Favourite Recipes
Measurements are by volume. 1 cup = 8oz volume (not weight), approximately one coffee mug full. For liquids and solid fats like butter, weight and volume are the same
Sorry, I am too old for metric measurements.
DERRY'S FLAPJACK
8oz butter (weight and volume the same)
2/3 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp golden syrup
5 cups oats
1 cup nuts and seeds
(actually I use 3 cups oats, 2 1/2 cups cheap meusli and 1/2 cup nuts chopped)
Heat 1st 3 ingredients, stir in the rest. Pat into big roasting pan (about 3/4? deep).
Bake in slow oven (330oF), till golden and firm in middle (25-35 minutes?). Cool 10 minutes, cut in pan. Leave in pan till nearly cold
CORNBREAD
Heat oven hot (400F) and put heavy pan (cast iron is best) with 2 tbsp oil in oven to heat up
11oz (volume) cornmeal or polenta, medium grade
3oz (volume) plain flour
1tsp bicarbonate of soda sifted with flour and added to cornmeal
20 oz buttermilk or yogurt (.5L)
2 eggs
1tbsp sugar
1tsp salt
Mix wet ingedients and add to dry when pan is sizzling hot. Barely mix, pour into pan and return to oven for 20-30 minutes till golden tinged with brown. Eat immediately
ORANGE SOAKED DATE AND WALNUT CAKE
Oven 350F
1 cup butter, creamed wtih
1.5 cups sugar
Add 3 eggs, beaten
Add 1.5 tsp bicarbonate soda mixed with 1 cup buttermilk
Add
1tsp salt
1 tbsp orange juice
Grated rind of one orange
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup chopped nuts
3 cups flour
Butter and flour tube pan (Angel Food Cake pan). Or maybe try 2 or 3 loaf pans?
Bake 1 hour or more till toothpick comes out clean
Remove from pan while still hot. Prick lightly
Mix and pour over :
1.25 cup orange juice
1 cup sugar
Grated peel of 1 orange
Seems like too much but will soak up.
Leave 2-3 days before eating
LUMBERJACK CAKE FROM AUSTRALIA
Cream 1/2 lb butter & 2 cups Raw Sugar.
Add 2 eggs.
Fold in 500gms dates. (or less?)
Combine 2 grated green apples
2 teaspoons bi-carb soda
2 cups boiling water
Add to bowl with
2 cups plain flour &
1 cup self raising flour.
Bake in a moderate oven for 1 hr.
TOPPING
1/4 lb butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons golden syrup
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped hazelnuts or walnuts
Cover cake and bake in oven for 15 minutes more
PLUM KUCHEN
(can make with any juicy fruit, peaches, blackberries etc)
Oven 375F
CUT TOGETHER
4oz butter
1/4tsp baking powder
2 cups (160z volume) plain flour
Pat into roasting pan (quite crumbly)
Put single layer of fruit (halved plums or peaches or nectarines usually, apples not juicy enough, have not tried berries)
Sprinkle with 3/4 cup brown sugar (+ cinnamon if you want)
Bake 20 minuts till bubbling
MIX
1.5 cup sour cream
1 egg (really calls for 2 yolks which is better but wasteful)
2 tbsp brown sugar
Pour over nearly cooked base
Bake about 20 min till set
ORANGE & ALMOND CAKE, GLUTEN FREE
Serves: 8-10
• approx. 400 grams oranges (about 3) plus grated rind of one more
• 6 large eggs
• 225 grams white sugar
• 250 grams ground almonds
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
METHOD
1. Put the oranges in a pan with some cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 2 hours. Drain and, when cool, cut each orange in half and remove the pips. Dump the oranges - skins, pith, fruit and all - and give a quick blitz in a food processor (or by hand, of course). Preheat the oven to gas mark 5/190ºC/375ºF. Butter and line a 21cm / 8 inch Springform tin.
2. You can then add all the other ingredients to the food processor and mix. Or, better beat the eggs hard, gradually adding the sugar, then orange pulp and extra rind, then almonds mixed with baking powder.
3. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and bake for an hour, when a skewer will come out clean; you'll probably have to cover with foil or greaseproof after about 40 minutes to stop the top burning. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, on a rack, but in the tin. When the cake's cold, you can take it out of the tin. I think this is better a day after it's made, but I don't complain about eating it at any time.
4. I've also made this with an equal weight of lemons, in which case I increase the sugar to 250g / 2¼ cups and slightly anglicise it, too, by adding a glaze made of icing sugar mixed to a paste with lemon juice and a little water.
CRANBERRY BREAD
Heat oven to 325F (not too hot)
Grease and flour two bread tins
Mix together-
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 cup oil
2 cups chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (packed down)
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups cranberries
Add one at the time
4 eggs
Add
1 cup yogurt
Thick mixture. Pur into bread tins, nearly flull. Bake about 40 minutes till skewer comes out clean
