Wartime Bara Brith

Another wartime recipe to celebrate St Davids Day

“Bara Brith” is a traditional Welsh fruit loaf that literally means speckled bread. The recipe calls for lots of dried fruit, soaked in tea overnight and orange zest to give it a little zing. Using only one egg it easily fit into a rationed diet... and could be easily adapted during the war to use orange marmalade instead of orange juice and zest. Finely grated carrot could also be used to replace some of the fruit.

Delicious spread with a little butter....and served with a nice cup of tea

1lb of self raising flour (I used plain with 5 teaspoons of baking powder)

1/2 pint of tea

1lb of mixed dried fruit (substitute 1/3 with finely grated carrot to save on rations)
6 oz of light brown sugar
1 medium egg
1 or 2 teaspoons of mixed spice
1 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon or orange juice
1 tablespoon of orange zest (or use 2 tablespoons of orange marmalade to replace the honey, orange juice and zest)

• Make 1/2 pint of strong tea and add the dried fruit and grated carrot to the tea
• Place in fridge overnight
• The next day mix the honey, orange juice and zest (or marmalade) with the sugar and egg
• Add that to the fruit and tea mixture
• Sift the flour and spice into a large bowl
• Add the fruit/tea mixture
• Mix until all flour is mixed in
• Place in two small greased loaf tins or one large one
• Cook at 160C or 320 F for about 1 to 1.5 hours (use foil to cover if getting too brown)
• Remove and cool for a while then glaze with honey or a sugar water mix
• Remove from tin and cool thoroughly before storing in a tin
• Slice and serve with butter

Wartime Welshcakes

Crossed between a scone and a pancake and also known as a Welsh teacake, these Welsh Cakes are the perfect afternoon teatime treat for St Davids Day

These cakes are a wartime classic recipe that provided soldiers and coal miners during the World War with a fruity sweet snack but are great for any occasion 

They are incredibly quick and easy to make and are cooked in a griddle or frying pan instead of the oven 

6 oz plain flour with 3 teaspoons baking powder added (or use self raising flour)
2 oz margarine, butter or dripping
2 oz sultanas (or mixed dried fruit)
1 small carrot grated
2 oz sugar
1 fresh egg or 1 dried reconstituted egg
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

• Rub fat into the flour and baking powder mix until resembles bread crumbs
• Stir in nutmeg, sugar and dried fruit
• Mix the egg and milk together and add to dry mix to form a stiff dough (add more liquid or more flour as needed)
• Treat mixture as pastry and roll out on floured surface to 1/4 inch thick
• Use 3 inch rounds to cut out
• Pre-heat griddle or heavy frying pan
• Grease
• Put in Welsh Cakes and cook until golden brown on both sides over a moderate heat (about 4 minutes)
• Set aside a cool
• Sprinkle with a little sugar
• Serve with butter/jam and a nice cup of strong tea!
• Makes about 12-18

**Wartime Welsh Cakes**

March 1st is St Davids Day.. when Welsh people.. including me.. celebrate their patron saint with the wearing of a daffodil... and eat traditional Welsh fare... including these delicious little Welsh Cakes

Crossed between a scone and a pancake and also known as a Welsh teacake, these Welsh Cakes are the perfect afternoon teatime treat for St Davids Day... or any time of the year

These cakes uses a wartime classic recipe that provided soldiers and coal miners during the World War with a fruity sweet snack but are great for any occasion

They are incredibly quick and easy to make and are cooked in a griddle or frying pan instead of the oven

Recipe: https://the1940skitchen.blogspot.com/.../wartime...

#WartimeWednesday

#WW2Recipes

#WW2Rationing

#1940s

#The1940sKitchen

#StDavidsDay

#1940sRecipes

Molasses Cookies

This cookie recipe comes from the Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, March 1940. The are simple to make, not very sweet, with a rich molasses flavour and a hint of coffee. Hubby said they are lovely with his morning coffee.

This recipe makes a LOT of cookies.. so I halved the recipe and they were still a success. 

3/4 cup shortening 

1 cup sugar  

2 beaten eggs 

1 cup light molasses 

4 cups flour 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon soda 

2 teaspoons cinnamon 

1 teaspoon ginger 

3/4 cup cold, strong coffee 

• Thoroly cream shortening and sugar
• Add eggs and molasses; beat well. 
• Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with coffee. 
• Drop from teaspoon onto greased cooky sheet. 
• Bake in moderate oven (350°) 15 minutes. 

Better Homes and Gardens Magazine 
March 1940

Hamburger Pie

A very simple dish from Better Homes and Gardens, August 1946. It makes and tastes almost like a Cottage Pie.. but Im not sure why we leave the middle of the mashed potato topping open!

The only changes I made to the original recipe.. was to add some chopped carrots that were leftover from another meal... and a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce. 

Not too bad at all!

4 potatoes
1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1 (15 ounce) can green beans, drained

Salt and pepper to taste

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 
• Peel and quarter potatoes, and introduce into boiling water; 
• Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. 
• Drain and mash. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and onion until beef is brown. Drain. 
• Stir in tomato soup and green beans. 
• Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. 
• Top with well seasoned mashed potatoes in a ring around the meat mixture (do not cover meat).
• Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes, until potatoes are golden

Better Homes and Gardens Magazine
August 1946

Pigs in 'Taters

This potato recipe comes from the 1942 Breakfast and Brunch Cook Book. Its an interesting little book with some unusual recipes. But it also goes back to basics.. e.g how to cook bacon... fry or poach an egg... and even how to make coffee.

 

I thought I would try this one as I would never think of having baked potatoes for breakfast, To me its more of  a lunch or an accompaniment with dinner, which is how we ate them.

I didnt change the recipe and were quite tasty.  However,  I did cook the sausages first..as suggested... and my hubby had grated cheese on his. He was quite surprised when he cut into his and found the sausage.

6 large potatoes 

6 tablespoons butter 

4/2 teaspoons milk 

1/2 teaspoons salt 

Dash paprika 

1/2 pound small sausages

 

• Bake potatoes. 
• Cut a slice from 1 side of each, then scoop out the inside. 
• Mash with butter, milk, salt and paprika
• Beat until fluffy. 
• Refill potato shells
• Make a hollow in the center of each and fill with sausages. 
• Bake in moderate oven (350°F.) until potatoes are brown and sausages are thoroughly cooked, about 10 to 15 minutes. 
• Sausages may be fried first, then the filled potatoes heated under moderate broiler heat.

Breakfast and Brunch Cook Book
by the Culinary Arts Institute ~ 1942

Apple and Banana Crisp

This was a delicious dessert from Woman's Day Magazine, March 1940. I had never thought of putting apples and bananas together but they complimented each other really well. 

We thoroughly enjoyed it...especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

4 cooking apples, cored
Juice of 1 lemon
3 bananas
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg
Brown sugar topping

• Peel and slice apples and bananas into greased baking dish. 
• Add water and lemon juice, sprinkle with spice. 
• Spread topping over fruit 
• Bake in moderate oven, 350° F., 30 to 40 minutes or until apples are tender. 
• Serve warm. 
• 4 to 5 servings.
  

Brown Sugar Topping

1/2 cup sifted flour

Few grains salt

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

• Mix flour, brown sugar and salt. 
• Work in butter with a pastry blender, or tips of fingers; do not cream.

Woman's Day Magazine 
March 1940

Tomato Cheese Savoury

Another Ministry of Food breakfast recipe, and again using potatoes. Thank goodness for the good old spud. This simple and tasty dish is just as it sounds...a layer of mash, a layer of tomatoes... and topped with cheese.

Now I did make a couple of changes.. and in the wartime spirit.. used leftovers. Last nights leftover mash and some canned chopped tomatoes. Plus.. because I was using leftovers.. I popped it in the oven to heat through. .

I got three breakfast servings from it.. and will I make it again. Yes! And I think it would also be good with some mushrooms, spinach and even a bit of bacon. A great way to use you leftovers

4 tomatoes or 1 lb. cooked mixed vegetables.

1 lb. mashed potatoes.

3 oz. grated cheese.

Salt and pepper.

• Cut tomatoes into slices or dice the cooked vegetables and place on a bed of mashed potatoes. 
• Sprinkle with grated cheese, salt and pepper. 
• Put under the grill until cheese has melted and browned
• Serve hot.

Eating for Victory