Recipes
Spicy Tomato Jam
This makes a small batch to keep in the fridge. Reduce the cayenne if you don’t want it too spicy.
Makes about 320g
Prepare 5 minutes
Cook approximately 30 minutes
500g ripe tomatoes, cherry ones are ideal as they are cooked whole but if using larger tomatoes, core and roughly chop but leave the skins on
70g dark brown sugar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp sea salt flakes
1 tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cayenne powder
Add all the ingredients to a saucepan with heavy base and bring to the boil stirring occasionally.
Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes until it reaches the consistency of jam. Remove from the heat and cool at room temperature. Store in an airtight sterilised jar in the fridge for 2 weeks.
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Family Recipe from Sallie Dixon
Date and Walnut Bread
I usually make half this mixture and use a 1lb tin
Three cups of wholemeal flour
One cup of white flour
Two lbs. of dates - chopped (not too fine)
One quarter lb. of shelled walnuts (chopped)
One cup of brown sugar
Four tablespoons of dark treacle
Two cups pf milk (Four all the better)
One teaspoon of Bicarbonate of soda
Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl, pour in the treacle into the centre add the milk
Mix to a sloppy paste (that is important)
Pour into a loaf 2lb tin.
Bake one and a half hours in a slow oven.
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Churchill’s Fruit Cake
This cake was one of Winston Churchill’s favourites. It originates from Churchill’s long-standing cook, Georgina Landemare who catered for Winston throughout the war at Downing Street and then at his family home, Chartwell in Kent, until she retired in 1954. During the war period, meals were often created using the most basic of ingredients as part of the rationing era. According to Mrs Landemare, Churchill was an incredibly fussy eater but she was often able to produce something delicious that satisfied his appetite for ‘simple British food’. Such was the impact of her cooking, on VE night Churchill actually thanked Mrs Landemare for her efforts by saying that he “could not have managed throughout the war without her cooking”. The National Trust has created their version of the fruit cake recipe below, inspired by Mrs Landmare’s original recipe, which Churchill would have enjoyed.
Ingredients
225g butter
170g dark brown sugar
285g SR flour
280g dried mixed fruit
2 cups strong black tea
5 eggs
110g glace cherries, halved or dried apricots or mixed nuts
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tbsp black treacle (optional but is used to add a rich darkness and flavour to the cake)
Method
1. Soak the dried fruit in tea, preferably overnight.
2. Oven temperature 150°C
3. Line and grease a cake tin.
4. Cream together the butter and sugar until almost white.
5. Gradually beat in the eggs.
6. Fold in the flour and mixed spice.
7. Add the mixed fruit, glace cherries and black treacle and mix well.
8. Transfer to cake tin and bake for 2 hours,
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Orange & white chocolate cookies; makes 24
Ingredients
300g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
250g butter, softened
125g caster sugar
125g light brown sugar
1 large egg
Zest of 1 orange
250g white chocolate chips or white chocolate roughly chopped
Method
1. Oven temperature 180°C
2. Grease two baking trays.
3. Cream together the butter and sugars until pale and fluffy.
4. Add the egg and beat until well combined.
5. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt, orange zest and chocolate.
6. Roll dough into balls or spoon equal quantities of the dough onto a greased baking tray, leaving at least 3cms between each one.
7. Bake for 8 – 10 mins until golden.
8. Remove from oven, leave 2 – 3 mins, then place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
This mixture can be prepared well in advance. Roll the dough into biscuit sized sausages, put in freezer bag and freeze. When needed, slice into discs and bake as above.
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