One of the films we just love to watch here at Oak Cottage during the winter months, and especially at Christmas, is Little Women. I just love the period costumes and the story. It bewitches me completely, and weaves a magic spell around my heart. When I was a little girl I loved the book, and, I read it over and over again. One of my favourite scenes in the film is the scene where Meg, Jo and Amy are walking and Amy trips, dropping her school slate into the snow.
Shelooks up at Meg and says, " I'm so degradetated, I owe at least a dozen limes." to which Meg replies, " Are limes the fashion now?"
Feeling a bit sorry for her after this, Meg gives Amy the money she has saved from selling rags so that she can purchase some limes to take to school, thereby enabling her to save face with the other girls. (As the story continues, the limes are taken away from Amy and she is struck by her teacher, causing her to be removed from the school by their mother. But . . . we won't think about that right now . . . )
Sometimes I like to sit and imagine what it would have been like to live in a society where the accumulation of limes would be a status thing amongst school girls . . . and I wonder . . . would I have been able to afford to buy limes? Or would I be permanently left on the side lines . . . wanting limes and envying those who had them.
And then my imaginations take me even further . . .
If I had limes, and lots of them . . . would I be content to just carry them around, and boast about how many I had to my friends, showing off to all and sundry . . .
or would the creative cook that resides deep inside me be tempted to sacrifice just a few of them to the creation of something delicious and ludicrously tasty . . .
and then . . . were I rich enough to have oodles of limes . . .
perhaps I would be rich enough to be able to purchase another exotic ingredient as well . . . preserved stem ginger . . .
and . . . lets face it . . . were I wealthy enough to buy the ginger . . . it's a dead shoe in that I would also be able to afford candied glace cherries and lucious dried sultanas . . .
Why then I expect . . . I'd be in full possession of all the ingredients needed to create a delicious cake!!!
Mmmm . . . just think about it . . . a tasty and moist loaf cake, absolutely stogged full of glace cherries and sultanas, the zest of limes and preserved ginger . . . and slathered in a luciously sweet, yet tart lime frosting. Oh, how lovely that would be . . .
I dare say the other girls would want to be my friends even more than if I just had some old limes. It sounds good to me anyways . . .
This is a cake for cosying up with next to the fire . . . a woolen blanket thrown over your knees, and a warming mug of spiced apple tea on the side. MMMM . . . Moreishly scrummy . . .
But don't just take my word for it! Bake it for yourself, then sit back and enjoy . . .
*Cherry and Sultana Loaf with Fresh Lime and Ginger*
Makes 2 (1 lb) loaves
Printable Recipe
A refreshingly light cake with a tasty lime icing. Chock full of glace cherries, sultanas, preserved stem ginger and lime. Delicious! Make one to eat now and one to stick in the freezer to enjoy at a later date. (Don't ice if you are putting it into the freezer. Save that for the day you want to serve it.)
6 ounce self raising flour
4 ounces butter, softened
4 ounces caster sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
2 ounces raisins
2 ounces glace cherries, quartered, washed and dried
5 ounces sultanas
4 bulbs preserved stem ginger, finely chopped
the finely grated zest of two limes
For the icing:
4 ounces icing sugar, sifted
2 TBs lime juice
1 bulb of preserves stem ginger, chopped
the finely grated zest of one lime
Pre-heat the oven to 160*C/325*F. Butter and line two (1lb) loaf tins with parchment paper. Set aside.
Place all the cake ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well together on low speed of a mixer to start with, and then medium speed until well mixted together and smooth. Divide evenly between the two loaf tins and smooth the tops.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until well risen and golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the centre should come out clean and the top should spring back when lightly touched.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tins. Once completely cold, remove and ice.
To make the icing mix together the icing sugar, lime zest and lime juice until smooth. Spread over top of the cakes. Sprinkle with the chopped stem ginger. Cut in slices to serve.
PS - For those of you who asked yesterday, a Swede is a rutabaga. They call it a Swede over here. (It's like a large turnip which is orangy coloured)
Simple Simon met a pieman going to the fair. Said Simple Simon to the pieman, "Let me taste your ware!" My husband is a real "Pie" man as opposed to being a "pieman."
He doesn't
sell pies, he just loves to eat pies. There is nothing he likes more
than a pie and mash supper.
I think it must be his "East end"roots coming to the fore.
I am quite fond of pies as well, although . . . to be honest, I try not to eat them very often these days, because of the fattening nature of the beast . . . you know how it is I'm sure.
Every once in a while though, I like to treat him to a tasty homemade meat pie . . . sometimes it's steak and onion, other times it might be a chicken and mushroom, bacon and potato, etc. As long as a crust is involved, he's not really bothered.
Oh, and he does like them with either mash or chips . . . there has to be some potato on the side there as well, even if there is potato in the pie.
Usually he smothers it all with gravy. I believe that's also an East End thing. The East End of London is filled with pie shops offering pie, mash and gravy.
Pasties are a very popular version of a pie over here. Hand sized and shaped like a half moon or up-ended purse, they seem to come with all sorts of fillings.
I do admit to having a liking for the steak and stilton ones . . . although to be honest . . . does anything that includes a filling that contains anything other than beef, potato, swede and onion actually qualify as being a Cornish pasty???
Probably not . . . but then again, a rose by any other name eh?
If it tastes good, then I'm not going to quibble about a name.
Not me, that's who.
I made him a tasty plate sized Pasty Pie yesterday for his tea. Well, he couldn't eat the whole thing of course, but he did make a good dent in it.
The rest has been cut into single sized servings, packed up and stogged into the freezer for me to take out and treat him with on those occasions when I can't get home from work to make him some tea . . . or those times when I just have to satisfy my pasta craving . . . and as we all know by now. Todd hates pasta.
Here it is. Deliciously tasty. With it's flaky buttery crust and delicious layered filling of swede (rutabaga), potato and beef, it went down a real treat!
*Pasty Pie*
Serves 6
A whole pasty large enough to feed a whole family. What could be better than that. A delicious buttery pastry encases a delicious filling of swede, potato, onion and thinly sliced beef sirloin. Simple, hearty and scrumptious! Perfect winter food, and great served at room temperature on a summer picnic. ( Plan ahead as the pastry need to chill for at least an hour before assembling.)
For the crust:
2 cups all purpose flour (280g)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter (76g)
1/3 cup lard (or white vegetable shortening) (74g)
5 to 6 tablespoons of ice water
For the filling:
16 ounces potato, peeled and thinly sliced (1 pound)
salt
freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces swede (Rutabaga), peeled and thinly sliced (3/4 pound)
16 ounces thinly sliced beef sirloin (1 pound)
1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
Mix flour with salt, and cut in butter and lard, until you have pieces of fat in the flour about the size of peas. Add ice water, one TBS at a time, tossing it in with a fork until pastry comes together. Form in to a ball and cut in two pieces. Form each into a round flat disc. Warp in cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour.
When ready to assemble, heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. LIne a large baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside.
Remove one disc of dough from the refrigerator. Roll out on a lightly floured counter to a 13 inch circle. Transfer to the lined baking tray.
Start layering the filling as follows, generously sprinkling each layer with salt and pepper and a bit of water, and leaving a 1 1/2 inch edge all around. First half of the potatoes, then half the swede, then the second half of potatoes, and the second half of the swede. Layer on half of the sirloin. Season, then add all of the onion, and half the parsley. FInish with the last of the sirloin and parsley, again seasoning each layer with some salt, pepper and a sprinkle of water.
Remove the remaining disc of dough from the refrigerator and roll out as before into a round large enough to cover the filling completely. Brush the edges with some egg white and seal and crimp all the way around. Brush the remaining egg white over all of the crust. Pierce several times with a sharp knife to vent.
Bake in the heated oven for 60 to 75 minutes until golden brown and cooked completely inside. The potato and swede should be soft and the meat tender. Cool for five minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.
Serves 6
A whole pasty large enough to feed a whole family. What could be better than that. A delicious buttery pastry encases a delicious filling of swede, potato, onion and thinly sliced beef sirloin. Simple, hearty and scrumptious! Perfect winter food, and great served at room temperature on a summer picnic. ( Plan ahead as the pastry need to chill for at least an hour before assembling.)
For the crust:
2 cups all purpose flour (280g)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter (76g)
1/3 cup lard (or white vegetable shortening) (74g)
5 to 6 tablespoons of ice water
For the filling:
16 ounces potato, peeled and thinly sliced (1 pound)
salt
freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces swede (Rutabaga), peeled and thinly sliced (3/4 pound)
16 ounces thinly sliced beef sirloin (1 pound)
1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
a large handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped
To finish:
1 large egg white beaten with 1 tsp waterMix flour with salt, and cut in butter and lard, until you have pieces of fat in the flour about the size of peas. Add ice water, one TBS at a time, tossing it in with a fork until pastry comes together. Form in to a ball and cut in two pieces. Form each into a round flat disc. Warp in cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour.
When ready to assemble, heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. LIne a large baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside.
Remove one disc of dough from the refrigerator. Roll out on a lightly floured counter to a 13 inch circle. Transfer to the lined baking tray.
Start layering the filling as follows, generously sprinkling each layer with salt and pepper and a bit of water, and leaving a 1 1/2 inch edge all around. First half of the potatoes, then half the swede, then the second half of potatoes, and the second half of the swede. Layer on half of the sirloin. Season, then add all of the onion, and half the parsley. FInish with the last of the sirloin and parsley, again seasoning each layer with some salt, pepper and a sprinkle of water.
Remove the remaining disc of dough from the refrigerator and roll out as before into a round large enough to cover the filling completely. Brush the edges with some egg white and seal and crimp all the way around. Brush the remaining egg white over all of the crust. Pierce several times with a sharp knife to vent.
Bake in the heated oven for 60 to 75 minutes until golden brown and cooked completely inside. The potato and swede should be soft and the meat tender. Cool for five minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.
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Nothing says home more than a nice big platter of perfectly scrambled eggs in the morning. So comforting . . . and, well . . . cosy. There is nothing tastier than an egg that's been well scrambled.
A well scrambled egg . . . with soft and moist folded curds . . . along with some hot buttered toast, is bliss . . . pure bliss.
It's not that hard to cook them properly, although some people do seem to be a bit mystified as just how to proceed, and still others seem to overcook them so much that they end up as dry little rubbery curds. What you are looking for is something that luxuriously, meltingly creamy.
Scrambled eggs are not something that you want to cook in a hurry . . . slow and steady definitely wins the race here.
First of all you need to start with a good egg. I know I don't need to lecture you on the difference between a cage grown egg and a free range egg . . . we've all heard that spiel . . . Let's just say that I prefer to pay more and use free range. For me it's more than just taste . . . it's a matter of conscience.
You want to use a skillet that's not overly heated, in other word, warm, but not hot. Then you want a nice lump of butter, softly foaming in the pan . . . and finally you want the perfect mix of beaten eggs, cream and milk . . .
You add this mixture to the warm pan, and then you just let it sit without disturbing it . . . not for long . . . just long enough that it begins to set on the bottom. Only then do you want to start moving the eggs. I like to use a wooden spatula or spoon. I commence to folding my eggs, slowly . . . from the outside edges into the centre of the pan. Not stirring . . . but folding . . . a constant, and slow movement . . . which I keep doing . . . just until the eggs are almost set, but still moist. At this point you will want to take them right off the heat. The eggs will continue to cook for a bit longer from the residual heat in the pan, but what you end up with is a lovely moist product, not dry at all.
In short . . . perfection.
I have been known to sit down to a plate of scrambled eggs late at night when I get home from work . . . tired and starving. They fill that gap beautifully. Tis a special thing to come home to.
*Cheese and Chive Scrambled Eggs*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe
Fresh chives and a good strong cheddar together with perfectly scrambled eggs, create a hearty breakfast dish just packed with flavour.
12 large free range eggs
2 ounces whole milk
2 ounces cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
2 TBS butter
4 TBS finely chopped fresh chives
4 ounces of a good farmhouse strong cheddar cheese, grated
(I use Davidstow)
Whisk the eggs, milk, cream salt, black pepper and hot pepper sauce together in a large bowl. Heat the 2 TBS of butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once the butter begins to foam add the eggs. Allow to sit for several minutes, without stirring, so that the eggs can begin to set on the bottom. Begin to draw a wooden spatula or spoon across the bottom of the skillet to form large curds. Cook, continuing to fold the eggs with the spoon slowly, working from the outside edges into the middle until the eggs are thickened but still moist. Do not stir constantly or you will end up with small curds, you want thick moist ribbons. Remove from the heat to a warm platter. Sprinkle the hot eggs with cheese and the chives. Serve hot with warm toast, if desired.
Ahhh . . . the perfect baked potato. Crisp and slightly salted on the outside, and creamy white and fluffy on the inside.
The first meal I ever had in England was a Jacket potato, served at one of those fast food kiosks at Euston Station. We were waiting for the train to take Todd and myself up to Chester, and it was a long wait. We were both starving. I had never seen anything like it in my life. The potato was enormous and came wrapped in silver foil, sitting in a styrafoam type of bowl/box. Split open, right through the foil, and mounded with oodles and ooodles of cheese.
I know . . . I was playing it safe. I had never heard of the toppings they suggested on the menu before . . . things like Tuna and Sweetcorn, Coleslaw, baked beans etc. Cheese seemed to be the least wierd to me.
Oh, we had baked potatoes at home, but we called them baked potatoes. Somehow the term Jacket Potato sounds exotic and even more delicious. Back home we would more than likely top them with some butter, sour cream, chopped spring onions and bacon bits . . . and they would be for the most part an accompaniment to a main course . . . usually a steak . . .
Sometimes my mom would even dig out the insides and mix the potato flesh with cheese, butter, onion and milk . . . and then she would stuff it back into the skins. Those were one of our favourite treats when I was growing up. We'd each get one half of a potato, and it was never enough . . . we were always left wanting more.
I had never heard of them being used as the whole entree.
It was good. Hot, filling and very cheesy. The potato could have been cooked better through. Wrapped in foil, it was for the most part steamed . . . you couldn't really call it baked . . . but when you're starving, you're just not that picky.
Once you have tried a tasty baked potato, that has been washed, lightly salted and then baked in a hot oven directly on the oven rack . . . once you have bitten into that crisp brown and salty skin, covering a beautifully fluffy rich centre . . . you'll never settle for a second rate tinfoil steamed potato again.
Seriously.
You want a nice fluffy type of potato to begin with . . . something like a Maris Piper, or a King Edward, my personal favourite. Waxy potatoes just won't do. They don't fluff up, but remain solid. You also want a biggun. That's if you are going for a whole meal experience. You can do smaller ones of course, and in truth the small ones are quite tasty when baked in the convection oven.
The toppings are where you get to let your imaginations run wild, and where you can turn this delicious beast into a full meal instead of a pale accompaniment . . . Tinned baked beans, hot and steaming and slathered with grated cheese, which melts into all that beany goodness, which in turn is soaking into that potato fluff. Tuna salad, with lots of chopped red onion, mayo and celery, spooned onto the top and into that creamy white fluffy crevice. If you are feeling really brave, add some sweet corn, (it's not as strange and inedible as it sounds) . . . A nice fat tub of coleslaw (I like the cheese coleslaw) ladled on top, all crunchy and saucy, just perfect with that soulful mealiness beneath . . . simple cheese, bacon and onion, along with a splash of sour cream . . . perfection, simple butter, sea salt and pepper, bliss . . . bliss . . . bliss . . .
I love that name . . . Jacket Potato . . . it sounds like something all dressed up and fit for a king.
In truth . . . this is fit for a king. Simple??? Certainly. Common??? Definitely not. Nigel Slater recommends Karate chopping it open, but me, I'm not that brave. I just hack it open with a knife . . .
*Jacket Potato with Chili and Cheese*
Serves 2
Printable Recipe
Comfort food at it's best.
2 large baking potatoes
sea salt
410g tin of chili con carne
(I used Stagg)
2 ounces strong cheddar cheese, grated
Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Scrub the potatoes well and then while they are still damp, dust them lightly with the sea salt and allow to air dry for several minutes. Prick in a few places with a fork so that they don't burst in the oven and then place them into the heated oven, directly on the oven rack.
Bake until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. (They will yield lightly when pressed with a gloved hand) This will take between 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the variety and size of your potatoes.
About 10 minutes before the potatoes are done, empty the chili into a saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through and bubbling. Grate the cheese on the large holes of a box grater.
Take your baked potatoes from the oven. Cut an x into the top of each and squeeze them slightly to fluff up the insides. If you want, now is the time to fork in a bit of butter. Place the potatoes onto two heated plates. Spoon the hot chili over top of each, and sprinkle on the grated cheese, dividing it between both potatoes. Serve immediately.
We have had an unbelievably cold couple of days here in the SouthEast of England. I believe this is the coldest winter that I have had to experience in the 9 1/2 years I've been living here.
We also have the most snow that I have ever experienced in my time over here. So much that the roads have become largely impassable. Well . . . brave souls may be venturing out upon them . . . but we just aren't that brave it seems.
This means that I am largely relying on my store cupboard and simple ingredients that I always have at hand, and in the freezer.
Two of which are leeks and potatoes. Just perfect to use in this delicious soup. Which is also perfect for these wintery days.
Yumm . . . rich, silky and comforting, all at the same time.
You can't get much better than this.
Comfort in a bowl.
Some other favorite soups are:
STONE SOUP - Stone Soup was one of my children's favourite storie when they were growing up and so this simple cabbage, tomato and rice soup became known as Stone Soup. It's a deliciously hearty testament to what can be done with a bit of this, a bit of that, and a whole lot of nothing!
LEMON & CHICKEN SOUP -This is a fabulously tasty chicken soup, with fresh flavours! It uses chicken stock along with lemon juice.You might think the lemon would be overpowering, but it really isn't. It adds a lovely layer of flavour that is quite pleasant! It is delicious and hearty. You can make everything up to adding the pasta ahead of time, but do wait until not too long before serving it to add your pasta.
Leek and Potato Soup
Yield: 6 - 8
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min
This is a lovely rich soup, silky smooth and creamy. Delicious served with crusty garlic croutons.
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 50g butter (scant1/4 cup)
- 1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 pound leeks, the white part only, sliced
- 2 pints (4 cups) light chicken or vegetable stock
- 142 ml carton of whipping cream (slightly more than 1/2 cup)
- 125ml full fat milk (about 1/2 cup)
- salt and pepper to taste
For the croutons:
- 1 small baguette, sliced into 1 inch thick slices
- 4 TBS of butter, softened
- 1 fat clove of garlic, crushed completely
- 1 tsp chopped dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp ground paprika
Instructions
- Melt the butter for the soup in a large heavy saucepan. Once it begins to foam, add the vegetables and toss them with the butter to coat. Season to taste with some salt and black pepper.
- Turn the heat down to very low, cover and allow to sweat, without coloring, for 10 minutes or so. The vegetables should be beginning to soften.
- Uncover and add the stock. bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Puree carefully in a blender or with a stick blender, blending until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning as required. Whisk in the milk and cream. Heat through without boiling.
- In the meantime, make the croutons.
- Lightly toast the baguette slices under the grill. Mix together the butter, garlic, parsley and paprika. Season with a bit of salt as required. Spread on the toasted baguette slices on one side.
- Place back under the grill until the butter is melted and toasty. Serve immediately with the hot soup.
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Chocolate cake is not something you will see in my house very often. I just adore chocolate myself, but Todd is not fond of it at all. He likes chocolate bars and chocolate candy, but he absolutely abhors chocolate cakes, cookies and brownies.
I know!!! Hard to imagine eh? I, on the other hand, love chocolate cakes, brownies, cookies, puddings, candies, bars . . . probably too much if I want to be truthful, so it's not something that I have in the house very often . . . as I just can't trust myself not to over do it.
On New Years day we were having people over for dinner so I made a lemon tart and then this fabulous chocolate cake. (Todd doesn't like lemon anything either, so he was out of luck! He didn't really mind because he loves Christmas Cake and there was still lots of that about!)
I just love this cake. It's moist and deliciously chocolatey. The icing and cake alone are just wonderful, but when you serve it with the addition of some mini marshmallows and this delicious chocolate sauce . . . well, this takes it to fabulous!
It is the combination of several of my favourite recipes, all rolled into one.
Well, if you're in for a penny, you're in for a pound, right? (I have tried to give the measurements in North American measurements as well, as closely as I can)
*Chocolate Cola Cake*
serves 8
A deliciously moist chocolate cake with a chocolate cola buttercream icing. Serve with a tasty chocolate sauce and some mini marshmallows for an extra special treat.
For the cake:
250g butter (1 cup plus 2 TBS)
250g self raising flour (1 3/4 cup)
300g golden caster sugar (11/2 cup)
3 heaped TBS cocoa powder, sifted
generous pinch of baking soda
200ml of cola drink (slightly more than 3/4 cup)
75ml milk (1/4 cup)
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the buttercream icing:
60g butter, softened (4 1/2 TBS)
200g icing sugar, sifted (1 1/2 cups approx.)
2 to 3 TBS cocoa powder, sifted
2 TBS cola drink
For the sauce:
4 ounces heavy cream (1/2 cup)
3 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
70g caster sugar (1/3 cup)
60g dark brown sugar, firmly packed (1/3 cup)
pinch salt
60g sifted cocoa powder (1/2 cup)
To serve: Mini marshmallows
Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Butter a 9 inch loose bottomed round cake pan. Set aside.
Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder and baking soda together in a large bowl. Melt the butter and cola together. Add to the dry ingredients along with the milk, eggs and vanilla.
Mix gently but thoroughly. Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Beat together all the ingredients together for the icing until smooth and fluffy. Spread over cooled cake.
To make the sauce, melt the butter and sugars together until they no longer feel grainy. Whisk in the cream and heat through. Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth.
Cut the cake into slices to serve. Sprinkle with some marshmallows and spoon some of the chocolate sauce over top.
Surrounded by Orchards as we are, it is no surpise that one often finds apples on the menu here in my English Kitchen. In the autumn we are free to pick up as many windfalls as we can from off the ground and our freeze is soon filled with applesauce and other apple goodies. Fresh ones are stored in the cold room, wrapped in newspaper. They last a good long while this way.
One of our favourite apples to cook with are the Bramley apples. No surprise there really, as they are considered to be the best apple here in the UK for cooking with.
Found only here in the UK, the first Bramley tree grew from pips planted by a young girl named Mary Ann Brailsford, in her garden in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, England back in 1809. The rest is history and we've been loving them ever since.
They are excellent in pies and tarts and crumbles. Bramley apples are rather unique in that they contain a higher acid content and lower sugar levels which makes for a stronger and tangier tasting apple whose flavour is retained when cooked. They also have the most wondeful texture when cooked . . . moist and melt in the mouth. Exceedingly delicious!
One of the ways I love to cook them most is as baked apples. A tasty little dessert in it's very own compact shell. Oh, they are so good, with those lovely moist insides, especially when accompanied with cream . . . the juices of that lovely cooked apple mingling with the cream is so very scrumptious.
But what's even more scrumptious is when you stuff the insides with a tasty spicy fruity stuffing before you bake them. These are totally moreishly delicious!
Guaranteed to become a family favourite. It's also nice to know that if you don't want to go to all the trouble of making a filling, you can fill the juicy hollows with mincemeat and they are even more scrumptious, but for today . . . we have all the flavours of Eccles Cakes.
These are very good to say the least.
*Eccles Cake Baked Apples*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
Beautiful baked apples with a spicy fruity filling. Yummo!!
4 large Bramley apples
Filling:
50g butter (3 1/2 TBS)
50g light muscovado sugar (1/4 cup)
50g dark muscovado sugar (1/4 cup)
250g currants (1 1/2 cups)
1 tsp ground all spice
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves
finely grated zest of 1 lemon and 1 TBS Juice
Melt the butter for the filling in a saucepan. Add both the sugars and stir to remove any lumps. Remove from the heat. Stir in the currants, spices, lemon zest and lemon juice. Set aside to cool.
Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Using a sharp knife cut out the stem core of the apples, and then using a melon baller, hollow them out slightly , leaving the bottom totally intact. Score each apple lightly around the middle, horizontally. This will stop them from bursting in the oven. Place in a shallow buttered baking dish.
Fill the cavities in the apples with the currant filling, piling any excess on top. Spoon 2 TBS of water into the dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover lightly with foil, and then return for a further 20 to 25 minutes, until the apples are soft right through. Serve immediately with the juices from the pan and some custard, thick cream or vanilla ice cream.
Note - These should be served immediately as they will collapse upon standing.
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