Cake Fit for a Queen!

Queen Elizabeth Cake – Cake, Pg. 255 – Bessie S. Iversen (Mrs. L. I.)



It’s Victoria Day! A Canadian holiday originally observed in celebration of Queen Victoria’s birthday (leader of the British Commonwealth), is now observed in celebration of the current reigning sovereign’s official birthday (currently Queen Elizabeth II). What better occasion to whip up this Dutch Oven treat – Queen Elizabeth Cake. There seems to be a bit of mystery around the origins of this cake – some believe it was a recipe created and prepared by Queen Elizabeth I (the Queen Mother) to support fund raising efforts for the Church of England. Others believe it is a Canadian developed recipe, named in honor of Queen Elizabeth I and sold to raise money for the war efforts during World War II. Whatever the case, one thing is for certain; this is some seriously scrummy cake!

Made with dates and an ooey gooey caramel sauce it’s reminiscent of sticky toffee cake. Preparation is quick and simple – however we do have a few suggestions regarding the preparation, see below.

Queen Elizabeth Cake

Ingredients (Cake):

¼ butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg (well beaten)
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cups flour (sifted)
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 cup chopped dates (soaked in 1 cup boiling water)

Ingredients (Sauce):

5 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp cream
½ cup coconut

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar, add egg and remaining ingredients. Bake in angel cake pan for 45 minutes at 375°F.

Sauce – combine ingredients and boil for 3 minutes and pour over cake while warm.







Dutch Oven Tips and Tricks:

The directions for this cake are a little dodgy and may create some challenges for the novice cake baker. The original directions indicate that after creaming the butter, sugar and egg that the remaining ingredients should be added in order – bullocks! We did this during our first run (all while knowing that one of the principle methods of combining ingredients is to alternate dry, wet). No surprise, we ended up with a lumpy cake batter. We also ended up draining our dates the first time round (which in fact are to be left in the 1 cup of water). There is no other liquid in this recipe, so the water is definitely needed to create the right consistency.

Here’s how the ingredients should be combined to create a smooth and light cake batter. Soak dates and 1 cup of boiling water. Cream butter and sugar, add egg and vanilla, mix well. Sift flour, salt, soda, and baking powder. Alternate adding dry ingredients with date mixture, starting and ending with dry. Add cake batter to a greased and floured baking pan. We found that the cake was done in 40 minutes. Alternately this cake can be prepared in 9x12 inch cake pan.

Oh yeah – and of course we doubled the caramel sauce. What’s life without extra sauce?

So settle in with cuppa, put on your Sunday best, stick a fascinator to the side of your head and toast to her majesty with a little piece of cake fit for a Queen!

Gettin’ Jiggly Wit It!

Emerald Salad – Salads & Dressings, Pg. 175 – Lorna Oxner



Hard to believe, but jellied salad has been with us since the turn of the century. During the Renaissance, elaborate gelatin moulds were the star attraction of the dinner table – usually flavored with wine and extracts - and more tart than the Jell-O concoctions of the 20th century. In earlier times the extraction of collagen - the magic ingredient in making gelatin – was very labour intensive, which made gelatin fairly inaccessible. By the mid 20th century, the magic of manufacturing made gelatin readily available on supermarket shelves across North America, and made Jell-O, a household sensation – thus the popularity of jellied salad moulds during the 50s and 60s. It was also a relatively easy and inexpensive side dish to many meals or buffets, and although less popular today, many still claim their place at the holiday dinner table.

It was inevitable really – cooking our way through a cookbook that was published in the 1950s, we could only avoid making a jellied salad for so long. Peter has no memories of jellied salads growing up, although we have a sneaky suspicion that his Mom may have turned out a few moulds in her day since she just happened to have a few moulds on hand. Although Peter had the good fortune of missing the jellied salad boom, Jan didn't fair as lucky - in fact, while preparing this post, many repressed jellied salad memories came flooding back, kicking her gag reflex into motion.

Of course, for both of us, the mere thought of jellied salad is synonymous with National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation when the rather senile aunt Bethany arrives for the holidays with an armload of wrapped gifts – one being her cat…and another a lime Jell-O and kitty kibble salad mould. So - whether you call it gelatinous, jellied, jiggly or wiggly – here it is at long last – the Dutch Oven Diary’s first…but not last - Jellied Salad!

Ingredients:

1 Pkg Lime Jell-O
1 Cup pineapple juice
2/3 Cup chopped celery
2/3 Cup chopped apples
2/3 Cup chopped pineapple
½ Cup whipped cream
½ Cup mayonnaise

Directions:



Assisting on this recipe was Peter's niece - Mackenzie, Foodie in Training. Dissolve package of lime jell-o in 1 cup of hot pineapple juice. Refridgerate until slightly thickened. Fold in whipped cream, mayonnaise and veggies and fruit. Pour into mould, and let set overnight.










Although we used a top of the line Tupperware jelly mould – guaranteed easy release – we had some issues. A couple tips – lightly grease with a cooking spray and/or place the mould in hot water for 20-30 seconds before releasing. So what’s the verdict?? Well…to be honest – there weren’t a lot of negative comments around the dinner table, but then again – there didn’t seem to be any positive ones either. We just didn’t quite get this one – Jell-O, fruit, vegetables and mayonnaise? Is it a salad? Is it a dessert? It seems to have a bit of an identity crisis. In any case, if there are any brave souls out there that want to get jiggly wit it – be sure to leave us a comment with your review or post a picture to our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/TheDODiaries.

Crazy for Cranberry

Cranberry Sauce – Meat & Fowl, Pg. 132 – Boscawen Manor (Frances M. Campbell)



Cranberry sauce – often considered the best supporting condiment at the holiday dinner table – is often underrated. Cranberry sauce is actually much more versatile then it gets credit for. Sure – when it comes to the Thanksgiving turkey dinner, cranberry sauce is kind of like the unassuming, less talented, underappreciated little sister to the overrated, spotlight hogging turkey showcased at the centre of the table. Let’s face it though – the turkey is often easily replaced by a ham, chicken or some other slab of meat. Cranberry sauce however maintains its coveted place at the table - irreplaceable.

Although some will argue that cranberry sauce should be served as a jiggly gelatinous mass in the shape of a can, we’re here to tell you otherwise. Step away from the can!! Cranberry sauce is simple to make – and the flavor of using fresh local cranberries can’t be beat. Cranberries are cultivated throughout Nova Scotia and readily available at your local farmers’ market.

You may not be able to slide it out of a can, but we guarantee that you won’t be disappointed with the homemade version. So kick the can to the curb and give these recipes a try. The Dutch Oven recipe is very simple, with few ingredients; however, it produces a nice thick sauce with a clean cranberry flavor.

Cranberry Sauce (Dutch Oven)

Ingredients:
4 cups fresh cranberries
2 cups white sugar
1 cup water

Directions:
In a medium sauce pan bring water to a boil, add cranberries and cook until cranberries have burst and are soft (10-15 minutes). Add sugar and bring to boil. Once boiling, remove from heat immediately. Bottle immediately. Refrigerate for up to two weeks or process bottles for storage. Yields 3-4 250 ml bottles.

As an alternative, here is a great recipe from Peter’s cranberry culinary class days. A few extra steps, but well worth the extra effort and the extra kick.

Petah’s Cranberry Orange Sauce

Ingredients:
8 cups fresh cranberries
4 cups sugar
Zest of 4 oranges
Orange segments (4 oranges)- check out the below video on how to segment your oranges
1 cinnamon stick
4 oz Grand Marnier
4 oz orange juice
4 oz water



Directions:





Combine sugar, juice and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add cranberries and cinnamon stick and simmer uncovered until the cranberries begin to burst (about 15 minutes). Add Grand Marnier and zest and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and remove cinnamon stick. Add orange segments, stir. Bottle immediately and refrigerate for up to two weeks or process bottles for storage. Yields 7-8 250 ml bottles.