HINTS & ODDS

HINTS & ODDS

When making any dish with mince, i.e. bobotie or meat loaf for frikkadels – do not mix ingredients with your hands – use two tablespoons and gently, but thoroughly mix.  Results will be light and feathery.

Don’t be unpleasant about giving recipes.  There is not a recipe that cannot be found in some cookery book or other and don’t forget that no two cooks ever cook exactly the same.

The first rule in a kitchen is – clean up as you go along.  Don’t clutter up the kitchen with dirty plates and dishes.  Put newspaper on the table and throw away the mess with the paper.  By mess I mean the peelings and waste and not the dish intended for the meal, not the knives, spoons, etc.  which you have used in the preparation of the food.

When making salads, rub the wooden bowls with garlic.  Don’t wash your bowls.  Clean them with paper towels and rub them with a little oil before putting them away.

To make egg whites more fluffy, add a few drops of lemon juice when beating.

When cooking beetroot for salad add a little sugar to the water to soften quickly.

Ox tongue peels more easily if a tablespoon of vinegar is added to the water in which the tongue is cook.

BREADS

COCONUT AND MARMALADE LOAF

275grm Self – raising flour                               110grm butter or margarine

82grm Dessicated coconut                               113grm castor sugar

2 large eggs                                                      3 rounded tablespoons marmalade

3 tablespoons milk                                            pinch of salt

Set oven at 180ºC.  grease loaf- pan and line bottom with wax paper.  Sift flour and salt in mixing bowl.  Rub in butter.  Stir in 55grm coconut and sugar.  Beat eggs with two tablespoons marmalade and milk.  Add to flour mixture to make firm dough.  Put mixture in greases pan and level off the top.  Bake for 1¼ hrs until golden brown.

SHETLAND ISLE TEA LOAF

427ml Strained tea (cold)                                                  500grm mixed fruit

½ cup brown sugar                                                            500grm self – raising flour

2 eggs

Soak tea, mixed fruit and brown sugar overnight in cool place, then beat in eggs and add flour gradually, mixing well.  Bake in mod oven for about 1½ hours – check if cooked with a needle.  Makes 2 average size loaves.

NUT BREAD

½ cup sugar                                                                         1 egg

1 cup milk                                                                           2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder                                                ½ cup chopped walnuts

pinch of salt

Cream eggs and sugar, add milk, then flour, baking powder and salt sifted together, lastly chopped walnuts.  Let rise for 20 minutes.  Cover with greased paper and bake in mod oven for about ¾ hour at 190ºC.

 YORKSHIRE PARKIN LOAF

220grm  self- raising flour                                     ¼ teaspoon salt

 1 teaspoon ground ginger                                    220grm oatmeal

165grm soft brown sugar                                      220grm treacle or syrup

110grm margarine                                                142ml  milk

Line a baking tin 25cm x 30cm with greaseproof paper and grease.  Sift flour, salt and ginger into mixing bowl then stir in oatmeal.  Melt together sugar , margarine and treacle, add milk and stir into dry ingredients.  Spoon into lined tin and bake 1 – 1½ hrs in slow oven 170ºC .  when cold wrap in greaseproof paper and store in air – tight tin.  Cut into squares.  This can be baked in small loaf tins and sliced.  It keeps very well.

DESSERTS

1. HOT FRUIT SAUCE FOR ICE CREAM

1 large tin fruit cocktail                                   1 small tin youngberries (or cherries)

Sliced bananas (as many as desired).  Lemon juice for flavor approx 25 ml.  Sherry (as much as required for flavor according to one’s individual taste – of course 1 go to town).  Mix all ingredients.  Heat thoroughly and serve hot over vanilla ice cream.

2. ICE CREAM

3 cups milk or  (1 cup cream)              1 can condensed milk

1 tablespoon vanilla essence                  1 tablespoon lemon juice

Heat one cup milk.  Add condensed milk and blend.  Add remaining milk and cream and lemon juice.  Freeze.  When frozen, remove from freezing tray to bowl.  Add vanilla.  Whip until light and creamy.  Return to freezing tray and allow to finish freezing.  When firm, fridge can be set at a lower control.               

3. QUICK BRANDY ICE CREAM

24 white marshmallows, cut up                         250ml milk

50ml brandy                                                       250 ml fresh creams

Melt marshmallows in milk on a very low heat.  When melted remove from stove, add brandy and allow to cooling.  Fold in stiffly beaten cream and freeze for approx 30 min.  The flavor is mush better it the ice cream is not frozen rock hard  when served.  If it is left in the freezer too long then remove from freezer approximately 15 min before serving.

4. TIPSY TART WITH FRESH CREAM

1½ cup flour                                                        1½ cup dates                                                  

 1cup sugar                                                          1 egg

¼  teaspoon  salt                                                   ¼ cup butter or margarine

½ teaspoon baking powder                                  1 teaspoon bicarb

½cup shopped walnuts                                        ¾ boiling water

Sift flour, baking powder and salt, mix in nuts.  Cut up dates and pour boiling water and soda over this.  Cream butter and sugar well, add egg and beat well.  Mix in flour mixture.  Lastly stir in the dates and soda.  Bake slowly for 1 hour.

BRANDY SAUCE:

Mix 2 cups sugar 1 cup cold water and a pinch of salt.  Stir until sugar has completely dissolved, stir and boil for 5 min from boiling point.  Remove from stove, add 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, 1 teaspoon vanilla essence and ½ cup brandy or wine- pour over hot tart.  Serve with whipped cream.

5. PASSION FRUIT MOULD

½ cup granadilla pulp                                            1 pkt orange jelly

1cup iced water                                                     240ml tin condensed milk

1cup boiling water

Dissolve jelly powder in boiling water, add cold water and allow to partly set.  Add granadilla pulp and condensed milk.  Mix well.  Pour into a mould and allow to set.  Turn out and decorate with cream.

6. BABABA PUDDING

1 pkt lemon jelly                                                    4 tablespoons sugar

1 tin Ideal milk                                                       ½ teaspoon salt

2 eggs,(separated)                                                   ½ doz,very ripe bananas

Mix jelly, salt and sugar with 2 cups boiling water.  Mix mashed bananas in while jelly is still warm.  Let cool completely and add Ideal milk.  Mix well and add stiffly beaten egg whites.  Place in fridge to set.  (make custard with egg yolks).

PASTRIES

21  NUTTYWHEAT CHEESE MUFFINS

1   cup nutty wheat                                                    2 heaped teaspoon baking powder

1   cup grated cheese                                                 1 egg

     Salt and pepper                                                        milk and water

2   tablespoons yellow margarine

     Mix all together- mixture must be very loose – put into patty tins and bake at 230ºC.  cut in half, spread with mixture of cheese, marmite and butter.

32  BEST-EVER MUFFINS

      1½ cups flour                                                          ½ teaspoon salt      

     4 teaspoons baking powder                                    1 tablespoon sugar

     ¾ cup milk                                                              2 well beaten eggs    

     ¼ cup melted yellow margarine

    Sift flour with salt, baking powder and sugar.  Combine remaining ingredients, add all at once, stir just until dry ingredients are moistened, but not smooth.  The batter will be lumpy.  Fill greased muffin pans 2/3 full.  Bake in hot oven 210ºC for 25 minutes.  make a dozen.

43  MUFFIN SUITABLE FOR TEA TIME

4    heaped tablespoons flour                                        1 tablespoon butter

2    level tablespoon sugar                                            ½ cup milk

1    egg                                                                          vanilla

2    teaspoons baking powder                                        pinch of salt

B   eat egg and sugar well.  Add this to the sifted flour and salt, melted butter and milk, vanilla and baking powder last.  Bake 12 min in hot oven.  Prick well or open with knife and add melted golden syrup or honey with butter.

   

4 4  DATE FINGERS     

2    eggs (separated)                                              ½ cup sugar

1    cup flour                                                         1 teaspoon baking powder

1    teaspoon vanilla essence                                 ¼ teaspoon salt

1    cup dates (cut into small pieces)

B    eat whites and yolk separately,  then beat them together.  Add sugar and mix well, add flour slowly, the baking powder, salt and vanilla essence and lastly, mix in the dates.  Spread quite thinly in a greased tin 21cm x 32cm and bake about 25 minutes.  When baked, cut into strips.

6  5  SHORTBREAD

1    10grm  butter                                                            165grm   flour

5    5grm  sugar                                                               55 grm  Maizena

     Mix butter and sugar until creamy.  Add to dry ingredients and put in flat pan thinly.  Prick with fork.  Bake in moderate oven for ½ to ¾ hour.

    6   NUTTY WONDERS

       110grm Butter or magarine                             1 teaspoon vanilla

5     5grm Sugar                                                     1 cup flour

1    egg                                                                1 teaspoon baking powder

1    cup dates                                                       ½ cup chopped walnuts

     Cream butter and sugar.  Add beaten egg.  Add flour with baking powder, dates, nuts and vanilla.  Roll teaspoons full of this mixture in post toasties slight crushed.  Put on a greased baking tin.  Bake in moderate oven.

1   7  CRUNCHIES      

2      cups coconut                                                    2 cups oats

2     50grm margarine                                              1 cup sugar

1     cup flour                                                          2 dessertspoons syrup

1     1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

      Mix dry ingredients in bowl.  Melt margarine and syrup over low heat, add       bicarb. Pour into dry ingredients and mix well.   Put into greased baking tin and press down well with fork.  Bake at 180ºC for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.  When slightly cool, cut into squares

    8  DATE SLICES

1      pkt Marie biscuits                                              250grm  dates(chopped)

2     50grm Butter or margarine                                  ½ cup sugar

1     egg 

      Melt butter and sugar, add well beaten egg and chopped dates.  Simmer 15 minutes, stirring all the time.  Remove from heat and add broken biscuits, mixing well.  Press flat in dish, cut into squares when cold.  Sprinkle with cocoanut.

1 9   MARS BARS

        BASE:  Plain wafer biscuits.  Arrange in shallow tin.

        CENTRE:  110grm Castor sugar , 110grm butter or margarine, small tin      condensed milk, 2 tablespoons syrup.

    Melt butter and sugar, pour in condensed milk and syrup.  Bring to boil and cook on slow heat, stirring constantly for 7 minutes.  Pour over base and allow to cool.

     TOP:  Melted chocolate (large slab)

    Spread over the top when the filling has cooled somewhat.  Put into fridge for 10 minutes, and cut into squares.

   10   DATE COOKIES

1 cup margarine                                                       1 cup sugar

2 eggs                                                                      2 cups jungle oats

2 cups flour                                                              350grm dates

1 teaspoon baking powder                                       1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon bi-carbonate soda

   Melt (really melt) butter, add sugar and mix well.  Beat in eggs, and dates and stir well.  Add dry ingredients.  Put out on baking tray with teaspoon (far apart) and bake until golden brown at190ºC for about 10 minutes.

   11  GINGER SNAPS

1       ½kg Flour                                                           1½kg brown sugar

        500grmButter                                                       2 tablespoons ginger

1     pkt cream of tartar                                             1 pkt bicarbonate of soda

       500grm Syrup                                                       5 eggs

      Rub butter into dry ingredients except bi-carbonate of soda.  Warm syrup.  Mix soda in little milk and add to above mixture.  Also add well-beaten eggs and syrup.  Knead until ready to roll.  Mix, leave overnight and next day roll into small balls and bake 150ºC – 180ºC.

   12  CHRUNCHIES

1    1 cup flour                                                               ½ cup butter or margarine

2    2 cups oats                                                              1 cup sugar

1   1 cup cocoanut                                                        1½ tablespoon syrup    

1   1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

     Melt butter and syrup and add bicarb.  Dissolved in little milk.  Mix dry  ingredients, add melted butter etc.  press into pan and bake for 35 minutes in  slow oven.  Cut into squares when nearly cold.

   13 PUFFY BISCUITS

5     cups flour                                                              1 cup butter

2    teaspoons baking powder                                      2 eggs

2    cups sugar                                                             pinch of salt  

     ¾ cup milk

     Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and milk.  Mix in dry ingredients until a stiff dough.  Roll out thinly and sprinkle with sugar or coconut.  Makes about 100 biscuits.  Bake at 200ºC for 10 minutes.

     

1    14  SAVOURY CHEESE CAKE

               

         2 cups water                                                  125grm butter

         Pinch salt                                                       200grm sifted flour

        5  eggs                                                           250grm cheese, cut in cubes

       Boil water, salt and butter.  Take off heat and add all the flour.  Beat with wooden spoon.  Cook mixture   until it comes loose from sides.  Take off heat and beat in eggs one by one.  Mix in cheese, but keep enough  to decorate.  Drop spoonfuls on baking sheet to form a circle.  Decorate with rest of cheese.  Bake it 190ºC  for 30 minutes.  Can be eaten hot or cold.

 

   15.    SAVOURY SCONES

            250grm self - raising flour                                       2 tablespoons yellow margarine   

            4 tablespoons grated cheddar (strong) cheese         1 teaspoon mixed herbs

            3  rashers bacon, fried crisp and chopped                 salt and cayenne pepper

           140ml milk                                                               1 egg

   

          Sift flour and rub in margarine until light and crumbly.  Add cheese, herbs, bacon and seasoning.  Add milk and beaten egg to make soft dough, mixing well, but lightly.  Roll out to 1 cm thick on a floured board and cut into 5cm rounds.  Brush with beaten egg and bake at 230ºC until golden brown about 15- 20 mins.  serve hot, buttered or plain.

    16.  SCONE RECIPE

              2 cups flour                                                                3 teaspoons baking powder 

             ½ teaspoon salt                                                           ¼ cup butter or margarine

             ¾ cup milk

       Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.  Rub in butter.  Add milk.  Turn dough on to board and knead for 20 seconds.  Cut to shape.  Bake in hot oven 240ºC  for 5-10 minutes.

     17  CHOCOLATE CRUNCHIES

           ½ cup sugar                                                                   1 cup cocoanut

          1 cup flour                                                                     1 cup oats

          1 tablespoon cocoa                                                       165grm margarine

          ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

        Mix all dry ingredients.  Add soft margarine.  Mix well until mixture sticks together.  Press down into 35cm x 25cm  pan.  Bake for 20 mins, at 180ºC.  Before crunchies are cold, make icing with:  2 cups icing sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, 4 tablespoons boiling water.  Spread over crunchies while they are still fairly warm. Leave to get gold.  Cut into squares.

        18  SHORTBREAD

      Sift 330grm flour into a bowl, add 55grm maizena , 110grm castor sugar and 220grm softened margarine.

       Rub into a ball then press into a pan.  Trim edges and prick all over.  Bake 180ºC for 30 minutes and cut while warm.

      19    HEALTH CRUNCHIES

              1 cup unsifted meal                                         1 cup oatmeal

               1 /3  cup brown sugar                                       ½ beaten egg

              ½  teaspoon ginger                                          ½ teaspoon cinnamon

              1½  tablespoon syrup                                      ½ 1 cup cocoanut

               ¼ cup butter                                                    ½ teaspoon mixed spice

              1/3 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

          Melt in pot – butter , syrup and brown sugar.  Add bicarb to syrup mixture and stir.  Take off heat.  Mix together unsifted meal , oatmeal , coconut , ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice.  Add to melted goodies in pot.  Mix well- add ½ egg.  Press with hand into greased baking tin.  Bake at 180ºC for 15-20 mins.

 

       20    MUFFINS

               2 cups flour                                                       3 teaspoons baking powder

              4 tablespoons sugar                                          ½ teaspoon salt

             1 egg                                                                 1 cup milk

             55grm butter or margarine

       Beat egg and sugar.  Add melted butter.  Add salt, baking powder and flour and mix with milk to soft consistency.  Half – fill deep patti pans and bake for 10 mins, at 200ºC.

    21  MAGIC LEMON MERNINGUE PIE

       tin sweetened condensed milk                          ½ cup lemon juice                        grated rind of 1 1 lemon                                           2 tablespoons sugar

       baked pie shell

     Mix together condensed milk with lemon juice, lemon rind and egg yolks.  Cover with meringue made by beating egg whites until stiff and adding sugar.  Bake in mod , oven 180ºC for 10 minutes or until brown.

   

  

5  

TARTS

   1  BELGIUM TART

     4 heaped tablespoons Butter or margarine                       2 tablespoons cooking oil

     2 tablespoons sugar                                                         1 beaten egg 

     ½ teaspoon vanilla                                                            ¼ teaspoon salt

     2 teaspoons baking powder                                              gooseberry or apricot jam

    Cream butter and sugar, add cooking oil and vanilla.  Beat again.  Stir in beaten egg and lastly sifted flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix into dough shortbread.  Knead well.  Grate half of the dough into the bottom of greased dish, mixing dough lightly with a fork, but do not flatten.  Spread lightly with jam, then grate in remaining half of dough over the top.  Bake in very slow oven for 40 minutes.  Allow to brown very, very slightly.  Dust with dry icing sugar after removing from oven.

2  HUNGARAIN TART    

      3 cups flour                                                          ¾ cup sugar

      2 teaspoons baking powder                                 pinch of salt

     Rub in 250grm butter, moisten with 1 beaten egg.

F  flavour with vanilla.  Divide into 2 parts (1 half slightly larger).  Lightly roll larger half and place in flat pan, and spread with apricot jam.  Grate the other half on coarse grater, covering the jam.  Bake in moderate oven until creamy colour.  When cool, just top with icing sugar and cut into squares.  (this mixture may also be used for apple tart).

   3  MARSHMALLOW CREAM PIE

    CRUST:  mix 1 pkt crushed tennis biscuits with about 83grm melted butter or margarine now press into a large pie plate.

     FILLING:  1 tin condensed milk, ½ cup lemon juice, ½ pkt cream, 1 pkt pink & white marsmallows.

     Whip cream until fairly thick.  Fold in cut up marshmallows and leave to soak.  Stir lemon juice into condensed milk until it thickens.  After the marshmallows have soaked in cream about 20 minutes . fold condensed milk mixture into cream mixture.  Pour into crust.  Decorate with a few cut-up marshmallows and crushed biscuits. Place in fridge to set for about 3 hours.

2   4   SACHERTORTE   

         150grm butter                                                      6 yolks of eggs

         220grm plain dark chocolate                                220grm icing sugar

         60grm cake flour                                                  60grm Maizena

      FILLING:  Small tine apricot jam (250grm)

      GLAZING:  150grm dark chocolate, knop of butter

      Cream the butter, add melted chocolate slowly.  Add yolks and icing sugar.  Stir for ½ hour until very creamy.  Add mixture of Maizena, flour and stiffly beaten egg whites.  Bake in cake tin, prepared with butter and flour, at low shelf at180ºC for about one hour.  When cold, slice in half.  Spread thinly, hot apricot jam in middle and on top.  Cover top and sides with chocolate glaze,

     CHOCOLATE GLAZE:  Melt chocolate in saucepan.  Add butter and stir well.  Cool slightly and coat cake top and sides (completely cover cake) .  Eat when cold.