Oh Goodie. I love to share recipes. HHGirl... you can come to my house any day of the week and we can do it together. I was thinking of the cut beans out of the can just because they are good and it's easy.
Could I please have your Baked Macaroni and Cheese (the best old fashioned recipe from your late Aunt, cheese grated on a grater til your fingers are scraped to pieces) recipe... minus the pound of flesh?
Thanks for the shortbread recipe Susan as I had planned on baking some this morning.
eleni, that sounds delicious!
Hi Bushycat. I miss you. I hope your Christmas was lovely and the same to all our friends in New Zealand and Australia.
Here are a few recipes I've collected from England and elsewhere for those who may want a little variety.
Christmas Present Treats
HOKEY POKEY CINDER TOFFEE
(makes five bags)
Use either a teacup or mug to measure as it makes life easier — and fill right to the brim.
Ingredients:
1 cup light muscovado sugar
4 heaped tbsp golden syrup
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Method: Place a sheet of non-stick bakewell paper on a large baking sheet or tray. Melt the sugar and syrup together in a large pan then boil for 4 minutes until the mixture is molten, bubbling — and has darkened considerably.
Stir from time to time as it bubbles. After 4 minutes, stir in the baking soda. The mixture will froth and quadruple in size. Remove from the heat and carry on stirring as you pour it on to the baking tray. Leave to cool and set before smashing it into shards for the bags.
CHOCOLATE, FIG, PRUNE AND WALNUT LOG
(makes two)
Ingredients:
2 cups chopped dried figs
1 cup pitted Agen prunes
1 cup raisins
1 cup dark 70-75 per cent chocolate, chopped
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup walnuts
1 cup unrefined icing sugar
Method: Place the figs, prunes, raisins, chocolate chunks, cinnamon and vanilla in a food processor and blend to a paste. Add the walnuts and pulse briefly so that they stay chunky.
Scrape the mixture out, divide into two and place the first piece on to a sheet of cling film that you have dredged with unrefined icing sugar, and roll into a thick sausage coated with the sugar.
Place in a cellophane bag and tie the ends cracker-style with ribbon before placing in the fridge to firm up.
Slice thinly, when ready to eat.
WHITE CHOCOLATE AND RASPBERRY TRUFFLES
(five bags, makes eight per bag)
Ingredients:
400g(1 3/4c) fresh raspberries
2 x 200g (7.05479oz) bars white chocolate
Up to a walnut sized piece of butter
Method: Put the raspberries in a single layer on a tray and freeze for an hour to almost frozen before you start.
Line a baking tray with a sheet of foil. Melt the white chocolate in pieces in a bowl that is floating in a pan, with some gently simmering water in the bottom of it.
Keep the bowl over the hot water while you work.
Put the raspberries one at a time on the end of a skewer and dip into the melted chocolate until covered.
Place on to the silver foil to cool. If the chocolate looks like it is hardening or separating, stir in a few tiny pieces of butter.
When all the raspberries are coated, place the tray in the fridge to set.
Once ready, place in bags and decorate.
EARL GREY FRUIT TEA LOAF
(makes 1 x 900g or 2 x 450g loaves)
Ingredients:
400g (1 3/4c) mixed dried fruit such as Muscat raisins, unsulphured apricots chopped, cranberries, blueberries, sour cherries
120g (4.23oz a little more then 1/’2c) dark muscovado or molasses sugar
300 ml (10.1442oz or 1 1/3c) hot Lapsang, Earl Grey or Jasmine tea (loose leaf for the best flavour)
225g (7.93oz or a little less then 1c) self-raising flour
1 large free-range egg, beaten
Method: Put the dried fruit and sugar in a bowl, pour over the hot tea and leave overnight or for at least 6 hours.
Stir before you go to bed and again before you use. Pre-heat the oven to 180c/Gas 4 (356 degrees). Grease and line 2 x 450g or 1 x 900g loaf tins.
Sift the flour over the fruit in the bowl and add the beaten egg then fold everything in together.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour if it’s one loaf or 50 minutes if it’s two, before sticking a skewer in.
If the skewer comes out clean the loaf is cooked, with the bigger loaf it may take up to another 15 minutes depending on your oven.
Cool in the tin on a wire rack before turning out. Wrap in greaseproof and foil and store in a sealed container, it keeps well for a couple of weeks.
GINGERBREAD HEARTS, HOUSES AND STARS
(enough for six)
Ingredients:
110g (3.88oz or ) softened unsalted butter
100g (3.53oz) light muscovado sugar
170g (5.99oz or c) golden syrup
400g (1 3/4c) plain flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
ICING:
1 egg white
55g (1.94oz) unrefined icing sugar (approx)
A squeeze of lemon juice
Method: Preheat oven to 190c/gas 5 (374 degrees).
Put the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of the Kitchen Aid or whisk with an electric beater until light and creamy.
Add the golden syrup, sifted flour, ginger, sifted bicarb and mix until you have a smooth dough.
Roll out the dough between sheets of non-stick baking parchment to about 4mm/1/4 in thick.
Cut out the gingerbread with a shaped cutter (try stars or trees) and place them on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking parchment.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden and just brown around the edges.
After a couple of minutes remove with a palette knife and cool on a rack until they’ve firmed up.
Meanwhile, mix the egg white and sifted icing sugar together with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Pipe your decorations and add silver balls or what you will. Leave the icing to set.
MINCEMEAT
(makes six small jars)
Ingredients:
340g (11.99 oz or 1 ½ c) each sultanas, raisins and currants
170g (5.99 oz or ¾ c)) flaked almonds
3 eating apples, coarsely grated, skin on
400g (14.1095 oz or 1 ¾ c) dark muscovado sugar
150g (5.29 oz) mixed peel
1 tsp grated nutmeg
1⁄2 tsp each ground cloves, mace, ginger and cinnamon
150g (5.29 oz) beef or vegetarian suet
Grated zest and juice of 11⁄2 organic lemons
Zest of an organic orange
120 ml (4.05oz or 1/2c) of whatever alcohol you like; I used Jameson’s whiskey and Cognac
Method: Mix everything together in a large bowl and pot. Turn the jar every few weeks, for the alcohol to permeate, for a long-life.
MINCE PIES
(makes 12-15, depending on size of tart tins)
Ingredients:
225g (7.93 oz or 1 c) plain flour
120g (4.23 oz or 1 cube) unsalted butter
1 beaten egg
Mincemeat
Method: Preheat oven to 180C/Gas 4 (356 degrees).
Sift the flour directly into the food processor and add the cubed, fridge-cold butter. Pulse for about 20 seconds to crumb, then add 1 tbsp cold water and blitz until the mixture coheres into a ball.
Remove and flatten with the heel of your hand on a sheet of cling-film.
Wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
Roll out on a floured board and cut with cutters.
Grease the little tart tins and fit the pastry in.
Add the mincemeat with a teaspoon.
Brush the edges of the pastry with cold water and seal the top deck of pastry on before brushing the tops with beaten egg.
Bake for 12-15 minutes. Check the pastry is browned and the filling hot. Cool on racks.
CHOCOLATE FUDGE
(makes around 40 pieces, eight per bag)
Ingredients:
450g (15.872oz) unrefined granulated sugar
170 ml (5.74 oz)milk
3 tbsp Green and Black’s cocoa powder
55g (1.94 oz) unsalted butter cut into cubes
A few drops of vanilla extract
Method: Stir together the sugar, milk and coca until the sugar feels like it has dissolved.
Cook gently in a pan allowing the temperature to rise slowly.
You need the temperature to reach 115C (239f) on a sugar thermometer.
Warm the thermometer first in hot water before putting upright into the pan.
When the fudge has hit 115C, remove the thermometer back to the hot water and dip the base of the fudge pan in cold water for a minute to arrest the boiling.
Drop in the little chunks of butter, still without stirring.
Cool. When tepid add the vanilla and beat together. Pour into an oiled tin.
When cold, cut the mixture in squares and chill.
POMANDERS
Tie the ribbon around the fruit. You can then hang it on a bough and spike the fruit with as many cloves as you can so that the orange peel doesn’t show. Patience!
Read more:
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Read more:
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1 gram = 0.0352739619 ounces
More about calculator.
100g = 3.5 oz
DIVINITY SURPRISE COOKIES
3 egg whites, room temperature
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (12 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips
Few drops food coloring, optional
Beat egg whites until stiff. Continue beating and gradually add sugar. Fold in vanilla and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 30 minutes at 300 degrees. Cool on parchment.
Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
6 ounces chocolate chips
2 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
Directions
1
Set oven to 400 degrees.
2
Cover a cookie sheet with foil.
3
Beat egg whites until stiff.
4
Add sugar, 1/8th at a time, beat until crystals disappear (don't overbeat).
5
Add vanilla and mix 2 minutes.
6
Stir in chocolate chips.
7
Drop by teaspoons onto cookie sheet.
8
TURN OVEN OFF.
9
Leave cookies in oven for 2 hours.
10
Store in airtight container after cool.
Ingredients
3 each egg whites
room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package chocolate chips
(12 ounces)
1 x food coloring
optional
Directions
Beat egg whites until stiff.
Continue beating and gradually add sugar.
Fold in vanilla and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake 30 minutes at 300 degrees. Cool on parchment paper.
Candied pecans, with cinnamon and vanilla
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups pecan halves
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation: Put pecans and oil in a flat baking pan; stir until pecans are coated. Roast in 300° oven 20 to 25 minutes, stirring frequently. Cool.
Combine sugar, cinnamon, salt, and water in a saucepan; cook, stirring, over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Boil to 236° of a candy thermometer, or to soft ball stage.
* Remove from heat; blend in vanilla. Add pecans and stir until mixture is creamy. Turn out onto waxed paper and use a fork to separate pecans.
*To Test for Soft Ball Stage
A small amount of syrup dropped into chilled water forms a ball, but is soft enough to flatten when picked up with fingers (234° to 240°).
Sugared Almonds
Ingredients:
1 cup whole blanched almonds
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation: Heat almonds, sugar and butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until almonds are toasted and sugar is a golden brown, about 15 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Spread on aluminum foil; sprinkle with salt. Cool and break into clusters.
Spiced Pecans
Ingredients:
1 egg white
1 teaspoon water
5 cups pecan halves
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation: In a mixing bowl, with an electric hand-held mixer on high speed, beat egg white and water until foamy. Stir pecans into egg white mixture until well coated. Combine sugar, cinnamon, and salt; sprinkle over pecans, stirring once again to coat thoroughly.
Spread pecans in single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 225° for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Leave on baking sheet until completely cooled. Store in an airtight container.
Makes 5 cups.