Samhain ~ Halloween ~ All Hallows Eve ~ Soul Cakes

 

Samhain - Halloween - All Hallows Eve - October 31 to November 1, in the Northern Hemisphere - is a Celtic festival marking the end of harvest season and the beginning of winter and is considered to be the darker half of the year. The skies are turning grey, the leaves have fallen from the trees and the garden is bare. It is a time where we honour the dead, protect the living and petition the spirits for wisdom and prediction. 

Death is a reoccurring theme during this time as boundaries dissolve and the veils between worlds during equinoxes and solstices are at their thinnest. That is why it is believed that the spirits, faeries, ancestors and darker entities could more easily roam our lands as the portal between our world and theirs is considered to be at its thinnest; therefore we want to honour and hold offerings to our ancestors, the dead, the departed and the otherworldly for this reason. 

Samhain is a magical time. As the dark half of the year begins, death is followed by rebirth, the end of the old year and the beginning of the new year, it's a time of rest and reflection as we go inward to honour the darkness as we descend into winter and the darker half of the year. Remember... light is born from darkness and darkness has potential and growth... through death we find rebirth.

Other festivals celebrated during or around this time are: Day of the Dead / Dia de los muertos (Mexico Nov, 1st), Day of those who have Died/Undas/Araw ng mea Yomao (Philippines), Dia de Finados (Brazil), All Saints' Day (Christian), All Souls' Day (Roman Catholic & Christian), Hallowmas (Christian), Martinmas/Armistice Day (Scottish/British/UK), Remembrance Day (Canada/World, November), The Huron Feast of the Dead (Wyandot Nation - Canadian, Ontario, Canada), Celtic tradition of, Feast of the Dead/Féile Na Marbh, (Irish) and Diwali (Hindu, mid-October/mid-November, movable).

I know I am a wee bit early with Halloween however there is a reason for that, I will be on holiday enjoying the autumnal season in some my favourite places with the hopes of getting some rest, relaxation and reflection. Until soon....  

Happy Halloween or All Hallows Eve and Samhain blessings to those who celebrate! 

An old Soulers rhyme... 

A soul, a soul, a soul cake, 

Please good missus a soul cake, 

An apple, a pear, a plum or a cherry,

Or any good thing to make us merry.  

Soul Cakes

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2 cups unbleached all purpose flour 

2 teaspoon mixed spice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup currants

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

2 egg yolks   

1/2 cup sugar or maple syrup

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Line a baking tray with baking parchment paper. Set aside. 

In a bowl add the flour, mixed spice, salt and currants. Stir to combine.

In another bowl cream together the butter and sugar using a hand held mixer on medium high speed. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until the mixture crumbles. Gradually add enough milk until a soft dough forms.

Turn the dough out on a flat surface and knead until it is uniform. Form the dough into flat cakes, you may use a 2 inch round biscuit cutter if you wish, and using a knife mark each with a cross. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown. 

Notes : almond flour and oatmeal flour make good substitutes for flour. 

Homemade Granola

 

Homemade granola is the best, I can snack on it constantly, as it's one of those simple pleasures you can bake in little time. It is a recipe that is so adaptable to your tastes and virtually effortless plus the smell as it bakes is so wonderfully comforting. Have it for breakfast or a moreish snack or sprinkle as a topping over desserts and baked goods, do not hold back because as is or added to whatever you wish it's deliciously inviting all the same. 

Homemade Granola 

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3 cups large flaked oats

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup coconut flakes

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons olive oil or melted coconut oil

1/2 cup honey or maple syrup

3 tablespoons smooth almond butter

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup dried golden raisins

Preheat oven to 300ºF (150ºC). Line a large baking tray with baking parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl combine the oats, chopped walnuts, sliced almonds, coconut flakes, cinnamon and salt. Drizzle in the olive oil and honey and then add the almond butter. Stir until combined. Spoon the granola onto the prepared baking sheet and lightly spread it out, then using a spatula press the granola mixture down, doing this will encourage clumping to form large crunchy clusters. 

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and using a spoon or fork gently break the granola apart just a bit. Bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the dried cranberries and golden raisins and allow to cool for about 15  to 20 minutes before serving or cool completely before storing in an air tight container. 

Date Squares

 

Date squares otherwise known as Matrimonial Cake across Western Canada and in Quebec, Carré aux dattes, holds a place in culinary history and Canadian food folklore and is said to be connected to Scottish, German and Icelandic traditions. Becoming Popular in the 1920's and 1930's due to their simple yet economical ingredients. Its popularity continued through the 1940's due to wartime rationing, where baking items such as eggs, butter and sugar were limited. The folklore around the name may either symbolize courting, marriage or the bond of marriage. These beloved teatime squares are scrumptious and timeless.  

Date Squares

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1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup old fashion rolled oats

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted
2 teaspoon almond extract

2 1/2 cups chopped dried dates

1 1/2 cups water

Preheat oven to 350ºF Grease and flour a 9 x 9 inch square baking tin and line the bottom with baking parchment. Set aside.

Place the water in a medium saucepan and bring the water to a boil over medium high heat. Once the water has boiled, stir in the chopped dates and turn the heat down to medium low constantly stirring until thickened. Remove from heat and allow to slight cool as you make the crumb mixture. 

In a large bowl combine flour, oats, sugar, baking soda, salt, butter and almond extract. Beat with an electric mixer at low speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1 cup of the crumb mixture; then press the remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared tin.

Spoon the date filling over the pressed crust to 1/2 inch of the sides. Sprinkle with the remaining crumb mixture over top and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown, bubbly and the filling has somewhat set. Cool completely in the baking tin on a wire rack. Cut into squares.