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??
