Dossie's Cinnamon Sponge

Mum was a reasonable baker! We grew up at home on only home cooked treats. Her older sister Aunty Dossie (Harris) though, that was a different matter. WOW, could she cook. Everything on her dairy farm was made from scratch. Everything tasted delicious. The pantry was lined with bottles and jars of home preserves from the excess of each season. I can still taste the icecream that she whipped by hand, made fresh from the cream of her own cows. Every Australian country woman could (and most still can) make a sponge cake. That's what you serve when special visitors come. "You whip up a sponge".

Some special recipes in mum's hand written book are designated: (Dossie's). This is one of those recipes.

3 eggs
small 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup arrowroot
2 teaspoons (plain) flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon syrup
(I tested this with golden syrup from the era and my knowledge that is what the I think the recipe meant)

Beat the eggs and sugar for 20 minutes (that's what it says!). Add dry ingredients then fold in 1 teaspoon syrup.

Bake in sandwich tins in a moderate oven for 7 - 10 minutes.

CINNAMON TEA CAKE

60g (2oz) butter
1/2 cup castor sugar
1 egg
1 cup self raising flour
1 teaspoon vanilla essence (or paste)
1/3 cup milk

topping (extra)
15g (1/2oz) butter
1 tablespoon castor sugar
1 teaspoon powdered cinnamon

Cream butter and sugar, add egg and vanill then flour and milk. Cook in moderate oven for 15 to 20 minutes. While cooling on cake tray, make topping.

Melt extra butter and brush on top of cake. Mix extra castor sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle on cake.

Delicious while warm. Still delicious when cool.

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.

Dossie's Chocolate Cake

Aunty Dossie was one of my first cooking inspirations. When I was younger I would go and stay on her dairy farm where I had my first 'farm to table' experiences. In fact, it was those authentic and truly fresh flavours that ignited my interest in cooking. She is no longer with us, and here is her Chocolate Cake recipe, shared in her memory.

125g (4oz) butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons coconut
1 heaped cup Self Raising Flour
3 level tablespoon Drinking Chocolate

Besat butter and sugar, add milk and vanilla, then chocolate, flour and coconut.

Put into a greased sandwich tin. Bake in a moderate oven.

The recipe is simple and economical and most probably at least 40 to 50 years old.

Raspberry Crumble Bake

I've been making this so long - its a little note of ingredients in my book with no instructions - think I got the ingredients one day off mum over the phone so here's my attempt with adding the 'how' as well as the 'what'...

Preheat a moderate oven and grease a slice (12" x 8") tin (I also add baking parchment to the bottom of the pan).

12oz (360g) Self Raising Flour
1 egg
3oz (90g) butter
60z (180g) sugar
4 rounded tablespoons jam (OK well I'm generous here and use about double this)
1 level teaspoon cinnamon

Mix the flour and sugar, crumble butter through with your hands add egg and mix well. Cover the slice tin with a bit over half this mix to make a base. Press firmly. Spread the jam over the base. Crumble the rest of the mix loosely over the jam. Bake for about 20 minutes or until lightly golden.

(My lazybones addition is to soften the butter in the microwave or in a bowl over hot water, then mix.)

(My variations - I've used this to make all sorts of seasonal delights by changing the variety of jam, replacing the jam with fruitmince.)

It looks delightful cut in little squares then dotted with a half teaspoon quenelle of mascarpone, or a teaspoon of lightly whipped cream.