Traditional Easter fare

Press, 20 March 1978, Page 13

Traditional Easter fare

Home & People

In some households it would not be Easter without Hot Cross Buns. Sim- | nel Cake is another tradiI tional food of the season, i so I have included recipes j for both. And as Easter is ! early this year 1 have I added some desserts which ■ use fresh fruits for those | who have access to them. HOT CROSS BUNS For the home cooks i who like to try making I their own spicy Hot Cross Buns, here is an easy recipe It makes about 20 to 24 buns, depending on the size. You will need:— 2 tablespoons butter. 1 cup milk. | cake yeast. 3 J cups flour. j cup cornflour. 1| teaspoons salt. | cup sugar. f egg. j teaspoon vanilla. J cup sultanas. 2 teaspoons mixed spice. I 1 teaspoon nutmeg. Method: Mett butter in i small pan and add milk, ■ when lukewarm add the

yeast and stir until this is dissolved. Sift 1J cup flour with salt; add sugar. Beat egg. Add yeast mixture to flour and sugar then stir in the beaten egg and beat for three minutes. Add vanilla. Cover and leave in warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in bulk. Add 2 cups flour sifted with cornflour and spices and the fruit. Form into balls and place on a greased oven tray marking each with a deep cross. Return to a warm place for about an hour. Bake in hot over 475-500 for 10-12 minutes. Boil 1 tablespoon sugar with 2 tablespoons water for 2 minutes; brush this over the buns as soon as they come out of the oven. SIMNEL CAKE Simnel Cake was one of the traditions of Edwardian English cookery. It was made from a yeast dough for Mothering Sundav and served to visiting relatives who brought gifts to the family’s mother. The modern Simnel Cake, served at Easter, is a light fruit cake mixture with a layer of almond past in the middle. For this recipe use a nineincn cake tin. You will need:— About 225 g almond paste (8 oz). One-third cup softened buter. 1 egg yolk. ’ cup butter. 1 cup flour. 3 eggs. i cup sugar. 1 cup currants. One-third cup mixed peel.

Salt. Method: Mix almond paste with softened butter and egg yolk and blend well. Cream | cup butter and when creamy and very soft, blend in the sifted flour. Beat eggs until light and lemon coloured then add sugar and a pinch of salt and beat until thick and light. Combine with the flour and butter mixture, blending thoroughly. Add fruit and peel. Grease cake tin, preferably a springform, or line an ordinary tin with greased paper. Pour in half of the cake mixture. Add a layer of the almond paste mixture reserving some for the top of the cake. Top wjth remaining cake mixture and bake at 325 for about an hour. Remove from oven and pipe the remaining alrnond paste around edge of top of cake. Return to the oven for about 15 minutes or until topping is lightly browned. PEARS IN BURGUNDY Pears in Burgundy can be prepared easily and when well chilled and served with cream make a delicious dessert. Choose small, sound, ripe pears. Serves six. You will need,; 6 pears 1 cup sugar f cup water | cup Burgundy Cinnamon Blanched almonds Method: Peel the pears but do not core them and leave the • small stem intact. Place in small deep pan after the sugar, water and cinnamon (to taste) has been dissolved to a syrup. Simmer covered for 15 to 20 minutes. Add

wine and remove lid and continue to simmer very gently, uncovered, for another 15 minutes. Ensure that the fruit is soft by testing with a skewer or fork and remove carefully to serving dish standing them upright. Reduce remaining liquid by continuing to simmer until of a light syrup consistency. Pour over pears and garnish with halved blanched almonds. Serve very cold.

FRENCH APRICOT FLAN French apricot Flan or Tart can be one of the most attractive to the eye and delicious to the palate of all the pastries. Rounded apricot halves arranged in circular formation in a sweet pastry case, glazed with red-cur-rant jelly and piped with cream are delicious. This sweet can be made with dried apricots, but it is much better with fresh

apricots, however expensive they may be at the present time. Makes enough for a 7in to Bin flan ring or shallow pie plate.

You will need:— 8-10 firm but fully ripe apricots, depending on size or 18 dried apri-

cot halves 175 g rich shortcrust or pate sucree (6 oz) Egg white 2 tablespoons red-currant jelly or sieved apricot jam Whipped cream Method: Cut apricots in halves and remove stone; poach in a prepared syrup of sugar and water being careful not to ovecrook. Line the flan ring or pie plate with pastry and brush with white of egg. Carefully remove apricot halves from liquid with slotted spoon or slice and let drain for a few minutes before arranging case. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes; cool and coat with prepared glaze. When cold another coat of glaze can be given. Pipe with whipped cream and serve cold. PATE SUCRE - You will need:— 125 g flour (4oz . 50 g castor sugar. (2 oz) 50 g softened butter. (2 ox)

2 small egg yolks. A little grated lemon rind. Salt.

Method: Sift flour with pinch of salt on to a board and make well in centre. Break egg yolks into bowl., add soft butter and sugar and stir untill the three are roughly blended then tip into the middle of the flour and quickly but light,y draw the flour into the liquid. Knead only for a second or two then wrap in greaseproof paper and place in refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight. Roll as thinly as possible and line pie plate, patching as required (it is very soft) but it responds to patching very well. Brush with white of egg and leave until this is dry before filling. Glaze Mix red-currant jelly (or sieved apricot jam) with equal quantity of water or syrup remaining from cooking apricots. Heat slowly until dissolved; spoon over fruit. STUFFED PEACHES Peaches are also expensive now but many home cooks who want to

serve a special dessert on Easter Day will find the outlay worthwhile if they try this recipe. Stuffed Peaches are served with chocolate ice cream and additional fresh cream and are something to remember. If you allow one peach for a serving this recipe will make enough for four persons. You will need:—■ 4 large, ripe firm peaches. 4 coconut macaroons or meringues. 2 tablespoons brandy. 4 tablespoons sugar. 1 cup water. Lemon juice. Method: Put sugar and water in saucepan over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Peel and halve peaches. Crush macaroons or meringues (a little dessicated coconut can be added if meringues are used) and mix with brandy. Fill this mixture into centre of fruit, topping with matching peach half and secure with toothpicks. Place prepared fruit in ovenproof dish and pour over prepared syrup; cover and cook at low heat (300) until fruit is just soft. Cool and chill. Serve with chocolate ice cream and cream. PLUM SOUFFLE

While plums are still available try this light dessert, Plum Souffle. It can be served moulded or in individual dishes, with whipped cream and/or icecream. Serves six. You will need:— »00 g plums (21b) 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons golden syrup 1 tablespoon gelatine 200 g unsweetened condesed milk (£ tin) Method: Cook plums without sugar or sweetening in 1 cup water and when soft put through a sieve or colander adding boiling water to the resulting puree to make up to 1 pint. Add sugar, golden syrup and the gelatine which has been softened in a tablespoon of cold water Stir until gelatine is completely dissolved then leave until cool. When starting to set add the milk and beat until thick. Pour into individual dishes or set in mould and serve with cream and/or ice-cream. BLACKBERRY CHEESECAKE With a surfeit of blackberries in the kitchen I experimented with a Blackberry Cheesecake and it was very successful. Cheesecake enthusiasts will find it a new “taste sensation.” You will need:— 350 g cream cheese (J lb) 2 eggs i cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla Pinch of cinnamon 2 cups fully ripe blackberries I pint sour cream 3 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla Method: Mix the cream cheese with the eggs, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and beat very well until light and fluffy. Carefully fold in blackberries and pour into a springform pan lined with biscuit crumb crust. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes. Cool then cover with the sour cream which has been mixed with the 3 tablespoons sugar and I teaspoon vanilla. Return it to the over (375) for about 5 minutes. Serve chilled. Crumb Crust: Blend U cups finely crumbed wholemeal biscuits with | cup castor sugar and one third cup melted butter. Chill or bake at 300 for 15 minutes.

FOOD AND RECIPES By Celia Timms