Make your own brandy butter to smother over delicious, homemade Christmas Figgy or Plum pudding, and in only 5 minutes with this easy recipe,……….no Christmas table would be without this “naughty but nice” accompaniment! This is also wonderful when served with hot mince pies……prise open the pastry lids and dollop some brandy butter inside, preferably when they are warm, so the brandy butter runs through the pies! This makes a great gift – pack the brand butter into an attractive pot and add serving instructions. .
A wonderul spiced & fruited cake which heralds the advent of Spring. I used to make one for my Mum every year, when I lived in England! Traditionally made to mark Mothering Sunday, this cake is also known as an Easter Cake; Simnel cake has a fascinating cultural heritage with roots that stretch back to the Romans and Athenians. In Britain, known as the Shrewsbury Simnel, it is simply made using white flour, fragrant spices and is generously studded with dried fruits and pungent peel. Like a Christmas cake, it is covered with pale sweet almond paste. The decoration is plain – eleven little balls of smooth paste which represent the apostles (omitting Judas). A specially baked simnel cake is a wonderful gift to take to your mother, for Mothering Sunday Tea Time. Decorate it with crystalised flowers and tie some yellow ribbon around the side.
Juicy British bangers (sausages) with baked beans, fresh eggs, fried bread fingers and tomatoes. Yup! It’s bold and brash, but a great brunch idea for those days when half a grapefruit and some cereal just doesn’t tick the boxes! I cook this on a griddle – it is easier to fit all the food on at the same time, and if you spray the griddle with oil, it is healthier too. Yes, you can add bacon or potatoes or even mushrooms, but we like this simple combination of bangers, beans, egg and tomatoes with fingers of crispy fried bread. Quantities listed are suggestions for two greedy people; please do adjust the amounts to suit your personal requirements. This sets you up for the day, especially if served with freshly squeezed orange juice and a pot of tea. We are normally too full to have toast, but toast and marmalade would be a great accompaniment if you have room!
A classic British No-Cook pickle for your sandwiches and cheese board! Remember Pan Yan pickle? It was a firm favourite in our home and my dad loved it slathered on top of cheese on toast! Now sadly discontinued, this fabulous British pickle with the catchy name is easy to make! I have fiddled around and recreated this recipe, and I am delighted with the results even though I say so myself. Lighter and with more “tang” then Branston pickle, I love it in sandwiches. Adjust the curry powder to your own tastes.
This is a recipe I found many years ago for authentic Fig Rolls, and they are almost better than the shop bought variety, much though I love the commercial ones! Try to roll out the pastry as thinly as possible, other than that, this recipe is a breeze to make. Fig rolls are a much-loved “biscuit” from my childhood days and I make them whenever I can as I now live in France, as we cannot get them here. Fig rolls are great for a mid-morning snack with a cuppa as well as being ideal for school lunchboxes, picnics, gifts and afternoon tea. (I have posted this recipe on Zaar especially for Lalaloula, who asked about a fig roll recipe in the British forum.)
