BANANA CAKE

4oz Margarine
4oz Castor Sugar
2 Eggs
8oz SR Flour
2-3 Mashed Bananas
2 tbsp Milk
1 tsp Bicarb Soda


Oven 350-375°F / 180-190°C/ Gas 4-5

Cream Marg & Sugar.
Add Eggs, Bananas & Milk
Fold in Flour

Mix Well
Pour into a lined 2lb Loaf Tin

Bake 40 - 45 mins

NOTE

Bananas can be frozen if not wanted straight away and then used for this cake.

National Baking Week

This week is National Baking Week so following the common thread I will be baking this week.

I will be making:

Banana Cake
Sponge to be iced
Gingerbread Cake
Fruit Loaf

plus any other goodies I think of along the way.

MANGO CHUTNEY

Recipe taken from Jams, Preserves & Chutneys by Marguerite Patten

12oz onions finely chopped
1½lb mango (weight stoned and peeled - usually 2)
1lb cooking apples (weight peeled and cored)
2tsp pickling spices
½ pint white wine vinegar
1 orange
1¼lb sugar

Put onions into pan
Cut approx 2/3 of mango and all apples into small dice, add to onions.
Cut remaining mango into larger dice and set aside.
Tie spices in muslin and add to pan with the vinegar
Simmer gently until onions and fruit are getting soft.
Grate zest of orange finely, halve and squeeze juice; add both zest and juice to pan, along with remaining mango.
Cook for 5 mins
Add sugar and stir over low heat until dissolved, the boil steadily until consistencey of a soft jam.
Remove spices.
Allow to cool for approx 10 mins then stir to evenly distribute fruit pieces.
Spoon into hot jars and seal down.

MINCEMEAT

This is the recipe I have used to make the mincemeat this year.

Makes 6lb

1lb cooking apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
8oz shredded suet
2lb dried mixed fruit
12oz soft dark brown sugar
grated rind and juice 1 orange
grated rind and juice 1 lemon
2 tbsp lemon juie
2 tsp mixed spice
½ tsp ground cinnamon
half a nutmeg grated
6 tbsp brandy

Mix all ingredients apart from brandy together in a bowl, and leavecovered with a cloth for 12 -18 hours.
Mix through then place in a very low oven 120°C/225°F/gas ¼ for 3 hours.
Allow to become completely cold then stir in brandy, spoon into clean dry jars and seal.

ELDERFLOWER CORDIAL

Ingredients:
1.5 litres of boiling water
1 kilo of white granulated sugar
20 large elderflower heads (if they are small, pick more)
4 lemons
55g of citric acid

Method:
1. In a Pyrex bowl (or deep saucepan) pour the boiling water onto the sugar and stir. Leave to cool, stirring every now and then to dissolve the sugar.
2. When cool add the citric acid, the lemons (zested and sliced) and the elderflower heads.
3. Leave to steep for 48 hours.
4. Strain twice through sterilised muslin (how do I sterilise muslin? See Tips and tricks below)
5. Using a jug and funnel carefully pour into hot sterilised bottles (how do I sterilise bottles? See Tips and tricks below)
Tips and tricks:
How do I sterilise a jelly bag or muslin square?Both can be scalded with boiling water. If you are using a clean muslin bag or square you can iron them with a hot iron. This also works with tea cloths.
How do I sterilise bottles?The sterilising method that we used is simple. Just before making the syrup, I quickly wash and rinse the bottles and place them upside down in a cold oven. Set the temperature to 160° (140° fan-assisted). When the oven has reached the right temperature I turn off the heat. The bottles will stay warm for quite a while. Sterilise the lids by boiling these for a few minutes in water.

FIVE CUP FRUIT LOAF

This recipe is coutesy of the "Netmums.com cookery book"

FIVE CUP FRUIT LOAF

1 cup sugar
1 cup dried fruit (any mixture you like)
1 cup robust breakfast cereal (oats,bran flakes,muesli etc)
1 cup milk
1 cup SR flour

Oven 180°C/Gas 4

Line 2lb loaf tin with greaseproof paper

In a bowl mix together first 4 ingredients leave to soak for at least an hour

Add flour and mix well. It will be very runny.

Pour into tin, bake approx 1 hour until cake is firm and knife comes out clean.

Allow to cool and store in airtight tin

CHOCOLATE CONCRETE

450 g margarine
620g flour
425g sugar
115g cocoa,

Oven temp 325oF, 170oC or Gas No.3.

Melt margarine in saucepan.
Add vanilla essence if you like, 2 tspns.
Mix all dry ingredients in mixer bowl, add margarine.
Mix well.
Divide between greased tins and spread evenly.
Make a pattern with a fork.
Brush with water and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake in a slow oven for about 40 minutes.
Portion whilst warm and cool on a wire tray.