St. Nicholas
Cook Book Del icious Reci pes For Al l The Famil y By Members O f The St.Nicholas C ommunit y
S A L O H C I N . St
Contents Why was the book created? Soup and Starters Main Courses Desserts Cakes & Biscuits Conversion Tables
Introduction
Why was the cook book created? This book could not have been created without the great assistance of the following individuals, to whom I would wish to express sincere thanks: Nick Parry, photographer, for taking such amazing photographs Katie Withnall, publisher, for putting this fantastic book together St Nicholas Primary School, for the loan of materials and boards Mr and Mrs Richard Jones, for kindly donating the printing costs. Ann Bryant, photographic assistant, co-ordinator and tea maker extraordinaire And the members of St Nicholas Women’s Institute Finally I would like to thank all those who participated, cooking and baking late into the night and into the early hours of the morning without whom there would have been no book. Thank you Hannah Fuller, Secretary St Nicholas Parish Church Council
This book has been created by residents and friends of St Nicholas to raise funds to help restore and maintain St Nicholas Church and Hall.
2tbsp Vegetable Oil Packet of Dolcelatte 1 Butternut Squash (peeled & cut in to cubes) 2 shallots 1/2pint vegetable stock 2 garlie cloves (finely chopped) 4 tomatos (finely chopped) Natural yoghurt (decoration)
Heat the oil in pan. Add the squash and sauté for 2-3 minutes . Add the garlic and shallots and cook for a further minute. Add the stock and chopped tomato to the pan, bring to the boil and reduce the heat t5o simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the squash is soft. Add the blue cheese. Blend and then pass through a sieve into a bowl. Serve and decorate with natural yoghurt. Serves 4
Katie Withnall of Church Row, married to David Withnall and mother to twins Harry and Megan.
Method
Ingredients 350g strong wholemeal bread flour 2 tsp. easy bake yeast 50g strong white bread flour 25 g butter, softened 1 tsp. salt 250/265ml cool water 2kg loaf tin lightly brushed with olive oil (or 2x1kg loaf tins if making smaller loaves)
Place the flour into a large mixing bowl, add the yeast to one side of the bowl and the salt to the other side. Add the butter and about ¾ of the water, mixing gently with your fingers until all the flour from the side of the bowl has been taken into the mix. The dough needs to be soft but not soggy. Dust the work surface with flour and knead the dough for 5/10 minutes until it is smooth and shiny. Place in an oiled bowl and cover with a tea towel. Leave to rise for at least 2 hours. When the dough has doubled in size remove from the bowl, knock the air out of it until the dough is smooth again. Roll into a ball, then flatten the dough, fold the sides into the middle. (If making small loaves divide the dough before shaping) Place in a prepared tin (or tins) with the fold underneath and then place inside a clean plastic bag to prove for about an hour when it should have doubled in size again. Meanwhile heat the oven to 220C/200fan gas mark7. Remove from the plastic bag, sprinkle with flour and slash the top with a serrated knife and bake for about 30 minutes. Turn the loaf out of the tin, it should sound hollow when tapped at the bottom.
Wendy Jones, Trehill Farmhouse. Member of: WI, St Nicholas Book Club, and Social Committee.
Soups & Starters
Ingredients
Method
Wendy’s Wholemeal Loaf
Katie’s Butternut Squash &Dolcelatte Soup
Ingredients 1 medium onion diced 750g tomatoes 1 medium potato, peeled & diced 1ltr good vegetable stock 1 medium carrot, peeled & diced 1 tbsp. vegetable or sunflower oil
Fry the onion in a large saucepan until soft, but not brown. Add the carrot and potato. Cut the tomatoes in half to remove the core (hard bit on top) and then chop and add to the pan together with the stock Bring to the boil and then simmer for 2530 minutes until the potato and carrot are cooked. Season to taste. Blend until smooth. Suitable for freezing.
Ann Bryant, Church Warden and Vice President of St Nicholas WI.
Method
Ingredients 1 tsp. vegetable oil zest and juice of 1 lime 2/3 Birdseye chillies, finely chopped 4 tbsp. fresh coriander, chopped 400g pork mincemeat 1 iceberg lettuce 1tbsp Thai fish sauce Hoisin sauce (optional) 5 spring onions, finely chopped
Separate the iceberg lettuce leaves carefully to keep intact. They should sit well each leaf inside another piled on a plate. Heat the oil in a frying pan or wok and when warm add the chillies. Cool for 1 or 2 minutes and stir to avoid burning Turn the heat up, add the minced pork, breaking it up with a fork or spoon, cook for a few minutes until there is no trace of pink meat Add the fish sauce and cook until the liquid has evaporated stirring from time to time. Remove from the heat and gently combine the onions, lime and most of the coriander with the meat and put in a warmed serving bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining coriander before serving.
To serve, spoon some of the pork onto a lettuce leaf. Roll the lettuce around the pork, dip in the sauce (if using) and eat while the meat is still warm.
Richard Jones, Trehill Farm House.
Soups & Starters
Method
Richard’s Hot &Spicy Lettuce Wraps
Ann’s Tomato Soup
Ingredients 6 hard-boiled eggs 1 x 100g jar Lumpfish Roe (black) 1 Large shallot chopped very finely A few twists of Black Pepper Mayonnaise to moisten Do not add any salt
Chop eggs in a slicer, turning the eggs in both directions. Chop again with a knife if it still looks lumpy. Moisten with mayonnaise but don’t add so much that the mixture becomes sloppy, the mixture should stand and keep a shape of a spoonful. Add the very finely chopped shallot and the pepper. Smooth into a bowl /dish measuring 6” across and 2” deep. Carefully smooth the lump fish roe on top of the egg so that all of the egg is covered. Add a sprig of parsley to garnish and serve with slices of crispy baguette.
The Chase, home to Anne & John Strong.
Ingredients 250g small prawns fresh dill 5 tbsp. mayonnaise 1 lemon 4 tsp. chopped chives seasoning 200g smoked salmon small ramekin dishes
Method Place the prawns, mayonnaise and chives in a small bowl and gently stir with a wooden spoon. Season to taste. Line the dishes with slices of smoked salmon, leaving them to overlap the sides of the dish Fill the lined dishes with the prawn filling, fold the salmon slices neatly over to the centre and press down firmly Chill for 3 to 4 hours When ready to serve turn the ramekin over on to a plate and garnish with a wedge of lemon and sprigs of dill
Wendy Jones, Trehill Farmhouse. Member of WI, St Nicholas Book Club, and Social Committee.
Soups & Starters
Method
Wendy’s Salmon &Prawn Appetizer
Anne’s Eggs & Caviar
Ingredients
Method
Peel vegetables and cut in to bite size pieces Fill a large saucepan with cold water about a 300g Lamb neck fillet third full Bring water to boil and add the lamb (cut into 1 leek 2 good sized potatoes bite size pieces) Skim off the fat from the water 1 onion 2 small (1 large) parsnips Add the vegetables and stock cube Add a pinch of mixed herbs (optional) and 1 vegetable or lamb stock cube season 2 small (1 large) carrots Bring all to boil and then leave to simmer for pinch of dried mixed herbs about 1 hour and serve with crusty bread (can be left overnight) ½ small swede
Main Courses
Mair’s Potato Chankee Method Melt the butter in a saucepan. Fry onions, add curry powder and fry. Add potatoes and cook for five minutes. Add stock to barely cover and simmer until tender.
Ingredients 3 medium onions, finely sliced 2oz butter 1lb potatoes, diced ½ pint stock Curry powder
salt & pepper to season
Kevin Fuller of 4 Meyrick Cottages. Treasurer of St Nicholas Parish Church Council, School Governor and member of the Community Council.
Mair Howell of Trehill, and formerly of the Three Tuns. “This dish is delicious served with roast ham”
Kevin’s Lamb Cawl
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and line a 22cm, greased flan dish. Place in fridge to chill in the meantime preheat the oven to 190°C. Remove the pastry case from the fridge and line the base with baking parchment and then fill with baking beans. Place on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and parchment and return to the oven for another five minutes to cook the base Reduce the temperature of the oven to 160°C. Sprinkle the cheese into the pastry base, add the sliced tomatoes, bacon pieces and mushrooms. Combine the eggs with the milk and cream in a bowl and season well. Pour over the bacon and cheese. Sprinkle the thyme over the top and trim the edges of the pastry. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Ingredients 1 packet ready-made pastry eggs, beaten 250g English cheddar, grated 200ml double cream 4 tomatoes, sliced 2 sprigs of fresh thyme 200g bacon (or pancetta),fried & chopped f reshly ground black pepper 100ml milk salt 4 mushrooms, sliced and fried in butter
Hannah Fuller of 4 Meyrick Cottages, Secretary St Nicholas Parish Church Council and Social Committee member.
Main Courses
Method
Anne’s Danish Country Pie Method
Cut gammon into 1 inch pieces. Slice or chop mushrooms and fry in half of the butter. Remove to plate. Wash & de-seed pepper, cut into thin strips and blanch in boiling water for 7 minutes, refresh in cold water and drain. Melt remaining butter in saucepan used for mushrooms with any remaining juice. Add corn flour and cook for 2 minutes. Draw from heat and gradually add stock. Bring to the boil until thickened. Crush garlic and add to sauce with oregano. Season with pepper. Add remaining ingredients to sauce. Pack into pie dish & leave to cool. Cover pie with pastry. Make a hole in centre and decorate with pastry leaves. Cook at 190° to 200° for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Ingredients 1lb cooked gammon ½ pint vegetable stock 4-6oz mushrooms ½ to 1 teaspoon oregano (or marjoram) 3oz butter 1 large clove garlic 1 green pepper ½lb short-crust or puff pastry ½oz corn flour egg & milk wash You will need a 1 pint pie dish
The Chase, home of Anne & John Strong.
Hannah’s Quiche Lorraine
Method
Method
Heat oven to 180°C (350°F/gas 4) Trim fat from meat and cut into cubes. Heat oil in flameproof casserole. Add beef, onion and carrots and fry over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring. Add spices and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes and salt. Stir in the stock and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, cover and cook in the oven for 2 hrs. stirring occasionally. Serve with boiled, long grain rice, mango chutney and yoghurt with chopped cucumber.
Main Courses
Fran’s Polish Marrow Stew Ingredients 700g (1.5lb) casserole steak/chuck or shin beef 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 tbsp. oil ½ teaspoon salt 1 large onion, chopped 1 ½ to 2 tsp. finely chopped root ginger 2 carrots, chopped 397g (14oz) can chopped tomatoes 1 tsp. turmeric 250ml (8fl oz) beef stock ½ tsp. hot chili powder 225g (8oz) long grain rice
Sandra of Village Farm House. Tip “The flavour of this curry improves if it is made the day before serving”
Dice the onions and chop the carrots into chunks. Sweat in a little oil in a frying pan until the onion is golden and the carrots are beginning to soften and turn brown at the edges. Tip the mixture into a large mixing bowl. Mix in the tomato puree and add salt & pepper to taste. Peel the marrow and remove seeds. Slice into rings approx. 30mm thick, dip in the beaten egg and then in the flour. Fry quickly on both sides in hot oil until golden (you will have to do this in several batches). Drain on kitchen paper. In a deep casserole put a layer of the carrot mixture, then a layer of the marrow and repeat until the dish is full, finishing with a layer of marrow. Cover the dish with foil and bake in a moderate oven for 1 ½ hours or until the vegetables are tender. This recipe is good hot or cold, but is especially good served at room temperature with crusty bread.
Ingredients 1 medium sized marrow vegetable oil for frying 600g onions 1 egg 1 kilo carrots plain flour for dusting 1 142g tin tomato puree Salt & pepper to taste
Fran Mitchell, President St Nicholas WI.“This is a good recipe for using up courgettes that have turned to marrows. There are no set quantities, but you should have more or less equal quantities of onions and carrots”
Sandra’s Beef Curry
Rev. Edwin’s East Vale Sausages
Method
Method
Add drained tin of kidney beans. Add the sweet chili sauce. Combine together and cook for 1015 minutes until chicken is cooked. Put each serving in a bowl with tortilla chips around the side. Sprinkle grated Cheddar cheese on the top and melt in the microwave on high for approximately one minute.
Ingredients 600g diced chicken breasts 200ml bottle sweet chili sauce 1 onion, chopped tortilla chips 4 tomatoes, diced Cheddar cheese, grated 1 large tin of kidney beans Sour cream to serve
Serve with sour cream
Sue Knoyle of Ger Y Llan, married to retired GP Dr Paul Knoyle. Sue has lived in St Nicholas for 31 years. Paul and Sue have 2 sons and 4 grandchildren.
Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix together lightly with your fingertips. Add a little milk if the mixture seems too dry. Don’t overwork the mixture or it will be stodgy. Put the beaten egg for the coating in a shallow dish and the dry breadcrumbs in another dish. Form the mixture into fairly large sausage shapes (thick rather than long) and dip them quickly into the egg mixture, allowing any surplus to drain off before rolling them in the breadcrumbs. Put a thin layer of oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan and, if you want to add a bit of extra ‘zing’, you can flavour the oil with a crushed clove of garlic, but remove it before the garlic burns. Keep the sausages moving in the frying pan so that they take on colour evenly. It’s easy to burn them so you can finish them off under the grill if you find that easier to control.
Reverend Edwin Counsell
Ingredients 175g (6oz) Caerphilly or Cheshire cheese (must be crumbly) 225g (8oz) fresh breadcrumbs 1 small onion, chopped very finely 1tbsp each of finely chopped parsley and chives For coating 2 eggs, beaten 110g(4oz) fine, dry breadcrumbs Good oil for frying
Fry the diced chicken in a little oil until brown on all sides. Add the chopped onion and soften. Add the diced tomatoes and cook until soft.
Main Courses
Sue’s Chilli Bean Chicken
Mrs. Morgan’s Faggots
Lynne’s Herb & Parmesan Polenta
Method
Method
In a large pan, half-filled with water scald the liver, heart, and lungs. Boil for three minutes, remove contents and allow to cool. Mince together with the onions and add to all the other ingredients. Mix in a large bowl. Cut enough of the pig’s apron to cover a good sized cup. Fill with one dessert spoonful of mixture, and squeeze together to close. Put faggots in a large pan and half immerse in water. Cook in a slow oven for one hour. Cool.
Ingredients 1 pigs liver 1 pig’s apron (belly skin) soaked in salt water 1 pig’s heart 4 large onions 1 piece of lights (lungs) 2 apples, minced 1lb of suet (or gribbles) 4 sage leaves, chopped 2-3 cups breadcrumbs 1 tsp. nutmeg 2-3 cups porridge oats Handful of salt & pepper
For Polenta base Bring water to boil. Add ¼ tsp. salt. Slowly add Polenta, stirring constantly with whisk. Lower heat slightly and stir until mixture thickens. Add herbs, simmer and stir for further 5 minutes. Add grated cheese and cool a little. Tip onto a smooth surface and spread with a spatula to create rectangle measuring approx. 24x30cm. Leave to cool. For Vegetables Chop vegetables to equal size. Gently toss in olive oil until coated and add garlic. Roast in a tin in a hot oven until softened and very lightly browned. Take out of oven. Cut cooled Polenta into triangles. Lay on an oven proof plate. Pile on the vegetables and grate more cheese on top. Place in a moderate oven to warm to crisp slightly and melt the cheese. Serve with salad.
Ingredients 100g Polenta (or ready-made packet) 1-2 courgettes 1 pint water ½ red onion or 1 small red onion ½ to 1 tsp. herbs de provence or mixed herbs 2-3 cloves of garlic 50g Parmesan cheese (or strong cheese), grated 100g mushrooms 1 red pepper Olive oil 1 small aubergine
Lynne Arcos of Meyrick House “This recipe can be prepared early or a day in advance and heated when required”
Cook the sausages in the oven until golden brown. While the sausages are cooking, make the cheese sauce according to packet instructions. Add the paprika to the cheese sauce towards the end of the mixing. At the same time cook the macaroni in boiling salted water for about 12 minutes. Add the peas to the macaroni for the last minute so that they just cook through. Slice the sausages and add to the cheese sauce along with the drained Macaroni and peas. Mix together and season to taste. Place in a baking dish and sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the surface. Bake in a hot oven until the cheese melts and browns.
Ingredients 4 Sausages 1 tsp Paprika 200g Macaroni 100g Frozen Peas 75g Grated Cheddar Cheese Cheese sauce mix ½ pint of milk for the cheese sauce (skimmed or semi skimmed)
Fr. Martyn Davies “This is a light supper for four or for two with hearty appetites and is one of Martyn’s favourite comfort foods.
Ingredients
Method
Saute onions and celery in olive oil until soft, add the zucchini. Saute some more and add tomatoes, herbs, seasoning and wine. Slowly bubble with the 2 Tins Chopped Italian Tomatoes lid on for 30 minutes. Take lid off and simmer until 1 Bay leaf sauce is thick with no watery juice. Remove bay leaf. Oregano 2 Sticks of Celery chopped For cheese sauce, melt butter and add flour gradu1 tbsp. Olive Oil ally, constantly stirring. Add more butter to keep 2 Medium Zucchini chopped moist. Take off the heat, add two-thirds of the milk Salt and Black Pepper in one go and stir constantly on full heat. It will Basil thicken suddenly. Take off heat and keep stirring. Glass Dry Red Wine Pasta. - Precooked lasagne, plus 4oz cheese The result should be thick and fall easily from the spoon. Add milk as necessary. Add salt and pepper. for top. Keep stirring! Add grated cheese in one go, stir until smooth. Take off heat, cover. Cheese Sauce Into rectangular baking dish, about 12 x 9 x 3”, 12oz Mature Grated Cheddar 1 Heaped tbsp. Plain Flour spoon thin layers of vegetable then cheese sauce, 1 pt. Cold Milk in jug cover with single sheets of lasagne, followed by a 3oz Unsalted Butter thicker layer of veg sauce with blobs of cheese sauce Salt & White Pepper on top. Repeat. Finish with vegetable sauce, sprinkle the remaining cheese. Bake for 40 minutes at 200°C, until bubbling and the cheese melted.
Main Courses
Method
Morton’s Vegetable Lasagne Vegetable sauce
Morton Warner’s tip “For a clean oven, bake on a cookie sheet covered with foil”
Rectors Sausages & Macaroni Cheese Bake
Mari’s Brown Pudding
Method
Method
Mix all dry ingredients together. Combine the cream (single and double) and whip until a trail is showing but still runny. Place 4 tablespoons of cream in the bottom of a serving dish and cover with half of the dry ingredients. Cover with cream and add the remainder of the dry ingredients. Cover with remaining cream, cover and refrigerate overnight. Just before serving sprinkle top with grated chocolate (if chocolate goes on top too soon it will melt into the cream)
Barbara Newbury
Ingredients 4oz Freshly made wholemeal bread crumbs (not crusts) ¼ pint (5.3 floz carton) Single Cream 4oz Demorara Sugar ½ pint (10.6 floz carton) Double Cream 4 (or 5) tbsp. Drinking Chocolate Grated Chocolate to decorate 1 tbsp. Powdered Coffee (but not freeze dried)
Rub the margarine into the flour. Add the sugar and then the beaten egg. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the cup of milk. Add the Raspberry jam and mix well. Mix all of the ingredients together and place in a greased pudding basin and steam for at least ¾ hour. Serve hot with custard.
Ingredients
Desserts
Barbara’s Chocolate Dream
4oz plain flour 1 egg 2oz margarine 1 cup milk 1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda 2oz sugar 1 tbsp. Raspberry jam
Ingredients
Method
Break jelly into pieces and place in microwavable bowl. 1 Lemon Jelly Squeeze juice of 2 lemons into the bowl. 2 Lemons Dissolve in the microwave for 30-60 seconds ½ litre Soft Vanilla Ice Cream and leave to cool. Whip the cream and then add the ½ litre of ice 300ml Double or Whipping cream, whip together. Cream Stir the lemon liquid into the cream mixture and pour into a bowl, decorate with grated lemon rind or grapes etc. and put in the freezer. Remove from the freezer about 1 hour before serving. This dish can be prepared many days in advance and kept in the freezer.
Carole Saunders, Treasurer for St Nicholas & Bonvilston WI.
Ann’s Yummy Scones Method Heat oven to 210°C (gas mark 7) Sift flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl, add the margarine and rub into fine crumbs. Add the sugar. Reserve a little of the beaten egg for glazing, add the remainder to the dry mix, together with as much of the milk as is required to form a soft dough (you may not need all of the milk) bringing together with your fingers. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead. Roll out to about ½“ to ¾” thickness with 2 to 2 ½ “ cutter, cut out the scones. Place onto a lightly floured baking tray and brush with the reserved egg.
Ingredients 8oz Self Raising four Pinch of Baking Powder 2oz Caster Sugar ¼ pint of milk 2oz Soft Margarine 1 Egg ½ tsp Salt
Ann’s Tip “As an alternative to the scone recipe, they can be cheese too: Omit the sugar, and add 100gms of good strong cheddar, grated. Mix as before and after brushing with egg or milk, sprinkle a little extra grated cheese on top”
Desserts
Carole’s Lemon Jelly Mousse
Ingredients
First measure the fruit and sugar into a bowl and pour over the hot tea. You stir, (to make 2 x 1lb loaves): cover and leave overnight. 175g currents The next day grease and line two loaf tins. 300ml hot tea 175 g sultanas Stir the flour and egg into the fruit mixture, mix and divide into two tins. 225g dark soft brown sugar 275g self-raising flour Place in over on Gas Mark 2 or 150 degrees and bake until risen and firm. 1 beaten egg To make sure they are cooked I test the loaves with a skewer and if it comes out clean you’re ready to turn out and let the loaves cool on a rack. Serve sliced with butter - mmm
Alun Cairns, MP for the Vale of Glamorgan. “This is one of my favourite recipes for Bara Brith – there is nothing better to reflect a Taste of Wales”
Method Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease and line a 10-inch cake tin. Simmer the coffee on a medium heat and whisk in the cocoa until dissolved, remove from heat and allow to cool. In bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, apple sauce and corn flour until dissolved. Mix in the extracts and the coffee mixture. Sift in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate and salt. Beat mixture until smooth. Pour into prepared tin and bake for around 45 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once cool, sift icing sugar over the top and serve.
Cakes & Biscuits
Method
Lewis’s Chocolate Cake Ingredients 400ml freshly brewed coffee Icing sugar to dust top 70g cocoa powder ½ teaspoon salt 300g caster sugar 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 80ml corn oil (vegetable oil) 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder 80ml apple sauce 280g plain flour 30g corn flour 1 teaspoon almond extract 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Lewis Palmer has lived in the village for 18 years and found this great recipe whilst looking for an egg-free cake to bake for his mum.
Alan’s Bara Brith
Method
Method Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line the baking pan. To make the crust: Mix together the flour, sugar and salt until evenly blended. Add butter to the flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs, with some chunks the size of peas. Gather the butter-flour mixture together and pat it into the prepared baking pan.Bake until the crust is lightly golden. 15- 20 minutes. Grate 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and put it into a mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Add the eggs and granulated sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the ingredients until well mixed and until the mixture is pale and foamy.Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a small bowl. Whisk the flour mixture into the lemon mixture. Remove the crust from the oven. Carefully pour the lemon filling mixture over the hot crust. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is set and lightly golden on top. 25-30 minutes. Cut the block into small bars., when cooled
Ingredients For the Crust: 140g (5oz) Plain flour 60g (2oz) Granulated sugar ½ teaspoon salt 115g (4oz) cold unsalted butter For the Filling: 1 lemon (scrubbed) 2 large eggs (at room temperature) 200g (7oz) granulated sugar 2 tablespoons plain flour ½ teaspoon baking powder Icing sugar for decoration
Emma Del Torto of Coed Deryn, recipe created by Bronwen Del Torto
Ingredients 175g Butter, softened plus a little extra for greasing ¼ tsp. Bicarbonate of Soda 200g Caster Sugar Pinch of Salt 2 Large Eggs, lightly beaten ½ tsp. Grated Nutmeg 375g Plain Flour 250ml Milk ¾ tbsp. Baking Powder Topping 100g Caster Sugar 2 tsp. Ground Ginger 1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
Scott Palmer
Pre-heat oven to 180°C (fan assisted) and grease a deep 12 cup muffin pan. Using a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well between additions. Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and nutmeg together. Add half the flour with half of the milk into the creamy mixture and fold the ingredients together. Add the remaining milk and flour and fold again. Spoon the mixture into the greased muffin pans, filling each about three quarters of the way up and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the top of the muffins appear brown and firm to touch. For the topping, mix the sugar, cinnamon and ginger together. Brush the muffins with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar mixture.
Cakes & Biscuits
Scott’s Doughnut Muffins
Emma’s Lemon Bars
200g unsalted butter, softened Pinch of salt 150g caster sugar Splash of milk 4 medium eggs 150g white chocolate chopped into small pieces 200g strong white bread flour 200g fresh blueberries (not frozen) ½ tsp. baking powder
Method
Method
Pre-heat oven to 200° and place 10 muffin cases into a muffin tray. Mix butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt and add to the mixture. Fold in lightly together with the splash of milk until just combined. Add the chocolate and 2/3 of the blueberries. Fold in. Spoon mixture into cases and press remaining blueberries into the surface. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until muffins are firm and spring back when lightly pressed.
Beat the eggs and sugar together and then beat in the oil gradually.
Hannah Fuller of Meyrick Cottages.
Fold in the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and pour into the oiled tin.
Ingredients
2 eggs 225g self-raising flour 150g light muscovado sugar 2tsp baking powder 150ml sunflower oil, plus some extra for greasing 200g carrots, grated 50g finely chopped walnuts
Ingredients
Wendy’s Carrot Cake
Cakes & Biscuits
Hannah’s Blueberry Muffins
Bake for 50/60 minutes until firm and the skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven, leave to cool in the tin for 10/15 minutes before turning onto a wire rack. Beat all the ingredients together for the topping until soft and fluffy and cover the top of the cooled cake.
1tsp ground cinnamon Topping: 175g icing sugar 75g cream cheese 50g butter, softened ½ tsp. vanilla essence 20cm round deep tin greased and base lined
Richard & Wendy Jones of Trehill Farm House.
Barbara’s Celebration Fruit Cake
Method
Method Ingredients 4oz margarine 6oz sugar 6oz currants 6oz sultanas 2oz mixed peel 8 fl oz water* 2 eggs, beaten 4oz plain flour 4oz self-raising flour 1 level tsp. bicarbonate of soda sifted together with 1 tsp. mixed spice Pinch of salt
Cream the butter and sugar. Add the beaten eggs, one at a time. Add the flour slowly and then the cream. Mix well. Using a wooden spoon, stir in all of the other ingredients. Mix well and place in prepared and lined 7 ½ “ cake tin (ensure grease proof paper covers well above the sides of the tin) bake for 6 hours at 120°C (250°F).
Ingredients
10oz Butter 1 lb Currants 10oz Soft Brown Sugar ½ lb Sultanas 5 Large Eggs 2oz Mixed peel 10oz Plain Flour 2oz Ground Almonds 1 Small Carton of Cream (5.3 fl oz) 4oz Cherries
After 5 ½ hours, using a needle, check to see if cake is cooked or needs a little longer.
choice: whisky works well.
John & Ruth Beadsworth of Ger Y Llan. John has lived in St Nicholas since 1987 and Ruth since 2001.
Barbara Newbury “Apart from feeding hungry teenagers, this recipe has been used for various celebrations and decorated accordingly”
Put margarine, sugar, dried fruit and water into a pan, bring to the boil, simmer for a minute, remove from heat and leave to cool until lukewarm. If you like you can leave it overnight for extra-juicy fruit. Put the fruit mixture into a large mixing bowl and stir in the beaten eggs. Then add the dry ingredients and stir until the wet and dry ingredients are well combined (the bicarb. will make the mixture “fizz” a little so make sure the mixing bowl is big enough). Pour into a lined baking tin leaving room for it to rise a little. A 20cm / 8” square tin is a good size for this cake, but you can use a large loaf tin. Bake at about 180°C for 1hr – 1hr 30m. The deeper the baking tin, the longer it takes. A 20cm square tin takes about 1 ¼ hrs. Store in an airtight container. Keeps well. *you can replace some of the water with tipple of your
Cakes & Biscuits
Ruth & John’s Boiled Fruit Cake
Method
Method Rub the flour and butter (or blend in food processor) into fine crumbs. Add the sugar and mixed spice (if using) and mix together with the beaten egg. You should not need any milk, but may need a splash depending on the size of the egg. When combined, turn out onto a slightly floured board and roll to a thickness of between ¼ “ and ½ “. Cut out cakes using a 2” cutter. Heat flat griddle or heavy based pan and once hot reduce heat so as not to burn the welsh cakes. Cook each cake for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. They should be nicely brown but not burnt. For fruit scones add 2oz currants.
Ingredients 8oz Self Raising Flour 1 tsp. Mixed Spice (optional) 4oz Butter (salted) 1 Large Egg, beaten 4oz Caster Sugar Milk
Ann Bryant, Church Warden and Vice President of St Nicholas & Bonvilston WI.
Cakes & Biscuits
Wendy’s Pecan & Maple Pie Ingredients
Heat oven to 160°C (150°C fan) (325°F or gas mark 3) 8oz (225g) Butter, softened Grease and line 8” / 20cm round tin 5 fl oz (125ml) Milk Beat together butter and sugar until light 6oz (170g) Brown Sugar (light and fluffy. Add Pecans (or Walnuts) and or dark muscovado) fold in. 3 fl oz (75ml) Maple Syrup In a jug, combine milk, eggs and syrup, 4oz (110g) Pecan Nuts (or beat together and gradually add to the Walnuts, if preferred) mixture, slowly beating. (It helps to add a 2 Large Eggs tablespoon of sieved flour at a time at this 8oz (225g) Self Raising Flour stage). Gradually fold in the remainder of the flour and mix until smooth Turn into prepared tin, decorate with nuts and bake for 1 hour.
Wendy Lowe, Chair of St Nicholas Parish Church Council.
Ann’s Welsh Cakes
ST. NICH OLAS