Orange and ginger cake

This was a very simple cake to make because all you have to do is beat all the ingredients together and put in a loaf tin. Bake for about 40 minutes in a moderate oven (test with a skewer to check that it's cooked). Allow to cool and turn out onto a wire tray. I made a little icing with icing sugar and some left over squeezed orange juice - but of course this is optional
10oz (275g) self-raising flour
I teaspoon baking powder
6oz (175g) soft brown sugar
8oz (225g) butter
3 eggs
Juice of 2 oranges
4 teaspoons ground ginger.

Enjoy!

Ginger Biscuits

I love these biscuits. A friend gave me the recipe and I have slightly modified it - mainly adding more ginger.

9oz plain flour
4oz butter
half-teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
4oz butter
6oz golden syrup
4 teaspoons ground ginger
a little of the syrup from a jar of stem ginger
grated piece of ginger


Melt the butter with the golden syrup over a gentle heat. Add the grated ginger and the syrup from the jar (optional).
Sieve the flour, ground ginger and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl.
Add the syrup mixture and mix well.
Form into rounds (about 8) and put on a greased baking tray. 


Bake for about 10-15 minutes in a moderate oven.
Cool on a wire tray.

Lemon marmalade

Loads in the news about marmalade this week - that is, the way sales of marmalade have declined in recent years.  But the good news is that people are apparently now making it for themselves.

This timely recipe (never let it be said that I don't have a finger on the pulse!) is a bit of trial and error, following a number of recipes I've seen and after very useful advice from my sister, who'd already made some.  The quantities are roughly those I used, so not an exact science.  The basic idea is to cook the lemons the night before you make the marmalade, so the peel is much easier to slice.

2 lbs lemons (washed)
3 and a half pounds of granulated sugar
Peel from 2 clementines (optional)

Place the lemons in a large pan, cover with water and simmer gently for about one and a half hours.  Leave overnight.  Next day, remove the lemons, keeping the liquid in the pan.  Cut the lemons in half and squeeze out the pulp and pith, discarding the pips.  Slice the lemon peel (and clementine peel) finely.  Return the pulp, pith and peel to the pan and add about one and a half pints of water.  Heat gently and add the sugar.  Stir until all the sugar has dissolved. 
Bring to the boil and while stirring, keep at a rolling boil for about 15 minutes.  Test for a set by putting a drop of the marmalade on a chilled plate and push gently to see if a slight skin will show. 
Sterilise clean jam jars in a hot oven.  Pour in the marmalade and seal.

Delicious on toast!