Assington Mill Art and Craft Courses

GRANNY  BUD  HOLDEN’S  FAMILY  CHRISTMAS  CAKE,  via Assington Mill

1lb     sugar
1lb     butter
1lb     flour (self raising)
½ lb   sultanas
½ lb   currants
½ lb   raisins
20zsa ground almonds
2ozs   almonds (peeled and slices)
4ozs   candied peel (minced)
4ozs   preserved cherries (quartered)
level tsp       rind of half a lemon
level tsp       nutmeg
level tsp       cinnamon
2 glasses      whiskey
½ tsp vanilla essence
½ tsp almond essence
6                    eggs
2 tbsps        black treacle

Cream butter and sugar, add sieved flour and well beaten egg alternately and some of the whiskey until the mixture just drops off a wooden spoon.  Add all the rest of the ingredients, beating well all the time.  Grease tins well then line with 2 layers of newspaper and then greaseproof paper.  Bake for ½ hour at Reg 4, then 3, last ½ hour reg. 2, total 4 hours.  Test with a skewer and allow to cool before turning out.

DELIA’S  AMERICAN  BROWNIES (can be adapted to be gluten free)
via Assington Mill

2oz plain dessert choc (I use Green & Blacks 70%)
4 oz butter
2 eggs, beaten
8 oz gran sugar
2 oz plain flour (brown rice flour)
1 tsp baking powder (gf)
¼ tsp salt
4 oz chopped nuts

Pre-heat oven to gas 4, 350 F (180 C)

7x11 tin well-greased and lined with greaseproof paper.  Bring the paper up a good two inches above the rim of the tin

Melt butter and broken up chocolate in the microwave (or bowl in boiling water) for 1 min, or until melted.  Remove and stir in all the other ingredients until thoroughly mixed, then spread into the lined tin.

Bake for 30 mins or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out cleanly, but don’t overcook – it will firm up as it cools.  Leave mixture in tin to cool for 10 mins before dividing into approx 15 square and transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
                                                                 

WALDORF  SALAD a la “Raw Energy” by Susannah & Leslie Kenton

Via Assington Mill

4-6 apples
3 stalks celery
2 handfuls of raisins
2 handfuls of walnuts or pecans
1 handful of toasted pumpkin seeds or cubes of mature Cheddar cheese
Lemon juice
½ cup of mayonnaise
Spices (mixed cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice) half a teaspoon of each

Method:  quarter the apples and cut out the cores, then dice and toss them in lemon juice.  Slice the celery stalks diagonally.  Break the walnuts of pecans in half.  Mix the apples, celery and nuts together, adding the pumpkin seeds or cheese and the mayonnaise and pour over the salad.  Toss well.  Eat as it is or served on a bed of shreeded Webb’s Wonder.

As a variation try making Curried Waldorf Salad, substituting 1/2 t curry powder for the other spices.

ELDERFLOWER  CORDIAL from Margaret Scott ,  via Assington Mill

4 lbs granulated sugar
3 ozs citric acid
2 lemons
20-30 elderflower heads
3 pints water

Pick the heads when in full sun.  They must be in the peak of condition:  not wilting or in bud.  Peel the lemon rind, and add to the sugar and acid and unwashed flower heads.  Pour over boiling water, stir and leave for 24 hours.  Add lemon juice, strain and bottle.

CHOCOLATE COURGETTE CAKE from Margaret Mills via Assington Mill (can be gluten free)

8 ozs caster sugar
3 eggs
8 fl oz sunflower oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
8 ozs grated courgette
8 ozs plain flour (I use rice flour)
4 ozs cocoa powder (Green & Blacks for best flavour)
1 tsp bicarb of soda
1 tsp baking powder (gf)
Pinch salt
 

Whisk sugar, eggs and oil together, stir in courgettes.  Add to dry ingredients (sieve these together first).  Place in a greased loaf tin.  Bake 160 C for around 30-40 mins.

CARROT  CAKE from ASSINGTON  MILL 

3 large eggs
175ml (6floz) sunflower oil
1 tsp pure vanilla essence
55ml (1floz) soured cream
175g (6oz) raw moscovado sugar
175g (6oz) soft brown sugar
250g (9oz) rice flour (or wholewheat)
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 level tsps cinnamon
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Small tsp salt
300g (11oz)_ grated, peeled carrots
75g (3oz) desiccated coconut 

Icing (simply mix together)
125g (4oz) full fat soft cream cheese (Philadelphia)
50g (2oz) unsalted butter
50g (2lz) sifted icing sugar
Juice of a lemon 

Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas Mark 2.  Grease and line an 8in/20cm round cake tin, or 2x1lb loaf tins.  Combine the eggs, oil, vanilla, soured cream and sugars.  Fold in the flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, bicarb and salt into the wet ingredients, followed by the carrots and coconut.  Mix well, then spoon into the cake tins.  Bake on a central shelf for 1.5 hours, until the cake feels firm to the touch.  If using loaf tins, 40 mins is probably sufficient.

ORANGE  ORANGE  SALAD
from  The New Raw Energy by Susannah & Leslie Kenton, via Assington Mill 

4 carrots
1-2 cups white or red cabbage
6 oranges (blood oranges look good with red cabbage)
2 handfuls of raisins or small seedless grapes
4 tsps sesame seeds 

Juice four of the oranges and blend the juice with the carrots until you have a smooth mixture.  Finely shred or grate the cabbage and put it in a bowl with the raisins or grapes.  Mix with the carrot mixture.  Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and garnish with the two remaining oranges, peeled and slices.

APPLE  SOUP from David & Anne Lloyd, via Assington Mill

1 large eating apple per person (cookers won’t do)
Butter
Stock, vegetable or chicken (I use the Bouillon powder)
Ground ginger 

Method:  peel and core the apples and cut into chunks
Fry gently in butter
Add ginger, one level tsp for 8 people, or more if liked
Stir apples so that the ginger is dispersed
Add stock to cover and simmer gently until the apples are cooked
Turn into food processor and mix until soup is creamy
Add more stock if the mixture is too thick.