Remember, Remember...parkin
Childhood Memories – Parkin
This lovely dark sticky treacly cake evokes warm feelings of fantastic bonfire nights before Health and Safety became an issue. I grew up in a small village and our village bonfire was on the recreation ground led by the local scout group. The wood started to appear a few days before the event and our anticipation grew as we walked past the growing pile on the way home from school.
On the night the whole village would make their way in the cold darkness clutching sparklers to the field where the fire would be lit with the worried guy on the top. Fireworks would fill the sky for a time and we would eat little pots of black peas and the wonderfully aromatic spicy sticky parkin cake.
In an attempt to remember, remember (!!) my childhood bonfire nights I have baked some sticky parkin this week. I’m pleased to say it was just like old times. Here’s the recipe I used from a little ‘Salmon’ book entitled : English Teatime Recipes
8 oz plain flour 6oz black treacle
2 tsp baking powder 4oz margarine
2 tsp ground ginger 6 oz soft brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 egg, beaten
8oz medium outmeal ¼ pint milk
Set oven to 350F, 170C or Gas mark 4. Grease and line with greaseproof paper the base and sides of a 9 inch square cake tin. Sieve the flour, baking powder, ginger and cinnamon into a large bowl and stir in the oatmeal Put the treacle, margarine and soft brown sugar into a pan over a low heat and stir occasionally until the margarine has just melted . Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and gradually stir in the treacle mixture and then the egg and milk. Beat well until smooth. Pour into the tin and place in the oven for approximately one hour. Cool slightly in the tin and then turn on to a wire rack. Store in an airtight tin. Serve on its own or with butter.
This is straight out of the book, it’s an old recipe and I baked mine in the oven for about half an hour and it was done so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on itl
Happy Bonfire Night!