Warwickshire Regional Recipes
Warwickshire is a county in the central region of England and these are a collection of local and regional recipes handed down within families who have lived and worked in the Warwickshire area. All of the recipes below are regionally authentic, originally coming from recipe books published in the 1800s or 1900s, with the weights and measurements adjusted (alongside the old standards) where appropriate for the modern kitchen.
COVENTRY GODCAKES
Roll out some good puff pastry, about 1/8-inch (1cm) thick, cut it into oblong pieces about 7 inches (18cm) wide by 8 1/2 (22cm) inches long. Place a tablespoonful of the mincemeat mixture in the centre. Fold the pastry over it to make the correct elongated triangle shape. Wet the edges of the pastry and pinch them together. Turn the cake over and give it a light roll with the rolling-pin to flatten it slightly on top. Make three slashes across it or length-wise, brush with white of egg, dust with caster sugar and bake in a quick oven suitable for baking puff pastry.
The Mincemeat Filling. To make the filling. Do not use ordinary mincemeat unless you steam it first, because the suet will not be cooked in the time required for baking the cakes. Instead, melt 4 oz (115g) butter and stir it into 1/2 lb (250g) currants, 4 oz (115g) finely chopped mixed peel, 1 teaspoonful mixed spice, 1/2 teaspoonful cinnamon, 2 oz (60g) sugar and 1 teaspoonful or dessert spoonful of rum. Use this mixture when the butter is quite cold. The rum is not necessary, but is a great improvement.
COVENTRY GINGERBREAD
6 oz (170g) brown flour, 4 oz (115g) butter, 3 oz (85g) caster sugar, 1 teaspoonful ground ginger, 2 oz (60g) crystallised ginger.
Stir Flour, sugar and ground spice together. Rub in butter lightly. Add finely chopped ginger – mixture will be crumbly. Place in greased sandwich tin, or in greased flan ring standing on baking tray. Press very lightly into position – if pressed down heavily, cake will be hard. Bake in very moderate oven (regulo 3, temp. 125 degrees) for approximately 10 minutes or until firm. Remove from tin and cool. Break into pieces to serve.
WARWICKSHIRE SCONES
8 oz (225g) Self Raising flour, 1/4 teaspoonful baking powder, 1/4 teaspoonful salt, 2 oz (60g) butter, 1 tablespoon local honey, 1 gill (150ml) milk (approx).
Sieve flour, salt and baking powder together. Rub in butter. Add honey mixed with 3 tablespoonfuls milk. Add sufficient milk to make a soft but not sticky dough. Turn out onto floured board and knead lightly with fingertips. Roll out into square 3/4 inch (2cm) thick. Cut into triangles and brush with milk. Place on floured tin and cook in a very hot oven 450F (230C) for about 10 minutes. Scones when cooked will sound hollow if tapped with a finger on the bottom of the scone. Split, butter and serve with local honey.