Fifteens:
I shamefully let 17th March pass with no shout out to the motherland on her special day and not even a drop of the ‘black stuff’ passed this lips. So, by means of a very belated Ode to the homeland, i dedicate this post to the simple and morish phenomenon that is the traybake.
For those, who have not yet had the joy of tasting such delight, let me explain. A traybake is a misnamed biscuit/bun/dessert. Misnamed as there is no baking required, the opposite in fact… they set in the cooler climes of the fridge. So this post I will share with you the recipe for the Queen of traybakes: The Fifteen!
What you’ll need
- 15 large marshmallows
- 15 digestive biscuits, crushed
- 15 red candied cherries, halved
- 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
How to:
- Cut the marshmallows in halves using scissors, and place in a large bowl. Toss with the digestive biscuits and candied cherries. Gradually stir in the sweetened condensed milk until the mixture becomes a soft, moist dough. It should not be too dry, so you may need to add a bit more of the milk.
- Spread a generous layer of coconut out on a clean surface, and place the dough on top of it. Use your hands to form the dough into a long thick sausage, making sure it is well coated with coconut. Wrap in a double layer of plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
- Unwrap the long piece of dough, and cut into slices to serve.
I thought i would close this wee post with a Blessing, by John O Donohue, as a bit of food for your soul too:
Beannacht
(“Blessing”)
On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.
And when your eyes
freeze behind
the grey window
and the ghost of loss
gets in to you,
may a flock of colours,
indigo, red, green,
and azure blue
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight.
When the canvas frays
in the currach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.
May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
wind work these words
of love around you,
an invisible cloak
to mind your life.
~ John O’Donohue ~
Sarah
