WEST COUNTRY TRADITIONAL EASTER BISCUITS

Easter Biscuits are traditionally made to be eaten on Easter Sunday.  The West Country recipe often has the addition of a few drops of Essence of Cassia.  This is available at most Health Stores but, if preferred, mixed spice or cinnamon can be used instead. I believe the use of Cassia originated in the Bristol - Bath area and spread to the west country counties.

Ingredients

275 g/ Plain flour

200 g softened butter

150 g caster sugar

50 g currants

2 egg yolks

6 drops Cassia oil

Method

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and soft. Beat in the egg yolks and add the drops of Cassia oil.

Mix in the flour and currants until everything is well combined and comes together in a ball.

Roll out on a lightly floured work top until it is about 1/2 cm thick.

Use a biscuit cutter to cut out the biscuits and place on a baking tray covered with a sheet of baking paper.

Cook in a moderate oven for 10-15 minutes until the biscuits are a light golden colour. 

Leave on the tray for a few minutes to cool and set.
Transfer them to a cooling rack to cool and crispen.
Dust lightly with caster sugar.

Delicious served with a cup of tea

Happy Easter

A variation:

Use 1/4 teaspoon mixed spice or cinnamon instead of the Cassia oil.
Use fancy Easter cutters to make different shapes, e.g. rabbits, chicks, easter eggs etc.
If you have children/grandchildren you can encourage them to decorate the biscuits with ready made icing. Messy but great fun!

COLLEGIATE PUDDING

I am a great believer in "Waste not, want not".  Here is a good recipe to use up bread.  You will need to make it into breadcrumbs.  This is easy these days with a food processor.  Just pop in chunks of bread and whizz for a couple of minutes and you have perfect bread crumbs.

Ingredients

100g/4 oz breadcrumbs
50g/2 oz currants
50g/2 oz sultanas
50g/2 oz sugar
100g/4 oz shredded suet
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
Level teaspoon mixed spice
and some freshly grated nutmeg



Make the breadcrumbs and mix in all the ingredients until combined. 

Place in a greased pudding basin and press down gently.

Cover with a piece of baking parchment or greaseproof paper with a folded pleat in the middle to allow for the mixture to swell. Cover with foil and twist around the rim or tie, if preferred.

Place in a steamer or in a saucepan of simmering water coming halfway up the sides of the basin.

Steam for one and a half hours.

If using a saucepan, keep an eye on the water level, do not let it boil dry.

When cooked, remove the paper and foil and turn out onto a plate.

Serve with custard or a white sauce.
I made a sweet white sauce with a good dash of sherry.

Delicious. Enjoy!

CHEESE SCONES

Friends popped around for a coffee so I made a few cheese scones to go with it. This is a quick and easy recipe and the scones are light and delicious. They also keep well if you don't eat them all on the day they are made.

Ingredients

225g/8oz Self raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon each of mustard powder and cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

25g/1oz diced butter

50g/2oz mature cheddar cheese or hard goat cheese

150ml/1/4 pint semi-skimmed milk

Extra milk to glaze

Rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Stir in the grated cheese.

Beat the egg with the milk and add to the dry ingredients.

Mix to a soft dough and turn onto a lightly floured work surface.

Pat out to about 2.5cm/1inch thick and cut out discs with a cutter.

Place on a baking sheet and brush the tops with milk.

Cook in the centre of a pre-heated oven 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6 for ten to twelve minutes until risen and golden.

Cool on a wire rack.

Serve split in two with butter.

Alternative:

Add chopped black olives to the mixture.

Cut into very small scones to make canapes.

Spread each half with creme fraiche and ribbons of smoked salmon.

Garnish with a small sprig of parsley.

They look great and taste delicious!

VICTORIA PLUM CRUMBLE

Last autumn I  froze several bags of Victoria plums. Today I took out a bag to make a plum and cinnamon crumble.

Ingredients:

Plums - equivalent to one punnet

4 oz/100g S R Flour

3oz/ 75 g Butter

3 oz/75g Sugar

Oats/Crunchy oat cereal

Level teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method

Lightly poach the frozen plums in a light syrup (granulated sugar and water).

To make the crumble topping:

Whizz together the flour, butter, sugar and cinnamon in a food processor (or do it by hand rubbing the butter into the flour until is resembles breadcrumbs, then stir in the other ingredients).

Use a slotted spoon to remove the plums from the syrup and place in an ovenproof dish.

Spread the crumble topping over the plums.

Sprinkle some oats, museli or crunchy oat cereal on the top to make a crunchy topping.

Bake in a moderate oven for about 40 minutes.

Serve with custard or cream.

Delicious!

CHRISTMAS CAKE - GOLDEN JEWELLED CAKE SLICE

I have just downloaded some photos and here is a slice of my Golden Jewelled Christmas Cake.

A delicious recipe full of fruit and nuts. It certainly made a change from the usual dark, rich Christmas cake recipe. Lovely with a nice cup of tea or a glass of sherry!

SEVILLE ORANGE MARMALADE

When once Christmas is behind us I always look forward to the second week in January when the new season Seville oranges appear in the shops. Well, this year I have had great difficulty in tracking them down and had to go to a neighbouring town to find some in a traditional greengrocers.  The best and tastiest marmalade needs Seville oranges to provide that bitter sweet taste. I always make a couple of batches to ensure that we have enough to last the year, with a few pots to give to family and friends.

Ingredients:

2 lb/ Seville Oranges

1 lemon

4 lb Granulated Sugar

4 pints water

Method:

Scrub the fruits to ensure they are really clean and remove the little stalk at the top

Cut them in half, horizontally, and squeeze out the juice and pips

Place a strainer over a bowl and pour the juice and pips into this.

Measure the water into a large preserving pan, stock pot or saucepan.

Add the strained juice.

Cut the peel into quarters and shred - finely or chunky - the choice is yours.

Add the shredded peel to the pan and leave overnight to soften.

The next day, place the pips in a piece of muslin or gauze and tie to the pan handle so the bag of pips just hangs in the pan.  This will release the pectin which aids setting. Bring the pan to a simmering point and simmer for 1-3 hours until the peel is really soft.

Take the pan off the heat.

Remove the bag of pips and squeeze out the gooey pectin using a saucer and a spoon.

Measure the sugar and add to the pan, stirring until dissolved.

Bring the pan back to the boil on a high heat and allow to bubble quickly until a set is obtained - about 20 minutes

Spoon a little onto a chilled saucer and place by the open window, it will wrinkle if a set is obtained.

Heat the clean jars in a low oven and pot the marmalade when cool enough to handle.

Cover with waxed discs and cellophane tops, cling film or lids.

Label and date.

Store in a cool dry place.

Enjoy with delicious home made bread, toast etc.  A real breakfast treat.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

This is a traditional recipe for Christmas time. Scottish shortbread is made in one piece in a tin and cut into wedges after baking.

Ingredients

175 g butter
75 g caster sugar
175 g plain flour
75 g ground rice or fine semolina
Caster sugar for dusting

Method

Soften the butter and beat in the sugar followed by the flour and ground rice or semolina.
Keep working the ingredients together until they bind together.
Roll out into a circle
Place in a sandwich tin and crimp the edges
Prick all over with a fork
Mark out wedges
Cook in a moderate oven until lightly browned
When cooked, mark the surface again into wedges and when cool remove from the tin
They will crispen as they cool
Dust with caster sugar

Store in an airtight container

CHRISTMAS COOKIES

I am a bit behind with my blog.  Here is the recipe for my Christmas Cookies.

Ingredients

110g softened butter
50 g caster sugar
175 g plain flour
Few drops vanilla essence
Exra caster sugar to dust

Method

Cream the butter and beat in the sugar until light
Beat in the vanilla essence
Beat in the flour
Bring the mixture together to form a ball
Place on a worktop dusted with caster sugar
Roll lightly until about 3mm thick
Use fancy cutters to cut the biscuits
Place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment
Use the trimmings to make more biscuits
Bake in a moderate oven for about 30 minutes

Cool on a wire rack then dust with caster sugar.


Enjoy!

Store in an airtight container

BRAISED BRISKET OF BEEF - POT ROAST

Here is some real comfort food for a cold winter's day - Casserole of Braised Brisket of Beef.

You will need a rolled brisket of beef and a selection of root vegetables. I use onion, leek, carrot, parsnip, celery and swede and a couple of cloves of garlic.
Vegetable or beef stock.
Thyme and bay leaves.

Prepare the root vegetables and cut into fairly large chunks.

Place in the base of the casserole and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Lay the joint of brisket on top of the vegetables.

Add more seasoning, a sprig of fresh thyme and a couple of bay leaves.

Pour some hot stock into the casserole nearly to the top of the vegetables.
Bring to simmering point on the hob.

Cover with a sheet of foil and then the casserole lid.

Place in a moderate oven and cook for three hours until the meat is meltingly tender.

To Serve

Remove the meat and slice thickly.

The vegetables can be served with the meat and some boiled potatoes.

Use the juices in the casserole as a sauce.

Delicious! Enjoy!

ICING THE CHRISTMAS CAKE

I made two Christmas cakes a couple of months ago and wrapped them well to mature. You will see that I gave the recipe in my blog for the golden jewelled cake.  I also made a traditional dark cake.  Visitors always enjoy a slice of home made cake.

After the almond icing had been applied and left overnight I prepared the Royal Icing to cover the cake.  I prefer to make my own icing to the ready rolled icing available in the supermarket. It is simple to make and only needs a few ingredients.

Ingredients

400g/1 lb Icing sugar
2 Egg whites
Few drops of Glycerine

Method

Sieve the icing if it is lumpy.
Lightly whisk the egg whites.
Add the icing to the egg white and continue to beat until it is shiny.
Add a few drops of glycerine - this keeps the icing more pliable and prevents it hardening too much.

It is now ready to use.

I dampen the top of the almond paste very lightly with a pastry brush dipped in cooled boiled water.  This helps the icing to stick to it.

Use a palette knife to spread the icing over the top and sides (if you have almond pasted the sides). Smooth out carefully if you wish to pipe a decoration.  Otherwise rough it with the knife to create a snow scene.  Add any decorative items e.g. snowman, star, etc.
Leave to dry and then cover.

Tip. If the icing is too stiff to spread smoothly, dip the palette knife in a jug of boiling water.  Shake off the excess water before using. You should achieve a nice smooth finish.

ALMOND ICING FOR THE CHRISTMAS CAKE

Now is the time to make the almond icing for the Christmas Cake I made some weeks ago.

Ingredients

100g/4 oz Icing Sugar
100g/4 oz Caster Sugar
200g/8 oz Ground Almonds
Few drops Vanilla essence
Few drops Almond essence
One Free range egg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Optional: 1 teaspoon orange flower water

Method

Sieve the sugars and add the ground almonds, mixing well.
Add the beaten eggs and flavourings and mix to a soft paste.
Knead the paste until it is quite smooth.
If it is not to be used immediately wrap in cling film to prevent it drying out.

How to use

Unwrap your stored Christmas cake and brush the surface and sides with beaten egg white or sieved melted apricot jam.

The matured cake

Dust the worktop with sieved icing sugar and roll out the almond icing into a large circle.

Use your rolling pin to pick up the paste by rolling it over the pin.
Hold it above the cake and  gently unroll,  covering the top and down the sides.

Lightly roll the top to make the icing stick and press the sides to make it adhere to the cake. 

 I use a clean jam jar to roll around the outside, this ensures that the paste sticks and air bubbles are removed.
Leave to dry overnight before covering with Royal Icing.

LEEK AND POTATO SOUP

It is a crisp, winter morning with beautiful sunshine. Just the sort of day for a warming bowl of soup.

I popped out into my garden and pulled four lovely leeks and one carrot. Using these and other stored ingredients from my garden - potatoes, onion and garlic - I prepared them to make the soup.

  We had a lovely free range chicken on Sunday, I had boiled up the carcass to make delicious chicken stock, and had this strained and in a bowl in the fridge.  I always keep some celeriac in the fridge at this time of year to add to soups.

Ingredients

Leeks

Potatoes

Onion

Garlic

One carrot

Piece celeriac or stick of celery (optional)

Salt, freshly ground pepper and freshly ground nutmeg

Chicken stock (Knorr stock cubes are good if you haven't fresh stock)

Cooking oil and butter

Method

Trim the leeks, keeping some of the green, wash well and chop into chunks.

Prepare all the vegetables and cut into chunks, the potatoes can be quartered.

Put a little cooking oil and a knob of butter into a large saucepan with a lid. When it has heated, add the vegetables, except the potatoes, and allow to sweat with the lid on the pan - do not have the heat too high.

When the vegetables are transparent and lightly cooked add the potatoes, stock and seasoning and simmer until cooked.

Puree the vegetables with a hand blender or liquidiser.

Check for seasoning and serve.

Delicious! Enjoy.

SHORTCRUST PASTRY BAKES

I always make 1 lb of shortcrust pastry (A ratio of half fat to flour) at a time and use it to make various things.   Occasionally, I will only use half of it and freeze the remainder; it freezes extremely well.

 

Ingredients

1 lb S R Flour (plain is recommended in many recipes but I prefer the lighter pastry this makes)

Good pinch of salt

4 oz hard butter

4 oz lard

Cold water

Method 1

Put all the ingredients, except the water, into a food processor and blitz until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Slowly add some cold water until the mixture binds.

Turn out onto a floured work top and make into a ball.

Wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least half an hour.

Method 2

Put the flour, salt and fats into a large bowl.

Using your fingertips gently rub the fats into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Add a little cold water and bring everything together using a knife.

Turn out and make into a ball and chill as above.

Today I made 18 mincepies, 1 quiche and a tray of bakewell slices with this amount of pastry. All of these recipes are delicious eaten fresh or they freeze well for the coming weeks. I will freeze half of the almond slices and a dozen mince pies.

Mince Pies

Roll out the pastry thinly and, using a cutter, cut out circles to fit bun/tart tins.

Put 1 teaspoon mincemeat into each pastry.

Use the remaining pastry to cut out lids for the mince pies.  I like to use a star cutter at this time of year.  If you choose to put a circle on top use a smaller cutter than

used  for the base and dampen the edges to make it stick to the base.

Bake at 200C for five minutes then reduce to 150C for approximately ten minutes.

Cool on a wire rack and then sieve icing over the top.

Serve warm with clotted cream or creme fraiche.

Delicious mincepies, fruity and spicy.  Enjoy!

Almond Bakewell Slices.

The recipe for these can be found on my July blog.

When cold cut into fingers or squares

Tip: Use a rolling pin to lift the pastry onto a baking tray or tin.

Roll the pastry over the rolling pin, hold it over the tin or baking tray and gently unroll. Easy!

Quiche.

Shortcrust Pastry

Cheddar and Double Gloucester Cheese

2 large free range eggs

Half fat creme fraiche

Little milk

Cayenne Pepper

This is a 'use up' quiche.

Use the remaining shortcrust pastry to line a sandwich tin.

Grate the cheeses and cover the pastry base generously.

In a bowl, mix the eggs, creme fraiche and a little milk until blended.

Pour the mixture over the cheese.

Sprinkle the surface with a little cayenne pepper.

Bake 200C for ten minutes then reduce to 150C until the quiche is well risen and golden on the top.

Leave to rest for ten minutes before cutting.

The cooked quiche

This freezes well, if cooled first.

FISH PLATTER STARTER

A simple starter can be made using smoked salmon, smoked mackerel and prawns set out on a platter for everyone to make their own selection. Place the prawns on a bed of salad in the centre of the platter, surrounded by lemon wedges. The smoked salmon and mackerel can be placed around this. Serve with gerkins, dill sauce and bread and butter.

I served this as a starter when my sister and her husband came for lunch.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS IN RED WINE

My sister and her husband will be visiting us tomorrow to celebrate her birthday so I am preparing braised lamb shanks in red wine for the main dish.

Take:

4 locally sourced lamb shanks

2 quartered onions

1 clove garlic

1 carrot chopped

2 sticks celery chopped

Chicken stock

Red wine

Freshly ground black pepper and salt

1 Bay leaf and a sprig of fresh thyme (from my garden)

Method

Heat some oil in a large pan and brown the lamb shanks one at a time then remove and set aside.

Lightly cook the onion, garlic,  carrot and celery and put in the base of a large casserole. I use a Le Creuset.

Place the browned shanks on top of the vegetables.

Pour the wine (to taste) in the pan and bring to the boil, stirring to remove the lovely juices in the base of the pan.

Add the chicken stock and seasoning. Stir.

Pour this over the shanks, adding a little more seasoning, a bay leaf and sprig of thyme.

Cover with foil and then the casserole lid.

Cook in a slow oven starting at 160C and reducing to 140C after it has reached simmering point.

Cook for two and a half hours.

I removed the shanks and used a blender to puree the vegetables with all the lovely juices to make the sauce/gravy.

Place the shanks and sauce in a clean casserole or large ovenproof dish and cover with foil.

Re heat for one hour when ready to serve.

Serve with creamed potatoes, macedoine (diced) of  root vegetables and a green vegetable in season.

Delicious.

By preparing this casserole the day before there will be very little work when my visitors arrive and also this dish benefits from being refrigerated over night to develop the flavours.

Next day.

I added some cooked cannelloni beans to the casserole before reheating and served  the lamb shank  with  macedoine of root vegetables, Brussels sprouts and creamed potatoes.  The meat was meltingly tender and the meal was a great success and enjoyed by all.
We were so busy chatting I forgot to photograph the finished dish!

CREAM OF CELERY SOUP

It is a miserable wet day today so I decided to make a pan of Cream of Celery Soup using ingredients I have to hand.

Celery, onion garlic and celeriac

1 head of celery
1 onion
A clove of garlic
Piece of celeriac
Half litre vegetable or chicken stock
(Bouillon or stock cubes are fine)
Freshly ground black pepper and salt
Semi skimmed milk
Knob of butter



Method

Using a potato peeler, run it down through the washed celery stalks to remove the 'strings'

Chop the celery, onion and celeriac

Crush the garlic

In a large pan, melt the butter, add the prepared vegetables and sweat them in the lidded pan until transparent.

The vegetables sweated in butter

Add the stock and bring to simmering point.

Season with the pepper and salt.

Simmer until all the vegetables are soft.

Blend to a puree.

Add the milk and heat through, without boiling.

Serve with crusty bread or croutons.

Mmmm.

             

Tasty and warming!