Sweet Christmas recipes

Traditional Christmas pudding Makes 1 pudding, serves 6–8 people Ingredients 230g raisins 50g currants 75g sultanas 50g glacé cherries 15g flaked almonds 100ml brandy Zest of 1 orange Zest of 1 lemon Freshly squeezed juice of ½ orange Freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon 50g vegetable suet 30g wholemeal breadcrumbs 50g plain white flour 90g light brown sugar 2g mixed spice 1g ground nutmeg 1g ground cinnamon 1g ground cloves 5g salt 2 medium eggs, beaten Method The day before: place all the dried fruits and flaked almonds in a bowl. Pour over the brandy and add the zest and measured juice of the orange and lemon. Mix together lightly. Cover with cling film and leave to soak overnight. To make the pudding: Put all the ingredients and the pre-soaked fruit together in a large mixing bowl. Mix together lightly by hand, so as not to break up the fruit. Place a small disc of baking parchment in the base of a 1½ pint pudding basin and then fill it with the mixture. Smooth the top down evenly. Place another larger disc of baking parchment on top of the mixture. Cover the top of the basin with foil and seal tightly. Stand the filled pudding basin on a strip of foil long enough to make a handle (This is to help you lift the pudding out of the saucepan once it is steamed). Place the pudding on top of a trivet in a deep sided saucepan. Pour hot water into the saucepan, so it comes halfway up the pudding basin. Place a lid on the saucepan and bring back to the boil. Then lower the heat and keep the water at a steady simmer. Steam the pudding for 5 hours. Check the level of water in the saucepan during cooking and top up if necessary. Remove the pudding from the pan and allow it to cool completely. Remove the foil. Wrap the pudding basin in a piece of greaseproof and a layer of foil. Store in a cool, dark place and leave for at least one month to mature. The longer the better. To serve: On Christmas Day, steam the pudding for a further 2 hours in a pan with water, as before. Warm some brandy in a ladle until it ignites and pour over the pudding to flambé. Traditional Christmas cake Makes 1 x 20cm round cake (you'll need a 20cm round cake tin) 250g sultanas 100g currants 400g raisins 75g mixed peel 165g glacé cherries Zest of 1 lemon Zest of 1 orange Freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon 80ml sherry 175g butter (at room temperature) 175g dark brown Muscovado sugar 25g black treacle 3 medium eggs, beaten (at room temperature) 220g plain white flour 4g mixed spice 2g ground cinnamon 40g ground almonds 25g glycerine The day before: Place the dried fruits into a large bowl with the lemon and orange zest. Pour over the lemon juice and sherry. Mix the fruit thoroughly to combine. Cover with cling film, and leave to stand overnight. Line the base of the cake tin with a disc of baking parchment. Place a 'collar' of baking parchment around the inside of the tin. To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 125°C (fan assisted), 140°C (non fan assisted), gas mark 2. Use an oven thermometer to get an accurate temperature reading as all ovens vary. Beat the softened butter, sugar and treacle in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs to the butter mixture, a little at a time to avoid the mixture curdling. When all the eggs have been added, add the flour, spices, and ground almonds. Gently mix together until thoroughly combined. Stir the glycerine into the pre-soaked fruit (this helps to keep the cake moist). Add to the cake mixture and fold through until evenly mixed. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tin and level off the top. Place into a preheated oven for approximately 2½ hours until firm to the touch (check after 2 hours and adjust temperature if necessary). A skewer inserted into the middle of the cake will come out clean when the cake is cooked. When cooked leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes before removing from the tin. Leave the baking parchment on the cake while it cools. When the cake has completely cooled, brush the top and sides of the cake with sherry (or your chosen spirit). Do not prick your cake with a skewer; the glycerine will help move moisture around the cake. The cake should then be wrapped in a clean sheet of greaseproof paper, then foil and placed in an airtight container or cake tin and stored in a cool, dry place. Repeat the "feeding" of the cake with more sherry each month (maximum 3 times). The last "feed" should be at least one week before covering the cake with marzipan. Traditional mincemeat Produces 3 x 300g jars 130g Bramley apple Zest of 1 lemon Zest of 1 orange Juice of ½ orange 35g glacé cherries 85g dark brown Muscovado sugar 85g soft brown sugar 10g crystallised ginger 65g sultanas 65g currants 100g raisins First sterilize your jars by washing thoroughly in hot, soapy water and rinsing well. Then place jars and lids upside down in a preheated oven at 140ºC (fan assisted) for about 30 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the jars to cool. Peel, core and dice the apple and place in a small pan. Cook over a low heat for a few minutes until the apple begins to soften. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Chop the glacé cherries and place in a bowl with all the other ingredients. Add the cooled apple. Mix together until well combined. Spoon the mincemeat into sterilized jars, leaving a 1 cm gap from the top. Place a disc of baking parchment over the top, seal and label. Store in a cool cupboard and leave to mature for at least 2-3 weeks before using. Sweet pastry Makes approximately 500g 250g plain flour 100g chilled butter 100g caster sugar 2 egg yolks, beaten 2-3 tbsp cold water Place the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles crumbs. Stir in the sugar. Beat the egg yolks with 2 tablespoons of cold water and add to the dry ingredients. Quickly mix together using a cutlery knife and then with your hands bring the pastry together to form a smooth dough. If the pastry feels dry add another 1-2 tablespoons of water (do this before bringing the pastry together). Try not to make the pastry too wet or else it will shrink on baking and it will also make the pastry tough. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes before using. Mincemeat streusel tart Makes x 1 15cm tart (you'll need a 15cm baking ring or flan dish) 250g sweet pastry, relaxed and cold 300g traditional mincemeat For the streusel topping: 40g plain white flour 25g butter, cold 15g caster sugar 10g ground almonds 10g nibbed almonds 20g roasted nibbed hazelnuts Preheat the oven to 175°C (fan assisted). Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 4mm thick. Place the flan dish on to a baking tray and line with the pastry. Ease the pastry into the dish, pressing the edges and ensuring that there are no air bubbles. Allow to rest untrimmed for 15 minutes. To make the streusel topping: Place the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles crumbs. Stir in the sugar. Add the nuts and mix through evenly. Trim the pastry. Spoon the mincemeat into the pastry case. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the mincemeat and press down lightly. Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Allow to cool in the dish before removing the tart and placing on a wire rack. When cold dust the top with a little icing sugar. Notes: The top of the streusel can also be decorated with cut out shapes of sweet pastry using star and holly cutters, for a different finish. Any excess streusel topping can be stored in the freezer until required. Rum sauce Serves 6-8 40g butter 40g plain flour 225ml milk 200ml whipping cream 35g caster sugar 4 tbsp rum Melt the butter in a pan and stir in flour and allow the roux to cook out. Gradually add the milk, stirring continuously. Add the cream and continue stirring until you have a smooth creamy sauce. Heat until boiling. Remove from the heat. Stir in the sugar and rum. Place a disc of damp greaseproof onto the surface of the sauce, to avoid a skin forming. Keep warm until required. Can be reheated before serving. • Recipes from Betty's of Harrogate