Baking virgin

What's vanilla sugar? I was going to be a wonderful cook when I had my new kitchen. That was twenty years ago; my kitchen is really dated now and I still can't cook . Maybe I need a new kitchen!

Petra Did you buy a pot of vanilla sugar? Go with 15g if so. Otherwise use 15g caster sugar with a small teaspoon of vanilla essence. (With a fruit loaf the quantity is really not going to be critical though).
For the future, put a vanilla pod, used or new, in a big jar of caster sugar and it will take on the flavour for you to avoid having to buy vanilla sugar again. Please can we have a taste when your fruit loaf is done?

I think you can make your own but putting a vanilla pod in a jar of sugar but couldn't be bothered!

Just googled it - 2 teaspoons.

Good luck

Is it a yeast fruit loaf? If so, the sugar makes the yeast work

Icyalittle. Yes, I did buy a pot, and it wasn't cheap. I will do the pod in a jar thing in future.
Rosequatz. YEAST!! Give me a break. LOL. I've just discovered flour.
The family had a great laugh with my first attempt. I ruined 3 eggs, trying to separate them the clever way, with your hands. Not doing that again.
I realised why I have kept away from this pass time. IT'S SO MESSY. And you have to use so many things that then have to be washed up!!!

Wonderful at last I have found someone who admits to being a baking Virgin and so am I.

I too have got inspired by Mary B however I do some very simple recipes. I decide what I want to cook e,g, coffee sponge cake, go onto the Internet and type in any of these words easy, basic,quick etc and then the cake name and then I choose the easiest recipe or the one with the fewest ingredients.

The other day my DH walked into the kitchen and said 'I'm sorry I must be in the wrong house I can smell cooking' - cheeky devil.

I find the vanilla paste available in small jars from W******e. A little goes a long way.

yes, I have seen it in Tesco as well. Just thought you may have been using yeast with the very small amount of sugar .......!

petratry making scones, use the bero recipe and you will be a hit with the family.

I will try that, I have done loads of baking but can't make scones!

That's the one I get, anno Those big jars in Lakeland and Tesco are too much for my needs.

The aforementioned cake is now in the oven. Now, did I read this: the top is going very brown and it has 20 mins to go, put tin foil on top to stop it going any browner. It is still very moist in the middle.

I have never baked anything in my life- I would have to eat it, not a good idea.

That's the trouble charleygirl, that's probably why all these diet schemes do so well!

Petra. I'm sure you're on the road to a successful and a lovely pass time. If you want a quick and easy cookie recipe, google Millie's Cookies recipe. Its the BBC one. Comes out great every time and when you're more confident you can adapt the flavours. Happy Baking. x

Delia Smith's recipes are known for being foolproof. I would, however, recommend getting an oven thermometer if you are going to do a lot of baking. You may need to adjust your oven, mine is hotter than it should be, and getting the temperature correct is essential