My Mum sent me the new Be-Ro book this week which was rather exciting mail! I didn’t even realize they still published the recipe book. This is the 41st edition and they have been published since 1923. I have my Grandma’s Be-Ro book from the 1960’s which is the 31st edition and I love to use the recipes in there because they are the good old fashioned staples of baking. This copy has the added bonus of clippings of recipes that Grandma cut out of magazines or newspapers and paper clipped into the Be-Ro book.
The old book falls open at two pages, one with Cornish pasties and Cheese and onion tart and the other well used page is the one with Brownies, Ginger cake and Easy fruit cake which has added notes next to it ‘ Add little coconut and almond essence’. My Grandma was the master of the fruit cake so I would take her coconut advice if I made this cake!
I was pleased to see that some of the recipes are featured in both books, these include Jam roly poly, Rock cakes, Steak and kidney pudding and Sausage rolls.
The new book has no Shortbread fingers, but the rather modern Lavender Highlanders. Fancy. In place of Fruit crumble, there is now Summer fruit crumble tart.
Would you prefer good ole fashioned Butterfly cakes or the newfangled Hokey pokey cupcakes? Butterfly cakes can’t be beat in my opinion.
The Melting chocolate pots in the new edition sound delicious, but how can anyone resist a Chocolate gateau?
On my make list from the 41st edition are Jolly jammers, Apple pie, and Scone base pizza sounds genius. I need me some flour!
On the back of the old Be-Ro book they advertise all of their flours and a fascinating bag of Snowcake Mixture. Now I want to know what wonders Snowcake Mixture makes. It sounds delicious and like it should be shared with unicorns! Maybe when I have made and eaten all the Rock cakes, I can look into Snowcake Mix.
I love that you could write to Joyce Bostock with any baking questions! She sounds like she knows what she is talking about doesn’t she.
Do you like to bake? What are your old (or new) favorites?
Happy Six Word Saturday!
Clare Davis Etheridge 
Today I think I’ll made lemon slice. If I can be bothered with sticky hands, I might get trendy and make lemon slice balls rolled in coconut.
Is Be-Ro a big brand from home? I’ve never heard of it.
Happy baking.
Lemon slice balls sound super fancy! Be-Ro is one of the big flour manufacturers in the UK, along with Homepride who used to make a recipe book too.
Family cook books are the best! We grew up with various editions of the PWMU cook book in a range of states – the best one is the falling apart one with all the notes in it. It sounds a bit like the Be-Ro book, I’ve never heard of that one so must investigate!
As for what i am baking – I have a jar of nutella and chic chips ready to make nutella-centred choice chip tollhouse cookies. If the nutella lasts the distance that is! It is Sunday after all 😀
Those cookies sound fab! Mind you anything with Nutella including Nutella straight out of the jar will be good!!! Be-ro are a big flour/baking establishment in the UK.
This is gorgeous Clare, especially the fact your Mum sent it to you. I love the idea of different generations of women in a family connected through baking. I feel that way with my Mum and Grandma.
Angel cakes can’t be beaten in my opinion. So light and delicious. I am also partial to a lamington, and a slice of fruit cake, and basically all baked goods, to be honest. They are my weakness.
And my strength! In that I’m not a great savoury cook, Steve does most of the savoury cooking in our house, but I’m no bad at baking. I love the science of it, and the fact that if you just follow a recipe, most likely it will turn out like the picture! x
I love baking and yes, it is magic, a bunch of ingredients can make something fabulous! I love fruit cake too.