JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: As you all know (ad naseum) by now, I've got pneumonia, and therefore not doing any cooking of any kind other than heating up soup and boiling the occasional pasta. But it's been a rough week, hasn't it? Don't we all deserve a treat? You're in luck - here's our resident former caterer herself, Celia Wakefield, to share a delicious recipe that will tickle your tummy and take you back in time.
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| Celia and Mr. Sussex Puddle |
I am delighted to be back with you all at JRW. Thank you, Julia
for being so generous with your space; particularly as your NEW book - HID FROM
OUR EYES - will be out in 5 weeks. I hope everyone is as excited as I am. In
fact my family is excited because we all read Julia. But being really sick
allows me some latitude for sparkling repartee on her behalf.
I loved last
Sunday’s post from Debs; A Recipe for Time Travel, so a quick word with Julia
got me here doing some recipe memories myself. I may have mentioned once or
twice in comments that I am not a spring chickie. (Though I am always happy to
cook one.) I may have also mentioned that I am really not a baker, which seems
to be a damaging admission in this land of pies, from Apple to Whoopie.
In
England I grew up on Spotted Dick and rice puddings at school with skin on them;
lets say no more. Has anyone, other than Rhys, eaten a Sussex Puddle? My
beloved, before we tied the knot officially, challenged me to eat half a Sussex
Puddle, which he 
would make for me. Of course, honor was at stake, and yes, I
did eat. my half. A Sussex Puddle is a suet crust pudding baked in a pudding
basin. The crust lines the basin leaving enough pastry for a lid. The pudding basin shape is key as after lining with
pastry, one puts in a half lemon, surrounded by brown sugar and butter. Sealed
with the extra crust. Suspended in a Dutch Oven with hot water half up the side
and cooked till done. When the cloth which protects it is removed, we see the glory
of a Sussex puddle. The top crust has sunk and there is a puddle of butter and
brown sugar awaiting the incautious diner. Served with thick cream to cut,
insert ‘SIGH”, the richness of the pudding.
would make for me. Of course, honor was at stake, and yes, I
did eat. my half. A Sussex Puddle is a suet crust pudding baked in a pudding
basin. The crust lines the basin leaving enough pastry for a lid. The pudding basin shape is key as after lining with
pastry, one puts in a half lemon, surrounded by brown sugar and butter. Sealed
with the extra crust. Suspended in a Dutch Oven with hot water half up the side
and cooked till done. When the cloth which protects it is removed, we see the glory
of a Sussex puddle. The top crust has sunk and there is a puddle of butter and
brown sugar awaiting the incautious diner. Served with thick cream to cut,
insert ‘SIGH”, the richness of the pudding.
But back to Debs and the many comments on precious recipes from
time past. Of course, I wanted to share but somehow the day got away from me.
Julia, bless her, was glad to hear that I had a recipe for Sunday, not too time
consuming and well worth eating. Here is my old recipe 3 ring binder. Paging
through it was a walk back through daughter's grade school cookie needs and on to my
catering days. (The binder was designed to stand up, very cool.) 
The photo with
the page of recipes has Julia Child’s chocolate mousse cake priced out by
ingredient. The almost unintelligible recipe below is for the toffee bars. Top
on the right hand page is the only one I have from my mum for Cornish Boiled
Cake. The English, and the Scots, love to boil their food.
Imagine my horror on finding that my role of mother included
baking for school. Thank goodness I didn’t have six kids. The Toffee Bar recipe
came to me from another PTA mom, and it is really easy. The most I can do
wrong, is to burn the cookie.
Pressing out the dough evenly in the rimmed
cookie sheet is the hardest part. When I made these, I used the small Hershey bars (1.05oz and .20c, back in the
day). Laid down they were easy to spread. But I’ve made it with chocolate
chips, added nuts. Whatever seemed to work.
I cut them using a small scraper
that I have for pastry. I don’t drag it but walk it down the row. The size of
these bars is completely up to the baker but there should be at least 24,
unless one has gone for huge bars. I have been known to put brandy in instead
of vanilla when serving to adults. Everyone loves them. So I hope you will make
some for the kids in your life.
JULIA: Oh, yes. "For the kids." What do you think, dear readers? Are you game to try PTA Toffee bars? And would anyone really eat Sussex Puddle??
These toffee bars sound delicious, Celia . . . thanks for sharing the recipe . . . .
ReplyDeleteWhat a great recipe, using the food processor instead of the mixer. Sadly, lots of chocolate has become a tummy issue for me, but I'm thinking there might be something else I could use, like caramel. Oh well, my waist doesn't need these anyway.
ReplyDeleteAnd interesting thing about baking is that I used tend to do it when upset or worried about something. My next door neighbor has been on hospice at home for ten days now, and his daughter is here, the primary caregiver, with lots of help from her mother and the hospice team, and a fair amount from me. She is tall and thin, model type, but omg does she cook, and the more exhausted she gets, the more she bakes. Since no one there is eating much --if anything -- we are the recipients of a bounty of cookies and breads, mostly breads, le pain quotidien.
so sorry about your neighbor Ann, hospice people are amazing, but still a very hard transition to go through...
Delete
DeleteThanks Ann, and I have been reading your posts. Bless you for all the help and support you're giving. As for the extra treats, well accepting them is helping too. I agree with Lucy, a very hard time for all.
Ann, I've also been following along, and wish all concerned peace.
DeleteThanks for stepping in Celia! Julia, please feel better very soon. You've got us worried! xox
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome Roberta. I think Julia will rise again soon.
DeleteI didn't have a fever last night - first time in 28 days! Fingers crossed.
DeleteYes to baking! The toffee bars are right up my alley--quick and easy! People are sick all over the place around here right now--co-workers leaving in the middle of shifts, little kids with fever, sneezes and coughs everywhere. Does anyone remember that hotel commercial where the person approaches the bed, then goes away and returns wearing a full suit of full PPE? That's what I feel like I should be doing every time I venture out these days. I'd send more than thoughts and prayers your way, Julia, if there was something I could do to help you feel better! I'm going to stash my copy of Hid From Our Eyes when I get it, so if I get sick I'll have something wonderful to get me through.
ReplyDeleteThanks Flora, though it might be better for me if I don't bake at home. We are on a house quarantine due to my beloved age and lung issues; staying away from all crowded places. In fact the only person I've seen is Julia. Yes, keep the book. It is a real treat with some surprising turns.
DeleteI'm not much of a baker, though I love to eat sweet stuff. My recipe/time travel takes me back to school dinners in my British comprehensive school in the early '70s. I have no memory of the main courses, but - oh my - the puddings (desserts). I remember loving them -- or, more accurately, loving the custard that the dinner ladies would pour over whatever the pudding was that day, from large enamel jugs. Pouring. That thick creamy yellow substance. Yum. It was probably Bird's custard, and I lapped it up. We never had it at home, so school dinners were it for me. Oh, the memories!
ReplyDeleteGet better Julia. We need you!
Amanda, what a vision you conjure up. Yes, Birds Custard, very thick and very deep yellow. I envy you not being in boarding school.
DeleteI'm working on it, Amanda! And oddly, custard was the one thing I DIDN'T like when I was going to school in London. I would get odd looks when ordering sponge cake with the custard on the side (to share with my friends who DID love it.
DeleteSame with peanut butter for me. My poor child went to school with Marmite sandwiches as I thought pb&j sounded gross. Now I do like peanut butter, particularly when I make it into satay sauce. But with jelly, no thank you. Julia you were being served Birds custard out of a tin (can), lots of cornstarch, powdered egg and sugar plus coloring I think.
DeleteThank you Celia for the recipe.
ReplyDeleteTwo questions : what does PTA means ? I thought that toffee referred to caramel or something like that, so why is it done with chocolate ?
You're welcome Danielle, thanks. PTA is Parent Teacher Association. Sometimes it is PTO with the O for Organization. Basically the parent volunteer group who does all the extras for public school teachers here in the USA. It was another new experience for me coming from the UK where parents are not encouraged to help out at school. The name is the name. I have no explanation. But I will look it up.
DeleteWe are so worried about you, Julia!
ReplyDelete( and Celia, you are a treasure!)
Thanks Hank, it's a great treat to be a small part of JR.
Deletecontinued healing thoughts to Julia!
ReplyDeleteCelia, my 40 year old Cuisinart is hanging on for dear life, but I will try your recipe and share it with my kids.
The specialty of my college dining hall was "Mystery Mocha", a concoction of cocoa batter with a sugar, cocoa, and coffee topping.
Oh love that Cuisinart, Margaret. Mystery Mocha sounds, well, very intriguing. I wonder if one could make it like a toffee bar substituting cocoa powder for half the flour. I'm on my third Cuisinart. My first two got quite a workout when I was catering. It's the bowl or lid that chipped on the last of those two. I treated myself about 12 years ago and got the new model which comes with two bowls. It's really a bit of an extravagance but I use it and love it.
DeleteMargaret, according to Youngest, the thing to do in dorms is a mug brownie (or cake) - butter, water, vanilla extract, flour, cocoa, sugar and a dash of salt. Nuke it in the microwave (which they all have in their rooms now) and you have an instant warm, gooey dessert.
DeleteThis sounds exactly like ones my mother used to make and since I don't know where her recipe is I will adopt this one. She often sprinkled chopped walnuts or sometimes coconut on top. One difference was she made them in a 9x13 pan, so they were thicker, but I'm guessing now she may not have had a larger pan. In any case, delicious, and I thank you for bringing back that memory.
ReplyDeleteHappy to poke your memory portion of the brain. I think they would be even more delicious with a thicker biscuit base. Enjoy baking.
DeleteJudi, with walnuts and coconut, it sounds almost like a seven layer bar.
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ReplyDeleteOh Celia, Spotted Dick and awful school food. Semolina and tapioca! Horrors. But I’ve never had Sussex Puddle now I’ll look it up although you can’t get suet here. I have my mother-in-law’s wartime cook books and most of the recipes look awful. But useful for my books
ReplyDeleteAnd Julia, sending healing vibes and go to the emergency room if it gets in any way worse!
Rhys, I think my mind had blanked on semolina, etc. I can't remember which of those two we would refer to as frog spawn. Will school obviously didn't break either of us. Btw, just finished The Tuscan Child, and I loved it. Very clever twist, though quite sad too. I have made suet pastry using veggie lard, and it doesn't have quite the flavor, but for a pudding crust I think it would work. For steak and kidney, or dumplings in a stew, I can get lard which I break up, the chop in my Cuisinart with a little flour. I measure it into portions and freeze till needed. Though this type of food is not really something Victor or I should be eating at our age!
DeleteI'm still trying to wrap my head around suet as a base for a sweet dessert. Isn't suet, like, what you get in a ball for the birds?
DeleteJulia, see Karen's comments on suet below. This is the food of our ancestors. How did American frontier women get their baking skills? LARD! Makes great pastry for pies, puddings etc.
DeleteMy mother made the best pastry in the world with lard. I’ll try it instead of suet, Celia
DeleteI do love steak and kidney pudding and treacle pudding
This recipe sounds scrumptious, Celia! And may I say how charming I found the photo of you and Mr. Sussex Puddle?
ReplyDeleteThe recipe book reminds me of one of my most cherished recipe sources. When I was about 10 years old my Catholic grade school's PTA (Parent Teacher Association, Danielle-Momo) solicited recipes from families to put together a booklet as a fundraiser. It has mimeographed pages and an oilcloth (blue and white check) cover, which has gotten a leeetle creaky over the years.
There are old favorite recipes, treasures, in this booklet, including Boiled Oatmeal Cookies, which my cousins used to make after school, Coca Cola Cake (which I don't think I've ever made, but it was a staple offering at bake sales throughout my childhood), and the best of all, Hungarian Sour Milk Coffeecake. The lunch ladies made this a couple of times a month, and it was my hands-down favorite dessert on the lunch line. For decades I made it every Christmas morning.
The internet is such a rabbit hole! Off to look up Hungarian Sour Milk Coffeecake, Karen!
DeleteKaren, thank you so much. It's a lovely pic of us taken a few years ago. Out to dinner with friends. I think Julia ma be stalking me, haha. I love old school fund raiser recipe books. I had a new one done by #1grandson in second or third grade, which he gave me for Christmas that year. So sweet. The recipes from the girls are illustrated and decorated. The ones from the boys, not so much. I've never eaten Coca Cola cake; it both fascinates and horrifies me. But the coffeecake sounds delicious..
DeleteOh, Celia, you haven't experienced the joy of southern cooking if you haven't cooked with Co' Cola. I have a recipe for ham basted in Coca Cola that is to die for.
DeleteCoca Cola Cake is actually chocolate, and very moist.
DeleteFlora, if you can't find it, here's the recipe:
DeleteHungarian Coffeecake
Sour milk makes the cake very moist. You can use buttermilk for this instead of the sour milk; it does the same thing. To make sour milk, if you don’t happen to have any, just add a tablespoon of lemon juice or cider vinegar to a one-cup measure. Add enough milk to make it a full cup. The acid will curdle the milk just enough to make it “sour”.
2 ½ C all-purpose flour (I use whole wheat, for at least half the flour)
1 ½ C packed brown sugar
½ tsp salt
2/3 C butter
2 tsp baking power
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/3 C sour milk or buttermilk
½ C chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease the bottom and ½-inch up the sides of a 13 x 9 x 1 ½-inch pan; set aside. In a large bowl combine flour, brown sugar, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside ½ cup. Stir baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg into remaining crumb mixture.
In a medium bowl combine eggs and milk. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Stir together reserved crumb mixture and nuts; sprinkle over batter.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool slightly; serve warm.
Makes 18 pieces, each 228 calories. You don’t really want to know the rest of the nutritional information, do you?
Karen, thanks for this. I have copied and saved it. I will try to make it for my grandsons.
DeleteThanks, Karen!
DeleteCelia, welcome to Jungle Reds! I enjoyed reading about your wonderful recipes. The Sussex puddle sounds like something I would have loved as a kid. These Toffee Bars sound delicious. Only if you have good teeth, right? An elderly relative had false teeth and could not eat caramel. I wonder if the same is true for toffee bars?
ReplyDeleteWhen I started school just before my 3rd birthday, the school collected recipes from parents and put together a cookbook. I still have the cookbook. My mom's recipe for Banana Bread is in the cookbook.
Thinking about time travel through reading recipes. I wonder if my great grandmothers had handwritten recipes?
Julia, soups are wonderful when you are sick. I had walking pneumonia my senior year of college and I managed to finish my senior thesis (I read history) barely! Hope you feel better soon.
Diana
Thank you so much Diana, I do love to cook. Being invited to share with you all is such a joy. I think caramel with false teeth would be a challenge as it's so sticky. Toffee bars on the other hand are fairly soft depending on how thickly the chocolate is layered on.
DeleteDiana, thank you. I am dining on soup provided by Celia and another friend, so i have homemade goodness without having to actually do an work.
DeleteOMG Julia, get better! We are all sending healing thoughts to you.
ReplyDeleteCelia, love the cookie bars recipe. Yeah, I won't make anything with lard.
Thanks Judy. I don't think lard is used much in baking now though it does make a tasty crust for savory pies.
DeleteThank you for your post, Celia! I always enjoy reading your recipes. My mom was lucky and managed to dodge the bullet 5 times with us kids. We were fortunate that the PTA didn't go in for bake sales to raise money. She probably got stuck baking for scouts occasionally though. My school district's kitchens turned out the most amazing peanut butter cookies and cloverleaf rolls. We could have lived on those alone. I don't remember any other things, good or bad, since I usually brownbagged my lunch. Somewhere I have a recipe of my mom's for some kind of toffee cookie using a base of saltine crackers. It was pretty good eating!
ReplyDeletePat, just the mention of cloverleaf rolls has my mouth watering. Haven't had them in ages.
DeletePat, I'm getting envious with all the tales of decent school food. Not sure about Rhys experiences at school, but mine at my boarding would turn ones hair white overnight. The most popular breakfast there was baked beans on toast. These were not Boston baked beans but a rather pallid second cousin. Of course, England in the fifties, was still recovering from the Second World War, so there may have been limitations on food.
ReplyDeleteI’m sure my memories are equally hair raising, Celia! Baked beans were a staple at college too. And canned ravioli for Sunday suppers and lots of sausages!
DeleteHave you even met me? Of course, I would eat a Sussex Puddle - you had me at “puddle of butter and brown sugar”! And, frankly, the concept of a suet crust fascinates me. As for the PTA toffee bars, I am absolutely making them for the Hub and Hooligans. Thank you, Celia, I’m sure this recipe will cement my place in their affections even when I make them do their own laundry! :)
ReplyDeleteJenn, I am dying to meet you and the rest of the Reds, the one that I do know has brought such joy to our lives. Well we will have to make a date for the Sussex Puddle feast and find a location. Though you all could come to Maine. You will love the toffee bars, quick and simple to make. All teens especially teen boys should learn laundry at an early age. After all who produces the most laundry in the house? Answer - the kid.
DeleteCelia, I love your recipe book! And, like Jenn, I would adore Sussex Puddle. Puddle of brown sugar and butter, with LEMON. Heaven. I would try the suet crust as well. I wonder if I can get suet from my local butcher? I've discovered I can get duck fat there, and bought some to make our Christmas roast potatoes.
ReplyDeleteMom got suet we needed from the butcher about 15 years when we made mincemeat.
DeleteDebs, if you are over there, you can look for Atora in Tesco's or Sainsburys. It's a dry form of lard for baking. I make my own with real lard etc. as I couldn't find Atora over here when I landed. Yes Duck fat is THE best. Every time I cook a duck I save the fat. Keeps for ever in the fridge and is wondering to fry with; stir fry, braise, deep fry, saute, duck will make it better.
DeleteYes, Debs, you cAn bring back suet, even the real thing in a packet if you can get away with it!
DeletePutting your recipe and Judi's mother's addition of walnuts and coconut together reminded me of 7 Layer cookies we used to make. Chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, nuts, coconuts, etc I can't remember what we used for the bottom crust but there was no mixing just later in the correct order and bake. Now I need to find the church ladies cookbook..... Maybe I should treat the office.... Everyone feel better, get groceries delivered if you need to, lots of fluids, etc.....
ReplyDeleteDeana, the Smithie and I have been stocking the larder as we have time and energy. I'm feeling very strongly I need to add chocolate chips, coconut, etc, to the shopping list.
DeleteThanks Deanna, love the sound of your 7 layer cookies. Winter in Maine is the time to stay home, and enjoy it.
Deletei remember this one.
ReplyDeleteWe used to be able to get suet at Krogers, in the meat case, but I haven't looked for a long time. A lot of people around here use it for feeding birds in the winter, because the high fat content helps the birds retain heat better.
ReplyDeleteHere's what it is:
Suet is the raw, hard fat of beef or mutton found around the loins and kidneys. Suet has a melting point of between 45 °C and 50 °C and congelation between 37 °C and 40 °C. Its high smoke point makes it ideal for deep frying and pastry production. Wikipedia
You get the prize Karen, for sorting suet out. In the past I have been known stop buy birds suet, carefully break it from the membrane and use for baking.
ReplyDeleteHuh. I was wary about using bird suet (in case the manufacturer had added who knows what to it), but next time I need suet (such as for a cloutie dumpling), I'll give it a try.
DeleteBarbara, hi I'm so sorry to be late getting back to you. I found the English suet in a box on Amazon earlier and posted it as a comment on today's Blog. Check there or go to Amazon on search Atora Pure beef suet. I noted that Atira makes a veggie version too. It's very easy to work with, much easier than having to tackle a lump of suet. Hope this helps.
ReplyDelete