It is time for the second part of the monthly Virtual Book Club and that means our culinary interpretations inspired by the novel. In the novel “Anne of Green Gables” there were actually quite a few references to food and because it was set in Canada, I recognized many of them. I grew up with my mom making just about everything from scratch. There was no processed food in our home. Our bread was a deep brown and one slice would fill you for most of the day. She canned every type of fruit you could think of and we enjoyed them throughout the winter. My favorite was bing cherries! One of the treats that Anne enjoyed in the book were homemade biscuits and raspberry jam and I definitely have fond memories of enjoying that treat too as a child. So today, I am going to share the recipes for both with you, but I went to the added step of making the jam seedless! It is delicious and I would consider it a breakfast treat or dessert because it is that good.
Mrs. Rachel and Marilla sat comfortably in the parlor while Anne got the tea and made hot biscuits that were light and white enough to defy even Mrs. Rachel’s criticism.
Anne of Green Gables
Ingredients for homemade biscuits
The ingredients are simple and they are quick to make. Preheat your oven to 425F. Make sure your unsalted butter is in the freezer for 10 to 20 minutes prior to using.
Full amounts and directions are below on the recipe card below.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Mix flour, baking powder, sugar and sale in a bowl until fully combined.
Using a grater, grate the butter into small pieces and then add to the flour mixure.
Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it is evenly distributed.
Add whole milk, mix well. Then put out onto a well floured surface and fold over and gently work dough together. Follow the full instructions on the recipe card. Do not use a rolling pin and do not overwork.
Use a biscuit cutter or a drinking glass to cut the biscuits from the dough.
Brush with melted butter immediately upon removal from the oven.
Enjoy!!!
Homemade Biscuits
Equipment
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Grater
- 1 Cookie pan
- 1 Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 2 cups flout
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup whole milk
Instructions
- Chill your butter in the freezer for 10-20 minutes before beginning this recipe. Doing this will result in flakier biscuits.
- Preheat oven to 425F and line a cookie sheet with nonstick parchment paper.
- Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and mix well.
- Remove your butter from the freezer and use a box grater to shred the butter into small pieces. Add to the flour mixture and stir.
- Combine the grated butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add milk, use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir until combined but don't over-work the dough.
- On a well-floured surface, use your hands to gently work the dough together. If the dough is too sticky, add flour until it is manageable. Once the dough is combined, fold in half over itself and use your hands to gently flatten layers together. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and fold in half again, repeating this step 5-6 times but taking care to not overwork the dough.
- Use your hands to flatten the dough to 1" thick and lightly dust a 2 ¾" round biscuit cutter with flour. Making close cuts, press the biscuit cutter straight down into the dough and drop the biscuit onto your prepared baking sheet.
- Repeat until you have gotten as many biscuits as possible and place less than ½" apart on baking sheet. Once you have gotten as many biscuits as possible out of the dough, gently re-work the dough to get out another biscuit or two until you have at least 6 biscuits.
- Bake on 425F for 12 minutes or until tops are beginning to just turn lightly golden brown.
- Brush with melted salted butter immediately after removing from oven.
- Serve warm and enjoy.
Next up…seedless raspberry jam!
In the world of Avonlea (town where “Anne of Green Gables” is set) raspberries were abundant and used in many different recipes such as
- raspberry cordial,
- raspberry liniment cake,
- Josie Pye Pop Tarts and of course…
- homemade biscuits with raspberry jam.
Ingredients for seedless raspberry jam
I was always afraid of making jam. It seemed daunting. Probably because I was a small girl and my mom seemed to spend hours making it. A huge pot was involved and the jars came out so hot. For some reason, I believed you had to get it just right or it was a complete failure and possibly you could kill someone with your jam!!!
I promise you, this one is easy, delicious and it hasn’t killed anyone yet!
Step 1: Making the jam mixture
Be sure to wash the raspberries thoroughly first and then put them along with the sugar and lemon juice into a large flat bottomed bowl and mash away with a potato masher.
Then transfer them to a pot on the cooktop on a very low heat – do not allow them to simmer. This part is just to get the sugar to fully dissolve.
Step 2: Strain, strain, strain!
To get all of the seeds out, use a very fine metal stainer. Pour the jam mixture into the strainer. It will clog up a bit and you will need to use a very strong metal spoon to push the mixture through.
Step 3: Boil
Place the seedless mixture back into the pot on the cooktop and bring to a rolling boil for five minutes. Take a small amount out and place it on a plate and put it into the fridge for 5 minutes. Take out and if you push against it and it is a bit resistant and forms crinkles, it is ready. If not, put it in for another minute and try again. Keep doing this until it has some firmness and crinkles. Usually for me, it takes 7 minutes.
Step 4: Pour into a jar or container
This amount of raspberries, only yielded 500 ml of jam so you won’t need a very big jar. Store in the fridge when not using.
Step 5: Enjoy your homemade biscuits and raspberry jam!!!
Get those warm biscuits, cut in half, butter, drizzle with jam and try to only eat one! I dare you!!!
Homemade Seedless Raspberry Jam
Equipment
- 1 strainer
- 1 pot
- 1 potato masher
Ingredients
- 450 g raspberries
- 450 g sugar
- 3 tsp juice
Instructions
- Add raspberries, sugar and lemon juice to a pot.
- Use a potato masher to mash up the raspberries.
- Place the pot on the cooktop over a low heat (do not simmer), stirring occasionally until all the sugar has dissolved.
- Place a metal strainer over a bowl.
- Pour the jam mixture into the strainer.
- Pour the drained juice back into the pot and place the strainer over the pot.
- Use a large metal spoon to push the pulp through the strainer.
- Once all the pulp is strained into the pot, stir with a wooden spoon.
- Bring the pan to a rolling boil and time for 7 minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat and drizzle a little jam onto a saucer and place in the fridge for a minute.
- Run a finger through the jam and if it forms a crinkle (tacky) then the jam is ready, if not continue to boil for another minute at a time and re-test until it is ready.
- Pour into hot jars and seal with lids immediately or if using wax discs place those on and then the cellophane once cool.
Next up…let’s check out what the other ladies are cooking up today!
The ladies have been busy in their kitchens cook up something Anne would love and I do believe they have all been successful. Be sure to check them out by clicking on the title of their post below the photo.
Lynn, Living Large in a Small House
Cindy, Reinvented Delaware
Erin, Erin Evolving
Did you see our home decor inspirations?
Anne of Green Gables is a lovely series of books and I enjoyed them as a child and now. If you want to see how the book inspired us in the area of home decor, please click this link.
You may also enjoy our intrepretations of the novel “Emma” – just click here.
Or if you feel like adding something new to your front door, how about this cute front door wreath alternative? Just click this link.
As always, thank you!
Thank you for opening the email I sent and clicking through to read this post! I do appreciate this so much!
Shop the post
Below are links to products inspired by Anne of Green Gables. Should you decide to purchase something, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Erin
April 29, 2023Both of these recipes sound delicious, and together, I’m sure they’re amazing! I love how you shared your memories of the foods your mom made while you were growing up. It sounds like she made some wonderful treats, and she would be on-trend now with her from-scratch recipes!
Crystal
May 2, 2023Thanks Erin! She sure was. She kept me so healthy that when I was around 11 it was the first time that I ever had soda pop at a baseball game – needless to say it did not go well for me!!! Hahahaha!
Susan
May 2, 2023Both of these recipes look delish Crystal! I cannot wait to try them out. Thank you for sharing! Lovely post!
Crystal
May 2, 2023Thanks so much Susan! They would go perfectly with all your delicious teas!