APPLE CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS

6 lbs (2.7kg) cooking apples - peeled and chopped
2-3 cloves garlic - peeled and finely chopped
1 lb (450g) onions - finely chopped but not too small as you want a bit a texture
2 pints malt vinegar
3 lb (1.4kg) soft brown sugar
1 lb (450g) mixed currants and sultanas
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 oz (30g) mixed pickling spice

(Makes 8 – 9 lbs)

METHOD

1. Peel, core and chop the apples in 1cm cubes.
2. Combine apples, garlic, onions and half the vinegar is a large pan.  Cook gently until the apples are tender.
3. Add the remaining vinegar and the rest of the ingredients with the mixed pickling spice tied in a muslin bag.
4. Bring to boiling point.
5. Reduce to simmering and cook until fairly thick.
6 . Pour into clean jars and cover.

7. If possible use covers that will not allow the vinegar to evaporate otherwise the chutney will sink.
8. Leave in a cool dark place for a couple of months before enjoying with cheese, cold meats, a slice of quiche, sausages - in fact Granny Bettys apple chutney goes with just about everything. But for the perfect chutney experience you'll need fresh soft white bread, mature cheddar and a generous dollop of chutney to make the perfect cheese sandwich.

WELSH CAKES

Welsh cakes or picau ar y maen in Welsh. are traditional Welsh snacks. The cakes are also known as bakestones within Wales because they are traditionally cooked on a bakestone, a cast iron griddle placed on the fire or cooker.   No visit to Granny Bettys was complete without helping to make some welsh cakes and of course a small bag of them to take home.
  
INGREDIENTS

8 oz self-raising flour

4 oz margarine

3 oz sugar

2oz currants

1 Egg - medium

‘very little’ Milk

METHOD

1. Rub margarine into the flour

2. Add the sugar and currants

3. Add the egg and the ‘very little’ milk if necessary

4. Roll out the pastry until it is a ¼in(5mm) thick and cut into rounds with a 3-4in pastry cutter.

3. Cook on a bakestone. Rub it with butter and wipe the excess away.  Put it on to a direct heat and wait until it heats up, place the Welsh cakes on the griddle, turning once.

They need about 2-3 minutes each side. Each side needs to be golden brown before turning.

Remove from the pan and dust with caster sugar while still warm.

They are delicious eaten warm or cool.   They'll keep for a few days in a sealed container but are best eaten fresh.  Granny Betty used to layer welshcakes between paper towels in a old biscuit tin and produce them almost Mary Poppins style from her bag when arriving at family parties or picnics.

ECCLES CAKES

INGREDIENTS

Ready made puff pastry - 12oz (350g)
   
For the filling:   
2 ½ oz (65g) butter
2 ½ oz (65g) light brown sugar
2 ½ oz (65g) sultanas
2 ½ oz (65g) currants
2 tablespoon mixed candied peel, finely chopped
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon rind 
¼ teaspoon mixed spice
   
Milk for brushing
Sugar for sprinkling

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 220-230ºC/425-450ºF/Gas 7-8
2. On a lightly floured surface thinly roll out the pastry and cut out 10 rounds using a saucer.  Leave to rest; the rounds will shrink in size.
3. Cream together the butter and sugar, then add the other filling ingredients.  Mix well.
4. Spoon a little of the mixture on to each pastry round.
5. Brush the edges of the pastry with a little water, then draw up the edges into the centre and seal.
6. Turn the cakes over flattening slightly to shape into 3” (8cm) rounds.  Using the tip of a sharp knife, make 2-3 slits in the top of each cake.
7. Brush the cakes with a little milk, then sprinkle with sugar.
8. Place the cakes on an un-greased baking tray and bake in the centre of the pre-heated oven for 15 mins.  Reduce oven temperature to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4 and cook for a further 5 mins.

BARA BRITH

This traditional Welsh tea bread was always popular, Bara Brith is Welsh for 'speckled bread'.  They say it keeps quite well but I don't remember it ever hanging around for long.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups mixed dried fruit
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon mixed spice

2 eggs
1 lb self raising flour

METHOD

1. Put fruit, sugar, water, bicarb and spice into a bowl and leave to soak overnight

2. Next morning add flour and eggs.

3. Bake in a greased loaf tin in a ‘moderate oven’ (350–375 °F, 180–190 °C, Gas 4-5) for about 1 ¼ hours.

Cut into thick slices and butter generously to serve.