Christmas Cake

This is the recipe for the Christmas Cake that my Mum in Law and her best friend bake every year. This year however as my mum in law is overseas visiting her daughter I though I would bake the cake for her. I've never baked a fruit cake before so this could be wonderful or disastrous!! Unfortunately I won't know for a couple of weeks as you have to let it sit for a while.  Wish me luck!!

Ingredients

• 350 g (12 oz) Plain Flour
• 1 x 5 ml spoon (1 tsp) mixed spice
• 100 g (4 oz) ground almonds
• 4 medium eggs
• 150 ml (¼ pint) milk (or ½ milk, ½ brandy)
• 225 g (8 oz) butter
• 225 g (8 oz) caster sugar
• 225 g (8 oz) currants
• 225 g (8 oz) sultanas
• 225 g (8 oz) raisins
• 100 g (4 oz) glacé cherries, halved
• 100 g (4 oz) cut mixed peel

Method
Cake

1. Heat oven to 150ºC, 300ºF, Gas Mark 2. Grease and line a 23 cm (9 inch) round or 20.5 cm (8 inch) square tin.
2. Sieve together flour, spice and ground almonds. Beat eggs with milk.
3. Cream butter and sugar, stir in flour mixture and egg mixture alternately, a little at a time.
4. Lastly add fruit. Mix thoroughly. Place mixture in prepared tin and protect with brown paper.
5. Bake for about 3½-4 hours.
6. Allow to cool then cover with almond paste and leave for 1 week.

N.B. If you prefer a more open texture use self raising flour in place of plain.

Royal Icing

1. If possible, stand the cake on a revolving cake stand or upturned cake tin.
2. Spread the icing on with a palette knife dipped in hot water to ease smoothness of the finish - but avoid making the icing too wet.
3. Cover the cake completely with icing, using sweeping strokes of the knife. Then spread the top smooth. To make the sides straight, bring the palette knife around the cake continuously, holding the knife upright.

N.B. If the cake is to be iced further e.g. piping, leave to stand for 24 hours.

Royal Icing

Use this recipe to decorate fruit cakes and celebration cakes. This will be enough for top of 20-23 cm (8-9 inch) cake.

Ingredients

• 1 kg (2 lb) icing sugar
• 5 medium egg whites
• 2 x 5 ml spoon (2 tsp) lemon juice for firm icing
  OR
  2 x 5 ml spoon (2 tsp) glycerine may be added to keep icing soft

Method

1. Lightly beat egg whites with glycerine or lemon juice.
2. Sieve icing sugar, add half to egg whites, beat well.
3. Add remainder of sugar gradually stirring well until stiff enough to stand in peaks in the bowl.

Mini Eclairs

Makes: 30
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 75g/3oz butter
• 100g/3½ oz plain flour
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 600ml /1 pint double cream 
• 200g/7oz dark chocolate 
• 1 tbsp golden syrup 

• You will need: a piping bag and nozzle

Method

1. Preheat oven to gas mark 6 / 200°C(19O°C in a fan oven). 
2. In a saucepan. melt butter with 200 ml /7 fl oz cold water and bring to boil. 
3. As soon as it's boiling  remove from heat and tip in flour. Beat well to combine. 
4. Then, whisk in eggs a little at a time to make a smooth, shiny dough that easily comes away from the sides of the saucepan.
5. Pipe dough onto baking sheets lined with baking paper. You need éclairs about 5cm/2in long. 
6. Cook for 20 mins till golden brown, then remove from oven and make a slit in sides. 
7. Return to oven for 5 mins, till centres are cooked through and dry. 
8. Leave to Cool completely. If making ahead of time, store in an airtight container, till ready to fill.
9. ln a bowl, whisk 500 ml / 16 fl oz cream, till fairly stiff peaks. 
10. Fill piping bag with cream then pipe éclairs with cream. ln a small saucepan, gently melt remaining cream with chocolate and syrup, till smooth. 
11. Spoon over éclairs before serving.

Mushroom Pate

Serves: 8
Prep 15 mins

Ingredients

• 600g/1lb 5oz butter 
• 450g/1lb fresh chicken livers (organic if you can get them), washed and cleaned, with any green-tinged bits removed
• 3 tbsp port
• 2 cloves finely Chopped
• l tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 40g/11/2oz dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 30 mins
• 50g/2oz cranberries

Method

1. In a large frying pan, heat 25g/1oz butter. When beginning to froth, add chicken and cook till no longer pink. Insert a knife into them to check they are cooked. if still pink or bloody, give them a bit longer till any juices run clear, but don't overcook.
2. Transfer livers to  food processor and whizz till smooth. Reheat pan so hot. then add port and scrape up all the bits. Now add garlic and thyme, and cook for 1 min, then add to food processor along with a pinch of 1 sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Whizz again and taste. Remember the flavour will intensify over time. Leave to cool.
3. When chicken livers are cool  add  450g/1lb butter, cubed, and whizz till well combined, then add mushrooms and pulse a few times so they are broken up but a few still left slightly intact. Now add cranberries and pulse again so cranberries don’t break up too much. Using a spatula or spoon, transfer pâté into a large terrine dish or dishes of your choice.
4. In a saucepan, heat 125g/4oz butter till melted, then pour off golden liquid into a jug, leaving any solids behind to be discarded. Pour over pâte so it completely covers, then allow it to set. 
5. Keep in fridge till ready to serve.

This makes a great starter or if spread on bite sized pieces of toast makes wonderful canapes.

Shortbread

Ingredients

• 125g/4oz butter
• 55g/2oz caster sugar
• 180g/6oz plain flour

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
2. Beat the butter and the sugar together until smooth.
3. Stir in the flour to get a smooth paste. Turn on to a work surface and gently roll out until the paste is 1cm/½in thick.
4. Cut into rounds or fingers and place onto a baking tray. Sprinkle with icing sugar and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
5. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until pale golden-brown. Set aside to cool on a wire rack.

So I'm going to try shortbread this year as well as the gingerbread . I have made this before but not since I was a teenager.

I'll let you know how it goes!!!

Sadie's Gingerbread

Ingredients

• 300g (10oz) self raising flour
• pinch of salt
• 3 x 5ml spoon (3 tsp) ground ginger
• 100g (4oz) caster sugar
• 50g (2oz) margarine
• 3 x 15ml spoon (3 tbsp) golden syrup
• 4 x 15ml spoon (4 tbsp) milk
• glace icing

Method

1. Heat oven to 160°C, 325°F, Gas Mark 3. Grease a baking tray.
2. Place flour, salt and ginger in a bowl.
3. Warm sugar, fat and syrup together and add to the dry ingredients. Mix well.
4. Add milk and mix to a firm consistency. Knead lightly with hands.
5. Roll out and cut out shapes and place on the baking tray.
6. Bake for about 10-15 minutes.
7. Allow to cool slightly then carefully lift onto a wire rack. Decorate with coloured Glace Icing.

This isn't my recipe, but one that came from one of my best friend's cousin (tenuous, huh?). Here are her tips for great gingerbread:

"I used soft brown sugar…if you don’t use this make sure it is caster sugar and I use 6 teaspoons of ground ginger because we like things gingery!!!"

I have made this gingerbread every Christmas since I received the recipe in December 2007 and it is the best gingerbread ever. Be careful not to over bake as the gingerbread goes very hard!! It may not look golden enough when you take it out, but it will be done enough.

I