Some sweet snacks that keep well

Press, 7 September 1981, Page 14

Some sweet snacks that keep well

For those who like to keep their tins filled with something to eat with the morning or afternoon “cuppa,” a new recipe is usually welcome. I have selected four quite different interesting types of “tin fillers” and all of them are good keepers. Rock Cakes containing’ fruit, nuts, and cheese which is an unusual but tasty combination; Apple Cakes, which have stewed apple in the mixture; American Cookies with oatmeal, coconut, and nuts that are crisp and crunchy, and a glamour-type, pastry, Vanilla Tartlet with a custard filling and meringue topping. I hope you enjoy all of them. Savoury fruit rocks These are almost a cross between a rock cake and a scone. They are better if halved and buttered, but are quite good eaten plain. To make about 24 you need; 2 cups self-raising flour 125 g butter or margarine */2 cup sugar 1 egg 2 tablespoon milk ’/z teaspoon bi-carbonate of soda 1 tablespoon hot water % cup grated Cheddar cheese 1 cup finely chopped dates cup finely chopped walnuts Pinch of salt. Method: Sift flour with salt and rub in the butter or margarine. Add sugar, cheese, dates and nuts and mix well. Make a well in centre of these ’ ingredients and add the egg beaten with the milk, enough to form a stiff mixture. Dissolve soda in boiling water and add; beat well. Take small por-

tions of mixture and with floured hands roll into small balls about the size of a walnut. Place on a greased baking tray and bake at 190 C for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Apple cakes Baked in patty pans, these cakes are moist and nicely flavoured with apple and sultanas; they keep well and can be served when freshly cooked and warm as a dessert with a boiled custard. For the apple content, cook two cooking apples, preferably Grannies, sliced fairly thickly in eighths in very little water without sugar. When soft but not mushy, strain off all liquid and press remaining pulp through a sieve or blend. The mixture should be thick. You need: P/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon bi-carbonate of soda 3 /4 cup sugar ‘/z cup melted butter 1 egg 1 cup sultanas 1 cup cooked apple 2 teaspoons mixed spice (or to taste) Method: Sift flour with soda and spice; add sugar and sultanas. Stir in wellbeaten egg and apple puree and finally the melted butter. Beat well and cook in well greased patty pans, filled two-thirds full at 200 C until firm and lightly browned. American cookies . A crisp, crunchy cookie, well flavoured with coconut, oats, and nuts. To make about 36 you need: 1 cup brown sugar ‘/2 cup butter l /z cup margarine 1 cup coconut 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon bi-carbonate of soda */2 teaspoon salt 1 cup white sugar I cup chopped nuts 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 eggs 2%-3 cups rolled oats (quick cooking type) Method: Sift flour with baking powder, soda and salt. Soften butter and combine with margarine; add brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy; add vanilla and eggs and blend well. Stir white sugar into dry ingredients and add these to mixture together with coconut, nuts and finally rolled oats stirring well to make a firm mixture. Form into balls about the size of a walnut and place on greased oven tray. Bake at 190 C for eight to ten minutes, taking care

not to overbake or they will become too hard. Vanilla tartlets These custard-filled tarts, topped with meringue and glace cherries, are rather special. The pastry cases are made separately, and when cooked are filled with the cooked custard mixture and returned to the oven to set the meringue topping. To make about 18 you need: Ehang4bFor Pastry: 125 g flour Pinch of salt 25g cornflour 1 egg-yolk 25g sieved icing sugar 75g butter For Filling: 25g butter 25g sugar 2 eggs Vanilla essence 3 tablespoons cream % cup milk Lemon juice 125 g castor sugar Glace cherries. Method: To make pastry, soften butter and gradually beat in the egg yolk and sieved icing sugar; continue

COOKING

with

Celia Timms

beating until very creamy and light. Add flour sifted with cornflour and salt. The consistency should be softer than the usual shortcrust so a few drops of milk might be required. Chill for half an hour before using. Roll to Vr inch thickness and cut to fit small patty pans. Prick all over with fork. Bake at 200 C for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool in pans. To make filling, melt butter in small pan, add flour and over low heat cook, stirring continually for about 2 minutes without letting it brown at all. Add milk and stir until thickened and smooth. Beat egg yolks with sugar and add. Stir continually and do not let mixture boil. Remove from heat, add cream, vanilla and a squeeze of lemon juice; cool. Put spoonful of custard in each pastry case and top with a piped rose of meringue made by beating egg whites with the castor sugar until stiff and shiny. Return to a 140 C oven until meringue is set. Top with glace cherries, whole or chopped.