My much-loved and treasured Be-Ro cookbook collection that got me thinking; I use any one of them almost weekly, and even though I suspect I know many of the recipes of by heart, I still take immense pleasure from opening their old, worn covers and choosing what I will bake or cook……the memories flood back of happy carefree days in the kitchen with my grandmother and mum – flour on our chins and a table groaning under the weight of freshly baked cakes, scones, biscuits and bread. Just one look at some of the older copies, makes me go all misty eyed, with a longing for a slice of “milk fadge” or a couple of “girdle scones“, or maybe a slice of “Granny Loaf” or even a “sponge Drop”.
Doris from the 6th Edition Be-Ro Cookbook
I LOVE the very non-pc snippets in the books, housewives are extolled for their baking prowess, whilst little girls want to play house and cook with their mummy. My favourite quote comes from the oldest of my Be-Ro cookbooks, and quite simply states that……” The woman who can cook well and bake well has every reason and every right to be proud of her cooking…….In ninety nine cases out of a hundred she has a happy home, because good cooking means good food, and good food means good health…….There’s no more pleasing sight than that of a happy family around a well-stocked tea-table, all enjoying their food; and the mother who is responsible for the good cooking, and who has prepared it with her own hands, have every right to survey the results of her culinary skill with pride and satisfaction”…..now, I am NOT suggesting we all turn back the clock and lose the emancipation that we have fought to hard to achieve, as women, but sometimes there’s a niggling little thought at the back of my mind that tells me that for all we have gained, we have lost so much too…..and the delight of eating together as a family is just one of our losses.
Be-Ro 6th Edition Front and Back Cover
Another quote from my 1930 edition (my oldest Be-Ro cookbook) informs us that we should…..“Teach your daughters to bake at home”…….well we could add sons to that statement as well, but I see NOTHING wrong with teaching our children to cook and bake at home, and indeed my daughter was brought up with a wooden spoon in one hand and Tala measuring cup of flour in the other! In fact, visit any Italian or French home, and the children will be found helping out in the kitchen from an early age and it’s not so much a privilege, but the foundation of life skills for the future.
This is an all time favourite of mine, it’s the rather humble and yet TOTALLY delectable Melting Moments! This recipe is not in my oldest 1930 Be-Ro cookbook, but appears in the next one I have in my collection, the 18th edition – which I guesstimate to be about 1942, although I believe there was war-time edition, so it may even be pre-war 1939 or post-war 1945……if anyone has the exact date or formula for working the dates out, I would love to hear from you! I have amended the recipe slightly, they suggest lard, but I don’t “do” lard, although I could have used “trex” I suppose.
Melting Moments are wonderful little “light as a feather” and meltingly crisp biscuits (cookies), and they ALWAYS made an appearance on my grandmother and mum’s afternoon tea-table, and we also had them popped into our lunch boxes for school. The recipe is SO easy to rustle up and they stay crisp and fresh for up to 5 days in an airtight tin. You can roll them in coconut or oats, I prefer coconut – but I am sure they would be just as nice with oats, which is a suggested alternative. Children and “big children” love these, and they really are melting moments, great with a cuppa English tea.
The recipe is SO easy to rustle up and they stay crisp and fresh for up to 5 days in an airtight tin. You can roll them in coconut or oats, I prefer coconut – but I am sure they would be just as nice with oats, which is a suggested alternative. Children and “big children” love these, and they really are melting moments, great with a cuppa English tea.
I hope you will enjoy my weekly Sepia Saturday and Bake with Be-Ro, if you fancy making any of the recipes I have shared, I will post a linky at the end of my post, and then we can all come to visit your blog for a Be-Ro tea too! One last word, I am on a diet, actually I am always on a diet, but one thing that will become apparent as I bake my way through eighty years of Be-Ro books, is just how “frugal” some of the recipes were – the ingredient weights were less than we are used to today, and a cake or a batch of biscuits were supposed to last a FULL week, maybe we can learn from that rather thrifty attitude! I plan to share what I bake, but, there will be many recipes that are surprisingly LOW on calories, so no need to worry too much if you DO join in! I DID work out the calories if these little treats, and they came in at only 70 calories a biscuit, so NOT bad! That’s it for now, I am off to put the kettle on and have a Melting Moment!
Melting Moments – Biscuits/Cookies
Print recipe
| Serves | 24 small biscuits/cookies |
| Prep time | 5 minutes |
| Cook time | 15 minutes |
| Total time | 20 minutes |
| Allergy | Egg, Tree Nuts, Wheat |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Dessert, Side Dish, Snack |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Freezable, Serve Cold |
| Occasion | Birthday Party, Casual Party, Christmas, Easter |
| Region | British |
| From book | Be-Ro |
Ingredients
- 100g (4ozs) Butter or margarine
- 75g (3ozs) caster sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 150g (5ozs) Self Raising flour
- oats or dessicated coconut
- glacé cherries, quartered
Note
To help shape “ball” type biscuits, slightly dampen the hands before shaping.
Directions
| Step 1 | Heat oven to 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4. Grease two baking trays. |
| Step 2 | Cream the butter or margarine and the sugar until very light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour and mix well. |
| Step 3 | Roll walnut sized pieces of the mixture into balls and toss in rolled oats or desiccated coconut. Place on baking trays, flatten slightly and place a small piece of cherry on each biscuit. |
| Step 4 | Bake for 10-15 minutes. |
Janice says
I was pretty much brought up on Melting Moments! Love all your books and what a lot of fun to bake along, no time this weekend but will try and get to this next week.
Karen says
Me too Janice, brought up on all Be-Ro bakes! NO pressure with the baking along, just a casual bake as and when you can sort of thing! Karen
Choclette says
I so missed out on the whole Be Ro thing, but some of the recipes sound rather similar to my mothers 1960s aga cookbook . I haven’t made melting moment for a very long time, but I used to make them from the recipe in that book – yum!
I’ve probably missed something really stupid here Karen, but I’m not quite sure what you want us to do with this and what the linky is for?
Karen says
I just added the linky in case anyone wants to make the melting moments and then blogs about it, so they can add their link, but it’s a CASUAL thing and I probably won’t get many links, if any at all – it’s just there if anyone wants to bake my Sepia Saturday of the week, which, is melting moments this week! NO commitment, just fun! Karen
Jude A Trifle Rushed says
Wonderful , I frequently made melting moments from my Mother’s good housekeeping book from the 60s, (in the 70s though!) Love the idea of joining in, but will have to wait a few weeks, as I don’t often bake here.
Karen says
NO rush, this is a casual recipe blog hop and those who have time can join in, if not, I am quite happy baking every Saturated! My sister arrives today, so LOTS of cooking and baking going on! Karen
Food Stories says
Sepia Saturday sounds like a great idea 🙂
Karen says
Thanks very much! Karen
rita cooks italian says
I grew up in a family where both my mother and my father were in charge of the kitchen: my sister and I could only watch. My parents love to cook but do not like baking. So I have no melting moment memories… I ‘enjoyed reading your post. I’m looking forward to reading more melting moments/sepia recipes like these biscuits.
Karen says
Thanks Rita, I always assumed, as I have many Italian friends, that children were encouraged to cook as early as possible….I know in France, they help at a very early age, but that is interesting that you were only allowed to watch! Karen
Caro says
I was taught to bake using the Be-Ro cookbooks; it’s what we relied on pre-Delia. My mum always had a copy and made sure I had my own when I had my first home. Melting Moments were a favourite, as were Eccles Cakes and Coffee Kisses! I still bake, just not that often, but may make some of these for nostalgia’s sake. I’m glad you rounded up the 1/2 egg from the original recipe – I wasn’t too sure how I would manage that!
Karen says
I just could not make mine with half an egg, but I suppose in those days that was the norm maybe….I LOVE my Be-Ro books and I always turn to them for the simple classics…..as you say, Pre-Delia days! Thanks Caro! Karen
Anne Wareham says
My mother used that very recipe…I think baking was cheap filling food once? Certainly she baked every week and there were always things like melting moments around.
Which also meant we didn’t ‘scoff’ them – we just had one at tea time. (main meal of the day)
Karen says
My mum still does a bake day Anne and she is in her late 70’s, and I do remember her baking days when I was younger, the table full of home-made bread, and pies, biscuits and cakes, to last the WHOLE week though! Yes, our main meal of the day was also Tea Time too!
Camilla says
Hi Karen
I’ve never tried a plain Melting Moment I recently found an old recipe for Chocolate ones I’d been given by my college cafeteria (story on my blog)! Their’s didn’t use any egg so I wonder what difference this makes to the texture? Anyway I might just do a half and half batch next time and add vanilla to one portion and cocoa to the other I think that would be the best of both worlds! I wouldn’t use dessicated coconut though (it’s my version of peanut butter!)
Karen says
LOL re. dessicated coconut Camilla! Yes, I HAVE seen the chocolate ones before and I will try your recipe if you ever post it/blog it! I think the egg adds a little richness as well as aiding lightness too, and giving an extra rise. Thanks for stopping by…..Karen
Camilla says
Hi Karen, My Chocolate Melting Moments are on my blog (2nd May):-)
Karen says
FAB thanks Camilla, will be over to sample some later!
Emily (@amummytoo) says
These look wonderful. I seem to put every recipe you post on my ‘must try’ list!
Karen says
LOL! Thanks Emily, actually these wee biscuits are not as naughty as some treats! Karen
Fiona Matters says
Found another first in the series today! These look lovely. I’m into making biscuits at the moment. My boyfriend is not so keen on coconut so will have to try these with oats. Shared on twitter.
Maya Russell says
It is a shame we don’t have family meals as much. I think I need to declutter our dining room table used as a dumping ground and use it for what it is intended for!
Vohn says
Yum! There is a saying in our house that a house is not a home without a Be-Ro book! Vohn x
Rebecca Cawte says
I have a Be-Ro book, nice to go back to ‘old-fashioned’ baking books once in a while!
Maya Russell says
Share again on twitter as @maisietoo – https://twitter.com/maisietoo/status/322984945691791360
Tracy Nixon says
Shared via G+
Myr says
These sound amazing! I love coconut! They remind me of a German recipe, Coconut Macaroons (Kokosmakronen), are they anything like those?
Moya says
I have just made your melting moments they are scrumptous and I know they wont last long. Thank you.
Trying to purchase a bero book have you any idea where.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Moya, you should be able to buy a Be-Ro book at Amazon, the latest one, or eBay for the older ones, but, the older ones can be very expensive now, as they are collectable. Karen
S Carpenter says
I ate Melting moment as a child 60 years ago ,and had a Be-Ro little recipe book for years cooking for my children,so glad to have found this site and recipe again.
Karen Burns-Booth says
What wonderful memories and a melting moment is a thing of culinary beauty too…..I’m so glad you found me! Karen
Michael says
my mum used to make them with cornflakes and a blob of jam in the middle. they were awesome!
Karen Burns-Booth says
I’ve seen that method too!
L Lowther says
I was also brought up on melting moments. Very
Healthy if rolled in oats and delicious if you use the flavoured porridge sachets they do now. Golden syrup a big favourite. I hope you cover the basic fruit tea loaf that was a Be-Ro favourite of mine but I seem to have misplaced my book and didn’t have that recipe stuck on the inside of my kitchen cupboard door. Or it fell off. Was a great loaf and lasted for ages but had a fab texture which made slicing so easy. Great with butter or toasted and a cuppa tea
Karen Burns-Booth says
Mum used to make them with oats too, sometimes, as well as crushed cornflakes too. I love my Be-Ro cookbooks 🙂
David says
Just made some melted moments. Just now.. they look really tasty. So very easy to make… just hate doing the washing up afterwards grrrr
Karen Burns-Booth says
The washing up is always a pain! 🙂
Maureen McManus says
Be-Ro recipes by my gran and my mum and my first fake was from my mums Be-Ro recipe book
Melting moments are my fav. Going to try Aussie crunchies today
Maureen says
My first Bake (sorry) should have gone to spec savers lol
Karen Burns-Booth says
Hahahaha! So funny! K x
Karen Burns-Booth says
Ah yes, mine too, my mum showed me how to make them! 🙂 such happy memories, Karen
Gina Filose says
Glad others are reading this in 2020!
I am also brought up on Be Ro recipe books and my kitchen wherever always has one. The latest doesn’t have Australian Crunchies or Chocolate Cake with evaporated milk in the sponge. So am making Australian crunchies Thank you for posting the recipe and I will have to try melting moments when I next manage to get cherries in Lockown!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thank you for your kind comments Gina, I TOTALLY agree that everyone should be reading a BeRo cookbook nowadays! I’m so pleased you can make the recipes you wanted to make using my recipes here. Karen
Julie bird says
Hi my childhood memory Is I used to bake melted moments with my mum in the kitchen on a Saturday afternoon while my dad was at work so when I had children the bero book which got then handed to me and I made them with my sons I still have the book now and my sons ask me always would you make me some melted moments and now my Grandson loves them also and this morning I am actually making some for both my sons and some also to take to my mums these biscuits will always play a big part in my life a very Happy memory
Karen Burns-Booth says
Hi there Julie, I am so pleased this recipe and post has brought back happy memories of BERO baking! Thanks for leaving a comment too, Karen
Doreen Hindmarsh says
Hi Karen I have spent hours on your website. I was born in Newcastle on Tyne 77 years ago and moved to Australia 53 years ago. I have just made your corned beef and potato pie I added two eggs on top of the filling,can’t wait to have it for dinner. I was about to look up Bero melting moments when there it was on your website. I moved into a small apartment 2 years ago and my cook books are stored in my garage. But now I have found you I don’t need them. I made the Australian melting moments last week but they are not the same. So a big thank you.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Hello Doreen,
Lovely to read all about you and where you come from too!
I am also glad you are able to access some of the BeRo recipes via my website too 🙂
Karen