  Step 2

  Pour the milk into the well and stir until a soft but sticky dough forms (add more milk if necessary).

  Step 3

  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; gently knead until the dough just comes together. Use your fingertips to gently pat the dough into a 2cm thick disc.

  Step 4

  Lightly dust an oven tray with flour. Use a 5cm diameter pastry cutter dipped in flour to cut out the scones (or the rim of a glass works well too). Arrange the scones on the tray. Gently brush the top of each scone with a little extra milk to glaze.

  Step 5

  Bake scones on the top shelf of the oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and scones sound hollow when gently tapped. Turn the scones out onto a clean tea-towel and cover lightly with another tea-towel. Serve warm or at room temperature with jam and cream. Yum!

  VEGAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

  INGREDIENTS

  375g (13 ounces) dark cooking chocolate (check to make sure vegan)

  2x400ml cans (27 fluid ounces) coconut milk

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  2 1/2 cups self-raising flour

  2 teaspoons baking powder

  1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

  2 tablespoons cocoa powder

  375g (13 ounces) strawberries, hulled, halved

  METHOD

  Step 1

  Preheat your oven to 200oC (400oF) and grease a 6cm deep, 20cm round cake pan. Line the base and side with baking paper.

  Step 2

  Place 150g (5 ounces) of the chocolate, 2 1/2 cups of the coconut milk, and the vanilla in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high, stirring every 30 seconds, until the mixture is smooth.

  Step 3

  Sift flour, baking powder, sugar, and cocoa into a large mixing bowl. Make a well. Add chocolate mixture. Whisk to combine and pour into prepared pan.

  Step 4

  Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Stand in the pan for ten minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.

  Step 5

  Place remaining chocolate and coconut milk in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high, stirring every 30 seconds, until mixture is smooth. Stand for two hours to thicken slightly.

  Step 6

  Cut cake in half horizontally. Spread 1/2 the icing over the bottom half of the cake. Top with the remaining half. Spread remaining icing over the top of the cake. Decorate with strawberries.

  WARM PEACH AND ALMOND DESSERT CAKE

  INGREDIENTS

  400g (1 pound) tin peach slices

  150g (5.2 ounces) butter, softened

  3/4 cup caster sugar

  3 eggs

  1 1/2 cups almond meal

  1 cup plain flour

  3/4 cup thick vanilla custard

  3/4 cup frozen raspberries

  1/3 cup flaked almonds

  Icing sugar, to dust

  METHOD

  Step 1

  Preheat oven to 180oC (350oF). Grease a 3cm deep slice pan. Drain peaches and dry with paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible.

  Step 2

  Beat butter and sugar together (preferably with an electric mixer) until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Stir in almond meal, flour, and custard.

  Step 3

  Pour mixture into greased pan. Spread peaches, raspberries, and flaked almonds on top. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden and firm to touch. Cool in the pan for ten minutes, then serve dusted with icing sugar.

  LEMON BUTTER

  INGREDIENTS

  1 cup sugar

  2 tablespoons butter

  2 eggs

  1/2 cup lemon juice

  METHOD

  Step 1

  Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat steadily, stirring, until it thickens. Allow to cool slightly.

  Step 2

  Pour into sterilised jars and refrigerate.

  NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

  That's all for cookbook number one.

  If you have any recipes you'd like to see included in a Getaway Bay Cozy Mystery (and subsequent cookbook), please email them to:

  grace@graceyorkauthor.com

  Be sure to include a photo of the finished product, your written permission for the recipe to be used, and the full name you'd like to be credited.

  I can't guarantee all recipes received will be used, but I'll do my best!

  Happy reading,

  G xx