Sunday 8 April 2012

Alleluia!


Simnel Cake, a rich fruit cake baked with a layer of marzipan at its centre, was traditionally associated with Mothering Sunday, the day on which young girls in service were allowed the day off to visit their mothers.

It is now more commonly eaten at Easter, when the usual decoration consists of eleven small balls of marzipan (representing the disciples, minus Judas) arranged in a circle with a larger ball, representing Jesus, at its centre.

I have once again turned to Delia Smith's recipe.  The layer of marzipan is replaced with nuggets of the paste which lend a gooey richness to the cake.  The balls are ditched in favour of a lattice brushed with egg yolk and toasted under the grill.  The edible gold glitter is my own invention.  And although I managed not to set the smoke alarm off while toasting the almonds yesterday I wasn't so lucky while burnishing the marzipan this morning!

Happy Easter!

2 comments:

  1. Good grief you've been busy. Well done.
    All looks lovely.

    I've spent the day eating Lidl chocolate eggs.Simnel cake looks much better.

    Happy Easter

    Best wishes
    d

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  2. We had our fair share of chocolate too. I like to get it all over and done with as soon as possible.

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