Mother's day...

Mother’s Day Blog 
 
Baking something special for your Mother will always be up there as one of the best gifts!
This year Mother’s Day falls on Sunday 27th March 2022, and this day is a day to show our love and appreciation for our Mother’s. 
 
This year I have decided to bake my mother a ‘Black Forest Gateau’ as this is her absolute favourite dessert. Traditionally, a Simnel cake would be made as a gift, it is a very rich fruit cake that often has a layer of marzipan in the centre and on top for decoration. However, today Simnel cakes are more associated with Easter, but I will attach a recipe below for anyone who would like to bake one!
 
I know many of you who are studying at College / University will have made lots of Mother’s Day products this week, we would love to see your creations. Email your photos to [email protected] along with your college, name and a small description of the product. You never know…you may get a feature on our new and updated website! 
 
Simnel Cake Recipe: 
 
Ingredients

• 250g mixed dried fruit (a mixture of sultanas, currants, raisins and mixed peel)

• 1 orange, zested and juiced
• 500g marzipan
• 250g softened unsalted butter
• 200g light brown sugar
• 200g whole egg 
• 175g soft flour
• 100g ground almonds
• 5g baking powder
• 1 lemon, zested
• 10g mixed spice
• 5g vanilla essence
• 100g glacé cherries, syrup rinsed off, cut in half
• 45g apricot jam

Method:
 

·       STEP 1
Put the mixed dried fruit in a bowl with the orange juice and zest and 30g water. Heat gently in a pan, stirring now and then until the liquid has been absorbed and leave to cool.
 
·       STEP 2
Heat oven to 150°c. Roll out a third of the marzipan and use the base of a deep 20cm cake tin as a template to cut out a circle. Wrap any offcuts and the remaining two-thirds of marzipan and set aside for later. Grease the cake tin with a double layer of parchment.
 
Cream together the sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs (21°c), flour, almonds, baking powder, lemon zest, mixed spice and vanilla. Mix until combined, then fold in the dried fruit and cherries.

·       STEP 3
Scrape half the cake mixture into the tin. Top with the disc of marzipan, then the remaining cake mixture, and level the top with a spatula.
 
The cake should take 2 hours to bake, add time if necessary.
 
Cool in the tin for 15 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
 
·       STEP 4
Brush the top of the cake with apricot jam. Roll out half of the remaining marzipan and use the base of the cake as a template to cut out another disc. Place it on top of the cake and crimp the edges, if you like. Roll the remaining marzipan into 11 equal-sized balls.


ABST

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