Baking day.

One thing I've noticed when cooking tried and tested recipes here is that they don't always come out the same as they did when we lived in England.  The reason for that is the altitude that we now live at - 900m above sea level. Boiling point of water decreases with altitude and cooking times have to be adjusted - my pressure cooker book says over 600m above sea level, recipes cooked at H pressure should be increased by one minute for every 300m.  Big fat fluffy dumplings that used to be steamed for 10 minutes are now done for 15 minutes at H pressure and even then they only fluff up if made much smaller.

The other noticeable difference is setting point of jams, jellies and marmalade.   Boiling point is lower and gel setting point too - I don't have a jam thermometer but have found a lot of "cooking at altitude" web sites, and at 900m gel point is 101° whereas at sea level it is 104°.  I just keep stirring and testing the jam on a cold saucer from the freezer till it sets.  That is also a good way to keep tasting the jam as it seems a shame to wash it off and waste it!

Today I've been making marmalade.  No idea what type of oranges we have, some are small and some are big with an open end which usually has a baby orange tucked inside.  I have a feeling those are Navels but not too certain.  Anyway, we now have 5 jars cooling in the kitchen.  The jams and jellies this year have varied - the peach and fig jams set well but the grape jelly is nicknamed grape runny.  It's fine when you spoon it out of the jar but when it hits hot buttery toast it runs off, like runny honey.

While waiting for the marmalade to cook, I also made a fruit cake.  A nice easy recipe: you melt everything in the saucepan, cool it, add the flour, baking powder and bicarb and bake in a loaf tin.  But as there were no raisins or sultanas I used chopped black figs instead.  It's just as delicious, maybe not as moist but certainly not dry.   This is another tried and tested recipe that I've been making for more years than I care to remember....you can tell because it's all in ounces not grams!

4 oz soft dark brown sugar                            1/2 lb plain flour           
3 oz butter or margarine                                1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice                              1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda
1/4 teaspoon salt   
1/2 lb raisins or sultanas
1 tea cup water

Put all the ingredients of the first column in a pan and bring to a boil.  Allow to cool. Sift flour etc into melted ingredients and mix.  Put into a loaf  tin - I use a non-stick one but grease it just in case.  Bake 170° for about 1 hour.

If like me you don't always have the right things, demerera sugar and sultanas give a paler cake than dark sugar and raisins, but the flavour is just as good.  Experiment!

Buen Provecho!