Delicious Christmas Puddings Recipe

Christmas Recipes: Delicious Christmas Puddings

Pudding Recipes given here are easy to cook and absolutely delicious.  Properly made Christmas puddings will be extremely tasty and make your Christmas celebrations a memorable experience.  Enjoy these Puddings with your loved ones during this Christmas.

Christmas Pudding (1).

Ingredients of Christmas Pudding:-

1 lb. raisins (stoned), 1 lb. chopped apples, 1 lb. currants, 1 lb. breadcrumbs, 1/2 lb. mixed peel, chopped fine, 1 lb. shelled and ground Brazil nuts, 1/2 lb. chopped sweet almonds, 1 oz. bitter almonds (ground), 1 lb. sugar, 1/2 lb. butter, 1/2 oz. mixed spice and 6 eggs.

Instructions:-

Wash, pick, and dry the fruit, rub the butter into the breadcrumbs, beat up the eggs, and mix all the ingredients together; if the mixture is too dry, add a little milk. Fill some greased basins with the mixture, and boil the puddings from 3 to 4 hours.

Christmas Pudding (2).

Ingredients:-

12 oz. breadcrumbs, 1/2 lb. currants, 1/2 lb. raisins, 1/2 lb. sweet almonds, 1 doz. bitter almonds, 3/4 lb. moist sugar, 3 oz. of butter, 2 oz. candied peel, 8 eggs, 1 teaspoonful of spice and 1 teacupful of apple sauce.

Instructions:-

Rub the butter into the breadcrumbs, wash, pick, and dry the fruit, stone the raisins, chop or grind the almonds, beat up the eggs, mixing all well together, at the last stir in the apple sauce.  Boil the pudding in a buttered mould for 4 hours, and serve with white sauce.

Christmas Pudding (3).

Ingredients:-

1 lb. each of raisins, currants, sultanas, chopped apples, and Brazil nut kernels; 1/2 lb. each of moist sugar, wholemeal breadcrumbs, wheatmeal, and sweet almonds and butter; 1/4 lb. of mixed peel, 1/2 oz. of mixed spice, 6 eggs, and some milk.

Instructions:-

Wash and pick the currants and sultanas; wash and stone the raisins; chop fine the nut kernels, blanch and chop fine the almonds, and cut up fine the mixed peel. Rub the butter into the meal and breadcrumbs. First mix all the dry ingredients, then beat well the eggs and add them. Pour as much milk as is necessary to moisten the mixture sufficiently to work

it with a wooden spoon. Have ready buttered pudding basins, nearly fill them with the mixture, cover with pieces of buttered paper, tie pudding cloths over the basins, and boil for 4 hours.

Christmas Plum Pudding (1)

Ingredients of Christmas Plum Pudding:-

One cupful of finely-chopped beef suet, two cupfuls of fine bread crumbs, one heaping cupful of sugar, one cupful of seeded raisins, one cupful of well-washed currants, one cupful of chopped blanched almonds, half a cupful of citron, sliced thin, a teaspoonful of salt,

one of cloves, two of cinnamon, half a grated nutmeg and four well-beaten eggs.

Making of Christmas Plum Pudding:-

Dissolve a level teaspoonful of soda in a tablespoonful of warm water. Flour the fruit thoroughly from a pint of flour; then mix the remainder as follows: In a large bowl put the

well-beaten eggs, sugar, spices and salt in one cupful of milk. Stir in the fruit, chopped nuts, bread crumbs and suet, one after the other, until all are used, putting in the dissolved soda last and adding enough flour to make the fruit stick together, which will take all the pint. Boil or steam three to four hours. Serve with wine or any well-flavored sauce.

Christmas Plum Pudding (2)

Ingredients:-

2 cups ground suet, 2 cups bread crumbs, 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons Baking Powder, 2 cups sugar. 2 cups seeded raisins. 2 cups currants, 1 cup finely cut citron, 1 cup finely cut figs, 1 tablespoon finely cut orange peel, 1 tablespoon finely cut lemon peel, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground mace, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 cup water or prune juice and 1 cup grape or other fruit juice

Instructions:-

Mix thoroughly all dry ingredients and add fruit; stir in water and fruit juice and mix thoroughly. Add more water if necessary to make stiff dough. Fill greased molds 2/3 full, and steam two or three hours.  This pudding should be prepared and cooked a week or more before used. Before serving steam one hour and serve with hard, lemon or foamy sauce.

Christmas Cheesecake Recipe

This is a cheesecake that I have been making for over 20 years if you follow the recipe to the “T” you won't have any problem, it is also colorful as well as the most wonderful piece of pastry that you ever put in your mouth.

• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine melted
• 2 pounds cream cheese 
• 1cup sugar
• 8 ounces sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 1cup flour
• ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 cup in total chopped candied cherries red and green raisins, walnuts, candied pineapple
• ½ cup small chocolate chips

In a 5 quart mixing bowl place 2 pounds of cream cheese and 1 cup granulated sugar and mix on low speed until cream cheese is softened and smooth, place in bowl 8 ounces sour cream and continue mixing until well blended, at this time add 2 eggs, mix for 2 minutes then add 1 cup flour, and 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, mix on second speed until your cheesecake batter is smooth and creamy. At this time your cheesecake mixture should be fluffy like ice cream as it comes out of the ice cream machine.

Add the candied fruit, raisins, walnuts, pine apple, chocolate chips, fold everything together.

Prepare your 10 inch x 2 inches spring form pan, in a large bowl place your graham cracker crumbs and 2 tablespoons sugar, and your melted butter or margarine, then with a wire whisk, whisk them together until well combined, brush onto the sides of your spring form pan a little softened butter so the crumbs have something to hold to, place the crumbs on the sides and bottom of the pan.

Now you add slowly to the pan your cheesecake mix as not to disturb the crumbs too much, now you should have a full pan.

The total weight of the cheesecake with the crumbs on the sides should be 5 to 5-1/4 pounds if you have some batter leftover just chill it, put some whip cream on it and enjoy.

Preheat your oven to 275 degrees and not more, when your oven is hot place the cheesecake in it and bake for 55 minutes then shut off the oven and let it in there for 3 hours, at the end of this time you should have the most beautiful cheesecake you ever seen, let the cheesecake on the table for 1 1/2 hours then place it in the refrigerator for about 2-3 hours. Now remove it from the pan and enjoy.

Before serving sprinkle some red and green edible glitter that you can purchase at any store that has decorating supplies.

Creamy Melt in Your Mouth Fudge Recipe

Marshmallow Fluff Way

This one is from a marshmallow fluff jar. It varies a little from the different brands. This has become a standard fudge recipe almost everywhere you go. I find it to be a fool proof recipe. Even a novice cook can make this delicious fudge recipe.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk (5 oz can)
1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow fluff
1 pinch salt
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 1/2 12 oz bags)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Lightly grease a foil-lined 9x9x2 inch pan; set aside.

Heat the sugar, butter, evaporated milk, marshmallow, salt in a 3 quart saucepan over a medium heat until it comes to a boil, stirring constantly. (5 minutes.)

Add chocolate chips and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth. Stir in optional walnuts.

Spread into pan, sprinkle with optional milk chocolate chips, more nuts, coconut and/or mini-marshmallows.

Refrigerate overnight, carefully turn out onto a cutting board, remove foil, flip back over and cut into 1-inch squares.

Heavenly Divine Divinity Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2-1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup light-colored corn syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 egg whites
• 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Continue cooking, without stirring, until it reaches a firm ball stage when dropped in water. If using a candy thermometer, it must register 260 degree F for the hard-ball stage (10 to 15 minutes).

Remove pan from heat. In a large mixing bowl beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Gradually pour hot mixture in a thin stream over whites. Beat mixture on high speed about 3 minutes; scrape sides of bowl occasionally. Add vanilla and, if desired, food coloring. Continue beating on high just until candy starts to lose its gloss (5 to 6 minutes). When beaters are lifted, mixture should fall in a ribbon that mounds on itself.

Drop a spoonful of candy mixture onto lightly buttered waxed paper. If it stays mounded, the mixture has been beaten sufficiently. If mixture flattens, beat 1/2 to 1 minute more; check again. If mixture is too stiff to spoon, beat in a few drops hot water till candy is a softer consistency. Immediately stir in nuts. Quickly drop remaining mixture onto waxed paper. Store tightly covered.

Cherry or mint divinity can be made by adding a teaspoon of flavoring and some food coloring. Or any other flavor you would like to try.

Note: Divinity can be a temperamental type of candy. Do not make this when there is high humidity. A rainy day is not a good day to make this candy. I know first hand that it can change from a fluffy heavenly divinity to a hard gooey chew.

An Easy Christmas Cookie Recipe For Kids

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar

DIRECTIONS:

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and extracts. Combine flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Chill for at least 1 hour. On a surface lightly sprinkled with confectioners' sugar, roll out the dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough. Bake at 350 degrees F for 7-8 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown.

You can sprinkle cookies before or after baking with colored sugar to add a bit more holiday!

This recipe is used with permission from Best Christmas Cookie Recipes. For more yummy Christmas cookie recipes, please visit today.

Cold Chocolate Christmas Pudding Recipe

This makes a good alternative if you don't like traditional Christmas Pudding. It looks similar but is much lighter. Serves 6 - you need to make this at least one day before you serve it and finish it off just before serving. It would be far better, though, to make it well in advance.

Ingredients

• 350ml/11 fl oz milk
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 stick on cinnamon
• 4 egg yolks
• 95g/3-1/4oz soft brown sugar
• 200ml/6-1/2 fl oz chilled cream
• 2 tbsp brandy (optional)
• 105g/3-1/2oz fruit cake, broken into 1 or 2 inch chunks
• 45g/1-1/2oz chopped marron glacé
• 45g/1-1/2oz chopped glacé cherries
• 45g/1-1/2oz amaretti biscuits (cookies), broken into large pieces

Topping

• 185g/6oz good quality plain (semi-sweet) chocolate
• 30ml/1 fl oz oil (not olive oil)
• 50g/1-3/4oz white chocolate

Method

1. Put the milk, vanilla essence and cinnamon stick into a saucepan and bring slowly to the boil, then remove from heat.

2. In a bowl, cream the egg yolks and sugar together until thick, then, after removing the cinnamon stick, add the hot milk and mix until all ingredients are well combined.

3. Put the mixture into a fresh saucepan and very slowly, over a low heat, stir it continuously until it thickens enough to coat a spoon. Do not allow it to boil.

4. Using a sieve (strainer), strain it into a clean bowl and put aside to cool completely.

5. When it is completely cold, add the cream and brandy. Stir them in then put them in a container and freeze until just firm to the touch, about 3 hours.

6. Take the mixture out of the freezer, put into a bowl and beat until the it is thick and creamy.

7. Repeat the freezing and beating twice more but on the final one, add the marron glacé, fruitcake, glacé cherries and amaretti biscuits (cookies) and put in a 2 pint or 1 litre pudding basin to produce the traditional Christmas pudding shape. Cover with clingfilm (Saran wrap) and return to freezer. Check after 30 minutes and stir if the cake, biscuits and fruit have sunk to the bottom. Cover again, and freeze overnight.

Topping - Do at least 2 hours before serving
8. Remove from freezer and then turn it out onto a wire rack. Flash the basin in and out of very hot water to loosen the ice cream, if necessary.

9. To make the topping, melt the plain (semi-sweet) chocolate. When it is melted, add the oil, stirring it in well and until chocolate is cool but still liquid.

10. Now pour the chocolate smoothly and evenly over the pudding so, except for the bottom, it is completely covered. Put it back in the freezer for about 2 hours.

11. Melt the white chocolate. Take the pudding out of the freezer and put on a serving plate. Pour the white chocolate over the top of the pudding. This time it should not be completely covered. The white chocolate is supposed to resemble cream poured over a pudding. Decorate with a sprig of artificial holly.

12. It would be much better to make it in advance, wrap it well in cling film (saran wrap) and keep it in the freezer. Take it out about 30 minutes before serving.

Traditional Christmas Pudding Recipe

The British Christmas Pudding is a very rich traditional dessert, served as part of Christmas Day dinner.

Of course, many people just can't manage to eat it then, so often it's served later in the day and for several days following because, unless you have a large family gathering, it is too big for one meal. Because it is so rich, most people only eat small portions.

The pudding is made as much as three months before Christmas because, stored correctly, the flavor matures. In fact, some people even use them when they are one or two years old.

Ingredients

• 12oz fresh breadcrumbs
• 12oz plain (all purpose) flour
• 1tsp salt
• 1/2 level tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 level tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 level tsp ground cinnamon
• 12oz sultanas
• 16oz currants
• 12oz raisins
• 8oz chopped mixed candied peel
• 6oz chopped almonds
• 8oz peeled & chopped apples
• 12oz shredded suet (you can now buy vegetarian suet)
• 8oz castor (fine grained) sugar
• 8oz soft brown sugar
• grated rind & juice of 1 lemon
• grated rind & juice of 1 orange
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/2 tsp almond essence
• 3 large beaten eggs
• 4tbs brandy or rum (optional, use extra fruit juice if preferred)
• 150ml (2/3 cup) milk

Method

1. This quantity of ingredients makes at 3 puddings. You need traditional pudding basins to cook these. The measurements of the basins required are:

600ml (1 pint) basin, 900ml (1-1/2pt) basin and 1.1litre (2 pint) basin

2. Mix all the dry ingredients plus the apples, orange and lemon rind and juice, brandy, eggs and milk together in a very large mixing bowl. Cover and leave overnight.

3. Grease the pudding basins. Prepare three large pans by half filling with water and then bringing them to the boil or use steamers.

4. Stir the mixture again and then put into prepared basins. Cover with a circle of greaseproof paper then foil which should overlap the basin so it can be tied on with string around the lip of the basin. Put each basin into one of the saucepans. The water should simmer throughout the cooking and the water should be topped up as required. The 2 pint pudding will take 9 hours to cook, the 1-1/2 pint one will take 7 hours and the smallest, the 1 pint, will take 5 hours.

5. Remove from the pans and take off the foil but leave the greaseproof paper in place. When they are cold, cover again with foil and store in a cool place. They will normally keep for months and are usually made at least a month or two before Christmas. The extra puddings are sometimes given to friends or relatives as gifts because many people don't have the time or knowledge to make Christmas puddings themselves. Home made puddings are almost always received with pleasure.

6. On Christmas Day, steam the puddings as above for between 2 and 3 hours depending on size.

7. It is tradition to bring a whole pudding to the dining table, pour spirits over it like brandy or rum, then set the spirit alight - see the Setting Fire to the Christmas Pudding below.

8. Serve with brandy butter or traditional white sauce. After Christmas Day, you can heat small quantities, rather than a whole pudding, in a microwave.

Light Christmas Cake Recipe

This cake should be made 1 or 2 weeks before Christmas as, not having the quantity of fruit of a traditional cake, it won't keep so long.

Ingredients

• 6oz currants
• 6oz sultanas
• 4oz cut mixed peel
• 6oz glacé cherries
• 4oz glacé pineapple
• 8oz self raising flour
• 2oz ground almonds
• 8oz margarine or butter
• 8oz caster sugar
• Grated rind and juice of half a lemon
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 3 tbsps brandy

Method

1. Heat oven temperature to 170 deg C 325 deg F and grease a 9 inch cake tin, then line it with two layers of greased greaseproof paper. Cream the margarine or butter, sugar and lemon rind until pale and fluffy and stir in the ground almonds.

2. Add the eggs a little at a time beating well.

3. Add 3 tbsps of flour to the fruit and peel, mixing well. Fold these ingredients alternately with the rest of the flour, the grated lemon rind and lemon juice, into the creamed mixture. Lastly stir in the brandy.

4. Put into the tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 2 and a half hours, or till risen and firm to the touch. Leave it to cool in the tin. Store it wrapped in greaseproof paper in an airtight tin. Decorate with icing (frosting) and marzipan or preserved fruit as for the low fat Christmas Cake above.

Economical Christmas Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 8oz sultanas
• 4oz currants
• 8oz raisins
• 10oz plain (all purpose) flour
• 1 level tsp mixed spice
• 8oz butter or margarine
• 8oz castor (fine grained) sugar
• grated rind of 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/2 tsp almond essence
• 4 beaten eggs
• 1 tbs marmalade
• 1/2 level tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 2 tbs milk

Method
1. Line an 8in cake tin (pan) with a double layer of greaseproof (wax) paper and preheat oven to 150 deg C (300 deg F).

2. Sieve (strain) the flour and mixed spice together then mix with the fruit.

3. Cream the butter or margarine, sugar, vanilla and almond essences, and lemon rind together until pale and fluffy.

4. Gradually beat in the eggs.

5. Fold in the flour a bit at a time.

6. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda into the milk then add it to the mixture. By this time it should be soft and drops from a spoon. If it is too stiff, add a little more milk.

7. Transfer the mixture to the cake tin (pan) and bake for about 4 hours. A skewer of fine bladed knife should come out clean when it is done. Cool on a wire rack.

8. Cover with marzipan and then icing in the traditional way.

Low Fat Christmas Cake Recipe

2mg fat and 225 calories per portion

Ingredients

• 9oz mixed, dried fruit (sultanas, raisins & currants)
• 3oz glacé cherries
• 2oz mixed peel
• 8fl oz (1 cup) apple juice
• 1oz hazelnuts
• 2 tbs pumpkin seeds
• 2 chopped pieces of preserved stem ginger
• Rind of 1 lemon, grated
• 4fl oz (1/2 cup) skimmed milk
• 4fl oz (1/2 cup) sunflower oil
• 8oz wholemeal self raising (cake) flour
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 3 tbs brandy

For Decorating
Small amount of apricot jam
Whole preserved fruits

Method

1. Put the mixed dried fruit, mixed peel and cherries into a bowl and pour the apple juice over them. Leave to soak several hours, preferably overnight.

2. Lightly grease and line with a 7ins square cake tin with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 150 deg C (300 deg F).

3. Put the hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, preserved ginger, grated lemon rind, oil and milk into the bowl with fruit and stir well. Then stir in the brandy (use a different spirit like rum, if preferred).

4. Sieve (strain) the flour and mixed spice together then gradually stir into the fruit mixture.

5. Put the mixture into the cake tin (pan) and bake for about 90 minutes until golden brown. You can test it with a thin knife or skewer which will come out clean when the cake is cooked.

6. Cool on a wire rack.

To Decorate

1. Sieve (strain) the apricot jam, warm it slightly so it is a little runny, then brush over the top of the cake.

2. Cut the whole preserved fruits into attractive, reasonably big pieces, and then cover the top of the cake with them - the apricot jam will hold them in place.

Tropical Christmas Cake Recipe

Instead of the traditional fruit used in a rich fruit cake like sultanas and currants, this recipe uses tropical ones like pineapple, papaya and mango giving a very different flavor and a lovely, moist cake.

Ingredients

• 6 oz raisins
• 4 ozs ready to eat dried apricots
• 4 ozs stoned dates
• 3 ozs ready to eat dried mango
• 3 oz ready to eat dried papaya
• 3 oz dried pineapple
• 2 oz dried cherries
• 2 oz dried cranberries
• 3 oz crystallised ginger
• 4 oz chopped almonds
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and grated
• Rind of one lemon, grated
• Juice of one lemon
• 8 fl oz (200ml) rum or other spirit
• 7 oz self raising (cake) flour
• 1/2 tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 7 oz softened butter
• 3 oz demerara (light brown) sugar
• 3 oz black treacle (molasses is a good substitute)
• 3 beaten eggs

Method

1. Cut up any large pieces of dried fruit, they should all be no larger than one inch cubes. Put all the dried fruit (not apple or lemon) in a large bowl, add half the rum or other spirit, cover with a clean cloth and leave overnight.

2. Grease then line an 8in cake tin (pan) with a double layer of greaseproof (wax) paper, grease the paper. Preheat oven to 150 deg C (300 deg F).

3. Mix the lemon rind and juice with the grated apple then stir it and the chopped almonds into the dried fruit mixture. Sieve (strain) the flour and spices together.

4. Cream the butter, demerara sugar and black treacle together - it's easiest to do this with an electric mixer until relatively lighter in colour and fluffier.

5. Gradually beat in the eggs then fold in the sieved flour and spices. Again do this gradually, a bit at a time.

6. Stir the dried fruit, nuts and apple into the cake mixture.

7. Transfer the mixture to the prepared cake tin (pan) and bake for about 2 hours 30 minutes. A skewer or fine bladed knife should come out clean when it is done. If the top of the cake is browning too fast, cover it with foil for the last 15 to 20 minutes. When it's cooked, leave to cool in the cake tin.

8. When it's cold, make holes in the cake with a skewer or fine bladed knife and use the remaining rum to pour into the cake.

9. Wrap it in greaseproof paper then store in an airtight container. In a cool, dry place, it should keep for at least 6 weeks.

10. You can cover with marzipan and then icing in the traditional way.

Gravadlax Recipe

This is such a popular dish for Sweden, Finland and even Denmark

To make this Scandinavian specialty, you rub raw salmon with salt, dill, and other flavourings and let it cure in the fridge.
The process takes three days, at which point you'll have smooth, silky cured salmon, which makes an impressive appetizer served with baguette toasts or pumpernickel and a dollop of sour cream..
Although the recipe is for a whole fish, you could just purchase a piece of salmon [about 500 grams or just a bit over a pound] centre-cut fillet. You will need a lot less of the salt mix, but this is not too important since you will brush off the salt mix before serving your graavadlax.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sea salt [get the natural unbleached salt, I use Celtic sea salt, it can be more expensive but it is so much better]
• 3/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon coarsely black pepper
• 1 fresh whole salmon filleted but with the skin left on, you want to have 2 fillets of equal size
• 2 measures of dry gin
• 1 big bunch of fresh dill, trimmed. Chop the leaves and stems roughly, keep a few whole to decorate

Method:

1. Put the salt, sugar, and pepper into a bowl. Mix well and keep aside.
2. Cover a large tray or platter with some sheets of plastic wrap, letting the edges hang over the sides. Lay the 2 salmon fillets skin side down on the plastic sheets.
3. Sprinkle the salt cure mix over both fillets and rub it in evenly.
4. Drizzle the gin over the fish.
5. Distribute the dill on top.
6. Put the other fillet on top, flesh side down.
7. Wrap the plastic tightly around the fish, using more plastic if necessary to completely seal it.
8. Set a large baking sheet or heavy platter on top of the salmon and weight it down
9. Refrigerate for 3 days.
10. Pour off the brine that has seeped from the salmon.
11. Unwrap the fish and use your hands to brush off and discard the salt cure, and most of the dill. Use a sharp, long, narrow knife, and cut very thin, almost translucent slices on the diagonal, using long, smooth strokes
12. Cover and store leftover gravaadlax in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
13. Serve on toasted French bread or pumpernickel or any nice thinly slice sourdough, garnish with thick sour cream and salmon roes .
14. Drink iced Vodka or a dry white wine [ an Alsace Riesling would be nice]

Traditional British Christmas Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 8oz currants
• 8oz sultanas
• 8oz raisins
• 4oz cut mixed peel
• 4oz halved glacé cherries
• 2oz chopped almonds
• 8oz plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 level teaspoon mixed spice
• 1/2 level teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 8oz butter
• 8oz soft brown sugar
• Grated rind of one lemon
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tbsps brandy

Method
1. It's best to make the cake in October or early November. First grease an 8 inch cake tin (pan), then line it with two layers of greased greaseproof paper. Tie two bands of strong brown paper around the outside of the cake tin. Turn on the oven to 300 deg F or 150 deg C.

2. Mix the currants, raisins, sultanas, almonds, peel and cherries together. Sieve (strain) the flour, salt and spices into a separate bowl.

3. Cream the butter, sugar and lemon rind until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs; beat well as you add them. If the mixture starts to curdle add a tablespoon of the flour mixture.

4. With a metal spoon, fold in half the flour then the other half with the brandy.

5. Fold in the fruit mixture and stir well.

6. Put into the prepared cake tin, smooth the top and leave a slight indentation in the middle. Place the tin on a layer of brown paper or newspaper near the bottom of the oven and bake for about 3 hours 45 minutes although you should check it after about 90 minutes. If the top is getting too brown, cover it with more brown paper to protect it.

7. When it is cooked, take it out of the oven and leave it to cool in the tin, then turn it out onto a cooling rack.

8. Store it wrapped in 2 or 3 sheets of greaseproof paper and then store in an airtight container.

9. While waiting to decorate it over the coming weeks, you can use a skewer to make holes in the bottom then pour about 2 tablespoons of brandy over it. You can do this every week. Make sure you wrap it up properly again each time and put it back in the airtight container.

To finish the cake

In early December, put marzipan (almond paste) on the cake. You can either make it yourself (see recipe below) or buy it ready made. If the top of the cake isn't perfectly flat, trim it so that it is.

Warm some apricot jam (jelly) in a pan then brush it on the sides of the cake. Now roll out a strip of marzipan (about 1/4 inch thick) to cover it all the way round with a small overlap on the top. Use a flat wide bladed knife to smooth the join of the strip.

Spread the warm apricot jam on the top of the cake then roll the marzipan into a circle to fit. Again, smooth the join, this time between the marzipan on top and on the side.

Leave the cake for about 3 days for the marzipan to dry.

Royal Icing

See below for the recipe or buy it ready made and just roll out.

Spread it over the marzipan. You can either make it completely flat and then decorate with pieces of marzipan shapes coloured with food dye or you can ice it using a piping bag and nozzles. I'm not good at decorative icing so I make my own royal icing then I can use a fork to raise peaks all over the cake so it looks like snow - see picture above.

Spiced Ginger Bread Recipe

This is for the large cookie like gingerbread men, decorate at will

Preparation 45 min
Rest 24 hours or overnight
Cooking time 25 to 30 minutes
Oven at 180

Ingredients:

• 500g [1lb] honey
• 500g [1lb] sugar
• 1tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• 1 lemon zest
• ½ measured of Kirsch
• ½ tsp of baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1,250 gr of plain flour
• 250 gr of ground almonds
• ¼ litre of milk

Method:

1. Mix the spices and baking powder with ground almonds and the flour
2. Heat the honey with the sugar until just coming to a boil, then add the Kirsch and let cool
3. Add slowly to the flour and almond mixture
4. Beat the eggs with the milk in a separate bowl and add to the mix
5. Mix gently and roll out the pastry on a floured bench until you reach the desired thickness, about 4mm.
6. Cut out the shapes [stars, moons or gingerbread men]
7. Place the cut out shapes on a buttered and floured oven tray, I like to use buttered baking paper.
8. Leave the pastry shapes to rest in a cool place overnight
9. The following day paint them with a slurry of milk and sugar, take care not to wet them too much
10. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 25 or 30 minutes or until golden
11. Once cool, decorate them with icing sugar.

Cranberry Holiday Bread Recipe

(I chop my cranberries and nuts up in a food processor, if you rather have chunky nuts and cranberries you do not have to grind them fine)

2/3 cup chopped walnuts
2/3 cup chopped cranberries
¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup canola oil
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons No Sodium Baking Soda
1 teaspoon No Sodium Baking Powder
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups of all purpose flour

Mix your ingredients in a bowl. Lightly spray a load pan with a non stick cooking spray. Bake on 350 degrees for 1 hour.

The Spread

1 small container of low fat cream cheese
¼ cup of chopped walnuts
¼ cup of chopped cranberries

Mix together until well blended.

This bread goes great with breakfast. It is just a festive treat served with coffee or tea.

Pavlova Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites
• 1 ½ cups caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon corn flour
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar or cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 500 ml of cream fro whipping
• 5 passion fruit pulped
• 3 kiwi fruit
• A few strawberries

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C.
Beat the egg whites on a high speed until peaks form without collapsing.
Make sure the bowl is clean and dry, the eggs must be at room temperature and take care not to mix in any yolk into the egg white.
While slowly beating your white add the castor sugar until the mixture becomes thick and glossy, then beat in the corn flour, vinegar, and vanilla.

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Pile on the meringue, hollowing out the centre to form an indentation
Put your Pavlova into the pre heated oven at 200 for 10 minutes, then turn down the heat
Bake your pavlova for about 35 minutes until quite firm, then turn the oven off but leave the pavlova in it to cool completely, keep the oven door slightly ajar by using a tea towel or a wooden spoon.

Just before serving whip the cream with the 2 tablespoons of sugar and half a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Extract the pulp with the seeds from the passion fruit
Peel and slice the kiwi fruit
Wash and slice the strawberries in half.
Spread the whipped cream over the Pavlova.
Pile the passion fruit on top and decorate with the kiwi fruit slices, and scatter the strawberries into the middle.
Sprinkle with icing sugar
Et voila, Pavlova!

Homemade Apple Butter Recipe

This recipe will make (8) 1/2 pint jars of apple butter. GREAT to give as a small gifts or place in gift baskets.

Homemade Apple Butter

• 5 lbs. apples-peeled, cored and diced
• 1 3/4 cup of packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of apple juice
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of allspice
• 1 teaspoon of nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon of cloves

Place all of the ingredients into a large crock pot, cover and cook on high for about 4 hours. Use a potato masher and mash the apples in the crock pot-do not worry if they all do not mash that is not important at this moment.

Cook the mashed apples for another 2 to 3 hours making sure the apples are completely tender. Use a hand blender and puree the apples until they are smooth and creamy. You want the apples to be thick, but not clumpy-remember the apple butter will thicken as it cools. If by chance it is too thick, you can thin it by adding a little more apple juice and mixing it very good.

For this recipe, I used 8-1/2 pint canning jars. Make sure your jars are washed good, and you have new seals. I have spoken to others who reuse their canning seals but I personally do not do that. Place the jars, the lids and the seals into a pot and heat them up. Fill with the jars one at a time with the apple butter, place the seal on the jar and lightly place on the lid. Be extra careful and make sure there is no apple butter on the rim of the jar, this can cause bacteria. Place the filled jars back into your canning pot, cover the pot and water bathe for 25 minutes. I put enough water in the pot to cover the jars half way.

Set a towel on your counter, and place the jars on it once the 25 minutes is up. The best sound is hearing the jars "Ping" one by one. Afterward, tighten the lids and allow setting there until they are completely cooled.

Australian Version of Turkey Stuffing Recipe

Ingredients

• 30g butter
• 4 rashers of bacon, rind removed, finely chopped [ use a good speck if you can get it]
• 2 shallots, finely chopped [or 1 onion]
• 2 or 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 measure of good brandy
• 140g (2 cups) fresh breadcrumbs (made from stale bread, remove the crust and process in a blender)
• 55g (1/2 cup) macademia nuts , coarsely chopped
• 1 tbs finely shredded fresh sage

Method

1. Melt the butter in a pan over medium-high heat until melted and bubbling.
2. Add bacon, onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion becomes translucent.
3. Transfer to a bowl.
4. Add the breadcrumbs, macademia nuts, sage, egg and brandy and stir until well combined.
5. Season with salt and pepper.

Now stuff your turkey, this will be enough for a 3kg turkey

Sugar Cookies Recipe

I purchased a container of Creme Brule sugar from a local store that has four different flavors-one including a buttered rum sugar. That is one I used for my recipe.

Ingredients

Cream Together:

• 1 stick butter
• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• 1 Tablespoon of vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup of sugar
• 2-egg whites

Add:

• 1 teaspoon No-Sodium Baking Soda
• 1/2 teaspoon No-Sodium Baking Powder
• 2 3/4 cup of All-Purpose Flour

Instructions

By using a hand-mixer be sure to mix this stiff dough until creamy. Use a 1 inch scoop and place the ball on a lined cookie sheet with parchment paper. Flatten and sprinkle with a flavored sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Bredele Recipe

Traditional Christmas cookies from regional France

Ingredients:

• 500 grams of flour
• 500 grams caster sugar
• 150 grams of crystallised orange peel finely chopped
• 250 grams finely ground almonds
• 250 grams of unsalted butter
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Method:

1. Sift the flour into a bowl
2. Soften the butter and add to the the other ingredients [not yet into the flour]
3. Mix it all well until the sugar and butter are smooth
4. Now add it into the flour
5. Mix all this until a smooth consistency but do not over mix!
6. The cookie dough will be quite firm now
7. If the dough seems too dry add a little more egg yolk
8. Let it sit in the refrigerator until quite firm but keep it covered so that it does not dry out.
9. After the dough has rested for a couple of hours [leave it overnight but wrap it in Clingfilm] bring it onto a clean and very lightly floured bench and roll it out to about 3 or 4 millimeters.
10. Cut out the shapes with Christmas cookie cutters
11. Lay the shapes onto a lightly buttered cookie tray
12. Brush the cookies with egg to make them golden and shiny.
13. Bake in a medium oven at about 180 degrees
14. Bring them out to cool as soon as they are a golden colour.
15. Try not to eat them all at once!