My friend Gilly is just so much fun. I knew her when she was still a parent, before she became a valued teaching assistant. She' supposed to be in charge of Healthy Eating at school, and she does a marvellous job. She has been expertly running the school cookery club for years. This flapjack recipe is the best - and, I have discovered, the most foolproof (I have a long history of failed flapjack, which sounds like a contradiction in terms but in my case isn't).
I've messed it around a little, but the first four measurements are accurate and essential. Leave out the flour for a crisper end product. As for the dried fruit... hmm, could even add chocolate. Or nuts. Or all kinds of seeds....
Ingredients
125g (4oz) butter
125g (4oz) sugar
125g (4oz) (6 tablespoons) golden syrup
225g (8oz) porridge oats
60g (2 oz) self raising flour
70g (2oz) sultanas or raisins or possibly even any other kind of dried fruit. Who knows?
25 - 50g sunflower seeds.
Melt first three ingredients gently together. DO NOT BOIL. Stir into remaining ingredients, mix well.
Put the mixture into a greased baking tray, pressing down evenly with the back of a spoon or the flat of a wet hand.
Bake at 160 degrees C for 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown around the edges.
Cut into squares while still warm. Leave to cool, then mark out squares again and ease out of the tin. It will be deliciously sticky and glue-like.
Wednesday 25 August 2010
Grace's ginger cookies
This is a fascinating recipe on many levels. It is fascinating because it varies so much, depending on the type of fat used. It is fascinating because of its personal history...
Grace Biffen was matron of Nairobi Hospital before and after the birth of my children. Not difficult, as she was there over 20 years and was awarded an MBE (or OBE - can't remember!). We were privileged, not only to count her as a friend but to be part of the same Bible study group. The end of every discussion was marked with the serving of tea or coffee in elegant thermoses, accompanied by her trademark mayonnaise chocolate cake or ginger biscuits. The chocolate was delicious, but a waste of good mayonnaise, so here is the biscuit recipe.
These are, quite simply, the best ginger biscuits EVER.
Mix together
1lb flour
1 lb sugar
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 tablespoons ground ginger
half a pound of margarine,
1 large egg
2 tablespoons of Peter Paterson's honey. (Peter is Jonny's godfather. He is an expert beekeeper. His honey is the most delicious we have ever tasted. It's not possible for us to get it any more, so golden syrup is an acceptable substitute.)
The mixture seems very dry, but does eventually allow itself to be squeezed into a soft dough. Form marble-sized, or larger if desired, balls.
Place on a baking tray at least 1 inch apart. ("They spread," said Susanna Church, Grace's niece. "All that fat!")
Bake in a hot over (say 180 - 200 degrees C) for 10 - 15 minutes until well spread and GOLDEN brown. NOT dark brown.
Loosen carefully from the tray, leave for a few minutes to cool slightly and ease off carefully onto a cooling rack. (Too rough, and they become dreadfully hurt and misshapen.) When cool, they are wonderfully crisp. Make miniature versions, with double the amount of ginger, for ginger nuts.
So, how are they fascinating? /It all depends on the fat. Use soft or spreadable margarine (which has a far lower fat content than hard margarine), and the dough is impossibly soft and greasy. It will need a lot more flour added to it and the resultant biscuits are more like cookies - slightly cake-like and soft.
Add crystallized or stem ginger to larger balls of dough, baking only until pale golden for softer cookies.
Grace Biffen was matron of Nairobi Hospital before and after the birth of my children. Not difficult, as she was there over 20 years and was awarded an MBE (or OBE - can't remember!). We were privileged, not only to count her as a friend but to be part of the same Bible study group. The end of every discussion was marked with the serving of tea or coffee in elegant thermoses, accompanied by her trademark mayonnaise chocolate cake or ginger biscuits. The chocolate was delicious, but a waste of good mayonnaise, so here is the biscuit recipe.
These are, quite simply, the best ginger biscuits EVER.
Mix together
1lb flour
1 lb sugar
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 tablespoons ground ginger
half a pound of margarine,
1 large egg
2 tablespoons of Peter Paterson's honey. (Peter is Jonny's godfather. He is an expert beekeeper. His honey is the most delicious we have ever tasted. It's not possible for us to get it any more, so golden syrup is an acceptable substitute.)
The mixture seems very dry, but does eventually allow itself to be squeezed into a soft dough. Form marble-sized, or larger if desired, balls.
Place on a baking tray at least 1 inch apart. ("They spread," said Susanna Church, Grace's niece. "All that fat!")
Bake in a hot over (say 180 - 200 degrees C) for 10 - 15 minutes until well spread and GOLDEN brown. NOT dark brown.
Loosen carefully from the tray, leave for a few minutes to cool slightly and ease off carefully onto a cooling rack. (Too rough, and they become dreadfully hurt and misshapen.) When cool, they are wonderfully crisp. Make miniature versions, with double the amount of ginger, for ginger nuts.
So, how are they fascinating? /It all depends on the fat. Use soft or spreadable margarine (which has a far lower fat content than hard margarine), and the dough is impossibly soft and greasy. It will need a lot more flour added to it and the resultant biscuits are more like cookies - slightly cake-like and soft.
Add crystallized or stem ginger to larger balls of dough, baking only until pale golden for softer cookies.
Tiffin - aka 'Chocolate Stuff'
My mother used to make this – it was my all time favourite as a child. Even now. She called it ‘Chocolate Stuff’. Enid Craxton – my mother’s contemporary, mother of Julian, my brother Simon’s childhood friend, and wife of our dear friend Robin – used to produce it every time I visited her for morning coffee. Long, elegant fingers, covered with a delicate layer of milk chocolate.
It’s different whatever way you make it. But this is the basic recipe:
Ingredients
110g (4 oz) butter
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup
4 teaspoons cocoa
225g (8 oz) biscuits, crushed
1 handful of raisins/chopped cherries, apricots or dates
Chocolate – preferably cooking – up to 225g (8oz). The minimum you can get away with is half a 100g bar...
Preparation method
1. In a saucepan, melt the butter, sugar, syrup and cocoa. Add the biscuits and raisins when melted. Stir to combine.
2. Pour mixture into a swiss roll size tin and press down. Melt chocolate and pour over the mixture in the tin.
3. Pop the tin into the fridge – or freezer, if you are as impatient as I am - and leave for about 1 hour to set. To serve, cut into about 20 pieces.
Tip
Melt the chocolate by microwaving at 30 second intervals, with a teaspoon or so of butter and similar of hot water. Stir in between, till melted. But be careful not to scorch the chocolate! Otherwise, melt in a double boiler.
This recipe came from this website but do look at this tiffin site as well - fun!
It’s different whatever way you make it. But this is the basic recipe:
Ingredients
110g (4 oz) butter
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup
4 teaspoons cocoa
225g (8 oz) biscuits, crushed
1 handful of raisins/chopped cherries, apricots or dates
Chocolate – preferably cooking – up to 225g (8oz). The minimum you can get away with is half a 100g bar...
Preparation method
1. In a saucepan, melt the butter, sugar, syrup and cocoa. Add the biscuits and raisins when melted. Stir to combine.
2. Pour mixture into a swiss roll size tin and press down. Melt chocolate and pour over the mixture in the tin.
3. Pop the tin into the fridge – or freezer, if you are as impatient as I am - and leave for about 1 hour to set. To serve, cut into about 20 pieces.
Tip
Melt the chocolate by microwaving at 30 second intervals, with a teaspoon or so of butter and similar of hot water. Stir in between, till melted. But be careful not to scorch the chocolate! Otherwise, melt in a double boiler.
This recipe came from this website but do look at this tiffin site as well - fun!
Wednesday 11 August 2010
Karyn's deep dark chocolatey chocolate chocolate cake
My friend Karyn comes from South Africa. I met her in Guernsey. A decade and a half younger than I am, she has been something of a spiritual mentor in the last 6 years. Focused on God and full of wisdom, as is her husband Garth. She is wonderfully bubbly, exuberant, outgoing, caring, friendly...yet listens with intent. (Garth, on the other hand, is quietness personified. He can go a couple of hours in our Bible study group without uttering more than a word or two. Yet when he speaks, we sit up and take notice. Pearls, rubies and emeralds of wisdom scatter the atmosphere. Precious beyond measure.)
Sometimes Karyn would come to afternoon tea - or, as she preferred, afternoon coffee (or morning tea) - and bring a cake with her. Her hot spicy ginger cake was a marvel. But this chocolate cake is the one which produced cries of excitement....
Chocolate Cake / Brownies
Switch oven to 180C
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
Salt
125g butter or marg
1 cup water
½ cup oil
½ cup cocoa powder
2 eggs
½ cup buttermilk (or teaspoon vinegar and milk)
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
Sift flour, add sugar and salt.
Put butter, water, oil, cocoa powder into bowl and place in microwave until the butter melts. Mix together and add to dry ingredients.
Break 2 eggs into a cup, mix and add to other ingredients.
Spray and cook two round cake tins or flat large casserole dish (for brownies), add grease proof paper if required.
Mix milk and vinegar (or buttermilk) in cup and add bicarb, then add to other ingredients. Mix all ingredients with a wooden spoon (or electric beater) and then pour into cake tins or casserole dish.
Bake for 35 – 40 min if in two cake tins or for about 70 min if in casserole dish. Check to see if cake is rising and starting to break away from the edge of tin or dish.
Ice as required. I use quite a lot of cocoa powder in the icing.
Sometimes Karyn would come to afternoon tea - or, as she preferred, afternoon coffee (or morning tea) - and bring a cake with her. Her hot spicy ginger cake was a marvel. But this chocolate cake is the one which produced cries of excitement....
Chocolate Cake / Brownies
Switch oven to 180C
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
Salt
125g butter or marg
1 cup water
½ cup oil
½ cup cocoa powder
2 eggs
½ cup buttermilk (or teaspoon vinegar and milk)
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
Sift flour, add sugar and salt.
Put butter, water, oil, cocoa powder into bowl and place in microwave until the butter melts. Mix together and add to dry ingredients.
Break 2 eggs into a cup, mix and add to other ingredients.
Spray and cook two round cake tins or flat large casserole dish (for brownies), add grease proof paper if required.
Mix milk and vinegar (or buttermilk) in cup and add bicarb, then add to other ingredients. Mix all ingredients with a wooden spoon (or electric beater) and then pour into cake tins or casserole dish.
Bake for 35 – 40 min if in two cake tins or for about 70 min if in casserole dish. Check to see if cake is rising and starting to break away from the edge of tin or dish.
Ice as required. I use quite a lot of cocoa powder in the icing.
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