Scrimpers Christmas

By Annie Brislen

Christmas cake, “marzipan” pudding

Plus, the Mincemeat cake that I always use for Christmas – guaranteed delicious!

This Eggless Christmas Cake is a recipe from the British Home Front during World War II. Eggs were strictly rationed (1 egg per person per week) and many recipes were adapted without them. This makes a delicious small cake..

Ingredients

• 1 large carrot finely grated
• 2-3 tablespoons of golden syrup
• 3 oz sugar
• 4 oz margarine or butter
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
• ½ teaspoon of almond essence (or 1 teaspoon of rum extract)
• 6 oz dried fruit (I used mixed)
• 12 oz self raising flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 small teacup of slightly warm tea or coffee (with milk in)

Method

• Cook the grated carrot and syrup over a low heat for a few minutes
• Cream the sugar and margarine until light and fluffy
• Stir the bicarbonate of soda into the syrup mixture and then beat it into the sugar and margarine as if adding an egg, bit by bit
• Add the vanilla and almond essence (or vanilla and rum extract)
• Add the dried mixed fruit
• Fold in the sieved flour and cinnamon
• Add some of the tea or coffee if needs be as the batter needs to be thick but moist
• Put the mixture into a greased meatloaf tin
• Smooth the top leaving a slight depression in the centre to stop the cake from rising too much during cooking
• Place into the pre-heated oven at 200 c for 15 minutes
• Reduce temperature to 160 c and cook for 45 minutes (cover with foil if cake is getting too dark)
• Cool and decorate with your choice of edible toppings

Wartime Marzipan Paste

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons mashed potato
• 1 teaspoon white of egg
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Few drops of almond essence

Method

• Mix all ingredients well together
• Spread top of cake while still hot with honey or a little blackberry jelly
• Press marzipan out to size of cake, put on top and press into shape
• Pinch up round the edges and score with a fork
• Put back into oven and brown up
• While still hot sprinkle a circle of grated chocolate in the centre

Christmas Pudding: Economical

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain flour
• ½ cup suet or margarine
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 cup grated raw carrot
• 1 cup grated raw potato
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup dried fruit
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon mixed spices
• 1 dried egg! An old recipe – suggest you use 1 fresh egg, beaten
• Milk or water to mix

Mix dry ingredients. Add carrot, potato, fruit & egg. Add enough milk or water to make a soft consistency.
Turn into greased basin, cover & steam 4 – 6 hours.

Mincemeat Cake

Ingredients

• 8 oz self-raising flour
• 1 level teaspoon baking powder
• 1 lb jar mincemeat
• 5 oz soft margarine
• 5 oz brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• pinch of salt

If I am making in advance then I would add a little brandy, whisky or rum to help it keep

Method

• 8” cake tin, greased & lined
• Set oven to 325 f, 170 c, Gas 3
• Mix all together
• Put in tin
• Bake in middle of oven for 1 & ¾ hours
• Check with a skewer if cooked, the skewer should come out clean from the middle of the cake
• Cool slightly before turning out

Stuffed Turkey roll using turkey, including turkey mince

Ingredients

• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
• 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
• 2 cups seasoned stuffing cubes
• 2 bacon strips, halved

Method

• In a large bowl, combine the egg, oats, salt and pepper. Crumble turkey over mixture and mix well. Pat into a 12×9-in. rectangle on a piece of heavy-duty foil; set aside.
• In a large saucepan, saute onion and celery in butter until tender. Remove from the heat. Stir in water, sage and thyme. Add stuffing; stir until well coated. Spoon over turkey to within 1 in. of edges. Roll up, jelly-roll style, starting with a short side and peeling away foil while rolling.
• Place loaf, seam side down, in a greased 9×5-in. loaf pan. Place bacon strips over top. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 60-70 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and a thermometer reads 165°.