My mother was a collector of recipe books. Hettie Beukes. VLU. Women’s Auxiliary (she was a regional steward for many years), and various others. Plus a collection of handwritten recipes dating back to the 1940s and 50s.
Here are a few that I remember. I have added the odd note here and there to clarify a few things that weren’t clear to me.
INGREDIENTS
- 2½ cups flour (approx 225g)
- 1½ cups cold water (approx 375ml)
- 2½ cups oatmeal (approx 225g)
- 1½ cups warm water (approx 375ml)
- 1 cup butter or fat (approx 300g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup brown sugar (approx 300g)
- 500g dates (pitted)
- 1 cup white sugar (approx 300g)
- Pinch of salt
METHOD
- Date mixture
- boil dates, white sugar and cold water together until it forms a soft porridge. Let it cool.
- Dough
- mix the dry ingredients and rub the butter or fat into it.
- Dissolve the baking soda in the warm water and combine with the dough mixture. The resulting mixture should be soft.
- Divide the dough into two pieces.
- Spread date mixture on one piece of dough and place the other piece on top.
- Cut into square shapes and bake in a hot oven (200-220C).