Adult Education

Make Pancakes - The Victorian Way

In this video Mrs Crocombe shows how to make pancakes the Victorian way.

She includes the recipe and method so you can make them yourself.

Duration/Time: 3.41

What you will need:

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 eggs
• Butter, for the pan
• 3 tablespoons of flour
• A quarter pint of milk

Fillings:

• Jam
• Sugar
• Lemon, to flavour

Make the pancake mix:

Break three eggs into a bowl and whisk together. Copper bowls are excellent for whisking but optional.

Add a third of the the milk and whisk together. Gradually add plain flour to the bowl and whisk together.

Add more milk and flour a little at a time and whisk together until all milk and flour has been added and there are no lumps.

Melt a little butter and whisk into the mix (optional).

Fry the pancakes:

Heat a frying pan and melt a little butter, making sure it coats all of the pan.

Pour in a small amount of pancake mix and evenly spread the pan so it forms a thin circle of batter.

Cook the pancake on a medium heat so it is golden brown on one side then flip it and cook the other side.

Repeat until you have a stack of pancakes. Keep them warm until you are ready to serve.

Choose your filling or let the person eating the pancake choose their own.

CAUTION:

Be sure to wear thick oven gloves because the frying pan will be hot and you do not want to burn yourself.

Wear suitable fitting clothes which will not dangle in the pan and catch fire.

Make Devonshire Squab Pie - The Victorian Way

In this video Mrs Crocombe shows how to make Devonshire Squab Pie the Victorian way.

It is a simple but delicious dish which uses mutton and apples.

She includes the recipe and method so you can make it yourself.

Duration/Time: 10:27

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 4-6 people

• 1 onion
• Flour, for dusting
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• Butter, for the dish
• 310g/11 oz puff pastry
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 eating applies, ideally Cox
• 55 ml/2 fl oz/ ¼ cup meat stock
• 12 boneless mutton neck cutlets

For the egg wash:

• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp milk
• Pinch of salt

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 390F. Slice the onion as finely as possible.

Peel and core the apples and cut into slices of around 0.5cm - 1cm (quarter of an inch).

Heat the oil in a frying pan on a high heat and fry the mutton until browned.

Butter an ovenproof pie dish, including the rim.

Layer in the onion, apples and mutton, seasoning as you go (as mutton generally requires lots of pepper).

Pour in the stock and cover the dish tightly with foil, or put a lid on it.

Braise in the oven for 90 minutes until tender. Remove and allow to cool.

TIP:

You can do all this the day before serving, in which case chill it, then return it to room temperature and cover with pastry.

If you prepare it the day before you need to increase the oven time by 10-15 minutes.

Cover with Pastry

Roll out the puff pastry on a flour-dusted surface. If you have a pie funnel, put this in the centre of the pie dish.

Fold the pastry over the dish, carefully sticking it to the funnel, if using.

If you do not have a pie funnel, you will need to make an air hole in the lid to let out the steam as it heats.

Decorate with pastry leaves and other designs. Mix the egg, milk and salt to make an egg wash and brush it over the pastry.

Return the pie to the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and golden, and the filling is piping hot. Serve hot.

Make Spotted Dick Pie - The Victorian Way

In this video Mrs Crocombe shows how to make Spotted Dick the Victorian way.

It is a simple but delicious pudding which is popular with schools and nurseries.

She includes the recipe and method so you can make it yourself.

Duration/Time: 10:27

Spotted Dick, also known as Plum Bolster, is one of the simplest recipes out there.

The name means 'spotted dough' and many people remember enjoying this pudding at school with custard.

INGREDIENTS:

• Salt
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp sugar
• Butter, for the dish
• 225ml milk
• 170g suet
• Butter for the mould
• 170g currants
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• 225g flour plus extra for dusting
• Custard to serve

METHOD:

Mix the dry ingredients together and add a pinch of salt.

Whisk an egg with half of the milk and pour this into the dry mix. Add enough milk to then make a soft dough.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead briefly.

Shape the dough into a sausage and wrap in baking parchment and then foil. Or use a wetted pudding cloth.

Boil or steam for two hours. Carefully remove the cloth and serve with custard.

Make Rabbit Pudding - The Victorian Way

In this video Mrs Crocombe shows how to make Rabbit Pudding the Victorian way.

She includes the recipe and method so you can make it yourself.

Duration/Time: 9:20

January is often one of the coldest months of the year so Mrs Crocombe is making a hearty Rabbit Pudding to keep the servants warm whilst they are hard at work in the Service Yard.

RECIPE FOR RABBIT PUDDING

INGREDIENTS:

For the pastry:

• 455g flour
• 170g suet
• half a teaspoon salt
• 170ml water
• Butter, for the basin

For the filling:

• 1 rabbit, boned
• 285g streaky bacon
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp minced parsley
• 2 sprigs of time, chopped
• 6-7 chopped mushrooms
• 2 tbsp white wine
• 170ml chicken stock
• Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

Combine all of the pastry ingredients with enough water to form a soft dough.

Butter the pudding bowl, and line with ? of the pastry.

Chop the rabbit and bacon into bite-sized pieces. Mix, season and sprinkle with flour and herbs.

Mix in the mushrooms, then add your filling into the pudding basin.

Use the remaining pastry to form a lid on your pudding.

Wet and flour a pudding cloth and tie this onto your pudding. Alternatively, you could use foil.

Steam for 1 and a half hours, and serve directly from the basin.

Make Pigeon Pie - The Victorian Way

Mrs Crocombe shows how to make Pigeon Pie the Victorian way.

She includes the recipe and method so you can make it yourself.

Duration/Time: 9:03

RECIPE FOR PIGEON PIE

INGREDIENTS:

• Salt
• 12 quail eggs
• 450g mushrooms
• A few truffles
• 12 pigeon breasts
• Pepper, cloves and mace
• 1 glass of whiskey
• 1 glass of port or madeira
• Herbs (try parsley, thyme and sage)
• Stock, with some melted gelatine

For the pastry:

• 700g flour
• 3 eggs
• 225g salted butter

For the forcemeat:

• Veal mince
• Cooked ham
• Breadcrumbs

METHOD:

To make the pastry, mix the butter, eggs and flour together with enough cold water to make a paste.

Set it aside to chill for around 30 mins.

Once ready, do not roll the pastry out - instead, make a rough pyramid shape before pressing into the top with your fingers.

Then, place the pastry inside your mold and ease out the sides.

Any excess can be cut off and put aside for later to decorate the top.

For the filling, mix the veal, ham and breadcrumbs together, before lining the walls of the pie.

Layer up the mushrooms, pigeon breasts, herbs, truffles, quail eggs and spices as desired.

Repeat until the mold is filled, and finish by pouring in the liquids.

Roll out the rest of the pastry to make the lid. Place on top of the mold and cut off the excess.

Use a pastry brush to seal the joins with egg yolk, and make an air hole in the top to allow steam to escape when cooking.

Use the excess pastry from earlier to decorate the pie.

To cook, place in the oven for around an hour and a half at 180 degrees.

Once cooled, pour in stock mixed with gelatine to help solidify the mix.

Serve with a garnish, such as a bed of watercress.

Make Victoria Sandwiches - The Victorian Way

Mrs Crocombe shows how to make Victoria Sandwiches the Victorian way.

She includes the recipe and method so you can make it yourself.

Duration/Time: 4:21

Follow her authentic Victorian recipe and try making this classic cake at home:

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 Eggs
• 675g Sugar
• 450g Flour
• 90g Almonds
• 1 tsb Baking Powder
• 2 tsp Orange Flower Water

METHOD:

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.

First, whisk your eggs until they are frothy.

Add the sugar and mix together gently. Now sift in the flour.Next add your almonds.

Add the baking powder and orange flower water and mix well.

Line your baking tin with butter and the dust it with sugar.

Pour in your mix and bake in the oven for around 25 minutes until the sponge is pale and golden.

Once cooled, cut the cake into manageable pieces and spread with jam to serve.

CAUTION:

Be sure to wear thick oven gloves because the oven and baking tin will be hot and you do not want to burn yourself.

Make Trifle - The Victorian Way

Mrs Crocombe shows how to make a delicious trifle the Victorian way.

She includes the recipe and method so you can make it yourself.

Duration/Time: 5:24

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 teacup of jam
• 50 ml brandy
• 125ml port or sherry
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 100g ground almonds
• 100g leftover sponge cake
• 100g ratafia biscuits or macaroons
• One and a quarter pints whipping cream
• 100g crystallized fruit, such as ginger and cherries
• 500ml custard (you need to add either 2x sheets of gelatine or 2 tbsp of cornflour to it so it will set)

For the decoration:

• Slivered blanched almonds
• Small cubes of crystallised fruit
• Anything else you like (flowers are always nice - but be careful to only choose edible varieties)

METHOD:

This recipe is excellent for using up leftover sponge cake.

You may prefer to use a fatless sponge as it is slightly lighter.

Cut your sponge cake into slices and layer these into a deep glass dish then pour over the brandy.

Spread your jam on top – you can use whatever flavour you like.

Chop your fruit and add this in an even layer on top.

Add your macaroons or ratifia biscuits, and over this pour your port or sherry.

Leave this to soak for 10-15 minutes.

If you have not got any custard to hand, this is the time to make it.

The custard needs to set, so if it does not have gelatin in it you need to add some.

Reheat the custard and add 2 sheets (soaked first) of gelatin.

If you have no gelatin, whisk up cornflour in a little milk, and add it to the hot custard.

Add your ground almonds and allow to cool to room temperature then spread over your trifle evenly.

Whip the cream into soft peaks for piping and add some sugar. Pipe this onto your custard, building up layers of cream.

Decorate your trifle using almonds, crystallised fruit and edible flowers.

Make Saffron Buns - The Victorian Way

Mrs Crocombe shows how to make Saffron Buns for Easter the Victorian way.

They are a lovely treat and guaranteed to bring a bit of colour to any Easter table.

She includes the recipe and method so you can make it yourself.

Duration/Time: 9:08

INGREDIENTS:

Makes 10-12 buns

• Salt – a pinch
• Currants – 55g
• Lard – 30g / 1 oz/ 1 tbsp
• Eggs – 1 egg, lightly beaten
• Lemon – the zest of half a lemon
• Flour - 250g / 9 oz / 2 cups
• Sugar – 55g / 2 oz / 1/3 cup
• Yeast – 4g dried or 10g fresh
• Butter – 30g / 1 oz/ quarter of a stick
• Milk – 90 ml / 3floz / half a cup, slightly warmed
• Spices/Cinnamon, cloves and mace – a pinch of each
• Caraway seeds - (optional) quarter of a teaspoon
• Saffron – pinch, soaked for 2 hours in 2 tsp warm milk

To glaze:

• 1 egg
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp milk

METHOD:

First, make a basic bread dough.

Combine the flour, sugar, salt, egg and yeast together with enough milk to make a soft, but not sticky dough.

Knead the dough for 15-20 minutes.

Set aside in a warm place, covered with oiled plastic wrap or in a bowl with a cloth over until it has doubled in size (2-3 hours).

Once the dough has risen, remove it and flatten it out slightly.

Soak the saffron in the warm milk to get most of the colour out. You can then add add your other ingredients.

Put the spices, lemon zest, lard, saffron in its milk (which should now be yellow) and currants in the middle of the flattened dough.

Fold it up, and knead again, folding and squeezing so the new ingredients are well-incorporated.

NOTE:

These days you can also just put everything in a food mixer armed with a dough hook!

Cover again, and leave to double in size once more.

Once the dough has risen, lightly grease two baking sheets and shape your dough into 12 equal buns.

Round them off and leave in a covered bowl for 20 minutes to double in size once again.

Make the egg glaze

Whilst waiting, create a glaze with an egg, a pinch of salt, and 1 tbsp of milk.

When ready, brush over each bun. Then, bake in the oven at 180c / 350F for 15-20 minutes until each bun is golden brown.

Serve hot on their own, or slathered with butter!

How to Cook Turbot - The Victorian Way

Mrs Crocombe shows how to cook Turbot the Victorian way.

She includes the recipe and method so you can make it yourself.

Duration/Time: 5:41

Turbot is one of the grandest fish to serve and was popular with the upper class including Queen Victoria.

Turbot and Flounders are both flatfish as are plaice, dab, sole and many others.

Turbot were regarded as one of the most delicious fish around, hence their price and prestige.

Nowadays they are often farmed, which means they are slightly less expensive compared to those caught in the wild.

If you do not have Turbot, you can use any white fish to recreate this recipe, including fillets of fish.

This dish is called "turbot a l'anglaise" meaning "turbot in the english style".

French was often used for recipes as it was considered more upmarket and fashionable.

Even if a dish was very English, it was given a French name. The vast majority of upper class menus were written in French.

INGREDIENTS:

• Salt
• 50g Butter
• 1 lemon
• A whole Turbot
• Cayenne Pepper
• Fresh spring water
• A lobster, cooked and cooled
• Hand Pounded Roe (fish or lobster eggs)
• 250ml Velouté sauce or melted butter

Method:

First prepare the fish. It should already have been gutted by the fishmonger.

Wash the fish and pat it dry then remove the fins using a pair of scissors.

Next rub all over the fish with half a lemon on both sides.

It is traditional to cook this in a Turbot Kettle but a wok with a lid may also work.

Add boiling fresh spring water to the Turbot Kettle so the fish is covered and sprinkle with salt.

Poach the fish for around 10 minutes. Do not bring the liquid to a rolling boil. Instead keep it at a simmer.

Timing is important. The fish will continue to cook even after the heat has been turned off.

To know when turbot is cooked, insert a sharp knife into the thickest part of the flesh.

If it is cooked through the knife will come out hot to the touch. The flesh should also feel springy.

Make the Velouté sauce

Velouté sauce is made with a butter and flour roux to which hot stock is added. It is like a white or bechamel sauce but with stock.

Add the diced lobster, pounded roe, butter, stock, lemon juice and a pinch cayenne pepper to the saucepan.

Mix it thoroughly then push it through a sieve to remove lumps and puree it.

All the lobster is still there, but the sauce is consistent and velvety with no lumps.

Reheat the sauce when you are ready to serve the turbot.

Once the fish is cooked, it can be served right away on a warmed plate with a garnish of parsley and soup to accompany it.

This meal stays hot whilst the soup is being eaten because the plate has been warmed up and it is a big fish.

Tip:

If your budget cannot stretch to lobster you could use shrimps or prawns but will lose a lot of flavour.

Make Curry - The Victorian Way

Mrs Crocombe shows how to how to make a curry which is popular now Queen Victoria is Empress of India.

She includes the recipe and method so you can make it yourself.

Duration/Time: 4:03

INGREDIENTS:

• 500g meat
• 1tsb salt
• 5 onions
• 1 apple
• 1 tsp flour
• 1 cucumber
• 25g curry powder
• The juice of 1 lemon

METHOD:

Chop your meat into small cubes.

Rub the meat into the combined curry powder, salt and flour.

Now fry your onions in some butter until they are golden brown.

Next fry your coated meat until browned, then mix it into your onions in a stew pan.

You can drain away the butter first if you wish.

Add in the apple and cucumber and enough boiling water to cover it.

Leave it to stew for an hour and a half, or longer depending on what meat you have used.

Then mix in the lemon juice, and serve.