Bumping

gardie - 2010-11-28 15:22:00

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a_n_h - 2010-12-05 09:45:00

Vanilla Bean Cream for your Xmas Pav or Trifle - fabulous

Split a vanilla bean lengthways with a sharp pointed knife - scrape out the thousands of tiny seeds - add the seeds to a bottle of supermarket cream - add 1- 2 teaspoons of sugar - mix well - and leave in the fridge for a day or so - then use in the normal way, beaten or runny is fine - simply gorgeous! Put the left-over vanilla bean shell in a jar with sugar to make vanilla sugar.

willyow - 2010-12-05 18:19:00

Plum pudding,my nana used to make one it was in a floured cloth and boiled.It had raisons,currents and sultanas only and also had cold tea and shreddo. No breadcrums or golden syrup. It was VERY dark and moist with a "skin" on it.Could just slice it and eat it like cake.Would anyone have the recipe? Have tried Edmonds recipes and various others,but they don't even come close to my nana's recipe.

ethel5 - 2010-12-05 19:03:00

Baylieys for that drink at the end of the evening :-)

4 Eggs

1 can condensed milk

300ml cream

½ tablespoon coffee

Mix together, don’t whip the cream though

Add to taste. Or till there is a bite to it:

Coconut essence

Vanilla essence

And if you like add Chocolate essence

Then add 16oz whiskey/bourbon

Put in the fridge and chill and then enjoy!

hisandhers2 - 2010-12-05 20:32:00

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cookessentials - 2010-12-05 22:53:00

Ham frozen - have just taken our frozen ham out of the freezer - question is what is the best way to thraw it out, so that it doesn't dry out before Saturday?

rema - 2010-12-22 12:08:00

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cookessentials - 2011-06-14 13:54:00

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cookessentials - 2011-09-20 13:51:00

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cookessentials - 2011-09-21 10:09:00

With 11 weeks to go, it's time to bump up this great thread.

bedazzledjewels - 2011-10-08 08:28:00

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cookessentials - 2011-10-08 20:29:00

My Christmas cake is in the oven cooking and it smells devine. Used Feijoa Vodka as the alcohol component again this year. Sultanas, Cranberries and Dried Apricots are the fruits and I can't wait until Christmas to try it. Yum.

gardie - 2011-10-17 10:12:00

Bumping so I can read this arvo.

cautis - 2011-11-14 07:57:00

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cookessentials - 2011-11-28 10:44:00

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elliehen - 2011-12-19 22:54:00

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cookessentials - 2011-12-20 09:54:00

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cookessentials - 2011-12-20 09:55:00

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cookessentials - 2011-12-22 06:50:00

I need biscottie recipes please for pressies .I need to start soon

cutezie - 2011-12-22 08:00:00

bumping for the crazy christmas season

dolphinfan - 2012-10-16 21:10:00

Great to see this thread around again but scary as to how fast the year has gone by

griffo4 - 2012-10-17 13:56:00

Fruit filling, Tarts, squares.

2kg of mixed fruit
1 whole sponge cake 4 days old, crumbed
1 litre of stewed apples
1/2 tsp each
cinnamon, mixed spice, nutmeg.
1/2 tsp each
lemon, vanilla, almond, rum, essence.
1 cup of brown sugar
mix well and taste.
Add more spice if needed at this point.
Add 4 beaten eggs
This is not a mixture to keep, has no alcohol.

This mixture made 192 fruit tarts, plus 2 swiss roll tins of fruit square.
This was very well received last Christmas. Not by any means a "fruit mince" recipe. but a good mixture all the same.

Quotepickles7 (536 ) 4:36 pm, Sun 23 Oct #9
Here is my one which I have adapted from Cookessentials recipe to suit me. Everyone that has it says it is very nice.

Christmas Mince Tarts

200g Sultanas
200g Raisins
125g Currants
125g cranberries
125g dried apricots
150g granny smith apple, skinned and grated
1 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp heaped mixed spice
1 tsp heaped cloves
1/8c plum jam (2 tbs)
100mls or so of brandy or whisky
Lemon and orange rind if desired

Mix all together. Cover and leave in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or you can freeze for later use. Stir every once in a while. Better made 1 month or so in advance and frozen.

Pastry (makes 2 ½ Doz)

2 cups plain flour
2 tbs ground almonds
180 gm butter
¼ cup icing sugar
1 egg yolk
3 tbs milk (approx.)

Sift flour into bowl, stir in almonds, rub in butter. Stir in yolk and enough milk to make dough cling together. Knead on floured surface until smooth. Refrigerate 30 minutes before using. This shortcake requires baking at around 200°C. Tarts will take about 20mins. This should be enough pastry for about 2c fruit mince.

Notes: if pastry falls apart too easily when rolling or trying to pick up, add bit more milk (tbs at a time) till soft and workable. Refrigerate again for a bit before rolling.

Found it easier rolling between 2 glad wraps.

Bake at fan forced 180c for 15 minutes.

Quotemarcs (52 ) 5:38 pm, Sun 23 Oct

bev00 - 2012-10-22 23:26:00

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cookessentials - 2012-10-23 20:36:00

Bumping :) Getting to that time now!

staceytee109 - 2012-11-29 18:51:00

toadfish wrote:

I just love Christmas............. Mini Fruit Cake in Pots -
6 C mixed fruit, 1 C glace cherries – halved, 250gr butter, 1 C brown sugar, 1 C water, 5 eggs – lightly beaten, 1 Tbsp grated orange rind, 1 & ¾ C flour, 1/3 C self raising flour, 1 tsp b/soda. METHOD: Heat oven to slow – 150C. Brush 6 x 2cup capacity terracotta pots with melted butter or oil and line the base with a circle of baking paper. METHOD: Combine first 5 ingredients in large pot and bring to the boil while stirring. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for approx 10 mins - stir occasionally. Leave to cool. Add eggs and rind - combine. With metal spoon, stir in sifted flours & soda until just combined. Spoon into pots, smooth surface and cover pots with foil. Bake for 1 hr - until cake feels firm and they are golden brown. Cool in the pots.

I just tried this and buttered them well but wouldn't come out of pots..after me buying just to do this. Any ideas on why or tricks to do it? thanks Anne

anne1955 - 2012-11-29 19:02:00

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cookessentials - 2013-03-14 15:45:00

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cookessentials - 2013-06-21 09:52:00

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cookessentials - 2013-07-05 16:12:00

anne1955 wrote:

I just tried this and buttered them well but wouldn't come out of pots..after me buying just to do this. Any ideas on why or tricks to do it? thanks Anne

Could you try flouring after buttering? Or spray then butter? Terracotta absorbs moisture doesn't it?

wendalls - 2013-07-06 09:31:00

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cookessentials - 2013-07-06 11:40:00

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cookessentials - 2013-08-07 11:52:00

Can anyone tell me to whether, Alison Holst has 2 different recipes for Pineapple Christmas cake.
I have her book, ' simply delicious" in front of me, and seems slightly different than her usual one!
Any help would be appreciated.

willman - 2013-08-07 14:48:00

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cookessentials - 2013-08-07 15:05:00

Have found the recipe on this thread/or another, but not under the name of Alison Holst, but is the recipe I was looking for. Which, is so great.

willman - 2013-08-09 08:12:00

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cookessentials - 2013-08-09 09:49:00

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cookessentials - 2013-08-10 12:48:00

oh lots of things to make for christmas, thank you all for your hard work to make life so much easier for the rest of us! First year i'm goign to attempt to actually make things rather than buy

jandhwillis - 2013-08-11 11:28:00

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cookessentials - 2013-08-11 12:59:00

I dont' cookessentials but the J in the name does!

jandhwillis - 2013-08-11 15:48:00

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cookessentials - 2013-08-11 16:52:00

hi all....... have my first batch of fruit mince in the fridge doing its thing and making up the first christmas puds tomorrow for the freezer. ham is all wrapped and down in the freezer as well and menu's sorted...... will start the christmas baking in earnest next weekend shortbread, slices etc...

timetable - 2013-08-12 21:11:00

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cookessentials - 2013-08-18 15:56:00

Bump

lindylambchops1 - 2013-10-12 19:59:00

saved from the abyss

bev00 - 2013-10-16 23:48:00

I just recently made a different type of trifle - I made a red velvet cake trifle which was lovely - I made a red velvet cake, my fav recipe one. The made a milk chocolate ganache with chocolate and heated cream poured ontop - then slowly added that to softened cream cheese, 250gms of cream cheese. I did a layer of cake in the bottom of a glass bowl, layered some chocolate mix. then cake then chocolate mix and then cake again - topped it off with some custard and whipped cream - raspberries decorated on top - really nice festive looking

wahinetoa62 - 2013-10-17 00:57:00

I would like a nice recipe for Rum/Brandy Balls, please, made, made from wine biscutes and dried fruit, which are rolled in coconut are ( what else ). To be made especially for Christmas Day.
Many Thanks.

willman - 2013-10-17 08:11:00

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cookessentials - 2013-11-18 16:10:00

Old Fashioned Christmas Pudding

Ingredients .

175 gm plain flour
15 grams cocoa powder
2 tsp mixed spice
150 grams breadcrumbs
250 grams shredded suet
900 grams mixed dried fruit that includes
some shopped candied peel
100 grams roughly chopped prunes
4 lightly beaten eggs
8 tbs Guinness
3 tbs treacle
zest and juice of an orange

Preparation.
1.Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2.Slowly add the in all the remaining ingredients, mixing thoroughly.
3.Grease 2 medium sized bowls and divide the mixture between them.
4.Cover with greaseproof paper and steam for at least 6 hours or longer, checking regularly that the pans do not boil dry. The longer the pudding cooks the darker and tastier it will be.
5.Make the pudding at least a month before needed and store in a cool place. (I often keep the 2nd one for several months or even a year. They only improve with keeping.)
6.Reheat on the day for at least another 4 hours.
7.Serve with brandy butter, custard or whipped cream.

roshu - 2013-11-18 16:11:00

Sugar Cookes

.

1/2 cups shortening
1/2 cups caster sugar
2 eggs beaten
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3 tablespoons vanilla essence
7 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Sugar or hundreds and thousands for sprinkling

Preparation.
1.Preheat your oven to 175 degrees celcius
2.In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth and silky.
3.Add beaten eggs, add sour cream, and vanilla.
4.In a separate bowl sift the flour, baking soda, and salt three times.
5.Add to the wet mixture slowly beating well till smooth mixture, cover bowl and chill until dough is firm.
6.Take chilled dough and roll into balls about the size of a ping pong ball. Flatten and sprinkle with sugar or hundreds and thousands. Place on baking paper-lined sheets or trays and bake at 175C for about 20 minutes - they should just be starting to turn brown on the edges.
7.Remove from oven, let rest and then transfer to wire rack to cool.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

roshu - 2013-11-18 16:12:00