[ecky]

Can someone please tell me what the equivalent amount of golden syrup would be for 4 oz sugar.
I'm trying to recreate a fruit loaf my mother used to make us kids 1955-1960. It was her mothers recipe ,(now lost), when she was young during WW2

The nearest I have got is Bara Brith but with the sugar and fruit reduced by half. My taste memory tells me it is very close.
She recalls the steeping of the fruit in tea and insists that her mother used syrup instead of sugar because of rationing.
Thanks

[allotmentann]

I always used to use a tablespoon for an ounce as a child. I think a level tablespoon is roughly an ounce with something like syrup.  If you mean can you sustitute syrup for sugar I am not sure, it may change the texture etc of the cake altogether. But if I were going to try a substitution I would try with the same weight of syrup as called for of sugar and experiment.
Have you tried googling fruit cake golden syrup recipes? You may come up with something closer?

[allotmentann]

Something like this:
https://sites.google.com/site/oakcottagerecipes/irish-boiled-fruit-cake
 

Strangely, a few mintes ago whilst reading a book, it said that golen syrup is 40% sweeter than sugar, if that helps.

[ecky]

Thanks allotmentann.  It was the equivant amount of syrup to replace suger I needed.
I'm sure this will alter consistency and taste but I have to try it as my mother is adamant that syrup was used during war time. Proof of the pudding is taste so we will see.
Thankyou.

[mumofstig]

This site may help 
http://www.sugarindia.com/golden.htm

[ecky]

thanks to both of you. Have settled for basic bara brith with half amount of fruit and used 2 tbl of golden syrup instead of sugar and then waiting 3/4 days before eating.

I have another memory of a fish pie at school about 1964/5 that I have tried to replicate and failed. It was served in those oblong aliminium trays 2.5cm deep?(10 servings) with a pastry base. Mashed potato was served on the side with tinned chopped tomatoes.

I feel it was an oily fish. Have tried Mackeral/pilchards but all attempts have turned out to dry.
Tuna is not dark enough. any thoughts?

ecky

[allotmentann]

No, sorry. I think a lot of school meals were quite regional and I don't think that we had anything remotely like that. Interestingly, now you have mentioned it, I don't remember there ever being any kind of fish on the menu. Perhaps someone more local will know, it might be worth starting a new thread so that people see it.
Do let us know whether the cake tastes as you remember it.