My mother-in-law’s recipe book

My mother-in-law was a fabulous baker as were all her friends and relations.  Having grown up in Upington in the Northern Cape, on the edge of the Kalahari Desert life was quite spartan. She was born early in the 20^thcentury and grew up in what we would consider very primitive circumstances. The family owned the general store which dealt in everything from karakul skins to wedding dresses.  The farmers would run up a tab which they would pay when the harvest was in.

So whatever you wanted you had to make and they were all fabulous bakers.  She would say that she was a very plain cook – which meant that she took excellent fresh ingredients and didn’t mess them around – something I sometimes wish there was more of today.  

She and my father-in-law moved to Cape Town and that is where we used to visit them, and latterly, her, after he died.  No only were all the biscuit tins full of her baking, but all the family and friends would bring something and our children were in sugar heaven for the duration of our visit!

Over the years I used to copy out a recipe or two when we visited, with no real intention of baking anything – who had the time? When she died her recipe book vanished but reappeared a few years later.  When I retired from full time work I decided to have a go at baking some of her recipes and they have become firm family favourites.  One recipe I found in her book that had clearly been cut from a newspaper and which I don’t remember ever having was the one below. 

It has been a great success with grandchildren and friends alike. I have all these things in my store-cupboard but then I do bake rather more than my waistline can take. (g = grams; ml = Millilitre)

Yumski Bars

150 g butter                          150 g sugar

25 ml golden syrup               150 rolled oats

150 g self raising flour    

3 ml bicarbonate of soda

Makes about 32.  Slowly melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a saucepan.  Stir in flour mixed with oats and bicarb and beat well.  Spread into a lined 23 x 33 cm swiss roll tin and bake at 180C for 15 minutes.

Topping

100 g dark chocolate           50 g butter

60 ml golden syrup              50 g plain flour

Over a low heat melt the chocolate with the butter and syrup. Stir in the flour and spread carefully over the biscuit base.  Bake for a further 10 – 15 minutes or until bubbling.   Cool in the tin for a few minutes then mark into bars.  When firm enough move to a rack to cool.