EASTER WITH DELIA
There are now surely more books on baking published in this country than there are bona-fide bakers – but one you could perhaps pay attention to is a classy edition of Delia’s Cakes. Pale and interesting, it lends a nun-like calm to the ranks of excitable baking books that line our shelves these days.
And in it there is, among other treats, not only the kind of quick, hassle-free recipe for fudge brownies one is often looking for to keep children at bay, but also, particularly at this time of year, a very good version of Simnel cake. First recorded in medieval times, it was a type of light bread, boiled and then baked.
Initially it was associated with Mothering Sunday, when children working as servants or apprentices were allowed to visit their parents, bearing Simnel cakes. But back in the 17th century, many regional variations had developed: spices and fruit had been added and towns like Shrewsbury and Devizes made the cake in a star-shape; in Bury, bakers used a scone-like mixture for an oval-shaped bun.
The marzipan layer was added in the 19th century, either baked into the cake or draped on top, and decorated with 12 marzipan balls (11 if you want to do without Judas), to represent the Apostles. Delia stirs the marzipan into her cake mixture in chunks and has eschewed the balls in favour of sugared owers, which makes her cake look particularly spring-like.
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.
First put the broken-up chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan containing 5cm of barely simmering water, without the bowl touching the water. When it has melted (5-10 minutes) take it off the heat. Next whisk the eggs and sugar lightly together – but don’t overdo this. Stir the egg mixture and all the other ingredients into the chocolate.
Then pour the mixture into the tin and bake near the centre of the oven for 30 minutes until springy in the middle.
Leave the cake in the tin to go completely cold before dividing into roughly twelve squares and store in an airtight tin.
For the topping
Pre-heat the oven to 150°C, gas mark 2
First of all cut the marzipan into 1cm cubes and then toss them in 2 level tablespoons of flour (taken from the measured amount above). Now sift the remaining flour, the baking powder and spice into a roomy mixing bowl, holding the sieve quite high to give the flour a good airing as it goes down, then add the butter, caster sugar and eggs. Now, using an electric hand whisk, mix to a smooth, creamy consistency for about 1 minute. Then whisk in the milk.
Take a metal spoon and gently fold in the fruit, nuts, candied peel and grated orange and lemon zests followed by the marzipan cubes. Now spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level it out with the back of the spoon.
Finally, take a double square of baking parchment with a 50p-sized hole in the centre (for extra protection during cooking) and place this not on the top of the mixture itself but on the rim of the liner. Bake the cake near the centre of the oven for about 2 hours 40 minutes – or until the centre is firm and springy.
Leave the cake in the tin to cool for 15 minutes before turning it out on to a wire rack.
Roll out the marzipan to a round approximately 22cm in diameter. Brush the top of the cooled cake with apricot jam, top with the round of marzipan, and scallop the edges using your thumb and forefinger.
Finally, to toast the marzipan: cut out a circle of foil to cover the top of the cake inside the scalloped edge and place the cake under a pre-heated grill so the marzipan is 10cm from the heat source for 1½-2 minutes (watching carefully) until the scalloped edge is toasted to a golden brown. Alternatively this works well with a cooks’ blowtorch. This cake keeps beautifully stored in an airtight tin.
Recipes extracted from Delia’s Cakes, out now published by Hodder & Stoughton, £25. © Delia Smith 2013. To watch demonstrations from Delia’s Cakes go to the Delia Online Cookery School at www.deliaonline.com
And in it there is, among other treats, not only the kind of quick, hassle-free recipe for fudge brownies one is often looking for to keep children at bay, but also, particularly at this time of year, a very good version of Simnel cake. First recorded in medieval times, it was a type of light bread, boiled and then baked.
Initially it was associated with Mothering Sunday, when children working as servants or apprentices were allowed to visit their parents, bearing Simnel cakes. But back in the 17th century, many regional variations had developed: spices and fruit had been added and towns like Shrewsbury and Devizes made the cake in a star-shape; in Bury, bakers used a scone-like mixture for an oval-shaped bun.
The marzipan layer was added in the 19th century, either baked into the cake or draped on top, and decorated with 12 marzipan balls (11 if you want to do without Judas), to represent the Apostles. Delia stirs the marzipan into her cake mixture in chunks and has eschewed the balls in favour of sugared owers, which makes her cake look particularly spring-like.
Brazil Nut Brownies (pictured above)
Brownies need introducing to those who have not yet made them. Yes, they are cakes but not in the conventional sense. They are supposed to be moist and squashy, and although they won’t look as if they are cooked, they are. Don’t think you may have failed, just bite into one and you’ll never look back.- 125g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), broken up
- 175g block butter
- 3 large eggs
- 275g golden caster sugar
- 75g plain flour
- 1 level teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 150g Brazil nuts, toasted and roughly chopped, or any other nuts, or a mixture
- A Silverwood oblong tin 20cm by 26cm, 4cm deep, greased and lined (see www.deliaonline.com for further information)
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.
First put the broken-up chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan containing 5cm of barely simmering water, without the bowl touching the water. When it has melted (5-10 minutes) take it off the heat. Next whisk the eggs and sugar lightly together – but don’t overdo this. Stir the egg mixture and all the other ingredients into the chocolate.
Then pour the mixture into the tin and bake near the centre of the oven for 30 minutes until springy in the middle.
Leave the cake in the tin to go completely cold before dividing into roughly twelve squares and store in an airtight tin.
Easter Simnel Cake
What is Simnel cake? A rich fruit cake which includes lumps of marzipan stirred into the mixture that melts and combines with all the other flavours during cooking. It is then finished off with more marzipan. As it’s now popular at Easter, sugared primroses make a good decoration. Sugared primroses are available from www.meadowsweetflowers.co.uk- 225g natural marzipan
- 225g plain flour
- 1 level teaspoon baking powder
- 1 level teaspoon mixed spice
- 175g spreadable butter
- 175g golden caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 175g currants
- 225g sultanas
- 50g glacé cherries, rinsed, dried, and cut into quarters
- 50g unblanched almonds, roasted and chopped
- 50g chopped candied peel
- Zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
For the topping
- 300g natural marzipan
- 1 rounded dessertspoon apricot jam
- Sugared yellow primroses
- A 20cm round loosebased cake tin, greased with base and side lined, plus some baking parchment
Pre-heat the oven to 150°C, gas mark 2
First of all cut the marzipan into 1cm cubes and then toss them in 2 level tablespoons of flour (taken from the measured amount above). Now sift the remaining flour, the baking powder and spice into a roomy mixing bowl, holding the sieve quite high to give the flour a good airing as it goes down, then add the butter, caster sugar and eggs. Now, using an electric hand whisk, mix to a smooth, creamy consistency for about 1 minute. Then whisk in the milk.
Take a metal spoon and gently fold in the fruit, nuts, candied peel and grated orange and lemon zests followed by the marzipan cubes. Now spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level it out with the back of the spoon.
Finally, take a double square of baking parchment with a 50p-sized hole in the centre (for extra protection during cooking) and place this not on the top of the mixture itself but on the rim of the liner. Bake the cake near the centre of the oven for about 2 hours 40 minutes – or until the centre is firm and springy.
Leave the cake in the tin to cool for 15 minutes before turning it out on to a wire rack.
Roll out the marzipan to a round approximately 22cm in diameter. Brush the top of the cooled cake with apricot jam, top with the round of marzipan, and scallop the edges using your thumb and forefinger.
Finally, to toast the marzipan: cut out a circle of foil to cover the top of the cake inside the scalloped edge and place the cake under a pre-heated grill so the marzipan is 10cm from the heat source for 1½-2 minutes (watching carefully) until the scalloped edge is toasted to a golden brown. Alternatively this works well with a cooks’ blowtorch. This cake keeps beautifully stored in an airtight tin.
Recipes extracted from Delia’s Cakes, out now published by Hodder & Stoughton, £25. © Delia Smith 2013. To watch demonstrations from Delia’s Cakes go to the Delia Online Cookery School at www.deliaonline.com