It's the 75th Anniversary of the end of the war in Europe!
Happy VE Day! Today marks the 75th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe, and I've been looking forward to this day literally all year. Longer than a year, because what a good opportunity to revisit some of my favorite wartime recipes with a celebratory party with historian friends!
Unfortunately, the party turned into me, my wife, and our cat (and Molly and Emily), but I think we still managed to make it a nice occasion. Read on to see more pictures, and learn how to make this simple, ration friendly twist on shortbread.
Unfortunately, the party turned into me, my wife, and our cat (and Molly and Emily), but I think we still managed to make it a nice occasion. Read on to see more pictures, and learn how to make this simple, ration friendly twist on shortbread.
VE day is one of the only holidays I've actually consistently celebrated on my blog, probably because May is usually a pretty low key month, and because I love having an excuse to try out new wartime desserts and treats. Since it's a big anniversary this year, I thought the best way to celebrate would be throwing a tea party that spotlighted a new recipe, but also revisiting some of my favorites of the past.
The menu had to be whittled down some since the guest list had to be slashed, but my obvious choice in favorite VE Day treat of years past was the chocolate war cake I made way back in 2014. I've made this cake countless times in the last six years. It's my go to whenever someone asks me to bring a treat to a party, or when I'm in the mood for a treat of my own. It's super easy to make, as you mix everything together in one pan, and it's also vegan, meaning you can eat the batter without worrying about raw eggs. It's moist, incredibly chocolatey, and has always been a crowd pleaser.
My favorite Emily themed recipe was my celebration trifle. It was incredibly time consuming to make, and you'll see in the post, I was extremely frustrated with it at several points in the process, particularly because my taste testers kept insisting that no one was going to like it because they weren't fans of British trifles. In the end, everyone really enjoyed it, happily demolishing the whole thing, and I remember it fondly as one of the most frustrating, but ultimately rewarding things I've ever made for this blog.
This year, I decided to make individual trifles for two reasons: with it just being me and Jess, it seemed like a bad idea to make a massive trifle, and because pre-stay at home order, I was going to borrow my friend Megan's trifle bowl, as we don't have one of our own. I think the final result came out pretty cute!
But I bet you're curious about our new recipe!
This recipe has been on my to do list for a long, long time, thanks to one of my favorite wartime cooking blogs The 1940's Experiment. I've mentioned her work before, and her blog remains a great resource for British wartime recipes that are usually pretty tasty. Carolyn is still updating, and even has some resources for people who are looking for things to cook and bake during the pandemic, so definitely check her out.
This shortbread is very easy, and uses few ingredients. To start, you want to take 4 oz of melted margarine and combine it with 4 oz of sugar and 8 oz of flour. If you want to make this more accurate to the British wartime experience, you'll want to use about 80% whole wheat flour to 20% white flour. Carolyn points out that this recipe uses quite a lot of your weekly ration, so you can reduce the sugar if you'd like, but that she prefers to make the recipe as is for special occasions. What better a special occasion than VE Day?
Blend these ingredients together and then knead them to form a dough. Flatten, and add a handful of small berries. I used raspberries and blueberries, hoping for a patriotic looking final product, but my raspberries liquified basically immediately as I folded them into the dough, so it was more like a tie-dye pink shortbread with blueberries... Still added some nice bursts of flavor, though!
Press your dough into a tin, tart shell, or baking dish, and bake in a 355 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until golden. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then cut into smaller shapes and set aside to cool. I used a tart pan with a removable bottom for mine and cut them into rough triangles.
The final result is a pretty nice shortbread, honestly. Mine was a little soft and probably could have done with another few minutes in the oven (I hate our oven), but it was still a good bite. The berries added a really nice tartness, and the recipe makes enough to share without creating an unmanageable amount if you're having a small gathering. I definitely think I'll be making this again.
The menu had to be whittled down some since the guest list had to be slashed, but my obvious choice in favorite VE Day treat of years past was the chocolate war cake I made way back in 2014. I've made this cake countless times in the last six years. It's my go to whenever someone asks me to bring a treat to a party, or when I'm in the mood for a treat of my own. It's super easy to make, as you mix everything together in one pan, and it's also vegan, meaning you can eat the batter without worrying about raw eggs. It's moist, incredibly chocolatey, and has always been a crowd pleaser.
My favorite Emily themed recipe was my celebration trifle. It was incredibly time consuming to make, and you'll see in the post, I was extremely frustrated with it at several points in the process, particularly because my taste testers kept insisting that no one was going to like it because they weren't fans of British trifles. In the end, everyone really enjoyed it, happily demolishing the whole thing, and I remember it fondly as one of the most frustrating, but ultimately rewarding things I've ever made for this blog.
This year, I decided to make individual trifles for two reasons: with it just being me and Jess, it seemed like a bad idea to make a massive trifle, and because pre-stay at home order, I was going to borrow my friend Megan's trifle bowl, as we don't have one of our own. I think the final result came out pretty cute!
But I bet you're curious about our new recipe!
This recipe has been on my to do list for a long, long time, thanks to one of my favorite wartime cooking blogs The 1940's Experiment. I've mentioned her work before, and her blog remains a great resource for British wartime recipes that are usually pretty tasty. Carolyn is still updating, and even has some resources for people who are looking for things to cook and bake during the pandemic, so definitely check her out.
This shortbread is very easy, and uses few ingredients. To start, you want to take 4 oz of melted margarine and combine it with 4 oz of sugar and 8 oz of flour. If you want to make this more accurate to the British wartime experience, you'll want to use about 80% whole wheat flour to 20% white flour. Carolyn points out that this recipe uses quite a lot of your weekly ration, so you can reduce the sugar if you'd like, but that she prefers to make the recipe as is for special occasions. What better a special occasion than VE Day?
Blend these ingredients together and then knead them to form a dough. Flatten, and add a handful of small berries. I used raspberries and blueberries, hoping for a patriotic looking final product, but my raspberries liquified basically immediately as I folded them into the dough, so it was more like a tie-dye pink shortbread with blueberries... Still added some nice bursts of flavor, though!
Press your dough into a tin, tart shell, or baking dish, and bake in a 355 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until golden. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then cut into smaller shapes and set aside to cool. I used a tart pan with a removable bottom for mine and cut them into rough triangles.
The final result is a pretty nice shortbread, honestly. Mine was a little soft and probably could have done with another few minutes in the oven (I hate our oven), but it was still a good bite. The berries added a really nice tartness, and the recipe makes enough to share without creating an unmanageable amount if you're having a small gathering. I definitely think I'll be making this again.
Unsurprisingly, this pairs well with a hot cup of tea.
At least Molly and Emily get to celebrate the day with a friend...
But Jess and I made do! I popped on one of the 1940's playlists Jess assembled for our wedding, put on some of my 1940's inspired lipstick and my WAVES service uniform dress, and Jess threw on the paratrooper jacket she got at WWII Weekend last year, and we sat down on the floor to have an indoor picnic to celebrate.
(Also yes, technically we did this yesterday, because I wanted to get the post up on the day. It's the thought that counts!)
Obviously I would have preferred doing this with our friends, but it was still nice to have a little party indoors, especially as it's been a bad week for both of us at work and in general.
(Also yes, technically we did this yesterday, because I wanted to get the post up on the day. It's the thought that counts!)
Obviously I would have preferred doing this with our friends, but it was still nice to have a little party indoors, especially as it's been a bad week for both of us at work and in general.
75 years ago, streets around the world exploded with impromptu parties, dancing, and singing. This year, we're all stuck inside feeling pretty worried about what the future might bring. When I'm feeling down about how my plans have changed, I try to take comfort in the fact that even on a day like VE Day, there were Americans worrying about friends and family serving in the Pacific, where the war would continue for three more months of brutal fighting. For some families, VE Day was a bittersweet occasion, as the war was over, but they'd already lost loved ones in the conflict. Many servicemen and women dealt with similar feelings, juggling relief and sorrow after everything they'd seen and experienced.
I'm lucky that my family and I are healthy, I've still got my job, and I'm able to communicate directly with the people I'm missing instead of waiting weeks for a letter. Times are difficult now, but it will get better at some point, and until then, I hope I have the opportunity to do more things like this to keep our spirits up. I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe, and has found some things to keep joy in their lives during this deeply weird time in our history.
I'm lucky that my family and I are healthy, I've still got my job, and I'm able to communicate directly with the people I'm missing instead of waiting weeks for a letter. Times are difficult now, but it will get better at some point, and until then, I hope I have the opportunity to do more things like this to keep our spirits up. I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe, and has found some things to keep joy in their lives during this deeply weird time in our history.
I've made this shortbread on many occasions, typically with blackberries. The berry moisture creates uneven texture, but the flavor is worth it. I also recommend using dark brown or muscavado sugar for extra deliciousness.
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