First recipe!

So today was the first of the recipes I'm attempting.  I was assisted by Miss 3 and one of my charges.  The smell in the house was AMAZING! 

Pianist’s Cake from the book: The Kindness of Strangers – Kitchen Memoirs

by Shonagh Koea

450 grams of sultanas

225 grams of butter (cut into pieces)

Three eggs

225 grams of sugar

300 grams of sifted flour

Three small teaspoons of baking powder

Two tablespoons of sherry (I omitted due to the age of children eating!!)

Put the sultanas in a saucepan with enough water to cover, and simmer for five minutes.  Strain the water off and toss the fruit over the pieces of butter in a bowl.  The hot fruit will melt the butter but it is sometimes best, particularly in the winter, to poke away at this mixture with a spoon sporadically to make the butter melt entirely.  In another bowl beat the eggs with the sugar and then mix this with the fruit and butter.  Add the sifted flour and baking powder.  I usually bake it in a nice round cake tin – but square is fine – that I have carefully lined with baking paper. It has to be cooked for about an hour and three quarters at 160 degrees Celsius.  When I take it out of the over I sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of sherry over it.

Janes' review:

1; being a sucky flop 2;definitely do this one again  3; being add to your repertoire immediately

Taste: It was off the scale for smell but was lovely and moist too - 3

Ease: Quick to put together takes a bit to cook but worth it - 3

Kid test: Double thumbs up Master 6; "Good" Miss 3 - 3

Husband test: "It's good" so for him a 2 perhaps. Boys. Honestly.