CITRUS SPONGE CAKE
(An infallible recipe from Silverspoon Caster Sugar, enjoyed and shared by all in Gumley House!)
Serves: 6-8

175g (6ozs) self-raising flour
5ml (1 level tsp) baking powder
175g (6ozs) Silver Spoon Caster Sugar
175g (6ozs) soft margarine
3 eggs, large
1 lemon
60ml (4 level tbsp) lemon curd
125g (4 ozs) cream cheese
Silver Spoon Caster Sugar to dredge

Method

1. Grease and base-line two 18cm (7 in) sandwich tins.
2. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the caster sugar, margarine, eggs, grated lemon rind and 15ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice. Beat using an electric hand whisk until thoroughly combined.
3. Divide the mixture between the two tins and level the surface with a knife. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 170C (325F) mark 3 for 35-40 minutes or until the cakes are well risen, firm to the touch and beginning to shrink away from the sides of the tins.
4. Cool slightly in the tins before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Beat together the lemon curd and cream cheese and use to sandwich the cakes together. Dredge the top of the cake with caster sugar.
   
   

Grease an 8 in/ 20.5 cm square tin.  Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.  Put the butter, sugar and syrup in a pan, heat until butter is melted. Add all the other ingredients, mix well. Tip into the greased tin, cook for 20 minutes until golden. Mark into squares and cool in the tin. Cut and store in an airtight container.

NUTTY FRUITY SLICE  (Gloria Calabrese. fcJ)

These bars go down very well with Gumley community. They not only taste great but they also provide us with a little iron (apricots), calcium and protein (brazil nuts) and fibre (oats). And they’re great for helping keep us away from those tempting cakes and chocolate bars!

Makes: 15
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

100g/ 3 ½ oz butter
50g/ 2 oz golden caster sugar
125g/ 4 oz golden syrup
250/ 9 oz jumbo rolled oats
25 g/1 oz sunflower seeds
50g/ 2 oz brazil nuts, chopped and toasted
40g/ 1 ½ oz chopped dried apricots, roughly chopped
25 g/ 1 oz raisins
1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

Grease an 8 in/ 20.5 cm square tin.  Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.  Put the butter, sugar and syrup in a pan, heat until butter is melted. Add all the other ingredients, mix well. Tip into the greased tin, cook for 20 minutes until golden. Mark into squares and cool in the tin. Cut and store in an airtight container.

CHINESE MEAT BALLS  (Patricia McKeown, fcJ)

1½ lbs minced meat
4 ozs white breadcrumbs
2 eggs
A few carrots, leaks and celery
8ozs mushrooms
A little oil or lard

Sauce:
2 tsp cornflour
2 tsp marmite, bovril or 2 meat flavoured cubes
4 ozs sugar (level)
2 dsp tomato ketchup
2 tblsp vinegar

Place mince, crumbs, salt and pepper (to tast) and a little grated onion in a bowl. Add the beaten eggs and mix well. Turn onto a floured board and cut into about 30 pieces. Roll into balls. Toss in hot fat. Chop onion and celery and leaks and carrots into strips. Place in a pan with a little hot oil. Mix around until faintly coloured.

Sauce: Place cornflour, sugar, ketchup and vinegar in a bowl and mix. Add about ½ pint of water and mix. Put the meat balls in with the chopped mushrooms and other vegatables and simmer in the oven for 2 hours or until the vegetables are cooked.

HONEY NUTLETS  (Patricia McKeown, fcJ)

3½ cups of plain flour
1 cup of honey
1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of chopped nuts
1 cup of butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon (level)
1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (level)
1 tsp salt (level)
1 tsp baking powder

Cream butter. Add honey, sugar and eggs. Beat well. Add flour and spices. Then add the nuts. Mix well. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture on a greased tray.

Oven gas 2. Watch carefully - they burn easily!

RED CABBAGE (Margarita Byron, fcJ)

1 large onion
2 cooking apples
1 medium/large head of red cabbage
3 tblsp vinegar
3 tblsp golden syrup (heaped)
1 tsp salt
juice of 1 - 2 lemons

Chop onion and cook in a little butter or margarine.
Add sliced cabbage. Then add chopped apples, vinegar, syrup, salt and lemon juice.
Cook on low heat for at least two hours. The longer the better! Add more syrup to taste.
When cooked, don't drain. Serve with the juice.
(This was my mother's German recipe.)

GATEAU (Rosa Hawkins, fcJ)

4 ozs castor sugar
4 eggs
4 oz butter

Beat together until thick
Blend in 5 ozs self-raising flour

Place in two 7" sandwich tins and bake until cooked - (regulo 4 gas) - about 30 minutes