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Why does a Simnel cake have 11 balls?
Simnel cake has been eaten since medieval times as both a rich, sweet treat and a symbolic ritual. The fruit cake is topped with eleven marzipan balls to represent the eleven apostles of Christ, minus Judas.
Why is it called Simnel cake?
Simnel cakes have been known since medieval times, and were originally a Mothering Sunday tradition, when young girls in service would make one to be taken home to their mothers on their day off. The word simnel probably derived from the Latin word simila, meaning fine, wheaten flour with which the cakes were made.
What is Simnel Sunday?
Mothering Sunday is actually also known Simnel Sunday due to the tradition of baking Simnel cakes to celebrate the ‘family reunion’ during the austerity of Lent.
What is the difference between Simnel and Christmas cake?
Like most British food eaten during winter and early spring, the Simnel cake contains lots of dried fruit, but it is much lighter than boozy Christmas cake and contains a layer or marzipan both on top and within, and is decorated with eleven marzipan balls, each symbolising Jesus’s disciples (minus the treacherous …
What does the word Simnel mean?
Definition of simnel 1 : a bun or bread of fine wheat flour. 2 British : a rich fruitcake sometimes coated with almond paste and baked for mid-Lent, Easter, and Christmas.
What is the difference between simnel and Christmas cake?
How long can you keep a Simnel cake?
1 month
Simnel cake will keep for up to 1 month if stored in an airtight container in a cool place. It can be frozen before decorating for up to 3 months.
Where does Simnel cake originated from?
United Kingdom
| Simnel cake | |
|---|---|
| Type | Fruitcake |
| Course | Dessert |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Cookbook: Simnel cake Media: Simnel cake |
What do you seal pastry with?
Use an egg wash to help seal filled pastries and connect Puff Pastry pieces: mix 1 egg plus 1 tsp. water, brush between layers, then pinch or press together. When using an egg wash, be sure it doesn’t run down the cut sides of the pastry, as that will make edges stick together and stop the pastry from rising.
How do you seal shortcrust pastry?
To provide a protective seal between the blind baked pastry and a wet filling, so the pastry won’t turn soggy, you can brush the pastry with lightly beaten egg white and return it to the oven for 3–4 minutes. This will also seal any very small holes.
How do you make a good egg wash?
How to make egg wash
- Crack an egg into a small bowl. You can choose to use a whole egg, just the yolk, or just the white depending on your goal.
- Add 1 teaspoon of liquid. Use water, milk, or cream depending on your preference.
- Whisk to combine.
- Brush onto your raw baked good.
How do you make pastry shiny?
Just before your bread, pies or pastries go in the oven, use a pastry brush and paint them with a light, even coat of egg wash. When your dough bakes, the egg wash does too, creating a glossy sheen for that professional bake-shop look.
What is the tradition of Simnel cake?
A Simnel cake is a type of fruit cake that contains plenty of marzipan and is eaten at Easter, although it used to be specifically associated with Mothering Sunday. When folk were fasting during Lent, Mothering Sunday, appearing in the middle of the fast, offered a respite from 40 days of religious austerity.
How do you know when a Simnel cake is cooked?
Check it’s cooked by inserting a skewer to the centre of the cake, if any wet mixture clings to the skewer, return to the oven for another 10 mins, then check again. Cool in the tin for 15 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely. Brush the top of the cake with apricot jam.
What is Nigella sativa used for?
For Healthcare Professionals. Nigella sativa is a flowering plant found throughout India, Arabia, and Europe. The seeds, commonly known as black seeds or black cumin, are used in cooking and in traditional medicine for inflammation, infection, and cancer.
Is nigellone a diuretic?
An in vitro study demonstrated that nigellone, a constituent of the crude extract of N. sativa seeds, inhibited histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells and may reduce allergy symptoms in humans . N. sativa decreased hypertension in rats possibly due to its diuretic effects .
Does Nigella sativa cause liver and kidney damage?
High doses of Nigella sativa caused liver and kidney damage in rats. Human data are lacking. Nigella sativa is a flowering plant found throughout India, Arabia, and Europe. The seeds, commonly known as black seeds or black cumin, are used in cooking and in traditional medicine to reduce inflammation, as well as to treat infections and cancer.