Which is the tastiest Protestant traybake?

[FiddleFaddleDingDong]

NI Protestants are famed for their tray bakes but which is the best traybake of all?

I’m thinking something crunchy and chocolatey, a tiffin like thing. But are there unchocolatey traybakes that I just haven’t been exposed to? Are they keeping all the best recipes to themselves, strictly to be eaten behind closed doors?

And does it get a bit competitive? Does Annie cast aspersions on Doris’ traybaking abilities?

@ElevenOhFive I wasn’t there but since my husband’s definition of “scone” would be similar to standard afternoon tea type efforts I imagine they were split with at least butter on, possibly jam but probably not cream. I imagine if they were served en masse they were probably split and just buttered though. I feel like spreading jam on loads of scones for a wake is just too much effort

@horizontilting I’ve just googled them and they sound tasty even if they’re not the ones! Might attempt a batch tomorrow and see if you’ve solved it!!!

Also good are pineapple creams and rocky roads.

Caramel slice is very different to millionaires shortbread here.

Well if you don't like digestives and coconut, you've had it. I really want to talk to DP's big baking Catholic auntie about this thread. She makes individual Bakewell tarts that are amazing. I have to hold back when we visit as I just want to eat everything, but I'd look like a gannet.

@caffeinebuzz I’m dying laughing over here. My (also Catholic) pal from school has confirmed that, indeed, traybakes are a Protestant-only thing, and that “Catholics have buns”. 😂

@FiddleFaddleDingDong they were called something else (not sure what) but my dad had cancer and lost all taste for food especially chocolate but he loved those so I renamed them Johnny's Favourites

My mum had a DUP cookery book (which I now have) and they had the most lovely recipes for everything.

This NI lapsed Protestant now living in London is drowning in traybake nostalgia right now. I married an English Catholic so for the good of future peace I clearly need to introduce the DC to traybakes. I made many many tophats and trays of Fifteens in my yoof. The church fundraising cookbooks cheaply ringbound and stained with tea are indeed the ultimate.

Also, anybody who hasn't watched Derry Girls should go and rectify that immediately. I don't even bother trying to explain when someone asks me what it was like to grow up in NI any more, I just tell them it was Derry Girls without the nuns.

The Donaghadee garden centre tray bakes are huge. You will think they are too big, but think again. You won't want to share one.

The DUP cookbook!

I think that might be a step too far for me! One day I'd be innocently nibbling on a DUP mars bar cake and the next day I'd be shouting No Surrender at my jack russell and swearing that the earth was flat.

On the church point, I'm originally Free Presbyterian so maybe that's why I make lots of tray bakes

Most cafes in NI make massive tray bakes, usually big enough for 2 or more....

@NoParticularPattern just wanted to check, in case he was saying scone but it was actually a flakemeal biscuit or the like. I agree with @horizontilting, they sound like treacle scones to me 😋

Where my family is from we get American Protestant traybakes. I absolutely love these but can never make them for school bake sales due to the nuts. I once found them in a cafe in Scotland and was so excited. www.allrecipes.com/recipe/63959/magic-cookie-bars-from-eagle-brand/

my dad had cancer and lost all taste for food especially chocolate but he loved those so I renamed them Johnny's Favourites

That is lovely though and has brought a tear to my eye!

anyone for Wonder Bites, from my Granny's copy of the GB Queen's Silver Jubille Cookbook?
4oz icing sugar
3oz coconut
2oz chopped walnuts (I'd leave these out)
2ozs butter
3 oz cherries (glace obviously as the real thing has not been spotten in NI in 1977)
6oz chocolate
1 tsp coffee esssence (urgh, think you can leave that out)

cream butter and sugar, whiz in everything else except choc, make into balls, drop in melted choc, bob's your unce!

@NoParticularPattern

Was it maybe a bran scone?

This is making me all nostalgic, and I'm about to go and watch the new episode of Derry Girls.

I missed out a bit on traybakes because due to divorce and stuff I was Protestant but raised by (non-practising) Catholics. And my Protestant granny was actually from New York, so was better at cocktails than traybakes.

I still got top hats at birthday parties, so maybe they cross the sectarian divide.

It's Lent, folks

Somewhere I've got some pages from the PTA cookbook from my English Catholic secondary school - there's an apple ginger tray bake which although lovely is Dutch.

@ichbineinstasumer I have a GB recipe too with Wonder Bites in it! Recipes all done with a typewriter and a blue cover??

Piglet89
".......Catholics have buns."
Tell me about it
Feckin fairy cakes with nothing on them usually - once in a wonder you'd get icing!!
My Catholic mother never made a tray bake in her life but won medals for her brown bread.

I think that might be a step too far for me! One day I'd be innocently nibbling on a DUP mars bar cake and the next day I'd be shouting No Surrender at my jack russell and swearing that the earth was flat.

😂😂 I cannot stop laughing at this, nearly woke up dd. Am disappointed that MIL doesn't seem to make these tray bakes. Next time we visit NI I will be adding tray bakes to my list as well as club lemon!

They're unbaked? Does no-one get food poisoning?

Why would you get food poisoning from biscuits, condensed milk and dessicated coconut? (Aka the holy trinity of ingredients.)

My favourite is an almond slice. I'm also partial to a caramel square, Cyprus Avenue do an amazing Caramel square (use Valharona chocolate which makes them not too sweet). I don't like glace cherries and hate fifteens.

But I grew up on buns. I love a good bun with raisins.

NI protestant here lol, best is the mint chocolate - layer of fine chocolate cornflake cake (blitz the cornflakes first), layer of mint creme, layer of chocolate. Bliss!

Protestant traybakes are the best. Maybe someone upthread has already posted it but I stumbled on this when looking for recipes - not sure if i can make a clicky link but here goes - www.fahanchurch.org/recepies.htm