Tosca Cake

150g margarine
1 dl sugar
1 dl apple jam
3 dl wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla sugar
1,5 dl water

margarine
crushed almonds or bread crumbs

almond topping:
75g margarine
1,25 dl sugar
2 tbsp wheat flour
0,25 dl water
150g sliced almonds

Beat margarine and sugar until creamy. Add apple jam and stir well. Combine wheat flour, baking powder and vanilla sugar in another bowl and add them and water to margarine and sugar mixture and mix everything together. Grease a springform pan (about 27 cm diameter) with margarine and sprinkle with crushed almonds. Bake in 200 Celsius degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Make the tosca: Melt the margarine in a pot. Add sugar, flour and water and bring to boil stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in sliced almonds. Spread the tosca on the cake and bake another 10-15 minutes.

Anyway, after the film, we sat downstairs on the sofa and ate digestive biscuits and homemade jam. This seems to be Copper’s latest hobby; making jam. He had several jars of plum jam, apple jam, and apple and allspice jam, and we sat and sampled them, deciding which were our favourite flavours. There was something delightfully sweet and wholesome about the experience. I am extremely glad that he can cook, because I’ve rarely been trusted in the kitchen and the most complicated thing I think I can make is scrambled egg, which I had to learn to complete a cookery badge for the Brownies when I was about nine.

The point is, I thoroughly enjoyed just sitting there with the man I love, watching French films and eating jam. The jam was incredibly tasty, and I think we both enjoyed the slice of tranquility and the good company. So go on, spread the love!

Anyway since I still had 30+ lbs of apples from Aunt Netty and Uncle Vinnie, decided it was time to make some apple jelly.  Recipe as follows:

All you need to make apple jelly is apple juice, pectin and sugar.  So for 10 cups of jelly you need 7 cups of apple juice, 1 box of pectin (plus a little extra) and 9 cups of sugar.  You can either make your own apple juice, like I do here, or buy it.  If you do buy it from the grocery store (I can’t recommend that since I feel the soul of jamming is using fresh ingredients, but I digress) get the Simply Apple bottle that is not from concentrate.

Apple Juice

Wash, core and quarter 15 lbs. of apples and place in your largest pot.  You will probably have to cook the apples in two batches.  Make sure they are sweet apples, not like Granny Smith, as it would make sour tasting juice and jelly.  Some suggestions would be Golden Delicious, Fuji, or Rome.

Bring to a boil and then cook over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes.  Drain the juice from the apples and discard the apples.  After you have cooked all of the apples you will probably have 7 to 10+ cups of apple juice (Depending on your apples, ripeness, etc.).  Place the juice back in the pot and cook over medium-low heat to concentrate it until you have 7 cups of apple juice.  You can stop here and enjoy your apple juice, or continue on for jamming.

Now time to start jamming.  Make sure that all the next steps are ready to go; this entire process from cooking to preserving takes less than 10 minutes.  Quick check list:

1. All jars, bands and utensils are sterilized, dried and ready to be filled 
2. Canning pot is on stove and close to boiling
3. 9 cups of sugar in separate bowl
4. 1 packet, plus 1/4 of another packet of pectin
5. Canning lids are in a pot of hot water, ready for use

Stir the pectin into the juice and bring to a full rolling boil (A boil that doesn’t stop bubbling when stirred) stirring constantly.  When it hits a full boil, stir in all 9 cups of sugar, return back to rolling boil and cook for exactly 1 minute. 

Remove from heat and skim off any foam.  Ladle quickly into jars leaving 1/8 of an inch of headspace.  Wipe rims and place lids on and screw bands on.  Then place jars into canner, the water must cover jars by at least an inch.  When water comes to a full boil, process jars for 10 minutes (You start the time when the water boils). 

When processing time is up, remove and place on cooling rack for 8 hours.  Check the seal by pressing on lid, if no movement then you are good to go.  If the button pops, then place in fridge immediately and eat soon. 

You can store on the shelf for up to a year.  Happy canning! 

8 eggs. Sold 25 @ 3/- score.