My family is very good at hoarding stuff treasuring our possessions. I am very glad that among our treasures are my grandmother’s and great-grandmother’s handwritten recipe books. These two ladies lived and worked on farms in Otago, and their recipe books are typical of the times. My great-grandmother’s cooking dates mainly from the 1920s-40s, and my grandmother’s from the 1950s-70s. I also have my mum at the end of the phone, and my Nana at the end of an email – so plenty of handed down cooking inspiration!
Some of the recipes are family favourites that I remember from when I was small; others I’m unfamiliar with. I’m working through the books and planning on trying some of the more tempting and interesting recipes, updating them where they need it, and posting them on this blog. So stay tuned for a little nostalgia. By the way, I’d love to hear your favourite old-fashioned recipes, so leave a comment or drop me a line 
These Jam Drop biscuits are my lovely Nana Coll’s recipe. She calls them ‘plain biscuits’ – I think because this biscuit dough can turn its hand to just about any task you assign it. These jam drops are very easy and quick to make, and very cute. They’re not over-the-top – just a good, reliable treat with a nice cup of tea.
Nana Coll’s Jam Drops
8 oz butter
8 oz sugar
1 egg
12oz flour
1 tsp baking powder
small amount jam (I used last week’s Plum & Blackcurrant Jam, but raspberry is the standard)
Preheat oven to 140(c) with fan bake (160 without). Line two trays with baking paper.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat again. Add sifted flour and baking powder, and mix to a dough. Roll into small balls (I don’t believe in biscuits the size of CDs), and flatten a little with the back of a soup spoon. Using the handle end of a wooden spoon, make small indentations in the top of each biscuit (dip the handle in flour often to stop it sticking). Spoon a small amount (about 1/4-1/2 tsp) of jam into each indentation.
Bake for 20 minutes, rotating trays halfway through. Dust with icing sugar to make ‘em pretty
I have a few of my grans cook books too which are some of my prize possessions. I have always used the shortbread recipe and any jam/marmalade recipe from these books. One of the cooks even has a hand written recipe in the back ‘Christmas cake recipe during wartime’ that my great gran wrote when they had rations. How cool is that?
It’s pretty special to have recipes passed down through your family. I keep meaning to get my grandmother’s recipes off her, will make it a priority. I love her Christmas pudding, which is one of those recipes that’s from her mother’s mother, or something amazing like that.
And these biscuits look adorable with the jam in the middle
Look like the perfect alternative to shop bought jam biscuits. I love the fact you treasure your maternal contacts. I wish my mum and grandmothers were around still to be able to share my interest in food and cooking.
Peasepudding – it would be amazing to have a family recipe based on war rations! You should try it out sometime!
There is something special about family recipes. I never met my great-grandmother, but it’s nice to read her pretty handwriting and try things she would have cooked my grandmother or mother. Will keep posting on what gems I find.
Lots of people asked if these were homemade shrewsbury biscuits – you’re so right, Domestic Executive – they’re a great alternative to shop bought biscuits!
Omg!!!
These were the first thing I baked in school! Nostalgiarama!!! Thanks for the happy memory!!