BOILED FRUIT CAKE

My old, basic, Boiled Fruit Cake recipe that I have used for almost 50 years. I have no idea where it came from, but it is good!! There will be a different version in a few weeks time!!! I know many have asked for this recipe, so get boiling!! It is very easy and foolproof. Enjoy.

Butter and line the base of a 7” round spring form tin. Pre heat your fan oven to 140C

In a medium saucepan place:

4 oz butter

6 oz granulated sugar

1lb dried fruit mix [1 x 500 gr packet]

8 oz water

1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 level teaspoon mixed spice

Bring slowly to the boil then simmer for 1 minute. Allow to cool for about an hour.

Add:

4 oz plain flour

4 oz SR flour

2 beaten eggs

Mix well then tip into your prepared tin. Bake for about 1½ hours.

Cool on a rack and try to stop yourself from cutting it for a day or two!

Note: You may replace some of the water with brandy or fresh orange juice.

Molly’s Chocolate and Coconut Cake

This recipe was sent to me by Priscilla and she would like me to dedicate it to Molly Phillips, who farmed near Grampound Rd. Whilst ever busy on her farm, Molly always found time to bake and this is one of Priscilla’s favourites. She believes Molly found it in a pre decimalization magazine so probably around 1970. It is absolutely delicious! Keeps well for several days, staying lovely and moist.

Butter and line the base of a 7” round cake tin and pre heat your fan oven to 160C [old 350F]

8 oz SR flour

pinch of salt

1 oz cocoa

6 oz softened butter [margarine in the original recipe]

6 oz caster sugar

1 level tablespoon golden syrup

3 large eggs

1 oz desiccated coconut

2 tablespoons milk [I used whole milk]

1 level tablespoon icing sugar for the topping

Sift the flour, salt and cocoa. Cream the fat, syrup and sugar until light and fluffy then add the beaten eggs, one at a time. Fold in the dry ingredients and finally add the milk. 

Bake for 1 hour and 10 mins, I tuned it down to 150C after about half an hour plus modern fan ovens bake much faster so check after 55 - 60 mins.  The above cake took 60 mins. Cool on a rack then dredge with the icing sugar. 

Priscilla tells me that it is best enjoyed the day after baking. She is absolutely right!

Enjoy!

VICTORIA CHERRY SCONES

I found this recipe in the old post war Be-Ro SR flour baking booklet. The perfect tea time treat and because of the egg content, will keep a little longer than ordinary scones. Easily doubled if you are baking for a crowd and no hassle with cutters.

Pre heat your fan oven to 210C and lightly butter two medium baking sheets or one large.

8 oz SR Flour

½ a teaspoon salt

1 oz lard

1 oz butter

2 oz caster sugar

8 whole glacé cherries, cut in half, and more to chop finely

1 large egg, beaten [just set enough aside to brush across the tops]

Milk to make a soft dough [I made up total to about between  7 - 8 fl oz]

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl then rub in the fats. Stir in the sugar along with about 3-4 oz chopped cherries. Stir in the beaten egg with a knife and enough milk to make a soft dough.

Bring it together then turn out onto your work surface and divide it into four.

Roll out each piece into a round, until ½ inch thick. Place on your prepared baking sheet and make deep right angle cuts across the tops, almost into quarters. [Be careful you don’t go all the way through]. Brush over a little beaten egg and place half a cherry in the centre of each quarter.

Bake in your hot oven for 15 mins. Cool on a rack, split into quarters then eat on their own or buttered.

Yum Yum Piggies bum….

Market Day Dinner

I don’t usually post this type of recipe, but noticed it in the Farmer’s Weekly collection, from about 70 years ago and was intrigued. This dish was obviously devised because the farming family were off to market for the day, the lady of the house going into town, with the men folk, to do her shopping. A bygone era, but the recipes live on, when we revise and post them for future generations.

The old book says it can be left in/on an oil stove for several hours, with a tight fitting lid, the longer the better and the more savoury it will be. Have a go and let me know what you think! I made two thirds of the quantity ie 4 chops.

So, a casserole [or similar] with a tight fitting lid. Pre heat your fan oven to 130C

6 pork chops [I used steaks]

2 pigs kidneys, sliced

1 lb onions, sliced

1 ½ lb potatoes, sliced

1 small apple, quartered and sliced

1 teaspoonful dried sage

1 tablespoonful tomato sauce

Peel and slice the potatoes and onions and layer the base, then arrange the chops and kidney on top, adding the sliced apple and sage, plus seasonings.  Add another generous layer of sliced onions then potatoes, with more seasoning. See more pics on my Blog. Pour over a teacupful of water along with the tomato sauce and put on a tight fitting lid. [see note]

As I was about to pop on the lid, I decided [not in the booklet] to crumble over an Oxo cube. [I used a green veggie one].

The result - my husband loved it! I will definitely be doing this again.

Note: I also decided to quickly brown the steaks in a little oil, before starting to layer up.

I popped the “dinner” under a grill for ten minutes before serving, to brown the top too.

CORNISH BLACK FRUIT CAKE

The title tells you everything you need to know about this lovely old cake recipe. Yet another gem from our heritage. This recipe is just great as an everyday fruit cake, it improves with age but alternatively can be marzipanned and iced for a special occasion. I think I will use it as a Simnel cake this Easter, with a layer of almond paste through the middle.

6 oz butter

6 oz soft dark brown sugar

3 medium eggs, beaten

8 oz plain flour

1tsp mixed spice

1tsp cinnamon 

3 oz ground almonds

6 oz raisins

6 oz sultanas

3 oz chopped candied peel

120ml stout 

1 tbsp black treacle

In a large bowl, place the dried fruits and peel and pour over the stout and treacle. Mix well, cover and leave overnight.

Pre-heat your fan oven to 130C. Butter and line a deep 7” spring form cake tin.

Cream the butter and sugar, until light and fluffy, then beat in eggs one at a time.

Sift the flour and spices and stir into the mixture. Add the soaked fruit, then lastly the almonds.  The mixture should be a soft dropping consistency, if too stiff, add a little hot water. [Water? or brandy????]

Tip into your prepared cake tin and level the top. 

Bake for about 2 hrs, until just firm to the touch. Cover the top with brown paper half way through.

Cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack.

When cold, peel off the lining paper and store wrapped in parchment in a cake tin for a week to improve the flavour - keep your mitts off it! You know it will taste better in a week!!!!!

PS - confession time now….. my husband lasted 2½ days, before cutting into it!!! Then of course I had to take the photo. It was just wonderful. 

DATE LOAF

Here is a proper old fashioned Cornish recipe from the WI ladies. They suggest you must keep it  for one day before cutting, then spread each slice with butter. It is very simple to make and enjoy. Our forebears did love dates, didn’t they?

Pre heat your fan oven to 170C and lightly butter a 1lb loaf tin. I always use a strip of parchment, hanging over the long edges to help lift it out.

6 oz roughly chopped dates [then from a block - rarely seen the days, of course]

1 teacup of hot water

1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 large egg

4 oz caster sugar

pinch salt

2 tablespoons melted butter

8 oz plain flour

Put the dates in a small saucepan with the hot water and boil for a few minutes. Remove from the heat and add the bicarb, mix well and leave to cool.

Beat the egg and add to the salt, sugar and butter, stir in the sifted flour and lastly the cooled soggy dates. Mix thoroughly and tip into your prepared loaf tin. Bake for about 45 mins, maybe a little longer.

Don't forget to keep it for a day before slathering it with butter!! Just yummy.

MOCHA COCONUT SQUARES

These are totally delicious! Taking a little effort but worth it for a yummy indulgent treat. The wonderful combination of Chocolate, Coffee and Coconut is heavenly! I wish I had the words to describe the taste of the crumble topping as it hits your tastebuds!

You will need a 8” x 12” tray bake tin, well greased then lined with parchment, with plenty hanging over the sides to help lift it all out. Pre heat your fan oven to 160C

9 oz caster sugar

2 large eggs

1-2 teaspoons of vanilla extract or bean paste

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons good quality cocoa

5 oz melted butter

5 fl oz double cream

7 oz plain flour

1 oz coconut

Whisk the eggs and sugar until thick, pale and fluffy then add the vanilla, cocoa and baking powder. Beat together the melted butter and cream then mix the flour and coconut together, then stirring both into the eggy mix until well combined. Tip into your prepared tin and bake for about 25-30 mins.

Meanwhile: Make the topping,

4 oz butter, well softened but not melted

7 oz icing sugar

4 oz desiccated coconut

4 tablespoons instant coffee

Stir the dry ingredients into the butter and mix well. It will resemble a thick crumble mix [see pic on my Blog]

Remove the cake from the oven, then as carefully as possible, using your fingers, crumble the topping evenly over the cake and continue baking until it is golden brown - about 12-15 mins. Cool in the tin for a short while then cut into squares and lift out. I lifted the whole by the parchment then cut into squares later.

So very scrummy. So rich. Even better with clotted cream!