And there's nothing to beat the taste and aroma of homemade bread being baked. This month I'm writing about bread, the starchy staple in our daily diet, which is not merely a filler, but can be made into many different varieties and flavours.

Today one can buy ready-mix breads where water is added, and after kneading it is ready for baking. I recently tried Wright's Naan Bread Mix with Garlic and Coriander, which can be bought at most grocers and supermarkets, with instructions that are simple and easy to follow. A well baked loaf has a good colour, shrinks from the sides, and is loose in the tin, making a hollow sound when tapped on the base and turned out.

It's always useful to have a cake available for tea, so I've also included a cake and a recipe for very light scones.

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Download - November 2007 Recipes (146k)

White Soda Bread

Soda bread is one of the easiest of breads to make. Don't despair if your dough is uneven and craggy, it will add character and interest to the loaf.

Ingredients: 450g plain white flour. 25g butter or margarine. 1 heaped teaspoon salt. 200ml buttermilk. 1 heaped teaspoon bicarbonate of soda. Method: Rub the butter or margarine into the flour. Add the salt and bicarbonate of soda. Mix well together by running the dry ingredients through your fingers. Add the buttermilk and stir into a soft dough. Then knead lightly into a ball and turn out on to a lightly floured baking-sheet. Flatten the dough into a circle about 1½ inches thick, make a cross in the centre with a floured knife. You will get a lighter result if you don't handle the dough too much. Bake in preheated oven at 220C, 425F, Gas Mk 7 for 30-35 minutes until the loaf is risen and golden brown. Wrap the loaf in a clean cloth when you take it out of the oven. Eat warm, spread with butter and homemade jam – delicious!

Basic White Bread

Makes 1 x 900g (2lb) loaf or 2 x 450g (1lb) loaves

Ingredients: 700g strong white plain flour. 1 tsp salt. 15g lard. 1 sachet easy blend dried yeast. 425ml (15floz) hand hot water. Beaten egg or milk to glaze. Method: Sift flour and salt into a bowl. Rub in lard. Stir in the dried yeast then add the water. Mix ingredients together to form a dough. Turn the mixture on to a floured surface and knead together for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled plastic bag and leave in a warm place until doubled in size. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead again. Leave whole if making 1 loaf or cut in half if making 2 smaller loaves. Shape and place in a greased loaf tin or tins. Cover and leave to prove in a warm place until well risen. Glaze bread with beaten egg or milk and bake in preheated oven 240C, 475F, Gas Mk 9 until loaf is risen, well browned and shrinking slightly from sides of the tin. Loaf should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Malted Fruit Loaf

Stored in an airtight tin this loaf will keep for several days.

Ingredients: 225g self-raising flour. 110g mixed dried fruit. 50g caster sugar. 50g malted milk crystals (Bournvita type). 2 tbsp warmed golden syrup. 150ml milk and water. Method: Sieve flour into a large mixing bowl, then add the sugar, crystals and dried fruit. Mix all together and add the warmed syrup and enough milk and water to form a soft dropping consistency. Pour into a 450g greased and lined loaf tin and bake in preheated oven 180C, 350F, Gas Mk 4 for about 1 hour, when the top of the loaf should be firm to the touch. To serve, cut into slices and spread with butter.

Apricot Wholemeal Cake

A wholesome standby cake, good for lunch boxes – freezes well.

Ingredients: 350g dried chopped apricots. 110g butter. 110g soft brown sugar. 1 tablespoon honey.300ml water. 1 tsp ground cinnamon and nutmeg. 2 eggs lightly beaten. 250g self-raising wholemeal flour. 2 tsp baking powder. Method: Melt the first six ingredients in a saucepan gently. Pour into a mixing bowl and add flour and baking powder. Mix well, cool slightly, and add lightly beaten eggs. Mix well again. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and bake on the middle shelf of preheated oven 190C, 375F, Gas Mk 5 for 45-50 minutes. Test with a skewer to make sure cake is cooked enough. Cool in tin.

My Very Light Scones

I have been using this recipe for more years than I care to remember, and it still produces feather-light scones each time. You can, if you wish, omit the sugar and fruit and, when cooked, spread with cream and jam.

Ingredients: 225g plain flour. 1 dessertspoon baking powder. ½ tsp salt. 50g butter. 25g caster sugar. 25g sultanas. 10g candied lemon peel. Milk to mix. Method: Sieve flour, baking powder and salt, and rub in the butter. Add sugar, sultanas and peel, and mix altogether with milk to form a soft dough. Knead lightly and turn out onto a floured surface, and roll or pat out to about 2.5cm (1 inch) thick. Then cut into rounds with a 5cm (2 inch) cutter. Brush with beaten egg or milk and bake in preheated oven 230C, 450F. Gas Mk 8 for about 15 minutes.

Next month sees us preparing for Christmas, with a quick Christmas Pudding, special mince pies and a fruity, easy Christmas Cake for you to make.

You can find more of Evelyn's recipes in her monthly column in the Long Melford and Lavenham Diary available at many good village outlets.