Samhain/All Hallow’s Eve Soul Cake

The Soul Cake is part of traditional Samhain/All Hallows Eve festivities in the British Isles. 

The cakes are flat and round, scented with saffron, mixed spices and currants.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries children would go ‘souling’ on Samhain (All Hallow’s Eve), All Saints’ Day (Nov 1) and All Souls’ Day (Nov 2) where they would request alms or soul cakes with the following song:

“A soul, a soul, a soul cake.

Please god missus a soul cake.

An apple, a pear, a plum or a cherry,

Any good thing to make us merry.

Up with your kettles and down with your pans

Give us an answer and we’ll be gone

Little Jack, Jack sat on his gate

Crying for butter to butter his cake

One for St Peter, two for St Paul,

Three for the man who made us all.”

In earlier times the poor would go to prosperous houses, offering to say prayers for departed loved ones. In return, they were given these round cakes and sometimes food and money as well. 

Soul Cakes are a wonderful example of a Pagan tradition that made it’s way into Christianity virtually unscathed. 

If you’ve never made them before, they are absolutely delicious. Here is my favorite recipe for Soul Cakes. 

They freeze well so you can make them ahead!

Soul Cakes

For the dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground fresh if possible

1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground fresh if possible

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp of saffron

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup raisins (or currants if you are able to get them)

For the Glaze:

1 egg yolk, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the flour, the nutmeg, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. 

Mix well with a fork.

Crumble the saffron threads into a small saucepan and heat over low heat just until they become aromatic, taking care not to burn them. 

Add the milk and heat just until hot to the touch. 

The milk will have turned a bright yellow. 

Remove from heat.

Cream the butter and sugar together in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon (or use an electric mixer with the paddle attachment). 

Add the egg yolks and blend in thoroughly with the back of the spoon. 

Add the spiced flour and combine as thoroughly as possible; the mixture will be dry and crumbly.

One tablespoon at a time, begin adding in the warm saffron milk, blending vigorously with the spoon. 

When you have a soft dough, stop adding milk; you probably won’t need the entire half-cup.

Turn the dough out onto a floured counter and knead gently, with floured hands, until the dough is uniform. 

Roll out gently to a thickness of 1/2 inch. 

Using a floured 2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out as many rounds as you can and set on an ungreased baking sheet. 

You can gather and re-roll the scraps, gently.

Brush the souls cakes liberally with the beaten egg yolk.  

Add currants in the shape of a cross and press them firmly into the dough.  

Bake for 15 minutes, until just golden and shiny.

Makes 12 to 15 cakes

All Hallows’ Eve by Inkubus Sukkubus

Lyrics

Now the mist is on the land

Before the hoards of the dead we stand

Against the cold of the western wind

Against the demons of the night

Let us Drink another drink

As we stand here at the brink

Let us dance, and let us feast

Every man, woman and beast

On All Hallows Eve once again

On the First day of the year

Let us she'd another tear

Let us all count the cost

And recall what we have lost

Let us kiss and have some fun

For we know what's done is done

And those who went before,

Are lost forever more

On All Hallows Eve once again

On All Hallows Eve with the dead

Young girls dream of your true love

For he will soon be in your blood

May you see him in the fire

May you have your hearts desire

Young men be brave for the year ahead

Before the end you may well be dead

Enjoys yourself while you are young

And think not of what's to come

On All Hallows Eve once again

On All Hallows Eve with the dead

Underneath the moon and stars

Now the sun is in line with mars

We can lose into the night

We can have both dark and light

On All Hallows Eve once again

On All Hallows Eve with the dead

Spider Deviled Egg Recipe

These spider deviled eggs are really easy to make for Halloween. 

 

Ingredients:

• Eggs
• Mayonnaise
• Mustard
• Medium black olives

 

All you need to make these spider deviled eggs are eggs and black olives. 

Boil the eggs like you normally would for deviled eggs. 

Just add eggs to a pan, cover with water, and boil for 12 minutes. 

Remove from heat and run under cold water while you peel off the shells.

Cut the eggs in half lengthwise and remove the yolks. 

Place the yolks in a bowl and mash them with a fork. 

Add mayonnaise and mustard to taste.

You will need two medium sized black olives for each deviled egg half. 

Leave one whole and cut the other one in thin slices, and then cut the slices in half for the spider’s legs. 

Yes, this is all rather simple.

 

Place a spoonful of yolk mixture back into each egg half. Create a spider on top by placing a whole olive in the center of the yolk mixture and use the olive slices to make the legs.

You probably don’t need to measure the mayonnaise and mustard, just go by the creaminess of the mixture to see if it is done. 

Mix it with the fork until you get all the lumps out.

Of course you can add whatever ingredients you like.

That’s pretty much it.

 

This Is Halloween by Sumina Studer

Sumina Studer helps usher in our favorite holiday.