Guest Author - Nicola Jane Soen

Some good olde English puddings and snacks that I love and have made. My children all love trifle and English staple pud! Try it out for your sunday pud!

Old English Trifle

1 Packet/cube Jelly (flavour of choice. I love Strawberry)
2 fresh/tin fruit to go with Jelly (not pineapple, it has enzymes in it that does not let the jelly set)
3 Sponge fingers (optional)
4 Custard (I have included a recipe below)
5 Dream topping/ whipped cream
6 Hundreds and thousands/ sprinkles/chocolate curls (what ever you like to top it with!)

Make up the jelly, according to instructions. When cool, but not set add fruit and sponges CAREFULLY, as much as you prefer.

When set and cold, carefully pour the made up cold custard on top, then gently add the cream or Dream topping. Just before serving add sprinkles. (Not before, they tend to melt, and not look so pretty)

Serve!

Custard

1 Tablespoon Corn flour
1 OZ butter (equal amount to the Corn flour)
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1 pint milk
Few drops of Vanilla essence

First put the butter into saucepan and melt, then add the Cornflour and stir for 2 minutes (don’t stop stirring, if have to stop take OFF the heat, Then continue)

Add the sugar and slowly, a bit at a time, stirring continually, until all is added. Then stir and bring to the boil gently. Keep stirring; add a few drops of Vanilla Essence. Stir for a few minutes after turning off heat, to make sure it does not go lumpy. (this custard is NOT yellow, so if you prefer add a few drops natural yellow food colouring)

Let go cold.

This is a basic white sauce and can be adapted for other uses. For example, omit sugar and vanilla essence, and then you have a plain white sauce. To this you can add grated cheese (as much as you like) and this makes a cheese sauce. If you add half milk and half water, with 4oz of Parsley, chopped, you have a Parsley sauce.



Welsh Rarebit

A favourite British supper or snack

2 Slices toast, Hot and buttered
Knob of Butter
4oz Grated cheese
I tablespoon milk OR Ale
Worcestershire Sauce
Salt and Pepper

Melt the butter gently in pan, once melted remove from heat and add the rest of the ingredients return to heat and melt very gently. Once melted, spread over your toast. Enjoy!

You can add a topping of crispy bacon and/or sliced tomatoes. Or anything you like!


For normal cheese on Toast, spread the bread with butter, put good cut cheddar slices (from a block of cheese, NOT processed) at put under the grill.
Another Brit snack is to spread Marmite on the toast, before topping it with cheese. This can also be topped with fresh tomato and Worcestershire sauce if wished. Check out the websites below for the condiments suggested! YUM YUM!

http://www.splishme.com/

http://www.marmite.co.uk/love/

http://www.britsuperstore.com/acatalog/Birds-.html