#samhainsweets

Soul cakes were the original sweet of Samhain, or what we now call Halloween. Flavored with autumn spices, citrus zest, and sweetened with dried fruit such as cherries, currants, or raisins, they were baked and left out as offerings for the dead. Later, when Celtic lands were Christianized, children would go door-to-door asking for soul cakes in exchange for praying for their neighbors' deceased loved ones, the precursor to trick-or-treating. Soul cakes can range from being cookie-like to more akin to scones or biscuits. This recipe, which is of my own creation and was cobbled together after some online research, is for the scone/biscuit variety. However you celebrate the beginning of the darker, more introspective half of the year, I hope you enjoy. Happy Halloween and, to my fellow witches, blessed Samhain. Alicia Nyblade's Soul Cakes A pinch of turmeric 1/2 t. cloves 1/2 t. coriander 1/2 t. ginger 1 1/2 t. allspice 1 1/2 t. nutmeg 2 1/2 t. cinnamon 1 stick (1/2 cup, 100g) butter, softened 1/2 cup (100g) sugar 2 egg yolks 1 T. orange zest 1/2 cup (50g) dried fruit (I used dried cherries) 1 1/4 cups (250g) flour 1-2 T. milk 1-2 t. apple cider vinegar Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Blend the spices together in a small bowl and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and pale yellow. Whisk in the egg yolks, orange zest, and dried fruit. Mix in the flour and spices. Add the milk and apple cider vinegar until a dough forms. On a well-floured work surface, pat out the dough with your hands into a rectangular shape. Fold it into thirds, like a letter, and pat it out again. Do this three times. Using a 2-inch cookie cutter or small glass, cut out the soul cakes. Place the cakes on the prepared cookie sheet. Pour a splash of milk into a cup. Using clean hands, brush the tops of the cakes with the milk. If you wish, you can press a pentacle or cross into the cakes. Bake the cakes for 12-15 minutes, or until browned and the surfaces of the cakes are firm. #FeedingCreatively #AliciaNybladeRecipes #SoulCakes #SamhainSweets #HalloweenTreats #WiccanHolidays #Samhain2019 #Halloween2019 https://www.instagram.com/p/B4TGxkEnGbe/?igshid=u5lqg0lvqocx

Happy Halloween and blessed Samhain! One of the treats I made for the holiday are these, soul cakes, the original goodie people would go house to house asking for, This recipe comes from one of my favorite YouTube channels, Tasting History with Max Miller, and was recreated from a 17th century recipe. Flavored with nutmeg, cloves, and saffron and filled with dried fruit (I used cherries), these would make a lovely historical sweet for yourself or left out for your ancestors. Depending on how old some of them are who visit tonight, it might "take them back" to when they were living! :) For the recipe, follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpWdzXJObZ0 #Halloween #HomemadeHalloweenTreats #SpookySeason #SamhainSweets #Wicca #WiccanSabbats #WheelOfTheYear #Samhain #CelticPaganism #CelticFestivals #TastingHistoryWithMaxMiller #SoulCakes https://www.instagram.com/p/CkZe5o9vrVC/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Baked my annual barmbrack for Samhain! This dense fruit bread, flavored with strong tea and pumpkin pie spice (mixed spice), originates in Ireland and is a traditional Halloween cake there. This recipe comes from the YouTube channel OReillys Recipes, hosted by two lovely Irish gentlemen, Lorcan O’Toole and Tony O’Reilly, so you know it’s authentic! I like to eat it for breakfast with coffee or in the afternoon with a nice cup of tea. Whenever you enjoy it and with whichever beverage, be sure to have your slice with lots of butter on it! Happy spooky season, everyone! Irish Barmbrack 2 cups (1 lb., 450g) mixed dried fruit (I used a combination of cranberries and dark and golden raisins) 1 cup (1/2 pint) tea, strong, made with 2-3teabags (I used Irish Breakfast tea) 2 1/4 cups (10 oz., 275-280g) all-purpose flour 1 T. baking powder 1/2 t. salt 1 1/4 cups (250g) brown sugar 2 eggs 1 t. pumpkin pie spice (mixed spice for my European friends) 1/2 t. baking soda Soak the fruit in the tea overnight. Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Butter a 9-inch (22 cm) springform pan or a loaf pan and line it with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In a mixing bowl, with a wooden spoon, combine the fruit, brown sugar, eggs, and pumpkin pie spice. Add the flour and baking soda and mix well until a dough forms. The dough, while thick, should drop off easily when you lift and turn over your spoon. If the dough seems too thick, just add a splash of milk to it. Pour the dough into your prepared pan. If baking as a round cake, bake for 30-40 minutes, if baking as a loaf, bake for about an hour, but either way, bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the barmbrack cool, remove it from the pan and transfer it onto a serving plate. Slice, serving with generous amounts of butter and good cups of coffee or tea. #FeedingCreatively #SpookySeason #HomemadeHalloweenTreats #SamhainSweets #KitchenWitch #Wicca #WiccanSabbats #Samhain #CelticPaganism #CelticHolidays #IrishBaking #Barmbrack #IrishTeaCake #OReillysRecipes #LorcanOToole #TonyOReilly https://www.instagram.com/p/CkXHQotrghC/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Follow the link below to find out how to make this delicious applesauce cake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPHYsR37l58&feature=youtu.be #FeedingCreatively #ApplesauceCake #SamhainSweets #HalloweenBaking #WitchesOfInstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/BpoLd3wH-IG/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=12b4itw3j8gn

Homemade pumpkin seed brittle! This will be the perfect treat tonight as my sister and I have our annual viewing of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown". :D Pumpkin Seed Brittle 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds 1 1/2 t. coarse sea salt (3/4-1 t. fine) 1/2 t. baking soda 2 cups white sugar 1/2 cup light corn syrup 2 T. water 5 T. butter Before you begin, prep a few things: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and have another sheet of paper ready to place on top of the brittle. Combine the pumpkin seeds and salt together in a bowl. Have the baking soda measured out and whisk ready to go. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water and stir until the sugar looks wet. Add the butter and turn the heat on to medium-high. Bring the sugar mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Keep cooking until the mixture is a rich caramel color. Turn off the heat. Add in the baking soda, whisking constantly as the mixture increases in volume—be very careful; the mixture is very hot. Carefully add and stir in the pumpkin seeds. Transfer the brittle onto your prepared baking sheet, spreading it out. Place the other sheet of prachment paper on top and press it down with a flat-bottomed object. Wait for 30 seconds, then peel off the top sheet of parchment paper. If you want to score the brittle into certain shapes, you have a short amount of time to do so while it’s still warm, or simply let it cool completely and snap it into irregular shapes. Recipe source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx2ARAdascM #FeedingCreatively #FoodWishes #PumpkinSeedBrittle #HomemadeHalloweenTreats #SamhainSweets #WitchesOfInstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpa0jNpHcCS/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=fumn1iv0xcyb