Well it’s my daughter’s birthday tomorrow and although she doesn’t know it she is coming down with her family to see the Historic Dockyard in Portsmouth and I have been invited to go with them and then they are coming back here for tea. Her husband has made her a Battenburg for tea just like he did for my birthday but before I knew that, when I offered to make a cake, he said maybe we should both make cakes.
Now I love Battenburg because I love almonds and especially marzipan but I never made them myself when my children were small because I didn’t have a suitable tin but a few years ago I decided to lash out and buy a special tin.
And I have made a couple since.
I might have made more but I couldn’t find cohineal for sale and I have tried ‘pink’ and ‘red’ food colouring but all they produce is a sort of orangey brown cake which just isn’t the same.
When I was speaking to my son-in-law on Thursday he told me that I needed Silver Spoon ‘pink’ colouring and you could only buy it one place but he couldn’t remember where. Luckily a quick hunt on the internet revealed it was available at Sainsbury’s which is somewhere I shop so I got some.
And made a cake.
Here it is all ready to go in the tin.
I made the marzipan myself. First time I have used the whisk the egg and sugar over hot water for twelve minutes method, so I was a little apprehensive, but it worked out fine and I added a little extra ground almonds till it was firm enough.
And a have a little left which of course I will have to eat up.
Yum! π
And of course a Battenburg doesn’t look right with the cooked ends showing so I had to cut them off and eat them up with a cup of tea. Just to check it tasted alright of course.
That is a perfect Battenburg. Thanks for sharing.
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And I got a definite vote of approval today when we ate it. π
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Divine cake! My mouth is watering for a bit of marzipan right now π
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Yes and marzipan was voted a hit too!
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I adore Battenburg! I’ve never seen that tin, is it available from Lakeland? (they seem to sell all the unusual kitchen gadgets and gizmos)
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It is made by Silverwood so is available in cookshops generally. Amazon have it for Β£11.86 (but there is Β£2 postage on top of that). I bought it on-line four years ago from Cookability but Amazon at present is cheaper).
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Oh I think I might have to get one! Thanks for the info
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Reblogged this on Sandie Evans Diary.
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