Honigherzen, Honey Hearts
25g margarine or butter
1 egg
pinch of cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
90g warmed honey
200g flour
½ tsp baking powder
grated rind of 1 lemon
40g ground almonds
100g castor sugar
Combine ingredients and leave for 30 mins.
Roll out to 1 cm thickness on a lightly floured board then cut out heart shapes. Bake at 180c till golden brown. Leave to cool. Prepare chocolate glaze by melting 60g chocolate with 2 tablespoons hot water over a low heat.
Add 60g icing sugar and mix well. Dip each biscuit to cover the top. Mix icing sugar with enough well beaten egg white to set and draw designs on each cookie.
Christmas Shortbread
1 kg flour
500g butter
125g sugar
1 tbsp sweet almonds
Candied orange peel
1 tsp caraway seeds
Beat butter to a cream, blend in sugar and flour, chopped almonds and caraway seeds. Work the paste until it is smooth, divide into 6. Roll each on a separate sheet of paper to a square or round shape about 2 cm thick and punch edges.
Mark divisions into fingers or wedges, prick it all over and decorate with candied peel. Sprinkle with coarse sugar and cook at 180c for 25 – 30 mins.
Frosted Holly Leaves – garnish
1 sprig of holly
30g coarse sugar
30g melted butter
Wipe leaves clean and place on a dish near heat to dry.
Dip the leaves in butter, sprinkle on sugar and leave in fridge.
Christmas Pudding (boiled)
750g raisins
250g currants
250g sultanas
500g bread crumbs
200g figs (diced)
375g suet (or 300g dripping)
8-10 eggs
500g brown sugar
5 oz brandy (one wineglass)
1 tsp each nutmeg and cinnamon
Mix all fruit and dry ingredients then blend in eggs and brandy. I allow the mix to sit in the fridge for a few hours or even overnight to allow the brandy to properly infuse the fruit.
Form the mixture into balls (between 4 and 6 depending on the size you want) and coat lightly with flour.
Cut up some linen or canvas squares and tie up the balls – coat with more flour.
Place in a pot of boiling water making sure a string is tied to each for easy removal. If you use a pot with a thin bottom you will need to tie the string to the handle or something to suspend the puddings above the bottom or else they may burn.
Boil 4 to 5 hours.
If you are not serving immediately then store in the fridge (last for months) and either re boil or microwave to heat before serving.
I sometimes set these on fire before taking them to the table (use 30mls of brandy) for a stylie presentation 😀
Zimsterne, Cinnamon Stars (Germany, Switzerland)
125g ground almonds
250g castor sugar
125g hazelnuts ground
50g grated lemon rind
1 tsp cinnamon
2-3 egg whites
Glaze: 150g icing sugar mixed with one beaten egg white.
Combine ground nuts, sugar, rind and cinnamon. Add egg whites and mix to a stiff dough. Cover and leave for one hour in a cool place. Roll out dough to 6mm thick, cut out star shapes and paint with glaze. Place on a lightly greased tray and bake 10 mins in a moderate oven.
Scottish Shortbread
1 cup Butter
¾ cups Sugar
½ tsp Almond extract
2 ½ cup Plain flour
¼ tsp Salt
Beat butter until soft. Add sugar and almond extract and beat until smooth. Add flour and salt, and mix well.
Press dough evenly in 11 x 7 x 2-inch pan. Mark in 1-1/2 inch squares with a fork. Bake in 375-degree oven 25 minutes. Cut along markings while hot and cool in pan.
Hot Brandy Sauce
Yolk of three eggs
150g milk
1 tbsp sugar
2 sm glassfuls brandy
1 small grated lemon rind
Blend yolks, sugar, milk and lemon in a small saucepan. Stir over a medium heat until mixture thickens but do not boil.
Remove from heat and stir in brandy. Return to heat, stirring before serving hot.
Brandy Sauce
125g butter
125g sugar
1 wineglass full of brandy
Beat the butter and sugar until creamed. Blend in brandy.
Serve cold.
