Christmas Cookery and Baking Recipes

[Mini]

Christmas Pudding


IMPERIAL/METRIC

8 oz./225g Stork Margarine
8 oz./225g dark brown sugar
7 oz./200g plain flour, sieved
12 oz./350g currants
8 oz./225g raisins
6oz./175g sultanas
2 oz./50g mixed cut peel
1 oz./25g blanched almonds, chopped
1 oz./25g glacé cherries, washed, dried and chopped
6 oz./175g fresh breadcrumbs
grated rind of 1 lemon
grated rind and juice of 1 orange
1 rounded teaspoon nutmeg
1 rounded teaspoon mixed spice
2 large eggs
3-4 tablespoons beer or milk
2 tablespoons whiskey or rum (optional)


Method:
1. Melt the Stork and add to the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix very well.
2. Place the mixture in a greased 2 ½ -3 pint (1 ½ -1 ¾ litre) pudding bowl.
3. Cover in usual way
4. Steam for 5-6 hours in usual way
5. Coo. Re-cover with clean grease proof paper and store in a cool dry place
6. On Christmas day re-cover with greased greaseproof paper and foil. Steam or boil for 2-3 hours.


To Serve:
Brandy or Whiskey Sauce or Hard Brandy or Whiskey Sauce

 

[Shrinking Nicky]

Can I tell a funny Xmas cake story????

OH went out so I thought I would make my Xmas cake & put it in the oven just before I went to bed so it could cook overnight.

OH came home, OH fell asleep downstairs, OH woke up a few hour later & came upstairs, OH woke me up to tell me I had left the oven on - "but it's OK I turned it off when I came in"... I ran downstairs & put it back on, a week or two later I was so worried it would taste yuck we ate it & I made another (it tasted lovely though!!!)

Nicky

 

[Shrinking Nicky]

Can I tell another?

Who remembers the OXO add - "& Mummy made the gravy"

Xmas day sat at the dinner table, Mum got the Xmas pudding from the cupboard, unwrapped it & it was mouldy....Xmas pud's do NOT go mouldy!!!!

To this day we all say "& Mum, Mum bought the mouldy Xmas pudding from the Co-op" I think we will remember it as a Xmas highlight forever!!!

Nicky

 

[KD]

LOL. It's lovely to have little stories like that

They stay in the memory and get resurrected every Christmas. Becomes a family tradition and they are so important. Gives a sense of belonging I'm told

Anyway. I have a fab Christmas Cake recipe. You must try this one....it's brill. Use it every Christmas.

To follow.....I'm needed

 

[KD]

You'll need the following:

1 cup of water
1 cup of sugar
4 large brown eggs
2 cups of dried fruit
1 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of brown sugar
Lemon juice
Nuts
1 bottle of whisky

• Sample the whisky to check for quality.
• Take a large bowl.
  
• Check the whisky again. To be sure it's the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. Repeat.
  
• Turn on the electric mixer, beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar and beat again. Make sure the whisky is still OK.
  
• Cry another tup. Tune up the mixer. Beat two leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.
  
• Mix on the turner. If the fired druit gets stuck in the beaterers, pry it goose with a drewscriver. Sample the whisky to check for tonsisticity.
  
• Next, sift two cups of salt. Or something. Who cares?
  
• Check the whisky.
  
• Now sift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.
  
• Add one table.
  
• Spoon the sugar or something. Whatever you can find.
• Grease the oven. Turn the cake tin to 350 degrees.
  
• Don't forget to beat off the turner.
  
• Throw the bowl out of the window.
  
• Check the whisky again and go to bed.

 

[4busybee]

Love it that is so funny!!!! Sounds like my sort of baking

 

[Shrinking Nicky]

PMSL - my type of cooking too!

Nicky

 

[Mini]

Spiced Beef Casserole with Horseradish



1.1 kg (2 ½ lb) stewing beef
450 g (1 lb) onions
about 45 ml (3 tbsp) oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
225 g ( 8 oz) button mushrooms
25 g (1 oz) plain flour
2.5 ml ( ½ tsp) ground ginger
5 ml (1 tsp) medium-hot curry powder
5 ml (1 tsp) dark muscovado sugar
600 ml (1 pint) beef stock
30 ml (2 tbsp) Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
30 ml (2 tbsp) creamed horseradish
45 ml (3 tbsp) chopped parsley


Method:


1. Trim the beef of any excess fat and cut into 4 cm ( 1 ½ inch) pieces. Slice onions.
2. Heat 30 ml (2 tbsp) oil in a 4 litre (7 pint) flameproof casserole and brown the meat, one third at a time. Drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
3. Lower the heat, add the onions, garlic and mushrooms, with a little more oil if necessary. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the flour, spices and sugar and cook, stirring, for a further 1-2 minutes. Add the stock, Worcestershire sauce and seasoning.
4. Return all the meat to the casserole, bring to a gently simmer, then cover and cook at 170 degrees C (325 degrees F) mark 3 for about 2 hours for until the meat is tender.
5. Stir in the horseradish, adjust the seasoning and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with Brussels sprouts, carrots and smashed potato.

 

[Mini]

Easy alternative to Christmas Cake!

Boiled Fruit Cake






IMPERIAL/METRIC

8 oz./225g Stork Margarine
8 oz./225g brown sugar
½ pint/275ml. Hot water
1 ½ lbs./675g mixed dried fruit
4 oz./125g mixed cut peel
1 lb./ 450g plain flour
½ level teaspoon bread soda
1 rounded teaspoon mixed spice
1 rounded teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 well beaten eggs.


Oven temperature: Pre-heat to Gas Mark 3 –325 degrees F – 160 degrees C.
Shelf: Middle

Size of tin: A deep 9-inch (23 cm.) round or 8-inch (20 cm.) square tin.


Method:
1. Prepare tin
2. Place the Stork, sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil stirring until the sugar is dissolved and the Stork has melted.
3. Add mixed fruit and peel, then simmer over a low heat for 3-5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and allow to cool until luke warm. To speed up this procedure empty into a large mixing bowl or on to a large clean tray and stir from time to time.
5. Sieve the flour, bread soda and spices into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre
6. Beat the eggs in a small bowl and add with the cooled fruit mixture to the sieved ingredients. Stir quickly together mixing well.
7. Turn into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
8. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 1 ½ -2 hours approximately.
9. Test the cake. Leave in the tin to cool. Turn out, remove the paper, wrap in greaseproof paper and store in an airtight tin.

 

[dizzy-n-mizzy]

Hi Mini

I think I might have a go at making a Xmas cake this year. Is your recipe one you can make well ahead of Xmas?

Hope this isn't a stupid question I generally leave all the xmas baking to my mum and tesco!

Dizzy x

 

[lavender]

As A girl who can eat a whole christmas cake to herself in about 4 days!!! (i could do it in a day but have to show a little restraint!!!)

i had a few years where i just didnt make one at all which was a bit miserable really, so i hit on a good idea!!!

I bought from asda 4 of their own brand "cheap- as- chips -not- so -good -for- you" tinned puddings , about 45p each!!

opened the tins ,threw away the contents, washed them out and hey presto 4 lovely little baking tins to make little christmaes cakes in!!!

i make up a mixture and make 4 small cakes 3 of which i give away to fellow cake-aholics and then I cas have my cake and eat it!!! and not gain quite so much weight!!

 

[Mini]

Hi Mini

I think I might have a go at making a Xmas cake this year. Is your recipe one you can make well ahead of Xmas?

Hope this isn't a stupid question I generally leave all the xmas baking to my mum and tesco!

Dizzy x

The cake above will last three to four weeks wrapped in grease proof paper and put in a tin, but it never has lasted that long for me to know for sure if it does as I would do a boiled cake just to have for visitors calling.

My friend assures me if after you take it out of the oven you can a skewer or a knitting needle and a glass of rum and pour it over it that this will prolong the life and if you do it again every two weeks it will keep for a couple of months, you must re wrap it again and seal it in a tin.

I have done this many years ago with a Christmas cake and I poured whiskey on it when it came out of the oven and again...come Christmas all I could taste was the whiskey, but my father God rest him thought it was the nicest Christmas cake ever. I was 10 at the time and I had forgot to put the whiskey in when making the cake.

Delia on line does a nice whiskey Christmas cake:
Irish Whiskey Christmas Cakes from Delia Online

 

[Diva]

I make that one all the time, Karion....why wait for Christmas!!

 

[Mini]

Mrs. Feehan's No Fuss Boiled Cake!

Heat together.

1 lb. fruit (mixed,

, raisins and a few cherries halved)

1/2 lb. stork margarine

7 oz brown sugar

1/4 pint of water

Simmer for 10 minutes, stir well while cooking.

When cold, sieve 10 oz. flour, teaspoon mixed spices into the mixture, add 2 eggs lightly beaten an 1 tea spoon of bread soda, mix in a little warm water.

Bake 1 - 2 hours in a moderate oven.


Mrs. Feehan is in her 80's and she has been making this
forever and I can tell you it is very yummy.

Size 9 cake tin.