the decoration. Place the flour in a small bowl and add the oil and 4 tbsp water to form a smooth, stiff paste. Place in a small paper piping bag and snip off the end so that you have a hole about 6mm/¼in in diameter.
6. When the buns are risen, brush with beaten egg and pipe a cross on to each one. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until golden.
7. Whilst the buns are baking, place the milk and caster sugar with 4 tbsp water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. As soon as the buns are cooked, brush the sugar glaze over each bun. Transfer the buns to a wire rack to cool.
----
THE WIDOW'S SON
The Widow's Son, a public house in the East End of London, is so called from the story of a widowed woman who baked a bun for her only son, a sailor expected home for Easter. He never came. Each year she added a bun to the cluster hanging from a beam in her cottage. When she died, other occupants continued the tradition. Eventually the house was demolished and a public house was built on the site. The buns are said to have been transferred and a continuation of the tradition is ensured by a clause in the lease, which states that each Good Friday a sailor must add a bun to the collection.
----
SIMNEL CAKE
This fresh, modern adaptation of a traditional favourite would be welcome at any Easter tea table.
Serves: 10 – 12
Preparation time: 40 minutes plus setting
Cooking time: approx. 2 hours 45 minutes
225g/8oz unsalted butter, softened
225g/8oz light brown sugar
4 medium eggs, beaten
350g/12oz self-raising Hour
1 tbsp mixed spice
225g/8oz sultanas
225g/8oz currants
100g/4oz glacÉ cherries, chopped
100g/4oz ground almonds
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
Finely grated rind of 1 small orange
2 tbsp milk
200g/7oz marzipan
FOR THE DECORATION
225g/8oz marzipan
4 – 6 tsp lemon juice
100g/4oz icing sugar
l tsp finely grated lemon rind
1 small egg white, lightly beaten
approx, 1m/39.5in length wide lilac ribbon
approx. 1m/39.5in length wide pale lemon ribbon
Small sugared chocolate eggs and frosted primulas to decorate
Preheat the oven to 150°C /300°F /Gas 2. Grease and line a 20.5cm/8in round deep cake tin.
1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little of the flour to prevent the mixture from separating, until well mixed.
2. Sift in the remaining flour along with the mixed spice. Add the sultanas, currants, glacÉ cherries, ground almonds, citrus rinds and milk. Mix until well combined.
3. Pile half the mixture into the prepared tin. Roll out the marzipan to form a 19cm/7in round, about 6mm/¼in thick, and place over the cake mixture. Press down lightly and then pile the remaining cake mixture on top.
4. Level the surface and bake in the oven for 2 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes until golden and firm to the touch, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. An hour into the cooking time, cover the top of the cake with a layer of foil to prevent the cake from over browning. Allow to cool in the tin, then remove and place on a wire rack.
5. To decorate, divide the marzipan into eleven portions, and form each into a ball and set aside. Sift the icing sugar into a small bowl and stir in the lemon rind and sufficient lemon juice to form a smooth, dropping icing. Using a small spoon, drizzle the top and sides of the cake with the icing and arrange the marzipan balls around the edge of the cake.
6. Lightly brush the marzipan balls with egg white and brown each ball using a cook's blowtorch. Set the cake aside for about 15 minutes to allow the icing to set.
7. Transfer to a serving plate and tie the ribbons round the cake. Decorate with chocolate eggs and frosted flowers before serving.
Cook's note: to frost the flowers, brush each petal lightly with beaten egg white and then dust with caster sugar. Shake off the excess and allow to dry for 30 minutes before serving.
If you don't have a
6. When the buns are risen, brush with beaten egg and pipe a cross on to each one. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until golden.
7. Whilst the buns are baking, place the milk and caster sugar with 4 tbsp water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. As soon as the buns are cooked, brush the sugar glaze over each bun. Transfer the buns to a wire rack to cool.
----
THE WIDOW'S SON
The Widow's Son, a public house in the East End of London, is so called from the story of a widowed woman who baked a bun for her only son, a sailor expected home for Easter. He never came. Each year she added a bun to the cluster hanging from a beam in her cottage. When she died, other occupants continued the tradition. Eventually the house was demolished and a public house was built on the site. The buns are said to have been transferred and a continuation of the tradition is ensured by a clause in the lease, which states that each Good Friday a sailor must add a bun to the collection.
----
SIMNEL CAKE
This fresh, modern adaptation of a traditional favourite would be welcome at any Easter tea table.
Serves: 10 – 12
Preparation time: 40 minutes plus setting
Cooking time: approx. 2 hours 45 minutes
225g/8oz unsalted butter, softened
225g/8oz light brown sugar
4 medium eggs, beaten
350g/12oz self-raising Hour
1 tbsp mixed spice
225g/8oz sultanas
225g/8oz currants
100g/4oz glacÉ cherries, chopped
100g/4oz ground almonds
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
Finely grated rind of 1 small orange
2 tbsp milk
200g/7oz marzipan
FOR THE DECORATION
225g/8oz marzipan
4 – 6 tsp lemon juice
100g/4oz icing sugar
l tsp finely grated lemon rind
1 small egg white, lightly beaten
approx, 1m/39.5in length wide lilac ribbon
approx. 1m/39.5in length wide pale lemon ribbon
Small sugared chocolate eggs and frosted primulas to decorate
Preheat the oven to 150°C /300°F /Gas 2. Grease and line a 20.5cm/8in round deep cake tin.
1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little of the flour to prevent the mixture from separating, until well mixed.
2. Sift in the remaining flour along with the mixed spice. Add the sultanas, currants, glacÉ cherries, ground almonds, citrus rinds and milk. Mix until well combined.
3. Pile half the mixture into the prepared tin. Roll out the marzipan to form a 19cm/7in round, about 6mm/¼in thick, and place over the cake mixture. Press down lightly and then pile the remaining cake mixture on top.
4. Level the surface and bake in the oven for 2 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes until golden and firm to the touch, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. An hour into the cooking time, cover the top of the cake with a layer of foil to prevent the cake from over browning. Allow to cool in the tin, then remove and place on a wire rack.
5. To decorate, divide the marzipan into eleven portions, and form each into a ball and set aside. Sift the icing sugar into a small bowl and stir in the lemon rind and sufficient lemon juice to form a smooth, dropping icing. Using a small spoon, drizzle the top and sides of the cake with the icing and arrange the marzipan balls around the edge of the cake.
6. Lightly brush the marzipan balls with egg white and brown each ball using a cook's blowtorch. Set the cake aside for about 15 minutes to allow the icing to set.
7. Transfer to a serving plate and tie the ribbons round the cake. Decorate with chocolate eggs and frosted flowers before serving.
Cook's note: to frost the flowers, brush each petal lightly with beaten egg white and then dust with caster sugar. Shake off the excess and allow to dry for 30 minutes before serving.
If you don't have a
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