Here’s another of Mum’s pinned together recipes. If I’d realised that there was a cellotape shortage in her kitchen I would have donated a couple of rolls to her bottom drawer. I guess at least the pins kept the recipes together and saved pieces getting lost. If that had happened we’d never have had this Chocolate Cheese Brownie recipe to enjoy.
I have no idea how this got the name ‘Dutch’ tart, it’s one of the mysteries of Mum’s old recipes. It’s made in a swiss roll tin, a tray that has slightly raised edges (about 2 to 3cm deep) and has dimensions of roughly 23 x 33xm, so it’s hardly a tart, more of a slice really, but who can argue with their Mother….
DUTCH TART
Rub 60g butter into 1 cup plain flour. Mix to a stiff paste with milk. Roll out to fit swiss roll tin. Spread with raspberry jam. Top with cake mixture.
Cake mixture: 5 tablespoons butter, ½ cup sugar, 1 cup self raising flour, ½ cup milk, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon mixed spice, 1 tablespoon chopped dates, 1 tablespoon sultanas, 2 tablespoons walnuts. Cream butter & sugar. Add sifted flour and spices, mix in dried fruits and walnuts and milk. Spread on top of pastry. Bake moderate oven 180o for 30 mins. When cool spread over lemon icing.
With a name like this it had to be a potato pie, didn’t it? My first thought was that this would make a good Sunday night family tea, but I’ve now decided that slices would be good served up with a roast or b-b-que. Either way I think it would be a winner.
Back in the 80s these type of slices were quite common. You baked the base, added a filling and then a chocolate topping. The trick was to add a little butter to the melted chocolate otherwise the topping cracked when you cut it. I think the custard filling in this one is a bit different and would taste quite good.
You can make these to go with pre-dinner drinks, for a picnic, for a party or as a supper dish. They’re great hot or cold and that makes them very versatile.
My and Dad played cards regularly with Mena and her husband Les. Supper was always served at the end of the night and I think this simple snack was a one of their favourites.
SAVOURY SPREAD
Mix all together, spread on bread and bake until brown.
I’m not sure I could make these potatoes look quite as neat as they have in the photo, but it’s always handy to have a good potato dish to serve with a roast or a b-b-que and this does look very good.
The original Australian bush damper was just flour and water mixed together and cooked over an open fire. This version has a bit more to it than that and a lot more flavour.
My guess is that this recipe was one of the original ones Mum started out with after she married in 1941. I wouldn’t be surprised if it came from my paternal grandmother, who Mum lived with while Dad was overseas in the airforce during WW2. The piece of paper looks very well used.
APPLE CRUMBLE
Mix together to make the crumble. Cook apples, let cool and put crumble on top. Bake in a moderate oven 180o until the crumble is brown, about 30 mins.
I think this was one of the first dinner party dishes I made after I got married. It was quite modern then with the wine, garlic, oregano and peppers and tasted great. I’m not sure where I got the recipe from, but I can see from the typing that I typed it up on a manual typewriter, probably at work, and here I am posting it on the internet – how the world has changed!!!! It served me well all those years ago, but I haven’t made it for awhile. Perhaps it’s time to give it another go.
Beb's Recipe Drawer 