Put away your purse & become debt-averse

foxgloves

Will try to remember to share later. It's from an old baking book I had in the 1970s when I got interested in cookery at school. Even my sis-in-law who says "I don't like cake, it's dry" happily accepted a 2nd piece of this. It's easy-peasy to make too.
F x

foxgloves

How to make Norwegian Apple Cake:

2 eggs (pref large but medium work fine because I use what I've got)
8 oz caster sugar
4 oz butter
1/4 pint of milk
6 1/2 oz plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
(That's the cake mixture)
For the topping, you need:
1 oz caster sugar
about 3 cooking-type apples 

Pre-heat oven to Gas 6. Grease & lightly flour a 20 x 30 cm tin (a tray-bake type tin).
Whisk the eggs & caster sugar until thick & leaving a trail. 
Put the butter & milk into a small pan to melt together, then bring to  a simmer. Stir it still simmering into the eggs & sugar. 
Sieve in the flour & baking powder, then fold carefully together. 
Pour it into prepared tin. 
Now, working swiftly, peel, core & slice the apples & arrange in rows over the batter, Sprinkle with the caster sugar.
Bake for about 25 mins until well-risen & golden brown. 
Leave to cool in tin for at least a bit before cutting into squares. Sprinkle with a little extra caster sugar before serving. I mostly make this just as a cake for serving with coffee, etc, but it works served warm as dessert too, with a blob (or 'quenelle' if you want to get all la-di-dah fancypants!) of cream or with a little pouring cream.

This is a very easy cake, BUT when you see how runny the cake mixture is, you'll probably think you've done it wrong. You haven't! It should be the thickness of batter. It pours into the tin, no spooning & levelling required. 
If anyone makes one, let me know how you get on! From an old baking book I had back in the 1970s. I still make a few things from it, even though I no longer own the book.
F x

foxgloves

And for today's post......& I mustn't start rambling, as I need to go & mix up some milk & lemon juice (no spare yoghurt) for baking soda bread shortly.
A productive day overall. I sorted out the apple harvest first thing. Two big basketfuls wrapped individually in newspaper for storing in the pantry as long as they'll keep - they don't usually do too badly, & all the imperfect ones have been put in the big pull-out fruit basket in the kitchen for using up first. With our pears plus grapes & rhubarb still to finish, I can't see that I'll be needing to buy fruit (except maybe a few bananas) for a good while.
Sorted yesterday's laundry - I did have to switch the heated airer on for just a couple of hours this morning, but made full use of it by airing bath towels at the same time. Ironed, then got out my winter clothes stash out (quick job as I barely seem to have any...forgot I'd had a charity shop clear-out earlier in the year!) & packed away my summer ones.
This afternoon has all been about getting ahead with presents - knitted an hour of my friend's sock while watching Ep. 2 of 'Spiral - thanks for the recommendation @Deni_debt-free_dreamer, yes, it is defo my kind of thing - wrapped birthday gifts for another friend & wrote his card (one of my charity shop haul for 49p each, already coming in useful, must call back & see if they have any left in their sale box). Have also progressed typing up my genealogy project which as I've already mentioned, will be presented in a nice folder as a Christmas present for a family member. 
Need to make that soda bread next & while it's baking, I can get started on chopping everything for tonight's meal. I'm making rustic sausage casserole (another recipe I've been making for years) - it's cooked in cider & makes sufficient to feed us for 2 days, so as usual, I'm happy to have another 'Cook once, eat twice' opportunity, especially as I've got someone coming to assess the dangerous tree tomorrow late afternoon/early evening.
Right, off to spread some more flour around - looking forward to GBBO. Every year, I sit there thinking how I'd go about tackling all the different bakes. I'd never apply though - too much of a drama queen, they'd need a bleep machine & it'd probably explode!
F x

Kantankrus_Mare

teapot2 said:

Hoping I can get some jam saving advice Foxgloves and co.  This concerns last year's rhubarb and strawberry jam which although yummy is also runny.  I've still got a few jars in the fridge and wondered if its feasible after all this time to empty them and re-boil with a bit of added lemon juice in the hope the jam will set?  I now have a jam thermometer which I didn't at the time I made it which might help.

I would also wash out and sterilise the jars again before refilling.  I tend to give away most of the jam I make so don't want to do anyone a poorly.

Has anyone else done this after such a long time or is it a no no?  TIA 

If it makes you feel any better, I made strawberry jam for the first time this year with a thermometer I may add and it was still runny! Used a slightly different recipe that a friend from work gave me for the next batch and it worked much better. Not sure if I boiled it for longer or what but anyway it worked!

@Foxgloves ...that Apple sponge recipe looks nice. Might have a go at that! I have been making your garlic flatbread recipe which you shared many moons ago with great success!! OH loves it and sister-in-law wants recipe so thats a definite winner! Thank you!!

foxgloves

@Kantankrus_Mare - Hello again! Haven't heard from you for light years! Hope you are doing ok. Glad the garlic flatbreads are still a winner. Mr F can certainly hoover them up, I know that much! Have you still got your allotment? 
Anyway, nice to see you dropping in.
F 

Kantankrus_Mare

Oh Im very well Foxgloves thank you  I still pop in regularly and keep up to date with your thread. You have had lots going on!! Yes, still got the allotment and had a good year again. Have just ordered my next years  garlic from  The Isle of Wight. Normally its Wilko specials so will see if they are any better.

Got out of the habit of posting. Life just trundles on. Have really struggled this summer at work what with the heat and being a woman of a certain age.  so come home and am exhausted. Cooler days heading our way though so should be a bit better to cope with, fingers crossed.

teapot2

Thanks @foxgloves and @Kantankrus_Mare re your comments on my last years runny jam.  Thanks also @DawnW for the suggestions but I don't keep ice cream at home as no freezer space and I don't tend to make puddings very often as I live on my own now. 

Think I might try boiling up a couple of jars for my own consumption only and see if I survive those.  The jar lids are still sealed and I'll re sterilise them.  🤞🏼 what could possibly go wrong lol

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

Hi foxgloves
Glad you are enjoying Spiral, I'm on series 7 and, even though I know what is going to happen, I still feel tense!
love Deni 

Baileys_Babe

Thank you for the recipe @foxgloves sounds very tasty.
I'll be using gluten-free flour so I'll need to up the liquid content.

foxgloves

@Kantankrus_Mare - Oh I'm glad you mentioned garlic - that's Mr F's job & I need to remind him to get some for planting next month. Agree the hot weather was awful. I'd be perfectly happy if summer temperatures never went above 24°C. The 40°+ heatwave was particularly horrid. How Mr F managed to work in it, I'll never know, as he's such a troglodyte.
Being Women of a Certain Age doesn't help either, although I've been lucky to have very few menopause symptoms. Had horrendous perimenopause which lasted a decade, so I reckon I got all my suffering in then!
Glad to hear your allotment's been doing well, anyway.
F