Jam Drops

Mum baked all the things we grew up on - it wasnt unusual - it was how she grew up and how all her family were fed. On their dairy farms, it was an afternoon ritual to stop each day for afternoon tea, and the biscuit barrell was always filled with home baked goodies! Another of those family recipes, probably at least 50 years old.

3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups self raising flour
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 egg
Jam

Cream butter and sugar, add egg and flour. Roll out and form into small buns. Make a hole in the centre and put in jam and close round the jam. Bake on greased tray in moderate oven.

Patty Cakes

Cupcakes is a newer term for what mum called Patty Cakes ... this recipe won prizes 50 years ago (this was just a list of ingredients - no instructions apart from temperature + cooking time)

95g (3oz) butter
95g (3oz) castor sugar
2 well beaten eggs
190g (6oz) self raising flour
3 tablespoons milk

Cream butter and sugar. Add well beaten eggs one at a time. Add flour, then milk alternatively. Place mixture in patty cases.

Cook in moderately hot oven (425F) for about 15 minutes.

Walnut Fruit Bread

3 egg whites
1/2 cup castor sugar
1 cup plain flour
4oz (125g) walnuts
2oz (65g) preserved ginger
2oz (65g) green glace cherries
2 oz (65g) red glace cherries
2oz (65g) glace pineapple

Beat egg whites until soft peaks from, gradually beat in castor sugar, beating well after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Fold in sifted flour, whole walnuts and roughly chopped ginger and glace fruits.

Spread into greased (10" x 3") bar tin. Bake in a moderate oven 30 to 35 minutes or until just firm. Cool out of tin.

When cold, wrap in aluminium foil, put aside for one or two days. Using a very sharp knife, cut bread into wafer thin slices. Put slices on to oven trays and bake in slow oven 45 minutes or until dry and crisp. Makes about 40.

Date Delight

185g butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups self raising flour
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 cup dates
grated rind of a lemon

Mix all the dry ingredients together.

Add melted butter and honey and mix well.

Add eggs.

Press into greased slice tin (cooking times based on 11" x 7" approximately).

Bake in a moderate oven for 25 minutes until brown.

Notes: (1) lemon icing complements the ginger and date (2) if preferred replace ground ginger with ground cinnamon

Dad's Favourite Date Slice

1 cup chopped dates
1 cup coconut
1 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup sugar
125 g (4oz) butter
1 egg

Add melted butter to sifted flour and other dry ingredients. Mix well. Add lightly beaten egg. Press into greased tin and bake for around 20 minutes in a slow oven. (mum's slow varies - i'd say this should be from experience moderate to slow around 140C - time will depend on the size of the tin)

Cut into fingers when cold.

EASY slice

This recipe has been made in our family for over 40 years. It seems (as the name suggests!) almost too easy...

1 cup self raising flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup coconut
125g (4oz) butter

Melt butter and pour over dry ingredients. Mix. Cook in slice tin in moderate oven 15 - 20 minutes.

Ice while hot - chocolate or lemon

enjoy...

Date Crunchies

There are a wealth of recipes we grew up on as kids in mum's old hand written cook books. I don't remember anything being bought from supermarkets or shops. Everything was made at home. Here's another of those family recipes to share with you.

8oz (250g) flour
12oz (375g) dates
4oz (125g) rolled oats
6oz (190g) sugar
5oz (160g) butter
grated lemon rind
2 - 3 teaspoons water

Heat chopped dates, rind and water until soft. Pour melted butter over the flour, sugar and rolled oats mix.

Spread half the oats mixtured in greased slice tin and press down firmly. Spread the softened date mixture over the bsed. Sprinkle the rest of the oats mixture over the top.

Bake in a moderate oven for 1 hour. Wait until quite cold before cutting into fingers.