Imbolic or Candlemas Recipes

"If Candlemas day be fair and bright,
Winter will have another flight
If Candlemas day be clouds and rain,
Winter is gone, and will not come again."
- E. Holden -

Foods for Candlemas include:
Poppy seed Cakes, muffins, scones, and breads, Pumpkin seeds, Sunflower seeds, all dairy products, Peppers, Onions, Garlic, Raisins, Spiced Wines and Herbal Teas.
Herbs include: Angelica, Basil, Bay, Benzoin, Blackberry, Celandine, Coltsfoot, Heather, Iris, Myrrh, Tansy and Violet.

Scald milk in heavy pan - do not boil. Thoroughly beat eggs, adding salt and sugar. Beat a little of the hot milk into the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Pour egg mixture into hot milk, stirring well. Slowly bring just to a boil until mixture coats a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and beat until cool. Add vanilla and chill well.

Mix brown sugar with ginger and divide evenly onto bottoms of 6 buttered individual custard cups or ramekins.
In medium mixing bowl, blend eggs with milk, sugar, vanilla and seasonings. Pour evenly into prepared custard cups. Place cups in a large pan, then fill with hot water to come halfway up sides of cups (a hot water bath or bain-marie).
Bake at 350 F. oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until knife inserted near edge comes out clean. Remove cups from bain-marie. Run knife around edges to loosen. Place serving plate over top of cup and carefully invert custard onto plate. Serve warm or cover, chill and serve cold.

4 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup half-and half
5 Tbsps rum
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt

In and electric mixer or large mixing bowl, beat whites until stiff. In a different bowl, beat the egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored. Combine the yolks with the remaining eight ingredients, mix together well; and then fold in the egg whites. Pour the pumpkin mixture into a buttered 1-quart soufflé dish. Place
it in a pan of hot water and bake in a 350-degree preheated oven for about 45 minutes.
(recipe yields 6 servings)

Apple & Raisin Tarts

1 apple (cored, peeled, and chopped,)
3 Tbsps sugar and 1 Tbsp cinnamon for the topping,
3 Tbsps sugar,
2 Tbsps raisins, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon,
1 can (8 oz) refrigerated dinner cresent rolls,
Put chopped apple, raisins,sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir until the apples are coated. Seperate the 8 uncooked cresent rolls into precut triangles. Spoon 1 Tbsp of the apple mixture into the middle of the triangle. Fold over edges, and pinch to seal. Sprinkle the cinnamon & sugar topping over each tart. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack.

1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream
1 Tbsp Butter
12 oz semisweet chocolate pieces
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup Heavy Cream

Melt chocolate pieces, Bailey's and heavy cream together over very low heat. Whisk in yolks, one at a time, mixture will thicken. Whisk in butter. Refrigerate several hours, or overnight until firm. Make small balls with a tsp. Roll in powdered sugar or cocoa.

Cannarichli (Honey Cookies)

4 cups Flour
1 cup Marsala Wine
2 Large Eggs
4 tsps Sugar
1 pinch Salt
Oil for deep frying
Honey

Make a well in flour in mixing bowl or on work surface. Add wine, eggs, sugar, and salt. Mix well, until thoroughly blended. Knead dough vigorously until smooth and glossy. If using processor, continue mixing for at least 1 minutes after ingredients are combined. Roll dough to an 1/8" thickness or less. Cut dough into 2" squares, starting with 1 corner, roll each square of dough loosely on the diagonal to form pastry roll about the thickness of a pencil. Meanwhile, heat oil for deep frying. Fry pastries by batches in hot oil until golden brown, being careful not to crowd pan. Use a slotted spoon to remove fried pastries from oil. Drain on paper towels. Transfer to serving platter. Drizzle honey over top or dip Cannariculi into honey.
Makes 4 to 5 dozen

1¼ cups flour
¾ cup sugar
1 cup finely ground almonds
3 drops almond extract
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 Tbsp honey
1 egg yolk

In a large mixing bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Add the butter, honey, egg yolk and mix together well. Cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, and then chill for 1½ to 2 hours in the refrigerator. When ready, pinch off pieces of the dough (about the size of plums) and shape them into crescents. Place the crescents on a well-greased cookie sheet and bake in a 350-degree preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes. The recipe yields about one dozen crescent cakes.

The Wicca Spellbook A Witch's Collection Of Wiccan Spells,Potions,and Recipes by: Gerina Dunwich

16 ounces Self-Rising Flour
4 ounces Margarine
3 ounces Sugar
Milk
2 Eggs
5 ounces Raisins or currants
1 tsp Baking Powder

Mix flour and margarine together with your fingers until the mixture is fine; add sugar, raisins and baking powder. Beat eggs and add. Pour in enough milk to make mixture into a sticky dough (not too wet). Lift out onto a floured board and flatten out to 1-1/2" in thickness and cut out scones with a biscuit cutter. Place 6 on a greased baking sheet and brush tops with a little beaten egg (this helps them to brown). Bake 15 minutes in preheated 400~ oven.

Source: Granny's Kitchen, St. Patrick's Rock, Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland.

Liebkuchen Honey Cakes

1 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup honey
1 cup sour milk* (see below)
2 Tbsps vinegar
6 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp mace
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Prepare sour milk and mix dry ingredients. Set both aside. Cream margarine and sugar, add egg, beat until light. Add honey, sour milk and vinegar. Mix thoroughly. Chill one hour. Roll out to 1/4" thickness. Cut into 2"x3" rectangles and place on buttered cookie sheets. Bake at 375° for 6 minutes. Frost with plain vanilla frosting.
* For sour milk, add 1 T. vinegar to 1 c. milk and let stand for 10 minutes.

for the puffs:
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 1/4 cups flour
4 eggs

Bring water and butter to a boil in a saucepan. Lower heat and add flour. Stir on low heat until batter forms a ball shape. Remove from the heat, onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown
at 375° F.

for the filling:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbs. cornstarch (ruled by the Sun; brings health and wealth)
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks
2 tbs. butter or margarine
2 tsp. vanilla extract
confectioner's sugar

In a saucepan, slowly bring sugar, cornstarch, and salt to a boil, stirring constantly until thick. Add milk and egg yolks and boil for 1 minute. Remove from head and add butter and vanilla. Let cool. Fill puffs with cream filling and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

1 cup shortening
4(1-ounce)squares unsweetned chocolate
2 cups sugar
3 Tbspse dark rum ( for non-alcholic leave out rum)
4 eggs,beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

melt shortening and chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water.Remove from heat and add the sugar and rum,mixing well.Add the eggs and vanilla extract and heat untill well blended.Stir in the flour and salt,and then fold in the chopped nuts.

Spread the batter evenly in a wel grased 13 X 9 X 2-inch baking pan.Bake for 25 minutes in a 350-degree pre-heated oven.Cool COMPLETELY in pan,frost with your favorite chocolate or Vanilla ( if u want) and then cut brownies into bars or squares and enjoy.
Makes about 1 1/2 dozen 3X2 inch-brownie squares

The Wicca Spellbook A Witch's Collection Of Wiccan Spells,Potions,and Recipes by: Gerina Dunwich

3/4 cup softened butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsps grated lemon rind
2 cups flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans

Cream the butter in a large cast iron cauldron(or mixing bowl).Gradually add the brown sugar beating well .Add the eggs lemon juice and rind,and then beat with hand orwith an electric mixer untill the mixture is well blended.The next step is to stir in the flor and pecans.
Cover the mixing bowl or whatever, with a lid,aluminum foli,plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.
When ready shape the dough into one inch balls and place them about three inches apart on a well greased cookie sheet.bake in 375-degree preheated oven 4 approximatly eight minutes.Remove from and place on wire racks untill COMPLETELY cool, yeilds about 36 cookies.

The Wicca Spellbook A Witch's Collection Of Wiccan Spells,Potions,and Recipes by: Gerina Dunwich

Blessed Bride's Cake

1 cup sugar
1 cup walnut meats, chopped
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup flour
4 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder

Mix all the ingredients together until they are wet. Do not over mix.
Pour into a greased and floured 9"x9"x2" square baking pan. Bake at 350
degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until knife inserted in middle of cake comes
out clean. Allow to cool before serving.

Imbolc Ritual Cake

13/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbs. poppyseeds
1 tbs. grated lemon peel
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tbs. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
powdered sugar

This is all done in one pan, so clean up is a breeze! Preheat oven to
350 degrees. Mix flour, sugar, poppyseeds, baking soda, and salt with a fork
in an ungreased 9"x9"x2" baking pan. Stir in the remaining ingredients,
except the powdered sugar. Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in
center of cake comes out clean, and the top is golden brown. Remove from
oven and cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes 8 servings.

To be served as Altar Wine for Imbolc or any feast of Hathor or Isis (Au Set) - for feasts of Sekhmet, red beer should be used.

One Quart of Half and Half
One Pint of Heavy Whipping Cream
2/3 cup of honey (local honey is the bestest)

Blend the honey and a cup of half & half until the honey is thoroughly disolved. Blend remaining half & half and whipping cream. Refrigerate until ritual time.

1 gal. Blackberries
1 gal. Spring water, lukewarm
5 lbs. sugar
2 slices toast
1 pkg yeast

In a very large wide-mouthed container, crush the berries and add water. Mix in half of the sugar and stir until dissolved. Float toast on top and sprinkle with yeast. Cover container with cheesecloth and let stand for 5 days. Add remaining sugar and leave for another 2 days. Stir well. Let the mixture sit undisturbed for 3 more weeks. Strain through cheesecloth to remove seeds from wine. Bottle and serve when desired.

1 1/2 cups milk per serving
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
cinnamon

Warm milk, being careful not to boil. To each glass or mug add honey and vanilla. Sprinkle tops with cinnamon.

3 pounds of rose hips
3 pounds of sugar
1 gallon boiling water

Wash the rose hips and cut them in half. Put them in large bowl and pour boiling water on them. Stir well with wooden spoon. Cover bowl and leave for two weeks. Strain off liquid into another bowl and add three pounds of sugar. Stir until dissolved. Cover bowl and leave for 5 days, stirring daily. Bottle, remembering to cork loosely at first, and store in a cool, dark place. Push in corks when wine has finished fermenting. It will be ready to drink in 6 months.

Rose Water and Angelica Wafers

1 pound flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 capfuls rosewater
2 Tbsps butter
Sweet milk
Pinch of angelica

Mix dry ingredients thoroughly, adding sweet milk until a stiff dough forms. Roll out the dough very thing and cut this into round cakes, rolling yet again. They should be thin as paper, as they swell in baking. Dredge them in flour. Put in a well-greased baking pan and bake in a quick oven (about 425 degrees) till lightly brown. Serve with sweet, beaten cream.

Author: Patricia Telesco

Old fashioned biscuits are a treat at any season. According to Goddess lore,
sprinkling rosemary into the dough helps us to attract love and longevity.

2 cups unbleached, all purpose flour
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 1/2tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced
pinch cayenne pepper
1 stick unsalted butter or margarine, chilled
1/2 cup milk (or more if needed)
2-3 Tbs. dry sherry

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl combine the flour, cheese, baking powder, salt, rosemary and cayenne.
Cut the chilled butter into pieces and mix into the flour mixture, crumbling the dough.
Add the milk and sherry and quickly mix the dough just until the ingredients are moistened.Lightly knead the dough inside the bowl a few times to form a ball, and place
on a floured surface. Roll out the dough with floured fingers ( or a floured rolling pin ), to about 1/2 inch thick.

Cut out rounds with a cookie cutter or jelly glass and place them on a baking sheet. Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes, until they are golden brown. Serve warm in a festive basket.

Makes about 15 to 18 biscuits.

1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour -- unbleached, enriched
1 1/2 cups Whole wheat flour -- stone-ground
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1 1/4 cups Buttermilk

Set the baking rack in the center of the oven and place a baking stone (if available) on the rack.
Preheat the oven to 375.

In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Mix to incorporate. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk. Mix quickly to incorporate the milk evenly. It may be easier to mix with the hands than with a spoon. Form the dough into a loaf shape and place in a nonstick 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2" loaf pan. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, until well browned and a skewer inserted in the center comes out dry. Remove from the oven and the baking pan. Place on a wire rack to cool.

3/4 cup water
1/2 cup honey
1/2 finely chopped citron
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsps anise seeds
2 1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 tsps baking soda
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice

Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Add honey, citron, sugar, and anise seeds. Stir until the sugar completely dissolves and then remove from heat. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices, and fold into the hot honey mixture. Turn the batter into a well-greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for an hour. Turn out on a wire rack to cool.
(recipe yields one loaf of bread)

The Wicca Spellbook A Witch's Collection Of Wiccan Spells,Potions,and Recipes by: Gerina Dunwich

Marigold and Dandelion Eggs

The marigold is said to be one of the flowers which gives forth small bursts of light, usually near twilight on clear days, like a beacon or flash or insight. In the language of flowers, dandelions are ancient oracles. They are also high in vitamin C. Make certain the dandelions you use are free of pesticides.

4 whole dandelion buds
2 Tbl. butter
2 marigold blossoms, chopped (calendula can be substituted)
4 eggs
1/4 cup cream or milk
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Pick the dandelion buds when they are just about to open. (Remember to ask the plants permission to pick them. ) Melt the butter in a frying pan over low heat. Saute the dandelions until they open wide. (Magic! Visualize the growing power of the sun!) Beat the marigolds, eggs, cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Pour over the dandelions, which will poke through. Cover; cook over low heat until the egg is set and dry on top. Fold in half. Yield: 2 servings

Spinach Dip in Bread

This recipe uses a round loaf of bread to represent the round, pregnant belly of the Earth with white ane green hidden within.

Round loaf of bread, unsliced
10 oz. of fresh spinach, washed, dried, and shredded
1 cup (8 oz.) of sour cream (regular, low-fat, or fat free)
1 cup of mayonaise (regular, low-fat, or fat-free)
1 package of dry vegetable soup mix

Mix everything except the bread in a bowl, stirring well. Store it in the refrigerator while you prepare the bread. Cut the top off of the bread. Remove the soft insides leaving the crust and about 1/2 inch of bread. If you are careful, you can cube the insides to serve with the dip. Otherwise save it for another recipe that uses bread crumbs. Right before serving, put the dip in the bread bowl and put the lid on top. Serve with raw vegetables and crackers.

Recipes from "A Kitchen Witch's Cookbook" by Patricia Telesc:

1 lb. pre-cooked ham, 1" cubed or shredded
1 heaping tsp. flour
1 firm white cabbage
1/2 tsp. each salt & pepper
1 cup cream
grated nutmeg

Cut cabbage in half, then into four (small head) or six (large head) pieces. Plunge into a pot of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and
run under cold tap water. Drain again. Slice across the grain in 1/4 inch
strips. Melt a little butter/margarine in a sauce pan and add shredded
cabbage. Toss well, and keep stirring all the time. Add salt, pepper, and a
dash of grated nutmeg. Next add the heaping tsp of flour, mix well. Add
cream, still stirring, and let it come to a boil. Add the cubed or shredded
ham, and lower the heat. Cover the sauce pan and let the mixture simmer for
about 30 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 6-8 servings.

4 Plump heads of garlic
3/4 c Defatted reduced-sodium
Chicken stock
8 Sprigs, up to ...
10 Sprigs fresh thyme
Salt & freshly ground black
Pepper to taste
4 oz Log creamy goat cheese,
Cut into 4 portions
4 sl Lightly toasted sourdough or
Peasant bread

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. With a sharp knife, cut off and discard the upper third of each garlic head, exposing the cloves. (Leave the skin intact below the cut.) Set the garlic heads, cut-side up, in a small baking dish or grating dish just large enough to hold them. Pour chicken stock over the garlic, add thyme sprigs and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover the dish tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour, or until each clove is soft to the
touch and the skin resembles lightly browned parchment. Serve the garlic with the cooking juices spooned over and pass goat cheese and bread separately. To eat, break off a piece of bread and spread with a small amount of cheese, then scoop out the garlic puree from one of the cloves with the tip of a knife and spread on top.
Serving Size : 4 servings

2- 1/2 lb. lamb neck chops-with fat left on
1 tbs. lamb fat
4 medium onions
1 tbs. butter/margarine
4 medium carrots
2 1/2 cups water
4 medium potatoes
1 tbs. parsley, chopped
1 tsp. each salt & pepper
1 tbs. chives, chopped

Shred some of the excess fat from the lamb chops and cook it down in a large pot or Dutch-oven. Peel the onions, carrots, and potatoes. Cut the onions and carrots into quarters, and put all the vegetables aside. Cut the meat into pieces, and trim away the rest of the excess fat. The bones need not be removed. Place the meat in the hot fat and brown. Repeat with the onions and carrots. Add water, salt, and pepper carefully. Put whole potatoes on top. Cover pot and simmer gently until meat is cooked, approx. 2 hours. Remove from heat. Pour off the cooking liquid into a separate sauce pan, allow to cool for a few minutes, skim off grease, and reheat. Add butter, chives, and parsley to the reheated liquid in the sauce pan. Pour heated liquid back over the stew. Serve hot. Makes 4-6 servings.

1 pound boneless lamb, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 Tbsp cooking oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 to 4 tsps curry powder
2 cloves garlic
2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 tsp instant chicken bouillon granules
2 Tbsps all-purpose flour
2 cups hot cooked rice

In a large saucepan brown half of the meat in hot oil. Remove meat. Brown remaining meat with onion, curry power, and garlic till onion is tender. Return all meat to pan. Stir in apples, bouillon granules, and 3/4 cup water. Cover; simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or till tender. Stir 1/4 cup cold water into flour; stir into saucepan. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Season to taste. Serve over rice. If desired, pass chutney, sliced green onion, raisins, shredded coconut, or chopped peanuts. Serves 4.

Microwave directions: Omit cooking oil. In a 2-quart casserole micro-cook lamb, onion, curry powder, and garlic, covered, on 100% power (high) 5 minutes. Stir in apples, bouillon granules, and 3/4 cup water. Cook, covered, on 50% power (medium) 15 minutes or till tender, stirring every 5 minutes. Stir 1/4 cup cold water into flour; stir into casserole. cook on high 3 to 5 minutes or till thickened and bubbly, stirring every minute. Cook 30 seconds more. Continue as above.

Dublin Sunday Corned Beef and Cabbage

5 pounds Corned beef brisket
1 large Onion stuck with 6 whole cloves
6 Carrots, peeled and sliced
8 Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tsp Dried Thyme
1 small Bunch Parsley
1 head Cabbage (about 2 lbs) cut in quarters

Horseradish Sauce:
1/2 pint Whipping Cream
2 - 3 Tbsps prepared horseradish

Put beef in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add all other ingredients except cabbage and bring to a boil with the lid off the pot. Turn to simmer and cook for 3 hours. Skim fat from top as it rises. Remove the thyme, parsley and onion. Add cabbage. Simmer for 20 minutes until cabbage is cooked. Remove the meat and cut into pieces. Place on center of a large platter. Strain the cabbage and season it heavily with black pepper. Surround the beef with the cabbage, carrots and potatoes. Serve with horseradish sauce.
Horseradish Sauce: Whip cream until it stand in peaks. Fold in horseradish.