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Autumn, the Season of the Witch
As this is the September issue Mabon will be the theme in this Witch's Kitchen.
I have always loved Fall. I really only put up with the other three seasons because without them you can't have Fall. All of the other Seasons just kind of creep up on you but not Autumn. The changes are every where. In the colors on the trees, in the smells of the plants and in the crispness of the air. It really bothers me when stores put out holiday decorations and the upcoming season's items months in advance, and put them on sale at the same time but not with Autumn. I just can't wait. I love it when I can walk into a store in August and find Fall leaves, scarecrows and pumpkins. So, on with Mabon.
Mabon is the second Harvest Festival during the Wheel of the Year. It's the time for late grains to be harvested. The grapes are nearly bursting. Apples are ready and in my kitchen Mabon signals the start of my baking season. Don't get me wrong. I bake all year 'round it just that I feel alive in Fall and at Mabon I bake my ritual pumpkin cookies. My pumpkin cookies let everyone know they'll be letting out their belts soon as I bake on a daily basis pretty much from Mabon until some time in February when I slow down again. So what you will find in this article will be some of my Coven’s favorite Mabon recipes. Please enjoy them and if you have any of your own you’d like to share please email them to me. That is unless you all want to see the same recipes for Mabon next year. Please send any of your Thanksgiving and Yule recipes now as I will start working on those issues soon and not just those, send any Sabbat and or holiday recipes you are willing to share for any time of the year. I like being a bit ahead of the game. You can email me at dea7887@yahoo.com
Till next month,
Carpe Noctum,
Dea, of The Descendants of the Flame
We will have many pumpkin recipes in November but these pumpkin cookies, apart from being part of my beginning of the season baking ritual are part of our Coven’s Mabon Ritual. The magical attributes of some of the ingredients that are used in the individual recipe will follow the ingredients list for that recipe. I think it is important to know the magical reasons why we make what we do. Sometimes that reason is just because that’s what my family does. But for most Sabbat recipes you can always find a magical reason.
Mabon- Twincredible Pumpkin Cookies
I first started making these pumpkin cookies when I was pregnant with my twin sons Neeko and David. It seemed as if I couldn't get enough of them. I made batch after batch. They are still my favorite cookie and as it turns out Neeko and David love them to as do most people who've tried them. I usually make a double or "twin" batch.
Ingredients
2 1/2 C. unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 C. unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 C. superfine sugar
1 C. canned pumpkin, save the rest for the glaze recipe
1 jumbo egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla
1 C. rolled oats
1 C. raisins
glaze
Magical attributes
Pumpkin- fertility and plenty
cinnamon- protection and love
oats - prosperity
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pie spice in a medium bowl. Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla. Beat until light and creamy. Mix in dry ingredient mixture until well blended. Stir in rolled oats and raisins, being careful not to work too much.
Drop by 1/2 tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet, cookies don't spread too much. Smooth tops of cookies. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F. for 10 to 15 minutes. Don't let cookies get too brown on bottoms. Cool on wire racks. Top each cookie with glaze.
GLAZE- Combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons softened butter, 1 tablespoon milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and 1 tablespoon canned pumpkin. Mix until smooth. If too runny add more powdered sugar, if too thick add a bit of milk, if not too flavorful add a bit more pie spice.
I tend to make the glaze thicker so I can spread it on the cooled cookies. If you want a thin coating dip the cookie tops into the glaze while they are still slightly warm.
Mabon- Pumpking Pecan Bread
This is a nice Fall recipe. Good for Thanksgiving which is just an extension of our Mabon celebrations. Had the Pilgrims known what and when to plant in the “New World” they would have celebrated with their families in the “Old World” during Mabon.
Ingredients
3 jumbo eggs
1 1/2 C. super fine sugar
1 1/2 C. canned pumpkin
1 C. plus 2 T. vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla
2 1/4 C. unbleached all-purp. Flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
scant 1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
3/4 C. chopped pecans, toasted
Magical Properties
Pumpkin- fertility and plenty
Pecan- prosperity
cinnamon- protection and love
Sift together dry ingredients, set aside. Beat together eggs and sugar. Add pumpkin, oil and vanilla mix well. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, taking care not to over work. Add pecans. Bake in a greased loaf pan at 350 degrees F. for about an hour.
Mabon- Apple Doodles
This recipe has fast become a Fall favorite. They are perfect for Mabon celebrations, where the Apple reigns supreme.
Ingredients
3/2 C. butter-flavored Crisco
1 C. superfine sugar
1 jumbo egg
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 C. granny smith apple, peeled and finely diced
3/4 C. walnuts, chopped
Magical attributes
Apple- love, beauty and healing
cinnamon- protection and love
Walnuts - longevity and abundance
Cream Crisco and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and stir half into the creamed mixture. Stir in apples, nuts and remaining dry mixture.
Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 13 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Mabon- Pecan Pie Cake
One of the first trees we planted in our backyard was our Pecan tree. And outside of pumpkins what says Fall more that pecans do?
3 C. pecans, finely chopped, toasted and divided
1/2 C. butter, softened
1/2 C. crisco, room temp
2 C. superfine sugar
5 large eggs, separated
3/4 C. dark corn syrup
Pecan Pie Filling
Pastry Garnish
Magical attributes
Pecan- prosperity
Vanilla- protection and purification
Eggs-life, creation, birth and rebirth
Make Pecan Pie Filling and chill for 4 hours. PECAN PIE FILLING:1/2 C. dark brown sugar, packed3/4 C. dark corn syrup1/3 C. cornstarch4 egg yolks1 1/2 C. half-and-half1/8 tsp. sea salt3 T. butter1 tsp. pure vanilla extract.Whisk together first 6 ingredients in a heavy saucepan until smooth. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat and boil 1 minute or until thickened, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and butter. Place wax paper on top of filling to prevent a film forming and chill for 4 hours.
CAKE: Sprinkle 2 cups pecans evenly into 3 generously buttered 9-inch round cake pans; shake to coat bottoms and sides of pans. Beat butter and shortening at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Combine flour and baking soda. Add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in remaining 1 cup pecans. Beat egg whites at medium speed until stiff peaks form and fold one-third of egg whites into batter. Fold in remaining egg whites taking care not to over mix. Pour batter into pans. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25 minutes or until cakes test done. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes and then invert layers onto wax pater-lined wire racks. Brush tops and sides of layers with corn syrup and cool completely. Spread half of Pecan Pie Fillin on 1 layer, pecan side up. Place second layer, pecan side up, on filling and spread with remaining filling. Top with remaining layer, pecan side up. Decorate with pastery garnish.
PASTERY GARNISH:1 package refrigerated piecrusts1 large egg1 T. water24 pecan halves. Unfold piecrusts and cut 8 to 10 fall leaves. With a knife cut veins in the dough without cutting all the way through. Whisk egg and water together and brush the tops of the leaves. Place leaves on balls of aluminum foil that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees F. for about 7 minutes or until golden brown. Let cook for 10 minutes before removing from foil balls. Pinch 12 pea-size pieces from pastry trimmings. Place between pecan halves forming sandwiches. Wray other scraps around the pecan sandwiches so that they look like pecans still in the shell. You want about one third of the pecans to show as if the nuts had just been cracked open. Brush with egg/water mixture and bake at 350 degrees F. for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.
author: Dea