Posts Tagged ‘Simnel Cake’

Autumn is the time for baking

Sunday, April 4th, 2010
During my childhood, Easter was the time to get a new jersey and autumn always meant baking and chestnuts. Mosbolletjies made from fermenting grape must, sweet juicy crunchy koeksisters and rainbow cake. Maggie, who was my mother’s housekeeper, was a brilliant baker, and she did it in the old-fashioned way with no machinery.  All by hand in large Mason stoneware bowls and wooden spoons.  Often times the measurements were done in tea saucers or coffee saucers, teacups and wine glasses.  And somehow they always worked out just fine baked in a huge four ovened anthracite fired Aga stove that warmed the kitchen in winter and provided hot water for kitchen and

My Granny’s Simnel Cake

Saturday, March 31st, 2012
Simnel Cake is traditionally baked at Easter and has 11 eggs on top made from marzipan, signifying the 11 Apostles.  Judas having betrayed our Lord shortly before his crucifixion, does not merit an egg. In our house it was always baked at the start of Lent, was wrapped in brandy soaked muslin so that it had time to mature.  While most people use store bought marzipan, made usually from almond flavoured apricot kernels, my grandmother used to buy ground almonds in a tin which you opened with a tin opener, I cant remember the brand name, but it was imported – British.
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