I have both black treacle and molasses in my store cupboard, and find they taste significantly different. Molasses is more bitter and "rough". I tend to use treacle in gingerbread, and molasses in crunchy biscuits...
Here's my favourite simple cake recipe, a dark and satisfying variant on lemon drizzle. It looks fairly boring but the flavour is wonderful...
LUSCIOUS LEMON CAKE
Ingredients
4oz butter
4oz + 1oz dark Muscovado sugar
1 lemon, grated rind and juice
1 egg
4oz wholemeal SR flour
Method
Pre-heat oven to 170C. Grease & line a 7" square tin (or smallish loaf tin). Heat butter & 4oz sugar over a gentle heat until melted. Take off heat and stir in lemon rind. Whisk egg in a bowl, then whisk it into the sugar mixture. Fold in the flour and turn the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake around 30mins until just firm to the touch.
Warm the remaining 1oz sugar with the lemon juice. Prick the cake all over with a wooden cocktail stick and spoon the syrup over the cake. Leave in tin to cool.
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
Where do you find your golden syrup Busy? It was easy enough in Belgium towards Brussels but I haven't seen it here. I do have a supply tho. Currently "exploring" local baking powder and can't find brown rice in the last 2 Leclercs - Clisson and La Roche.
For anyone with too many raspberries and no more jam pots:-
Chocolate Raspberry Brownies
200g dark chocolate, broken into chunks* 100g milk chocolate, broken into chunks 250g pack salted butter 400g soft light brown sugar 4 large eggs 140g plain flour 50g cocoa powder 200g raspberries
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 20 x 30cm baking tray tin with baking parchment.
Put the chocolate, butter and sugar in a pan and gently melt, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat.
Stir the eggs, one by one, into the melted chocolate mixture. Sieve over the flour and cocoa, and stir in.
Stir in half the raspberries, scrape into the tray, then scatter over the remaining raspberries.
Bake on the middle shelf for 30 mins or, if you prefer a firmer texture, for 5 mins more.
Cool before slicing into squares. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
* I use all dark chocolate - 54% Belgian
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Having thoroughly taste tested this I can confirm this receipe works well at helping to reduce the glut of blackberries. I used 10g less sugar without any issue.
Really! We did a fair few Super Us and Hyper Us in May, hunting water butts. Didn't think to look for syrup but then I still have stock from Belgium. OH loves mince pies so I have been known to make my own rather than do the trip to the British supermarket 60kms away from our Belgian home. Very easy and tasty.
There's a farmers' market in Moutiers ths Friday. I'm hoping to lay my paws on some untreated cream or at least local cream so I can have a go at clotted cream.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I'm reading with interest, and have all sorts of gluts, black currants particularly if I can be bothered to go pick them. Trouble is I don't really have a sweet tooth. (Shame eh). I'm going to try the vinegar added by raisingirl.
Blackcurrant cordial (good for vitamin C in winter), blackcurrant vinegar, blackcurrant liqueur, spiced blackcurrant jelly - done with cinnamon and star anise and a bit of vinegar so good on toast or with goat's cheese as you prefer or in sauces for duck.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Ooo. I'm on with the vinegar now (kitchen stinky!). I should go out and pick some more, as I like up the sound of jelly too. Its very late, they are big and at the falling off point.
Spiced Blackcurrant Jelly - on toast, croissants, goat's cheese or use in sauces for fatty meats
1 kilo blackcurrants 900ml water 200ml cider vinegar 5cm stick cinnamon 12 cloves (I often substitute 3 or 4 whole star anise) white sugar
Wash the currants then add to a stainless steel pan with the spices and water. bring to a boil then simmer gently for one hour. Strain through a fine sieve or muslin overnight but do not press as this will cloud the juices.
Combine the juice and vinegar in a clean pan and then, for every 600ml of juice, add 450g white caster sugar. Bring gently to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then boil hard until a set is obtained - usual trick wit cold saucers and a bit of the jelly till it wrinkles.
Pour into sterilised jars and seal. Can be eaten as soon as it's cold and lasts for ages.
Blackcurrant vinegar - Same recipe works for raspberries and blueberries.
1 kilo of blackcurrants, washed 1.5 litres cider vinegar white caster sugar
Soak the fruit in the vinegar in an earthenware or pyrex crock. Cover and leave to stand for 5 days, stirring occasionally. Strain thru a muslin cloth overnight.
For every 600ml of liquid, add between 225 and 450g of white sugar then bring to a boil in a stainless steel pan, stirring till the sugar is dissolved. Boil for 10 minutes then pour into sterilised bottlles and seal.
Mix with honey or sugar and hot water as an antidote to tickly coughs.
Use as a dressing for winter salads, with or without walnut, hazelnut or virgin olive oil.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Posts
Can't get black treacle in France.
Couldn't even get golden syrup before last year.
I have both black treacle and molasses in my store cupboard, and find they taste significantly different. Molasses is more bitter and "rough". I tend to use treacle in gingerbread, and molasses in crunchy biscuits...
Here's my favourite simple cake recipe, a dark and satisfying variant on lemon drizzle. It looks fairly boring but the flavour is wonderful...
LUSCIOUS LEMON CAKE
Ingredients
4oz butter
4oz + 1oz dark Muscovado sugar
1 lemon, grated rind and juice
1 egg
4oz wholemeal SR flour
Method
Pre-heat oven to 170C. Grease & line a 7" square tin (or smallish loaf tin). Heat butter & 4oz sugar over a gentle heat until melted. Take off heat and stir in lemon rind. Whisk egg in a bowl, then whisk it into the sugar mixture. Fold in the flour and turn the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake around 30mins until just firm to the touch.
Warm the remaining 1oz sugar with the lemon juice. Prick the cake all over with a wooden cocktail stick and spoon the syrup over the cake. Leave in tin to cool.
Where do you find your golden syrup Busy? It was easy enough in Belgium towards Brussels but I haven't seen it here. I do have a supply tho. Currently "exploring" local baking powder and can't find brown rice in the last 2 Leclercs - Clisson and La Roche.
For anyone with too many raspberries and no more jam pots:-
Chocolate Raspberry Brownies
200g dark chocolate, broken into chunks*
100g milk chocolate, broken into chunks
250g pack salted butter
400g soft light brown sugar
4 large eggs
140g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
200g raspberries
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 20 x 30cm baking tray tin with baking parchment.
Put the chocolate, butter and sugar in a pan and gently melt, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat.
Stir the eggs, one by one, into the melted chocolate mixture. Sieve over the flour and cocoa, and stir in.
Stir in half the raspberries, scrape into the tray, then scatter over the remaining raspberries.
Bake on the middle shelf for 30 mins or, if you prefer a firmer texture, for 5 mins more.
Cool before slicing into squares. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
* I use all dark chocolate - 54% Belgian
Having thoroughly taste tested this I can confirm this receipe works well at helping to reduce the glut of blackberries. I used 10g less sugar without any issue.
I get golden syrup from a hypermarché, Super U. They've started selling mincemeat too, for mince pies. I used to get it on trips to England.
Really! We did a fair few Super Us and Hyper Us in May, hunting water butts. Didn't think to look for syrup but then I still have stock from Belgium. OH loves mince pies so I have been known to make my own rather than do the trip to the British supermarket 60kms away from our Belgian home. Very easy and tasty.
There's a farmers' market in Moutiers ths Friday. I'm hoping to lay my paws on some untreated cream or at least local cream so I can have a go at clotted cream.
I'm reading with interest, and have all sorts of gluts, black currants particularly if I can be bothered to go pick them. Trouble is I don't really have a sweet tooth. (Shame eh). I'm going to try the vinegar added by raisingirl.
Blackcurrant cordial (good for vitamin C in winter), blackcurrant vinegar, blackcurrant liqueur, spiced blackcurrant jelly - done with cinnamon and star anise and a bit of vinegar so good on toast or with goat's cheese as you prefer or in sauces for duck.
Ooo. I'm on with the vinegar now (kitchen stinky!). I should go out and pick some more, as I like up the sound of jelly too. Its very late, they are big and at the falling off point.
Spiced Blackcurrant Jelly - on toast, croissants, goat's cheese or use in sauces for fatty meats
1 kilo blackcurrants
900ml water
200ml cider vinegar
5cm stick cinnamon
12 cloves (I often substitute 3 or 4 whole star anise)
white sugar
Wash the currants then add to a stainless steel pan with the spices and water. bring to a boil then simmer gently for one hour. Strain through a fine sieve or muslin overnight but do not press as this will cloud the juices.
Combine the juice and vinegar in a clean pan and then, for every 600ml of juice, add 450g white caster sugar. Bring gently to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then boil hard until a set is obtained - usual trick wit cold saucers and a bit of the jelly till it wrinkles.
Pour into sterilised jars and seal. Can be eaten as soon as it's cold and lasts for ages.
Blackcurrant vinegar - Same recipe works for raspberries and blueberries.
1 kilo of blackcurrants, washed
1.5 litres cider vinegar
white caster sugar
Soak the fruit in the vinegar in an earthenware or pyrex crock. Cover and leave to stand for 5 days, stirring occasionally. Strain thru a muslin cloth overnight.
For every 600ml of liquid, add between 225 and 450g of white sugar then bring to a boil in a stainless steel pan, stirring till the sugar is dissolved. Boil for 10 minutes then pour into sterilised bottlles and seal.
Mix with honey or sugar and hot water as an antidote to tickly coughs.
Use as a dressing for winter salads, with or without walnut, hazelnut or virgin olive oil.