Digestive Biscuits

Digestive Biscuits (named for their supposed health benefits when they were first developed back in the 1800's) are a plain, sublimely comforting cookie that I have loved since I was a little girl. My mother swore by Peek Freans, but McVities are also excellent. They can be hard to find in the U.S., but not to worry--they are surprisingly easy to make at home! Although the texture of these biscuits is somewhat more shortbread-like than the commercial variety, these delicious biscuits are definitely an acceptable substitute. My family likes them sweet, but you can cut the sugar back to one-half cup or less if you prefer a less-sweet or savory biscuit. If you are in the mood for a more decadent treat, try dipping the tops in melted chocolate—soooo good!

_______________________________________________________

• 1-1/2 cups Graham Flour*
• 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt**
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• Decorative sugar crystals, optional

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in butter (using a pastry blender or by rubbing between your fingertips) until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the sugar. Add milk and mix until a stiff dough is formed. Knead into a smooth ball and roll out on a floured board to 1/8” or so thickness. Cut into rounds or other desired shapes and place on a greased cookie sheet (or use parchment paper). Prick cookies all over with the tines of a fork. Sprinkle with sugar crystals.

Bake 15-20 minutes, until a pale golden brown. Do not under bake or the biscuits will not be crisp.

*Can also use traditional whole wheat flour, but I like the sweeter, nuttier flavor and chewy texture of graham flour (sometimes known as “wholemeal” flour).
**Salt can be omitted depending on preference of if salted butter is used

Pinky's Meat Pie

There are many versions of this meat pie (or tourtiere, for my French-speaking cousins). Pork or other meats are often used in lieu of beef, and various spices such as cloves, cinnamon or sage may be added. The pie can be all meat (and onions) or include potatoes, carrots, rutabaga or other vegetables. Often the filling is cooked on the stove before baking; other recipes call for baking the raw mixture directly in the pie shell.  The variations are endless, but however you make it, this is Canadian comfort food at its best.  My mother's recipe is about as basic as it gets, and although some folks may make a more "sophisticated" pie, for me there is nothing lovelier than the plain, rustic pie I remember from my childhood.

Pinky made this pie from memory, and amounts do not have to be exact.  You may vary seasonings according to your taste.

• Pastry for a double-crust 9-inch pie
• 1-1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup finely minced onion (one small onion)                           
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley (or use fresh)
• 1/4 cup water

________________________________________

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Pinky

Line a 9" pie plate with pastry.  Knead together remaining ingredients, then pat into pie shell.  Cover with remaining pastry and crimp edges.  Cut a circular hole in center of pastry (a bottle cap makes about the right size).  Place pie on a cookie sheet and bake at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes.  Turn heat down to 325 degrees and bake for an additional 45 minutes to an hour, or until pastry is brown and meat is cooked through (test through hole in center; your baking time may vary).

Serve with ketchup.

Canadian Whiskey Cake

Allow this cake to age several days before serving.
Auntie Norma loved this one!

My Auntie Norma, the Mounty!

• 1-1/2 pounds (4-1/2 cups) raisins (half golden)
• 1 cup Canadian whiskey or bourbon
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 nutmeg, freshly grated, or 2 teaspoons powdered nutmeg
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1 pound (5 cups) pecan halves or large pieces

_____________________________________________________

Several days before baking (or at least 24 hours), place the raisins and whiskey in a jar or bowl and cover tightly. Stir occasionally.

Preheat oven to 300° and adjust a rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven. You will need a 10-inch tube pan, or two loaf pans. Grease the pan, line the bottom with parchment or brown wrapping paper cut to fit, grease the paper, and dust with fine, dry bread crumbs or flour.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt (reserve 1/4 teaspoon of salt). Set aside. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until it is softened. Add the nutmeg and 1¾ cups of the sugar (reserve the remaining 1/4 cup) and beat for 5 minutes until the mixture is very creamy. Add the egg yolks and beat for a few minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. On low speed add about one-third of the sifted dry ingredients and beat only to mix. Next, mix in about half of the raisins along with any whiskey that was not absorbed. Then add another third of the dry ingredients, the remaining raisins and whiskey, and finally the remaining dry ingredients, scraping the bowl as necessary. Beat only until ingredients are incorporated after each addition.

Remove bowl from the mixer and stir in the nuts. Set aside.

In the small bowl of an electric mixer, with clean beaters, beat the whites and the reserved 1/4 teaspoon of salt until the whites hold a soft shape. Reduce the speed to moderate and gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Then increase the speed to high and beat briefly only until the whites hold a definite shape but not until they are stiff or dry.

With a large rubber spatula stir one-quarter of the whites into the cake batter. Then fold in the remaining whites. Turn the mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth the top.

Bake for 2-1/2 hours (less for loaf pans) or until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean and dry. If the top of the cake begins to darken too much during baking, cover it loosely with foil.

Remove from the oven and let stand for 30 minutes. (The top of the cake will be one inch below the top of the pan.) Remove from pan and peel off paper lining.

When the cake has cooled, wrap well and refrigerate for a few days before serving (or freeze it). The cake should be cold when it is cut. Use a very sharp, firm knife and make the slices thin.

P.S. Auntie Norma wasn't really a Mounty, but she enjoyed looking the part in a relative's borrowed uniform!