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My Christmas Baking
Former Member
Owl WhispererPosts: 1,020 Wise Owl
I've always loved our kitchens home and away, and what better than baking on a rainy day? Or a snowy day. Here are some wonderful recipes I've made and they're easy. Let's start with Homemade Mincemeat.
Ideally, mincemeat for pies is best left to mature at least 6 months, but making some now will still taste great.
Our Homemade Mincemeat - Recipe 1
500g dried fruit – heavy on the currants and raisins
About 3 dessert apples, peeled, cored and finely diced
150g mixed peel (it pays to splash out on the best-quality peel you can find), finely diced
Zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
The juice of ½ lemon
¾ tsp each ground cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon
150g dark soft brown sugar
125ml brandy or rum, plus more to top up
75g suet, if you like use vegetable suet, but beef suet's best. I use Atora brand
Put everything in a big bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed through. The tradition is that everyone in the family, plus any stray friends who have wandered in to watch the ceremony, should now give the mix a stir, starting with mum and finishing with the littlest.
Have ready some large, clean jars, sterilised in a hot oven for 20 minutes and cooled. Spoon in the mixture so that it's well packed in and just 2cm from the top. Pop on the lids and keep somewhere cool, then each week add a few tablespoons of brandy to make it really potent.
Ideally, mincemeat for pies is best left to mature at least 6 months, but making some now will still taste great.
Our Homemade Mincemeat - Recipe 1
500g dried fruit – heavy on the currants and raisins
About 3 dessert apples, peeled, cored and finely diced
150g mixed peel (it pays to splash out on the best-quality peel you can find), finely diced
Zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
The juice of ½ lemon
¾ tsp each ground cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon
150g dark soft brown sugar
125ml brandy or rum, plus more to top up
75g suet, if you like use vegetable suet, but beef suet's best. I use Atora brand
Put everything in a big bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed through. The tradition is that everyone in the family, plus any stray friends who have wandered in to watch the ceremony, should now give the mix a stir, starting with mum and finishing with the littlest.
Have ready some large, clean jars, sterilised in a hot oven for 20 minutes and cooled. Spoon in the mixture so that it's well packed in and just 2cm from the top. Pop on the lids and keep somewhere cool, then each week add a few tablespoons of brandy to make it really potent.
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This recipe is very lovely, but needs to keep to let them flavours marry.
1kg plums, halved and stoned
Finely grated zest and juice of 2-3 oranges (you need 200ml juice)
500g russet apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1cm cubes
200g currants
200g raisins
200g sultanas
100g orange marmalade
250g demerara sugar
½ tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground ginger
½ nutmeg, grated
50ml ginger wine or cordial (optional)
100g chopped walnuts
50ml brandy or sloe gin
Put the plums and orange juice in a pan, cook gently for 15 minutes, until tender, then purée.
Pour into a bowl with all the other ingredients except the alcohol, mix, cover and leave to stand for 12 hours.
Preheat the oven to 110C/225F/gas mark ½.
Put the mincemeat in a large baking dish and bake for two to two and a half hours.
Stir in the booze, spoon into sterilised jars, seal and store in a dry, dark, cool place until Christmas. Use within 12 months.
Try not to eat it straight out of the jar.
* See Crumble Mince Pies recipe below using these ingredients
4 medium Bramley apples, cored and finely diced (add a little lemon juice to prevent browning)
2 lemons, zested and squeezed
2 oranges, zested and squeezed
400g raisins
400g currants
200g dried cranberries
250g suet (vegetarian if you prefer)
500g soft brown sugar
100g candied orange peel finely chopped
100g chopped almonds
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 nutmeg, grated
125ml brandy or Cognac1
100ml Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
Crumble Mince Pies for above
These crumble slices come as a welcome alternative to regular mince pies. You can buy good-quality mincemeat in the shops, but it is more satisfying to make it yourself. The recipe below (and its ingredients above) will produce five or six jars worth. You should prepare the mincemeat several weeks in advance to give it time to mature.
Makes 16-20 squares or bars
For the crumble
300g shortbread biscuits, crushed
40g unsalted butter
For the pastry
200g plain flour
75g butter
50g icing sugar
1 and 1/2 large eggs
a couple of drops of real vanilla essence. Do not use artificial vanilla essence. It's horrible.
To make the mincemeat, combine all the ingredients except the alcohol in a large mixing bowl. Transfer to a greased baking dish with a lid, cover and leave for an hour or two while the flavours meld. Preheat the oven to 120C/gas 1/2; and bake for 3 or 4 hours. Leave to cool, but stir from time to time. When cool, stir in the alcohol and immediately pot it up in sterile jars.
To make the crumble, mix the crushed biscuits and butter in a bowl until you can't see the butter anymore. To make the pastry, rub the flour, butter and icing sugar together in a large bowl with the tips of your fingers. Then stir in the eggs and vanilla essence with a spoon. Turn the pastry out onto the work surface and lightly knead. Mould it into a ball and store in the fridge until needed.
Preheat the oven to 180C. In the meantime roll the pastry into a rectangle and place on a large greased baking sheet. Spread a layer of mincemeat about 11/2;-2cm deep onto the rolled pastry, and sprinkle with the crumble.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Cut into slices while still warm, but leave them on the tray until they have cooled or they may fall apart.
Nigel says
"A simple tart yet one that is also thoroughly festive. I serve this as a Christmas dessert, with cream, but it works as a cake, too. In which case I would serve it strudel-style, with coffee and whipped cream on the side. Serves six."
cooking apples - 400g
caster sugar - 2 heaped tbs
puff pastry - 500g
mincemeat - 400g
beaten egg
Peel the apples, core them and cut them into smallish pieces. Put into a wet saucepan with 2 heaped spoonfuls of sugar and leave to simmer gently until the sugar has melted and the apples are tender but not quite collapsed.
Set the oven at 200°C/gas 6.
Cut the pastry in half and roll out each half to measure 36 x 16 cm. Place one half on a non-stick baking sheet, or one lined with baking paper, then place the mincemeat in a wide line down the centre of the pastry, leaving a margin around the rim.
Place the apples on top, (any juice should be left in the pan) then brush the edges of the pastry with some of the beaten egg.
Lay the second piece of pastry on top pressing the edges firmly to seal. Trim any ragged edges, crimp them with a fork if you wish, then decorate with any trimmings of pastry if the mood takes you.
Brush with more of the beaten egg, cut four or five small slits in the top of the pastry, then bake for about 25-35 minutes till golden and crisp. Serve warm, with cream.
This cake is by Philippa Davenport written for The Times, an old recipe of mummy's.
Jules says you can put marzipan on top to the thickness of your liking. This recipe she made has 5 cm of thick yellow marzipan, so you can guess who likes it.
Makes a 1.8Kg / 4lb cake, not including marzipan.
285g (10 oz) fine wholemeal or plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
half a teaspoon ground cloves
225g (8 oz) unsalted butter
225g (8 oz) light brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons honey
225g (8 oz) stoned muscatel or Lexia raisins
225g (8 oz) currants
110g (4 oz) chopped nuts, almonds, pecans or hazels
110g (4 oz) glacé cherries, quartered or use glacé fruit of your choice
110g (4 oz) glacé fruit: pineapple, peaches, plums etc, chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped candied orange peel
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
120ml (4 fl oz) fine brandy, Cognac or whisky
Butter a round cake tin 20cm (8-inch) diameter x 7.5cm (3-inch) deep, and line it with buttered baking parchment or greaseproof paper.
Sift together the flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and set the mixture aside.
Cream the butter in a large bowl, beating it until it is pale and fluffy before adding the sugar. Beat until the mixture is very light.
In another bowl whisk the eggs with the honey and beat this, a little at a time, into the butter mixture, adding a spoonful of flour with the last few additions of egg to lessen the likelihood of the mixture curdling, otherwise the mixture will curdle.
In another bowl, combine the raisins, sultanas, currants, glacé cherries, glacé fruit, candied peel and nuts. Add a couple of spoonfuls of the flour and toss to mix, then add the grated zest. Mix it well.
Next, fold the remaining flour into the creamed mixture, followed by the fruit and nuts and finally the spirits.
Mix very thoroughly to distribute all the ingredients evenly then turn into the prepared tin.
With the back of a spoon, make a shallow impression in the centre of the cake so that when the mixture has finished rising, the top will be almost level.
Bake the cake in a preheated cool oven: 150C / 300F / Gas Mark 2 for one and a half hours before reducing the heat to 140C / 275F / Gas Mark 1 and baking it for another 2 hours, or until a skewer plunged into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
If the cake browns too quickly, cover the top loosely with foil. And do check from time to time to see how it is doing. Let the cake cool completely before taking it out of the tin and stripping off the papers. Store it in an airtight container
200g sultanas
200g currants
150g dried apricots, finely diced
150g prunes, diced
150g raisins
60g candied peel
60g dried cherries or cranberries
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
Grated zest of 1 lemon
200ml apple brandy
110g hazelnuts, roasted, papery skins removed and roughly chopped
200g unsalted butter
100g light muscovado sugar
80g dark muscovado sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
250g plain flour
1 heaped tsp mixed spice
¼ of a nutmeg, grated
¼ tsp salt
90g stem ginger, finely chopped
To decorate
300g whole dried fruits, such as figs, apricots, apple slices, cherries
120g nuts, such as hazelnuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, almonds
150g warm apricot jam, strained
Put the first nine ingredients in a bowl, add the brandy, stir, cover and leave for 48 hours.
Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/gas mark 1.
Grease a round 22-24cm x 9cm, loose-bottomed cake tin, and line with parchment to come 4cm above the sides.
Pulse half the hazelnuts until very fine, add a quarter of the boozy fruit and blend to a thick purée.
Beat the butter and sugars till fluffy, then beat in the eggs one by one (if it begins to curdle, add a little flour).
Sieve the flour, spices and salt, then stir gently into the batter.
Fold in the purée, nuts, soaked fruit and ginger, spoon into the tin, smooth and bake for two to two and a quarter hours, until a skewer comes out clean. (If it browns before it's done, cover with parchment.)
Leave to cool in the tin, then remove and wrap in a double layer of foil.
Store in a cool, dry place, feeding it with a glug of brandy every two weeks. A day or so before the big day, brush with warm apricot glaze, lay the fruit and nuts on top, and glaze again. Store in an airtight container.
Very addictive.
Serves about 4. Very easy to make. Nuts are highly nutritious.
200g blanched almonds
200g walnuts
200g macadamia nuts
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
200g pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp pale honey
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp rosemary, finely chopped
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 level tsp cayenne pepper - be careful with cayenne, it can be very hot! 1 level teaspoon should be enough.
Salt and black pepper
Preheat the oven to 190C/gas 5.
Put the almonds on one baking tray and the walnuts and macadamia nuts on another and bake for about 5 minutes, or until the almonds and macadamias have turned a pale golden colour. The almonds might take a little less time than the other nuts.
Turn the oven down to its lowest setting. Tip one lot of nuts into the other and line the empty baking tray with foil. Meanwhile, heat a dry frying pan, add the fennel and cumin seeds and toss them for a few minutes. Remove, put in a pestle and mortar and roughly grind them. It doesn't matter if there are still some whole seeds. Now put the pan back on the heat, add the pumpkin seeds and toast for a few minutes over a medium heat.
Add the honey, oil, rosemary, spices and nuts and stir continuously until the nuts are evenly coated with the spices and the honey has started to caramelize.
Season with 1-2 level teaspoons of sea salt.
Lay the nuts out on the lined baking tray, put back into the oven for a few minutes, then remove from the oven and leave on the tray to cool. They will keep in an airtight container for a good week or two.
Use to munch for those hungry moments or serve with drinks in the evening.
I'm so happy your liking the recipes, Aife. Now here's some more! :wave:
Cheesy Biscuits are yummy over Christmas time
These are addictively delicious in my family and very simple to make. Use this recipe as your starting point, and adapt it to use up whichever hard cheese you have left over in the fridge - some grated goat's cheese and a sprinkling of thyme leaves, for example. Or what about pecorino cheese with a little finely chopped rosemary? This is very good. You could add a pinch of caraway or cumin seeds, too, if you like. This also is a great way to encourage young cooks to explore and recognise the flavour of different spices.
One super cheese is Davidstowe mature cheddar. Its flavour shines through these biscuits. Cheese straws also.
Makes 20-24.
125g unsalted butter, cubed
125g cheddar, grated
3 tbsp grated parmesan or hard goat's cheese
150g plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
½ tsp caraway seeds, coarsely ground (optional)
2 tsp yogurt
a couple of grinds of black pepper
Pulse everything in a food processor until it comes together into a ball, then turn out on to a floured surface and knead for a minute or two. (Alternatively, sift the flour, cayenne and bicarb into a bowl, rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs, then stir in the cheeses and pepper. Beat in the yogurt and then knead as above.)
Form the kneaded dough into a disc, wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it's about 3-4mm thick, then cut into rounds with a 5-6cm round cutter or a wine glass. Place on baking sheets lined with baking parchment and bake for 10 minutes, until golden. Cool on a wire rack.
Makes: 24
Prep time: 20 minutes plus chilling time
Cooking time: 15 minutes
225g / 8oz plain flour
a pinch of sea salt
25g / 1oz walnuts (bashed in a bag with a rolling pin to grind)
25g / 1oz sunflower seeds
75g / 3oz butter, chilled
75g / 3oz extra mature Davidstowe Cheddar, grated
2 medium egg yolks
2 tablespoons cold water
Sieve the flour and salt into a medium size bow and stir in sunflower seeds and roughly ground walnuts.
Coarsely grate the butter into the flour along with the cheese.
Add egg yolks and water and combine together using a fork and then by hand.
Transfer mix onto a work surface lightly dusted with flour and knead until smooth.
Roll out in an approximate rectangle to the thickness of about 2.5 cm.
Cut into even pencil length strips and carefully transfer to a baking sheet lined with baking parchment using a palette knife or spatula.
Bake at 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 until golden brown in colour and crisp.
Cool on baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes to harden before transferring to a cooling tray.
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. But they won't stay there.
The recipe was adapted from Gourmet November 2006: http://orangette.net/2006/11/special-occasions-special-measures/
Be sure to use a tasty cheddar, one that you would happily eat on its own. Makes 100, but they are not nearly enough!
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ lb sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (on the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor fitted with the shredding attachment)
1 large egg yolk
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp dried mustard
¾ tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper, coarsely cracked in a mortar and pestle
1 tsp caraway seeds
Combine the butter, cheese, and yolk in the bowl of a food processor, and blend until smooth. The mixture may seem very thick and lumpy and cement-like at first, but persevere, stopping the machine and scraping down the sides as needed; it will eventually come together into a smooth, thick paste. When it does, add the flour, dried mustard, and salt, and pulse until just combined. Transfer the dough to a sheet of wax paper, and divide it into three portions. [Do not clean the food processor yet.]
Return one portion to the food processor, add the pepper, and pulse until combined well. Transfer the dough to another sheet of parchment paper. Using the paper as an aid, shape the dough into a log roughly 7 inches in length and 1 ½ inches thick. Roll up the log in the paper, and twist the ends to seal it closed.
Now clean the processor and dry it well. Make another log on a separate sheet of wax paper in the same manner, using caraway seeds instead of pepper. Place the final, unseasoned portion of dough on another sheet of wax paper, and make it into a log as well. Chill the logs until firm, about 2 hours.
When you’re ready to bake the crisps, put an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Unwrap one log and using a paring knife, cut enough thin slices – about 1/8 inch thick – from it to cover the baking sheet, arranging the slices about 1 inch apart. Bake the crisps until their edges are golden, about 10-12 minutes. Transfer them on the parchment to a rack, and cool them slightly, about 15 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Serve crackers warm or at room temperature.
Note: The dough can be chilled, wrapped in foil or a plastic bag, for a week or frozen for up to two months. The crackers can be baked a few days ahead and cooled completely, then stored in an airtight container at room temperature. If you like, you can reheat them on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven for about 5 minutes.
I found the recipe here. http://www.lifelovefood.co/baked-stuffed-apples-mele-al-forno/
To make Stuffed Apples with Spices and Nuts is very easy though the recipe calls for pink lady or fuji apples, any will do. Don't cook them in the microwave to save time. They are not nearly as tasty and could make your day if they explode. :rolleyes:
Ingredients
4 fuji or pink lady apples
4 tbsp dried raisins
2 tbsp rum or grappa
4 tbsp walnuts, chopped
4 tbsp almonds, chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon
240 ml/ 1 cup fresh squeezed apple juice (not the clear one)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp dark brown sugar (muscovado)
Preheat the oven to 180C/350°.
Soak the raisins in liqueur for 10 minutes. Cut the top off each apple and core them (set the tops aside). In a small bowl, add the soaked raisins with their liquid, walnuts, almonds and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, heat apple juice with the vanilla until simmering. Put the apples in a baking pan and stuff them with the fruit and nut mix. Pour over the apple juice and sprinkle them with sugar. Close them with their own tops.
Bake for about 1 hour, or until their flesh is tender, basting with the cooking liquid every 15 minutes or so. Serve warm with a couple of spoonfuls of their cooking juices.
Stem ginger, tangerine and clementines are popular in my family, so for this recipe I've slightly increased the fruit level and added a soft, festive frosting. The cake will keep unfrosted for a day or two wrapped in foil, and 24 hours or so once iced. Serves eight.
Note. Though self-raising flour already has bicarbonate of soda in it, this recipe needs a little extra extra if it's to be lighter in texture.
self-raising flour - 250g
ground ginger - 2 level tsp
ground cinnamon - ½ tsp
bicarbonate of soda - 1 level tsp
a pinch of salt
golden syrup - 200g
syrup from the ginger jar - 2 tbs
butter - 125g
stem ginger in syrup - 3 large lumps (about 60g)
sultanas - 4 heaped tbs
dark muscovado sugar - 125g
milk - 225ml
large eggs - 2
For the frosting:
butter - 125g
cream cheese - 300ml
icing sugar - 300g
3 clementines or other tight-skinned small citrus fruits
You will need a square cake tin measuring approximately 20-22 cm in diameter, lined on the bottom with baking or greaseproof paper.
Set the oven at 180°C/gas 3. Sieve the flour with the ginger, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda and the salt. Put the golden and ginger syrups and the butter into a small saucepan and warm over a low heat. Dice the ginger finely then add it to the pan with the sultanas and sugar. Let the mixture bubble gently for a minute, giving it the occasional stir to stop the fruit sticking on the bottom.
Break the eggs into a bowl, pour in the milk and beat gently to break up the egg and mix it into the milk. Remove the butter and sugar mixture from the heat and pour into the flour, stirring smoothly and firmly with a large metal spoon. Mix in the milk and eggs. The mixture should be sloppy, with no trace of flour.
Scoop the mixture into the non-stick or lined cake tin and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer, inserted into the centre of the cake, comes out clean. Leave the cake in its tin to cool then tip out onto a sheet of greaseproof paper. Wrap it up again in foil and leave to mature for a day or two before eating.
For the frosting, put the butter in the bowl of a food mixer and beat till soft. Mix in the cream cheese and then the sugar and the grated zest of two of the clementines.
Spread the mixture over the top of the cake, grating over the zest of the remaining clementine and decorate as you wish.
Jules being typically Spanish has a huge fondness for oranges. In our outhouse where fruit and veg are kept cool (and mice free), she keeps several cartons of yummy Spanish oranges. Today she's gone home to Majorca to bring back more culinary goodies plus band equipment.
For this lovely sipper you need a good Merlot for this, often found in a decent bottle of Spanish Rioja, like a plummy reserva or even a gran reserva often found very good value in Asda. Also, use Demerara golden caster sugar because the sugar's taste improves the oranges making them taste lush and sweet and very moreish.
You can use cinnamon ice cream to accompany this dish which is recommended by Julie which I will post in a minute.
Spanish Oranges in Wine recipe.
5 oranges
1 glass of red wine - the decent stuff like a nice Merlot
2 cloves
1 stick of cinnamon
1 cup of whipped cream
2 tbsp sugar
1. Peel 4 of the oranges and cut into thin round slices
2. Squeeze half an orange - set aside
3. Place the peel from half an orange, the cloves, the cinnamon stick, juice from half the orange and the sugar in a pan and heat slowly
4. Remove the orange peel, cloves and cinnamon stick from the liquid and add the wine - continue heating for a few minutes
5. Place the orange slices in a serving dish and pour the liquid over the oranges - refrigerate before serving
Ice cream in Spain is rarely served as a dessert at home. Rather, it is a decadent treat found at sidewalk cafés and in restaurants either in Majorca where we also live, or mainland Spain. Likewise, ice cream stands are common sight around Spain in the summer, especially throughout beach towns like Can Picafort in the north-east of our island.
Recreate the feeling of a lazy-dreamy afternoon at the café with this cinnamon flavoured ice cream. Delicious yet light, it is easy to see why this is such a Spanish summertime favourite and is very moreish.
Serves 4
30 minutes preparation, 15 minutes cooking plus chilling time
Difficulty: Medium, but I think it's easier.
Ingredients:
4 cups (30 fl. oz) milk
1 cinnamon stick, about 4 inches long
1 strip lemon rind, about 3 to 4 inches long
6 medium egg yolks
1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 oz) sugar
Sprigs of fresh mint, to decorate
How To Make
In a medium saucepan, heat 2 cups (15 fl. oz) of the milk with the cinnamon stick and lemon rind. Allow to simmer gently, then remove from heat and set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks well. Add the remaining milk and sugar, combining thoroughly.
Add the egg mixture to the saucepan with the milk, cinnamon stick, and lemon rind.
Heat the mixture and allow to simmer, stirring continuously. Make sure that the mixture does not come to a boil.
With a slotted spoon, remove and discard the cinnamon stick and lemon rind.
Allow to cool then freeze the mixture until it reaches a creamy consistency.
Serve in individual dessert glasses and decorate with mint.
This dessert is comforting and often grabbed from the fridge late at night when mummy isn't around or one of my sisters to tell on me. Crema Catalana is moreish because of its crackly crisp, caramelized topping. Sweet Catalan cream, however, is not as heavy or rich as its French cousin, and thus makes a more pleasant ending to a heavy turkey dinner and is a pleasant alternative to those equally heavy and alcohol laden Christmas puds.
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Quite easy though you will need a little patience
Preparation time: 30 min
Ingredients:
2 cups (15 fl. oz) milk
1 cinnamon stick
Rind of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 medium egg yolks
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup (7 oz) superfine sugar
In a saucepan, bring the milk, the cinnamon stick, lemon rind, and vanilla extract to a boil. Simmer for several minutes the discard the cinnamon stick and lemon rind. Set the flavored milk aside.
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks together with the cornstarch and 3/4 cup (5 oz) of the sugar until the mixture is creamy. Gradually pour this mixture into the saucepan with the milk, mixing continuously.
Slowly heat the mixture until it begins to thicken, taking care that the mixture does not boil. Pour into four shallow heatproof serving dishes, allow to cool, and refrigerate for several hours.
Immediately before serving, preheat the broiler and scatter the remaining sugar evenly over each serving. Place the dishes under the broiler until the sugar topping begins to caramelize. Remove from the broiler and serve.
Panellets are a traditional sweet from Cataluña, prepared for “Dia de Todos los Santos” or All Saints Day and served with moscatel or “cava,” Spanish sparkling wine. It is made of equal parts ground almonds and sugar, formed into balls and decorated with pine nuts, rolled in cocoa powder, candied cherries or coconut flakes. They can also be flavoured with coffee or cinnamon. The most popular type is the one rolled in pine nuts, and these make absolutely wonderful sweeties either for nibbling on when watching Christmas telly, or making into a special homemade present to give to someone you love.
1 lb. ground raw almonds
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 -1 cup water
1 small potato
grated peel of 1 lemon
3-4 drops lemon juice
Toppings:
pine nuts
sweetened cocoa powder
candied fruit
Flavourings:
instant coffee powder
coconut flakes
How To Make
Blanch almonds, then grind in food processor until almonds are a fine dust.
Peel the potato and cut into quarters. Boil potato in a saucepan until cooked. Drain water and mash with a fork.
Place sugar in a medium saucepan. Pour 1/2 cup water into the pan and stir to dissolve sugar. Add more water to completely dissolve sugar if necessary. Place on medium heat on stovetop and bring to a boil, stirring often. Add 3-4 drops of lemon juice. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture is a thick syrup.
Remove saucepan from heat. Using a large wooden spoon, gradually stir in ground almonds, potato and grated lemon peel. Allow to cool to room temperature. Then, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
Pre-heat oven to 380F degrees. Grease cookie sheets. Spoon out dough with a teaspoon. Roll dough into small balls in your palms. Then roll the balls in powdered cocoa or pine nuts. If using pine nuts, brush each with a bit of egg white. Place on greased cookie sheet.
If you want to flavor the cookies, separate a portion of the dough and with your hands, work in a bit of instant coffee flakes, candied fruit or cinnamon. Then make individual balls.
Bake cookies just long enough to brown the pine nuts - about 4 minutes. Using a spatula, remove immediately before cookies cool.
If Christmas cake is too heavy for you, then this Majorcan cake is for you. It is believed to have originated in Valldemossa, the island town made famous by Chopin and George Sand, who spent a winter together there in an abandoned Carthusian monastery that today draws many visitors. This version, a recipe from one of our friends, is one of the best that I have ever tasted.
Serves 8
Ingredients:
Unsalted butter and all-purpose flour for preparing pan
8 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon real vanilla extract
2 cups coarsely ground blanched almonds
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Butter an 11-inch round cake pan with 2-inch sides and then dust it with flour, shaking out any excess.
In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar an whisk together until smooth and foamy. Add the lemon zest, cinnamon, and vanilla, if using, and mix well. Add the ground almonds a little at a time, mixing well after each addition to incorporate fully.
Using a whisk or a handheld mixer, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Scoop about one-third of the whites onto the egg yolk mixture and, using a rubber spatula, fold them in to lighten the mixture. Then add the remaining whites and fold them in gently but thoroughly, deflating the batter as little as possible.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake the cake for about 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and, holding the cake pan 6 inches above a countertop, drop the pan onto the counter. This simple dropping action shocks the cake, making it easier to remove from the pan.
Transfer the cake to a wire rack and let cool in the pan until warm. Run a knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the cake sides and then invert the cake onto the rack and lift off the pan. Place the cake upright on a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream, if wanted.
This is a light spongy cake, drizzled with a sweet sauce of brandy, lemon and cinnamon. It is a wonderful light dessert to complete a Spanish dinner and is often served over the Christmas period. These "bizcochos" are the perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of Spanish coffee or hot chocolate on a cold morning, or for afternoon tea.
Makes 1 8-inch cake or 9 small servings and is quite easy to make.
Ingredients:
4 Eggs
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
3/4 cup Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon for Decoration
For the Sauce:
1/3 cup granulated Sugar
8 oz. Water
1.5 Tbsp Honey
1 1/2 oz. Brandy or Rum
1 Cinnamon Stick
1/2 Lemon zest
How To Make
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 180 degrees Centigrade. Generously grease a 8-inch square cake pan with vegetable shortening, then flour it.
Separate the yolks from the egg whites.
Then, beat the egg yolks in a bowl with the sugar until it forms a creamy mixture.
In another mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until they are stiff enough to form a point. Fold in the yolk mixture with a spatula, smoothly and carefully.
Fold in the baking powder and flour gradually, a bit at a time.
Pour in the batter and bake for 20 minutes, or until it turns golden. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it is clean when pulled out, cake is done.
While the cake is baking, make the syrup. In a small sauce pan, pour water and sugar, cinnamon, honey and lemon peel. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Allow to boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and add the brandy and allow the syrup to cool.
After the cake has cooled, carefully cut into 9 pieces and place them on a serving plate. Drizzle the pieces of cake with the brandy sauce and then dust the top with cinnamon. Serve with your choice of hot chocolate, coffee or tea.
Torrons (or turrones in Spanish) are an omnipresent dessert at Spanish Christmas tables and at street cafes during Christmas festivies among locals in their villages. There are many varieties of these traditional sweets involving different ingredients and combinations, but they are generally made of almonds or hazelnuts, sugar, honey and egg.
The most popular variety in Catalonia, and the one few people attempt themselves at home, is the torró de gema cremada. This recipe is very easy and deliciously tasty. Have fun, but be careful with the blowtorch!
4 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla extract
175g of ground almonds
200g of icing sugar
caster sugar, for dusting
1. Lightly blend together the egg yolks with the vanilla extract without whisking
2. Mix together the ground almonds and icing sugar and gradually add the yolks while kneading. If the dough is too wet and sticks to your hands, add more icing sugar and ground almonds, always in the same proportion
3. Knead until the dough feels like marzipan. Form the dough into a round ball and dust with icing sugar
4. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into a rectangle approximately 1.5cm thick, then use a sharp knife to cut the sides to form a smooth rectangle
5. Place the dough on a piece of baking paper and dust generously with caster sugar
6. Melt the sugar to form a caramel crust with a traditional burner. If you don’t have a traditional burner you can use a blowtorch
7. Once the crust is cold and no longer sticky, turn the dough over and do the same to the other side
8. Cover with baking paper and leave to rest for at least 4–5 days before eating
I've been making toffee apples for my family to enjoy over Christmas. If you have a big family like mine, the recipe can be done in batches and is easy and fun.
4 dessert apples, cored, peeled and cut into eighths
2 tblspn brown sugar
1 tblspn golden syrup
1 heaped tblspn butter
1 tblspn water
Pinch of cinnamon
Vanilla ice-cream – optional
Heat the butter, syrup, sugar, cinnamon and water in a small pot until they melt and begin to bubble. Reduce the heat and simmer for a few minutes. DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO LICK THE SPOON - trust me on this one!
Add the apples to the caramelised sauce and cook for 5 or so minutes until the apples are well coated and just beginning to soften.
Serve drizzled with extra sauce alongside vanilla ice-cream.
I know this isn't strictly Christmassy, but I get an attack of the nibbles and French Toast falls into that category. It's easy to make and you are likely to already have the ingredients except for grabbing a few jars of cherries that supermarkets sell at this time of the year.
Dark red cherries are essential for this, the recipe serving 2.
For the toast:
150ml full cream milk
2 eggs
1 tbsp caster sugar
4 thick slices of brioche or good white bread
30g butter
For the compote:
75g caster sugar
350g ripe cherries
juice of a lemon
cream or creme fraiche, icing sugar to serve
Stone the cherries and put them into a stainless-steel saucepan. Pour in the sugar and lemon juice and let it melt slowly over a low heat. Bring to the boil and simmer until the cherries have almost collapsed and the juice is jammy and deep red. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Make the French toast. Lightly beat the milk and eggs, beat in the sugar, then pour into a shallow dish. Dunk the slices of bread into the egg and milk and leave them for a good five minutes.
Warm the butter in a non-stick frying pan. When it sizzles, slide in the soaked bread, letting it form a crisp crust in the outside - a matter of three or four minutes. Turn the bread over, then cook the other side for a minute or two till golden.
Lift it out and drain on a piece of kitchen paper. Slide it on to a warm plate and spoon over some of the hot cherry compote. Serve with cream or creme fraiche and icing sugar if you wish.
Please buy the nicest chocolate you can find. You need 70% cocoa solids for this, like in Lindt and that isn't expensive if you shop around. Note, but Cadbury's chocolate nice that it is, is no good for this recipe because it contains vegetable fat. Also, unsalted butter is best for this recipe, giving a creamier taste.
Note also that Nutella really isn't as healthy as they make out to be. It contains vegetable oils and fats and is no way as delicious as aunty's.
This rich, smooth chocolate spread is perfect on toast, croissants, or fruit, or use it as a topping for cakes or cupcakes.
Receipe originated from here. https://www.sugarhero.com/lick-the-knife-clean-chocolate-spread/
Ingredients (1.5 cups)
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (about 2/3 cup)
5 ounces unsalted butter, softened and cubed
Instructions
In a small saucepan, combine the water, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, and salt. Place the pan over medium heat and stir until the sugar and cocoa powder dissolve.
Continue to heat the pan, stirring frequently, just until it reaches a simmer.
Once simmering, remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla extract, chopped chocolate, and cubed butter.
Whisk until the chocolate and butter melt and the mixture is completely smooth. When it is freshly made, this spread will have the consistency of hot fudge sauce.
Pour the spread into a jar or other container with a lid. Press a layer of plastic wrap on top of the chocolate to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate it until it thickens. If it is too cold to spread easily, let it sit at room temperature for a short while before serving.
Store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.