Elizabeth is a resident and keen cook/baker at Balhousie Stormont in Blairgowrie. She still keeps her favourite recipes in a book she collated. Here, she shares a few:

Plum Jam

Ingredients

6lb plums

6.5 lb sugar

½ pint water

Method

1.Wash and stone plums and put stones into a muslin bag.

  1. Put plums, water and muslin bag into a preserving pan.
  2. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 mins.
  3. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.
  4. Bring back to the boil steadily for 20 – 30 mins.
  5. Test for set after 20 mins. When set is reached, take off heat and skim, leave to cool then put in jars. Seal, cover and label.

Christmas Cake

Ingredients

5 oz sultanas

8 oz currants

5 oz raisins

2 oz glace cherries

1 oz flaked almonds

6 oz plain flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

5 oz butter

5 oz soft brown sugar

3 eggs

¼ teaspoon lemon rind

Baking time: 3.5 hours

Method

  1. Heat oven to 140C. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time with a little flour each time.
  1. Mix in fruit, nutmeg, salt and cinnamon. Mix in remaining flour and place in a 7” round  baking tin which has been greased and lined with greaseproof paper. Bake for 1.5 hours at 140C and then reduce heat to 100C for last hour.
  2. Leave to cool and then add one dessertspoon of brandy and leave to soak in. Add more brandy at a later date if desired.
  3. Marzipan and ice for Christmas.

Clootie Dumpling

Ingredients

1 lb self raising flour

8 oz beef suet

4 tablespoons sugar (white or brown)

2 heaped tablespoons of treacle

1 lb fruit (currants, raisins, sultanas)

2 heaped teaspoons mixed spice

Pinch of salt

Milk to mix

Method

  1. Put all ingredients into a large bowl and add enough milk to make a dropping consistency. Meanwhile, place a plate into a pan with water and bring to the boil. Scald cloth in this and ring out. Spread out the cloth and dust with flour.
  1. Place dumpling mixture in centre of cloth, gather up cloth and tie with string leaving enough room to allow dumpling to swell as it cooks.
  2. Boil steadily for 3 to 3.5 hours, topping up with boiling water as required.
  3. When ready, lift out cloth and turn out onto a plate. Dry off in oven.

Leek and Potato Soup

Ingredients

1.5 pints of chicken or ham stock

1.5 pounds of potatoes, peeled and sliced

2 large leeks, washed and sliced

Salt and pepper to taste.

Method

Put all ingredients into a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for half an hour until potatoes are cooked. Liquidise if preferred. Serve piping hot with oatcakes or bread.

Lemon Chicken

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts or thighs

1/2 cup of melted butter

1 lemon unpeeled and thinly sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  1. Halve pieces of chicken and arrange in a shallow buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with seasoning.
  1. Pour melted butter over and lay slices of lemon on top to make a cover.
  2. Cook uncovered for 1 hour at 180C.