BEFORE cake mix in boxes and frozen pre-made puddings, most meals were made from scratch.

This meant grocery lists filled with ingredients and when home, these were weighed or measured with care and poured into mixing bowls.

It took time but the results were worth the effort.

They were the nannas, aunties, and great-grandmothers quietly shaping the way we eat today.

Their recipes were handwritten on smudged notepads, flour-splattered pages, or stored deep in memory, passed down by taste, smell, and storytelling.

As you are reading this you are probably nodding thinking of a special dish you always ask to be made during family get togethers.

For me it’s two dishes, both made by my mother, Malva Pudding and Cheese Soufflé.

Eat Local Month is coming up and with it, the chance to try some tried and tested recipes prepared by chefs like Daniel Groneberg, Caroline Jones and Richard Ousby.

Here are some of their favourite recipes:

Caroline Jones, chef at Three Girls Skipping

This is her grandmother’s recipe, and she makes it in the same enamel dish she used to make it in.

Gran’s Baked Custard Recipe

250ml cream

300ml milk

Splash of vanilla essence (these days I use Vanilla Bean)

3 whole eggs

2 egg yolks

100g caster sugar

Freshly ground nutmeg (optional)

85g desiccated coconut (optional)

Preheat oven to 160°C. In a saucepan, combine cream, milk, vanilla pod, seeds, and vanilla extract. Bring just to the boil. Remove from heat and allow to stand for several minutes. In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, and caster sugar. Gradually whisk in the cream and milk mixture.

Strain the custard into a pouring jug and allow to stand for several minutes (this allows bubbles to rise so you can spoon them off – it’s visual, not taste-related). Gently pour the custard into a suitable baking dish and place it in a baking tray in the oven. Fill the baking tray with boiling water, so it comes approximately halfway up the side of your baking dish. Bake for 30–40 minutes or until the custard is just set and still slightly wobbly in the middle. Carefully remove from the oven and from the water tray. Allow to cool slightly before serving, or refrigerate until needed.

Do you have a recipe in your family that has been handed down over the generations?

If you’re happy to share, email the recipe and a photo of the result to lara@boonahnewspapers.com.au for a chance to see it published in the Moreton Border News.