Icelandic Recipes

Sour Milk Dessert (Surmjolkurhlaup)

Categories: Icelandic, Dairy, Desserts
Yield: 4 servings

2 c Sour milk or buttermilk
1/4 c Whipping cream (or up to
-1/2 cup)
1/4 c Sugar
1 tb Rum, or vanilla, or grated
-rind of lemon or orange
3 tb Gelatin
1/2 c Cold water

Soften gelatin in the cold water and dissolve over hot water. Cool.
Beat sour milk with sugar thoroughly. Add to softened gelatin with
vanilla or rum or grated rind. When beginning to set, fold in the
stiffly beaten cream. Pour into mold rinsed with cold water and
sprinkled with sugar. Refrigerate until set. Unmold on serving plate
and decorate with fresh or cooked fruit or berries. May also be
served with a caramel sauce.




Baked Halibut (Steiktar Heilagfiski)

Categories: Icelandic, Fish
Yield: 4 servings

1 Slice halibut, 1 1/2 to 2
-inches thick
1 ts Salt
1/4 ts Pepper
3 tb Melted butter
1 c Canned tomatoes
1/2 ts Sugar
1 Medium onion
1/2 c Heavy cream

Rince halibut and dry on paper towels. Remove skin. Place in a
buttered baking dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush with
remaining melted butter. Crush tomatoes, add sugar, and spread over
fish. Cover with thinly sliced onion and bake for 20 minutes in a
hot oven (400F). Pour cream over fish and bake an additional 10
minutes.



Whole Salmon with Apples and Beets

Categories: Icelandic, Fish
Yield: 8 servings

1 5 to 6-pound salmon
3 tb Salt
4 tb Butter
3 c Boiling water
1 c Raw or cooked apples, choppd
1 c Cooked chopped beets
Celery
Lemon quarters

Clean the fish, but do not remove head or tail. Remove viscera and
clean fish well. Sprinkle with salt and let stand for a few minutes.
Melt butter in a large kettle or deep frying pan and brown the fish
on all sides. Pour the boiling water over the fish, and simmer until
tender. Place the whole fish on a serving platter. Keep hot. Cook
beets until softened (or use canned). Peel or chop or cube. Mix 1 T
water, 1 T vinegar, 1 T sugar, and pour over beets. Let stand for
1/2 hour or longer. Drain. Or mix beets with a little sour milk or
sour cream. Chop or cube raw or cooked apples. Place small mounds
of apples and beets around fish. Between mounds, place lemon
quarters and celery.


Cooked Herring with Lemon Sauce and Potato Ring

Categories: Icelandic, Fish
Yield: 6 servings

2 lb Herring
Water
Salt

------------------------POTATO RING-----------------------------
1 1/2 lb Potatoes
1 Grated or chopped onion
2 Slices white bread
2 Eggs
1/2 c Milk
1/4 c Butter
Salt and pepper to taste

------------------------LEMON SAUCE-----------------------------
2 tb Butter or margarine
2 tb Flour
2 c Fish broth
2 Egg yolks
1/2 ts Salt (if fish broth is not
-sufficiently salted)
Juice of 1 lemon

Peel potatoes and cook until soft. Drain and mash or rice the
potatoes. Cover bread with milk and let stand for a few minutes. Mix
together the potatoes, grated onion, bread, and milk. Season with
salt and pepper. Add melted butter and beaten egg yolks. Beat egg
whites stiff and fold in. Butter a ring mold and sprinkle with bread
crumbs. Put potato mixture into mold and bake in a moderate oven
(375F) until nicely browned.
Turn out on serving platter. While potato ring is baking, clean,
bone, rinse and fillet herring. (Frozen herring fillets may be
used.) Cut fillets in pieces and cook in boiling salted water only
until tender. Carefully remove and drain herring and place in center
of potato ring. Pour lemon sauce over herring and serve.

For lemon sauce: Melt butter or margarine and add flour. Stir until
well blended. Add fish broth slowly, stirring constantly. Beat egg
yolks and add salt. Add to sauce, a little at a time, stirring
briskly. Do not boil after eggs are added. Add strained lemon juice.


(from THE COMPLETE SCANDINAVIAN COOKBOOK, Alice B. Johnson)

Recipes from Luxembourg

There can be no doubt that the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg is truly a gastronomer's delight. The country boasts more Michelin stars per square mile (or per inhabitant) than anybody else, a safe indicator of the people's high opinion where matters of food are concerned.

Most traditional dishes are of peasant origin, but Luxembourg's affinities with both French and German culture, have long ago been translated into the country's speciality foods. We aim to present here some of the more succulent traditional dishes. It may not always be easy to get every ingredient outside of Luxembourg's borders, but with a little imagination, one can usually find alternatives.

Green Bean Soup - Bou'neschlupp

Take 2 parts sliced green or wax beans and 1 part diced potatoes and chopped onion.
Cover and boil in water until soft.
Fry 4 slices of bacon and add bacon bits and fat to soup.
Add about ½ pint of cream and simmer (sour cream is even more delicious).
Some people like to add a "Mettwurscht" (sausage) to their "Bou'neschlupp"


Nettle Soup - Brennesselszopp

Use only the very top fresh shoots, picked in early springtime.
Fry a finely chopped onion in a little butter, then add the nettle shoots and continue on a medium heat.
After a couple of minutes add three quartered potatoes and a litre of meat stock.
Cook for half an hour, and then mix well in a blender. Add seasoning to taste, and some cream
Serve with croutons.


Trout in Riesling Sauce (serves 4) - F'rell am Rèisleck

Ingredients:

4 nice trout (1/2 lb. each),
7 fluid oz dry Riesling (or Elbling),
10 fl oz fresh cream,
2 oz unsalted butter,
parsley,
3 shallots,
a pinch of chervil,
a twig of tarragon,
chives,
salt, pepper and paprika
Clean, wash and dry the trout with a cloth. Sprinkle them with salt, pepper and flour. Melt the butter in a pan and fry the trout gently 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
Meanwhile butter a stew pan and place the trout in it. Fry the finely chopped herbs in your frying pan, add the dry Riesling wine and pour this mixture on the trout in the stew pan.
Add the fresh cream, season to taste with pepper, salt and a pinch of paprika and place the stew pan into a hot oven. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes basting the trout occasionally.
Take out the trout and put them on a hot plate. Boil your sauce while whisking until thick.
Cover the trout with the sauce and serve with boiled potatoes.


Smoked Collar of Pork With Broad Beans - Judd Mat Gaardebou'nen

Soak the meat for 24 hours, then bring to the boil in the same water. Change the water after half an hour and add vegetables as if for a hot pot. Cooking time for an average sized collar: 1½ - 2 hours. Make sure the water does not boil too fast.

Broad Beans: To get them right, the most important ingredient is savoury. Cut some savoury very finely. Cube one onion, and some streaky bacon. Brown lightly in butter, add the beans and some stock. Season, and add 1 soup spoon of flour. Cook for a further 20 minutes. Before serving, add parsley and some double cream.

Note: This dish has been become regarded as the National Dish of Luxembourg, and hails from the village of Gostingen. The villagers there have often been called "Bou'nepatscherten" by their neighbours, jealous of the fact that the best broad beans grow in the area. Indeed these are celebrated annually in a "Bean Feast".


Meat and Wine pie - Rieslingspaschtéit




Ingredients:
- for the pastry: 750 g flour, 250g butter, 2 eggs, 12g salt, 200ml water, 1 egg yolk
- for the filling: 1kg minced meat (500g pork, 200g beef, 300g veal), 2 carrots, 2 shallots , 2 onions, 1 bunch of parsley, 4cl cognac, marjoram, pepper, salt, powdered condiment, Riesling
- for the aspic: 1 pig trotter, 2 pig ears, mirepoix, Riesling, pepper, salt.

Finely chop the vegetables and mix them with the remaining ingredients for the filling. Leave to macerate for 48 hours.

To prepare the pastry mix the flour, eggs, salt and water. Add the melted butter. Leave to rest for 1 hour. Roll out the pastry. Pile the filling on the pastry by forming a clump. Fold the pastry over the filling and press to close the edges. Make 2 or 3 chimneys (decorate their rims with pastry). Trace a criss-cross pattern with a fork. Brush with the egg yolk mixed with a little cold water. Put in the oven at medium heat for some 2 hours (until the cooking juices comes out clear). Leave to cool completely.

Cook the pig's trotters and ears with the mirepoix for some 3-4 hours. Add the Riesling. Pour this aspic through the chimneys into the pastry. Leave to cool in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.

Source:luxembourg.co

Ukrainian Recipes

Babka

This desert, a cross between cake and sweet bread, is often baked for Easter.

Ingredients

Amount Ingredient Preparation
1/4 ounce yeast, active dry active dry yeast, (3 Tbsp or 3 packages)
3/4 cups water warm (110 degress F)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup sugar
7 3/4 cup flour, all-purpose
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/4 cup butter, unsalted ,unsalted butter, or margarine
6 large eggs
2 each egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 each egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour, all-purpose
1 teaspoon cinnamon ground
1/4 cup butter unsalted or margarine, chilled

Directions

Grease side and bottom of 2 (10 inch) tube pans.

Prepare Topping; set aside.

In a shallow, medium bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add 1 Tbsp sugar and 1/2 cup flour; stir to combine. Cover; let stand in a warm place 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.

Heat milk and butter or margarine in a small saucepan until melted. Let stand until mixture cools to warm.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, egg yolks and remaining 1 cup sugar until pale and frothy.

Add cooled milk mixture, salt and yeast mixture. Beat unil smooth.

Gradually beat in 4 1/2 cups flour.

Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn out dough on a lightly floured surface.

Knead dough into a soft, smooth dough. Divide dough in 1/2. Arrange 1 part dough in each greased pan. Cover with a damp cloth; let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Lightly beat 2 egg whites in a small bowl until foamy. Brush beaten egg whites on top of dough.

Evenly sprinkle Topping over dough. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean.

Cool cakes in pans 3 to 4 minutes on racks. Turn out of pans; cool completely on racks.

Frost with Powdered sugar Icing if desired. Makes two (10 inch) cakes.

Topping: In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter or margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Powdered sugar Icing: 2 egg whites 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar 1/2 tsp lemon juice. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until frothy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating constantly. Beat 10 minutes or until glossy. Add lemon juice; beat 2 minutes or until icing stands up in soft peaks. Makes about 1 1/4 cup icing.


Ukrainian Meat & Fish Stew

Categories: Ukrainian, Ethnic, Maindish, Meat, Seafood
Yield: 10 servings

1/2 lb Ground beef
1/2 lb Ground lamb
1/2 lb Herring, fresh, cubed,
Skinned & boned
1/2 c Plain Yogurt
4 T Butter
4 ea Eggs, seperated
1 ea Garlic clove minced
1 ea Onion lg. chopped
4 ea Potatos peeled & boiled
1/2 t Salt
1/2 t Black pepper
2 T Goat cheese <Feta> crumbled
3 T Bread crumbs
4 T Carrots shredded

Put 1 qt of milk into a bowl and soak the herring in it 8-12 hours.
Pat dry being sure to remove any and all bones.
Fry the onions & garlic in 2 T of butter until golden. Pan fry the ground
meats and place into a food processor. Add the onion, garlic herring,
& potatos. Chop until a smooth mixture is achieved. Stir in the yogurt
and the egg yolks. Add the spices.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. & butter a large baking dish.
Add the shredded carrots at this point.
Beat the egg whites until the are fairly stiff but not dry and then add to
the mixture. Turn the mixture into the buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with
the bread crumbs and goat <Feta> cheese, dot with remaining butter, & then
bake for 45 minutes. Serve hot.

Basque Recipes

Basque confit d'oie

Yield: 1 Servings

Ingredients:
9 lb Fesh goose
3/4 lb Goose fat
3/4 lb Pork fat
1 1/2 c Kosher salt
4 Bay leaves broken
3 tb Fresh thyme leaves
3 ts Freshly ground pepper
1 ts Freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 ts Freshly ground cloves
15 Garlic gloves

Instructions:

peeled ( preserved goose in it's own fat ) Cut up goose cutting thighs and back into two parts and breast into four. Remove wing tips and set aside.( Save for stock or soup ) Put fat (goose and pork) into large Dutch oven with 1/2 cup water and cook on low heat until all fat has rendered.Discard scraps. Mix together salt herbs and spices (excluding garlic).Rub goose pieces with salt mixture using entire amount. Put pieces in heavy plastic bag close tightly and refrigerate for 2 days turning bag often. Remelt fat. Wipe goose pieces dry and put them in the melted fat in Dutch oven.Add garlic and weight meat down with heavy plate.Put Dutch oven on very low heat and cook very slowly for 1 1/2 hours. Pour 1 inch of cooking fat into the bottom of a clean dry crock and allow fat to harden.Pack partly cooled pieces of goose into crock and then strain cooking fat over pieces. A thick layer of fat should cover the pieces of goose and there should be no air spaces between meat pieces.Cover tightly and refrigerate.Keeps up to 1 year. A pice of confit ( with a little of the fat) is good added to a stew or casserole as a flavor booster. It is also good served in small portions warmed over low heat and poured over mashed potatoes or rice.


Zizak (mushrooms with prawns)

2 Tbsp. Butter (authentically)
1 lb. Med. size peeled prawns.
1 large Portabella Mushroom - chopped
6-10 oyster mushrooms (or regular ok) -sliced thin
2-4 Shitake mushrooms (optional) - sliced thin
(in the original recipe, a collection of various wild mushrooms were
used, but these types make the best flavors)
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano - shredded
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 finely chopped leek
1/3 cup red wine ('Chianti' is a good one)
dash of salt

Melt butter (margarine is not as flavorful in this) in large skillet on Med-High. Brown prawns in butter lightly for 1 minute on each side. Add in all mushrooms and cover for 5 minutes. Allow the mixture to glaze, and DON'T stir. Uncover, and add all remaining ingredients. Lower heat to simmer and cover. Allow to cook 10 more minutes, stirring lightly, and scrape bottom to release glaze. Serve immediately.

Belarusian Recipes

Modern Belarusian cookery is based on old national traditions which have undergone a long historical evolution. But the main methods of traditional Belarusian cuisine are carefully kept by the people.
Common in Belarusian cuisine were dishes from potato which is called among people "the second bread". The Belarusians bring fame to their beloved potato in their verses, songs, dances. There are special potato cafes in the country where you can try various potato dishes. Potato is included into many salads, it is served together with mushrooms, meat; different pirazhki (patties) and baked puddings are made from it. The most popular among the Belarusians are traditional draniki, thick pancakes, prepared from shredded potatoes. A wide spread of potato dishes in Belarusian cuisine can be explained by natural climatic conditions of Belarus which are propitious for growing highly starched and tasty sorts of potatoes.
A lot of place in the diet of the Belarusians belongs to meat and meat products, especially to the pork and salted pork fat. One of the people's proverbs says: "There is no fish more tasty than tench, as well as there is no meat better than pork". The salted pork fat is used slightly smoked and seasoned with onions and garlic. Pyachysta is one of the traditional holiday dishes. This is boiled, stewed or roasted sucking pig, fowl or large chunks of pork or beef. Dishes prepared from meat are usually served together with potatoes or vegetables such as carrot, cabbage, black radish, peas, etc. It is characteristic that many vegetable and meat dishes are prepared in special stoneware pots.
Among dishes from fish the Belarusians prefer yushka, galki and also baked or boiled river-fish without special seasonings. In general, what concerns the most common seasonings such as onions, garlic, parsley, dill, caraway seeds, pepper, they are used very moderately in Belarusian cookery.
The choice Belarusian food are fresh, dried, salted and pickled mushrooms, and also berries such as bilberry, wild strawberries, red whortlberry, raspberries, cranberry and some others.
Of flour dishes the most popular is zacirka. Pieces of specially prepared dough are boiled in water and then poured over with milk or garnished with salted pork fat.
The Belarusians prefer to use whole milk which affected some methods of making yoghurt and the so called klinkovy cottage cheese. In Belarusian cuisine the milk is widely used for mixing in vegetable and flour dishes.
Myadukha, berezavik, kvas, beer are traditional Belarusian drinks.


COLD AND HOT APPETIZERS

Salads are light and nutritive appetizers. There are various products used to make salads, such as vegetables, mushrooms, meat, fish, eggs, cheese, etc.
Roots and potatoes are covered with boiling water and then are boiled over slow heat in a saucepan with a tightly closed lid.
While boiling beetroot add vinegar to keep the colour (1% of its weight). Beetroots are usually boiled for 2 hours, but this process can be hastened. After an hour of boiling (without adding vinegar) pour out broth and cover beetroots with cold water. In 15 to 20 minutes the product will be ready.
Black radish should be peeled and steeped for 15 to 20 minutes in cold water.
Salads are seasoned with vegetable oil, mayonnaise, sour cream and other seasonings.
Salad seasoning: 0.5 cup vegetable oil, 0.5 cup 3% vinegar, pepper, sugar, salt.
Sauce mayonnaise: 0.5 cup vegetable oil, 1 egg's yolk, 1 tsp mustard, salt, sugar, vinegar (to taste).
Pour out yolks of eggs into china-ware, add mustard and make a smooth mixture. Add gradually, by one teaspoon, vegetable oil and mix thoroughly. Add sugar, vinegar and again mix everything.
Horseradish sauce with sour cream: 100 g horseradish, 1 cupful sour cream, 1 tsp sugar, salt.
Shred the horseradish with a shredder, mix with the sour cream, add the salt and sugar.
Pickled onions: 1 onion, 1 tsp vegetable oil, 1 tblsp vinegar, 1 bay leaf, pepper, salt, sugar.
Peel the onions, chop the larger onions and cut the smaller ones in half. Place the onions in an enamelled saucepan, add vinegar, vegetable oil, pepper, bay leaves, heat over the fire and then cool. The prepared onions should be soft but resilient.


POTATOES WITH BEETROOTS (AN OLD DISH)
4 potatoes, 1 beetroot, 1-2 tblsps vegetable oil, 1 onion, salt.
Separately boil the potatoes and beetroots, cool, peel and cut into small cubes. Dot the beetroots with vegetable oil, add browned onions, salt and mix with potatoes.

BEETROOT SALAD WITH HERRING
3 beetroots, 100 g herring, 0.5 onion, 4 tblsps mayonnaise, greens.
Peel and shred the boiled beetroots and onion. Dice the fleshy part of herring. Mix the vegetables with herring, place the mixture in a salad bowl, pour over mayonnaise and garnish with greens. The salad can be made without onion.

COUNTRY SALAD
2.5 beetroots, 0.5 onion, 1 egg, 3 tblsps sour cream or mayonnaise, salt.
Boil, peel and shred the beetroots. Peel and shred the onion. Peel and chop fine the egg. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and season with sour cream or mayonnaise. Heap the salad in a dish and decorate.


HOT DISHES

BELARUSIAN BORŠČ [BORSHCH]
2.5 l water, 300 g ham bones, 200 g beef, 60 g sausages, 2 beetroots, 5 potatoes, 1 carrot, 1 onion, 2 tblsps tomato paste, 20 g pork fat, 1 tblsp flour, 2 tsps sugar, 2 tsps 3% vinegar, 4 tsps sour cream, 1 parsley root, salt.
Place chopped ham bones and beef in a saucepan of cold water and bring to a boil. Froth with a skimmer and allow to simmer over a slow fire. Half an hour before stock is done add the salt, drop in cleaned and washed carrot, onion, parsley root. Strain the stock.
Pry the shredded carrot, parsley and onion in pork fat. Add tomato paste and keep over a slow fire for about ten minutes. To the boiling stock add cubed potatoes, boiled shredded beetroot, onion and roots browned slightly, flour blended with some stock and cook until it is done. Season the boršč with sugar and vinegar. Cut boiled meet and sausages into chunks and add to the boršč.

TURNIP BORŠČ [BORSHCH]
500 g beef or veal bones, 1 beetroot, 4 potatoes, 2 turnips, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 3 tblsps tomato paste, 20 g pork fat or margarine, 1 tblsp 3% vinegar, 2 tblsps sour cream, spices, salt.
Add cubed potatoes and turnips to bone stock and boil till half done. 10 minutes before the boršč is done, add boiled and shredded beet, also add onion and carrots sauteed in pork fat or margarine, tomato paste, spices, sugar, vinegar, salt and cook over a slow fire until it is done.
Before serving season the boršč with sour cream.

OLD BELARUSIAN KAPUŚNIK (CABBAGE SOUP)
1 l mushroom stock, 400 g sauerkraut, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 30 g boiled (15 g dried) mushrooms, 1 tsp flour, 1 tsp sugar, 1-2 tblsps plum jam, 8 potatoes, 1 tblsp pork fat, salt.
Prepare the mushroom stock. Stew the sauerkraut with pork fat. Saute the shredded carrots and onions. Add the sauteed vegetables to boiling stock and cook for 10 to 20 minutes, adding shredded boiled mushrooms, plum jam, flour blended with some stock, sugar, salt. Pour out the kapuśnik in helping jugs and keep in oven for some time. Serve with baked potatoes.

SAUERKRAUT ŠČY [SHCHY] WITH MUSHROOMS
500 g beef bones, 400 g sauerkraut, 50 g dried mushrooms, 1 carrot, 1 onion, 3 tblsps tomato paste, 2 tsps flour, 2 tblsps fat, 4 tsps sour cream, pepper, bay leaves, greens, salt.
Separately prepare the bone and mushrooms stocks. Drain the mushrooms through a sieve, rinse and dice. Shred the sauerkraut, place in a saucepan, add some bone stock, fat, tomato paste, cover with a lid and stew for about half an hour, stirring from time to time. Add mushroom stock to strained bone stock, bring to a boil, then add sauteed sauerkraut and vegetables, mushrooms, pepper corns, bay leaves, browned flour with some stock mixed in, salt to taste and boil for another 5 to 10 minutes.
Serve the ščy seasoned with sour cream and greens.

Cornish Recipes

Cornish Ginger Fairings

(Originally made as a special fair day treat in Cornwall)
Ingredients: 2 cups S.R. flour, 1 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons golden syrup, 125g margarine, 1 level teaspoon bi-carb, 3 heaped teaspoons ginger, 1 egg.

Instructions: Melt syrup & margarine. Sift together flour, sugar, bi-carb & ginger. Beat egg & add to slightly cooled syrup mixture. Stir in the dry sifted ingredients. Roll into small balls, flatten top, place on greased trays. Bake 10-15 mins at 180 C or 350 F. Can make up to 60 depending on size of ball.


Cornish Pasties

(Made to feed the tin & copper miners their crowst or lunch.)

Ingredients: 1lb plain flour, pinch salt, 5 ozs Margarine/Butter, 5 ozs Lard, cold water, raw finely diced steak (chuck or similar), sliced Swede turnip, diced Onion or Leek, sliced Potato, seasoning to taste. Egg. Parsley.

Instructions: Rub Lard into the flour and salt to resemble fine breadcrumbs, mix to a dough with enough cold water. Roll into a rectangle and dot the top 2/3 pastry with marg., fold up bottom 1/3 and top 1/3 down. Turn pastry so that the open end is nearest to you and repeat the process until all Lard is used. Chill pastry in refrigerator for 1 hour. This should be enough pastry to make 1 dozen small pasties. Roll pastry out into 12 circles using a small plate to size. Place a small amount of raw sliced Potato in the centre of the pastry. Add a small amount of raw diced steak, sliced Swede, diced onion, also on pastry. Season to taste, add some chopped parsley and a nob of Marg. Seal edges by crimping securely, brush top with beaten egg, make a small slit in the top and bake at 450 F for 15 mins, in the top of a pre-heated oven. Lower oven to 325 F and put on lower shelf. Cook for a further 25-30 mins.


Congress Tarts

Make raw short pastry cases in patty tins. Put a spoonful of jam in each case, and cover with the following mixture: 4 oz ground almonds, capful of almond essence, 2 oz margarine, 2 tablespoons of castor sugar, 1 egg. Mix all together, spread over jam, making sure mixture reaches the edge of the pastry cases. Decorate with strips of pastry if desired. Bake 10-15 mins at 370*F or 190*C or until lightly browned.


Everyday Saffron Cake

Recipe

3lb plain flour, 1lb Lard & Margarine (mixed), 6oz sugar, 1 1/2 lb dried fruit, 4-6oz candied mixed peel, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 dram good saffron, 1oz yeast, warm milk and water to mix.
1. Cut Saffron into small pieces with scissors
2. Place in basin and cover with boiling water
3. Leave overnight to steep
4. Rub Lard/Marg into flour and salt.
5. Add sugar and fruit
6. Cream yeast with a little sugar. Thin with tepid water, and scatter a little flour on top. Leave in warm place until frothy.
7. Using hand, mix saffron, yeast, and enough tepid milk & water with dry ingredients to make soft dough. Knead well.
8. Cover with greased paper and a clean cloth and leave in a warm place until doubled in size.
9. Turn onto floured board and knead till the fruit starts popping out.
10. Shape into cakes, loaves, or buns. Then put into well greased tin/s. Buns are usually put on a greased baking sheet.
11. Put into a warm place to 'plum up'.
12. Bake -
Buns: 440 F 15-20 mins
Cakes: 425 F 15 mins then 30 mins at 400 F.
Cakes or loaves need 40-50 mins at these temps but should sound hollow if tapped on base, though the crust will be soft.