Rich Christmas Cake for Christmas Time !!

Rich Christmas Cake

Ingredients :
450 g Sultanas
450 g Seedless raisins
230 g Currants
230 g Mixed peel
230 g Glace pineapple
230 g Glace apricots
4 tbls Brandy
4 tb Sherry
230 g Prunes
450 g Butter
450 g Brown sugar
12 eggs large
450 g Plain flour
115 g Rice flour
1 ts Parisian essence (caramel - will give a darker color)
2 tb Ultra-strong coffee.

Instructions :
Clean and prepare all fruit except the prunes. Pick over vine fruit and remove any stems. Chop the larger fruit into small pieces. Mix the fruits in a bowl and add brandy and sherry. Cover tightly and leave overnight or longer.

Prepare one deep 25 cm (10") square cake tin (OR one 20 cm (8") square tin and one 15 cm (6") square for one cake to keep and one to give). Grease the interior of the tins with butter. Line with two layers of brown paper cut to fit and to project above the sides of the tin by about 5 cm (2").

Inside the brown paper, fit a layer of grease proof paper, projecting similarly. Butter the inside of the grease proof. Pit and chop the prunes. Cream the butter and sugar well. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each in thoroughly. Add prunes. Sift flours together and add the butter-sugar mixture alternately with the fruit. Add the essence and coffee.

Put the mixture into the prepared tins(s). Dip one hand in cold water and pat the surface of the cake flat. (The thin layer of water keeps the surface moist for a long time and lessens the chance of the cake rising in the middle.) Bake in a preheated 150 C (300 F) oven for 1 hour, then reduce the heat to 135C (275 F) and bake for a further 2 1/4 hours. Take the cake from the oven and fold the extra paper layers over the top of the cake, tin and all, while still hot in at least 4 layers of newspaper. Place on a rack and leave overnight. (This process keeps the cake moist and prevents it cracking on top while it cools.) In the morning, remove from the tin, peel off the paper and store the cakes(s) in an airtight tin.

Rocking Horse shaped Cookies !

Gingerbread Cutouts

Serving Size : About 2 dozen

Ingredients :
1/2 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 to 2 tablespoons cold water

Instructions :

Take a mixing bowl and cream the butter and brown sugar.

Beat in molasses and egg. Combine the flour, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and salt;

Mix well to the creamed mixture alternately with water.

Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.

On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with a rocking horse cookie cutter or cutter of your choice dipped in flour. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 F for 9-11 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove to wire racks to cool

Source: PastryWiz Food Resource Center

Chewy & Nutty Cookies

Leckerli

Serving Size : 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients :
3/4 cup acacia honey
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of ground ginger
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of freshly ground white pepperScant
2/3 cup finely diced candied lemon and orange rind
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sliced almonds (4 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup kirsch (unsweetened cherry liquor)
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
1 1/2 tablespoons water

Instructions :

Take a medium saucepan, combine the honey with the granulated sugar, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, lemon zest, nutmeg, ginger, and white pepper. Stir occasionally while cooking over low heat, until the honey and sugar are melted for about 3 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the candied citrus rind, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the almonds and 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of the kirsch. Sift the 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons of flour and the baking soda over the mixture and stir to incorporate.

Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Scrape the dough onto the plastic and flatten into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate until firm for about 2 hours.

Liberally flour a work surface. Roll out the dough to a 12-inch square about 3/8 inch thick. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and slide the dough onto it.

Prick all over with a fork. Scatter the remaining 1/4 cup of almonds on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a small bowl, mix the confectioners' sugar with the water and the remaining 2 teaspoons of kirsch. Bake the cookie square for 14 minutes, or until golden. Immediately brush the glaze on top. Slide the parchment onto a rack and let the cookie cool completely. On a work surface, using a large, sharp knife, trim the edges of the square, then cut it into four 3-inch-wide strips. Cut each strip into 3/4-inch bars.

Tip : The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 2 months.

Source: PastryWiz Food Resource Center

Christmas Punch

Christmas Punch

Makes about 6 quarts.

Ingredients

1> 2 Quarts Cranberry Juice Cocktail
2> Juice of 4 Lemons (about 3/4 cup)
3> 1 Quart Orange Juice
4> 1/2 Cup Sugar
5> 2 Quarts Ginger Ale, Chilled
6> Thin Orange Slices
7> Halved Maraschino Cherries

Instructions

1) Mix juices and sugar.
2) Pour into punch bowl over ice.
3) Add chilled ginger ale, pouring slowly down side of bowl.
4) Place slices and cherries as floaters on surface of punch.

Christmas Pears

Christmas Pears

Christmas Pears is very easy to do. No cooking is required. It's very colorful and delicious.

Serves between 4 to 6 people (depends on size of pear halves)

Ingredients

1> 1 Can of Pear Halves
2> 1 Can of Crab Meat
3> 1 Apple
4> 2 Celery Stems
5> 4 Walnuts
6> Mayonnaise
7> Pepper
8> Lettuce Leave

Instructions

1) Crush all Walnuts into tiny bits.
2) Dice Apple (keep peel) and Celery.
3) Take a bowl and mix the diced apple, diced celery, crab meat with mayonnaise.
4) Slightly pepper.
5) Keep it refrigerated until ready to serve.
6) Scoop mixture into the hollow of each pear.
7) Serve on top of 4 lettuce leave.

Wassail - Christmas Holiday Refreshment Recipes...!!!

Wassail

Serving size - 4 8-oz cups

Ingredients

1 qt Apple Cider
4 Cinnamon Sticks
1 Whole Nutmeg
1/2 c Honey
1/4 c Lemon Juice
1 ts Lemon Peel, Grated
3 Oranges
3 ts Cloves, whole

Instructions

1> Poke 1 ts cloves into each and every orange for "Floating Cloved Oranges".
2> Add seasonings, cider and Floating Cloved Oranges to crockpot, heat at least 1/2 hour, the longer the better.

Orange Stars
3> Cut oranges neatly into 1/2" slices.
4> Stick 5 cloves around slice with equal intervals, cut out wedges between cloves. The end result looks like a star.

Source: PastryWiz Food Resource Center

Christmas Eggnog - Christmas Holiday Refreshments...!!!

Christmas Eggnog

Serving Size - 8 servings

Ingredients

6 Large Eggs
3/4 c Sugar
1/2 c Rum
1 1/2 c Brandy
4 c Cream
4 c Milk
1/2 c Icing sugar
Nutmeg to sprinkle

Instructions:

1> Separate all the eggs.
2> Beat the yolks slowly and gradually, mixing the sugar while beating until they are pale and golden.
3> Slowly beat in the rum and brandy, then beat in the milk and half the cream.
4> Just before serving, whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the eggnog mixture.
5> Whip the remaining icing sugar and cream until thick.
6> Top each glass of eggnog with whipped cream and a shake of nutmeg.

Source: PastryWiz Food Resource Center