I have emails in my Gmail inbox from Spends2Much from November 2007, October 2008, and again October 2009 trying to get people organized to sign up for the Visions of Sugarplums workshop at Dundurn Castle in Hamilton. After two years of not being able to get into the little workshop, this year we finally got in, with 6 people, no less! According to Wikipedia, a sugarplum is “a piece of dragée candy that is made of sugar and shaped in a small round or oval shape”. How cute does that sound? Therefore, with my own visions of sparkling fairy lights and candies in a fancy castle, I was super excited to make these legendary candies this morning.
We got to the castle, and were warned before descending to the basement (the servants’ quarters) about how dark it is down there. They weren’t kidding. However, it was totally quaint and cute and full of kitchen gadgets and a cool oven/stove thing that I think is referred to just as the “hearth”. We got to use the hearth for our baking. I could totally get used to baking in the dark with a hearth.
The hearth! And a pump! I don’t think any of us heard any explanation on the pump – it was too cool of a novelty for us to notice what the worse alternative might’ve been.
Sugar in a packaged in a cone! A cup measure was actually a tea cup!
Under gas lights and candles, we read the recipes of the day: gingerbread, shortbread, pudding, other British-sounding desserts. Finally, Lori piped up for all of us: “Where are the sugarplums?”
Oh, it’s a misnomer. Yes, they apologize, but they will change it next year. O-kay then, we were a little disappointed, but we were also immediately distracted by the Ginger Pudding – something that is tied up into a cheesecloth ball and boiled. Seriously, that goes against everything we know about having ovens on for hours during baking marathons over the holidays, so we had to try it!
Many inappropriate comments were made about these balls prior to dropping them in the boiling water on the hearth. When they came out, it was even funnier with the steam. Schwetty balls, anyone?
These tasted like semi-cooked wet dough, full of ginger and brown sugar and butter. Nothing wrong with that, especially with a buttery brown sugar and cider glaze!
We also made Scottish shortbread with one of these fancy Springerle molds, and as if that didn’t offer enough butter, we also made flaky cheesy cookies.
Afterwards, we did a tour of the castle. First of all, not a real castle – a large estate is more like it. The castle was decorated for Christmas, and it was neat to see some of the traditions being observed in Victorian times.
I thought this tree looked kind of tacky at first, but now, looking at this picture, it makes me happy.
That’s right, the original Easy Bake oven!!!!! This one probably functioned better than a lightbulb, too.
This totally reminded me of James Garfield.
Being silly with the cookies after they were done – love the sugar high!
It was a fun time, but a little part of me feels unfulfilled about not having anything in my bag about sugarplums. I have located a recipe from Saveur.com that I would like to try before Christmas. I’ll keep you posted!
Wow how cool is that!
Looks reaaaally yummy :)