CHRISTMAS CAKE - GOLDEN JEWELLED CAKE SLICE

I have just downloaded some photos and here is a slice of my Golden Jewelled Christmas Cake.

A delicious recipe full of fruit and nuts. It certainly made a change from the usual dark, rich Christmas cake recipe. Lovely with a nice cup of tea or a glass of sherry!

SEVILLE ORANGE MARMALADE

When once Christmas is behind us I always look forward to the second week in January when the new season Seville oranges appear in the shops. Well, this year I have had great difficulty in tracking them down and had to go to a neighbouring town to find some in a traditional greengrocers.  The best and tastiest marmalade needs Seville oranges to provide that bitter sweet taste. I always make a couple of batches to ensure that we have enough to last the year, with a few pots to give to family and friends.

Ingredients:

2 lb/ Seville Oranges

1 lemon

4 lb Granulated Sugar

4 pints water

Method:

Scrub the fruits to ensure they are really clean and remove the little stalk at the top

Cut them in half, horizontally, and squeeze out the juice and pips

Place a strainer over a bowl and pour the juice and pips into this.

Measure the water into a large preserving pan, stock pot or saucepan.

Add the strained juice.

Cut the peel into quarters and shred - finely or chunky - the choice is yours.

Add the shredded peel to the pan and leave overnight to soften.

The next day, place the pips in a piece of muslin or gauze and tie to the pan handle so the bag of pips just hangs in the pan.  This will release the pectin which aids setting. Bring the pan to a simmering point and simmer for 1-3 hours until the peel is really soft.

Take the pan off the heat.

Remove the bag of pips and squeeze out the gooey pectin using a saucer and a spoon.

Measure the sugar and add to the pan, stirring until dissolved.

Bring the pan back to the boil on a high heat and allow to bubble quickly until a set is obtained - about 20 minutes

Spoon a little onto a chilled saucer and place by the open window, it will wrinkle if a set is obtained.

Heat the clean jars in a low oven and pot the marmalade when cool enough to handle.

Cover with waxed discs and cellophane tops, cling film or lids.

Label and date.

Store in a cool dry place.

Enjoy with delicious home made bread, toast etc.  A real breakfast treat.

SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

This is a traditional recipe for Christmas time. Scottish shortbread is made in one piece in a tin and cut into wedges after baking.

Ingredients

175 g butter
75 g caster sugar
175 g plain flour
75 g ground rice or fine semolina
Caster sugar for dusting

Method

Soften the butter and beat in the sugar followed by the flour and ground rice or semolina.
Keep working the ingredients together until they bind together.
Roll out into a circle
Place in a sandwich tin and crimp the edges
Prick all over with a fork
Mark out wedges
Cook in a moderate oven until lightly browned
When cooked, mark the surface again into wedges and when cool remove from the tin
They will crispen as they cool
Dust with caster sugar

Store in an airtight container

CHRISTMAS COOKIES

I am a bit behind with my blog.  Here is the recipe for my Christmas Cookies.

Ingredients

110g softened butter
50 g caster sugar
175 g plain flour
Few drops vanilla essence
Exra caster sugar to dust

Method

Cream the butter and beat in the sugar until light
Beat in the vanilla essence
Beat in the flour
Bring the mixture together to form a ball
Place on a worktop dusted with caster sugar
Roll lightly until about 3mm thick
Use fancy cutters to cut the biscuits
Place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment
Use the trimmings to make more biscuits
Bake in a moderate oven for about 30 minutes

Cool on a wire rack then dust with caster sugar.


Enjoy!

Store in an airtight container