Cornish Saffron Cake (Tezan Saffern) ◆ 1930s Recipe

★ About: “From time immemorial, Saffron-currant-cakes have been the boast of our Cornish house-wives” said the renowned Truro-born clergyman, poet and historian Richard Polwhele in his 1836 book ‘Reminiscences, in Prose and Verse (Etc.)’.
And in her 1890 book, Cornish Feasts and Folklore, Penzance poet and folklorist Margaret Ann Courtney explains that ‘in some parts of the county it is customary for each household to make a batch of currant cakes on Christmas Eve. These cakes are made in the ordinary manner, coloured with saffron, as is the custom in these parts. On this occasion the peculiarity of the cakes is, that a small portion of the dough in the centre of each top is pulled up and made into a form which resembles a very small cake on the top of the large one, and this centre piece is usually called “the Christmas”. Each person in a house has his or her especial cake, and every person ought to taste a small piece of ever other person’s cake. Similar cakes are also bestowed on the hangers-on of the establishment, such as laundresses, sempstresses, charwomen, &c.; and even some people who are in the receipt of weekly charity call as a matter of course, for the Christmas cakes. The cakes must not be cut until Christmas-day, it being probably “unlucky to eat them sooner.”’.
There is so much that has been written about Cornwall’s famous saffron cakes, yet before spotting this 1936 recipe written exactly a century after Mr Polwhele wrote of their heritage, we had yet to sample one ourselves. Saffron loaves and buns have been made in Cornwall since it was introduced to the county in the 14th century when it was traded for copper and tin. The colour of sunshine, this loaf is heavy with fruit and as soon as it comes out of the oven you can see that it’s something special.
We enjoyed a slice each fresh from the oven, one buttered and the other with a good spread of clotted cream and the 1930s rhubarb and ginger jam that we made not long ago. It was heavenly.
__________________________________________
★ Ingredients:
14 oz / 400g Strong White Flour
¼ oz / 7g Fresh Yeast
213 ml Tepid Water
¼ tsp. Sugar
¼ tsp. Salt
¼ lb / 113g Caster Sugar
¼ lb / 113g Mixed Peel
¼ lb / 113g Butter
¼ lb / 113g Currants
¼ tsp Allspice
A pinch of Saffron
★ Full instructions: www.handeddown... __________________________________________
★ Our Website: handeddown.co.uk ★ Instagram: @handeddown.uk __________________________________________
★ Book Details: Cookery Illustrated and Household Management (1936) By: Elizabeth Craig Publisher: Odhams Press Limited (Long Acre, London, W.C.2, England, U.K.) __________________________________________
♪ Music: Frozen In Love by Aakash Gandhi

[@edwardrose3061]

I make this quite regularly using my great grandmother’s recipe. There’s lots of variations it seems but traditionally lard and butter and was used in the dough. I’d also suggest being more generous with the saffron.
Oh and cream on top! Enjoy

[@Sammyb-x1m]

Allspice( jamaica pepper/pimenton)? Surely mixed spice( blend of sweet spices like nutmeg/caraway/cardamom/clove)is what you want.

[@cousinjack1184]

If anyone tried putting jam on my nans saffron cake she'd scat it on the floor!

[@theonlygaymer]

love this recipe! however us cornish add the jam first then cream! :p but will be trying out this recipe, thank you!

[@Tams1978]

That looks delicious! I have ancestors from Cornwall, so I think I should make this in honor of them. :-)

[@handeddownkitchen8192]

You should! Give it a go and let us know how it turns out.

[@Tams1978]

@@handeddownkitchen8192 I definitely will!😊

[@davidupton6254]

A ha'penny's worth of saffron? My gran's recipe, from around the same time, says "a shilling's worth of saffron". That's quite a difference!

[@lisarussell6153]

I’m in the USA, can you tell me more about the citrus peel? Are they candied first? Or dehydrated and saved for later use?