Christmas Cooking

New Home

This looks very simple and very effective. I think I'll try it.... hoping it tastes nice.

https://hungryhappenings.com/fudge-christmas-trees/

phormium

Very cute! I did similar few years ago with meringue coloured green, last for ages too and can make handy dessert idea.

New Home

My meringue always turn out soggy after a day, I've never been able to keep it crisp (then again, my house is very damp...). Any tips?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119538070#Comment_119538070

I have a deep frying pan with a lid. Just the job for boiling small individual puddings. I’d be scared of using the oven in case I got scalded when checking the water level. Would it need topping up if it was tightly sealed? I use the slow cooker for the bigger puds too.

phormium

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119689353#Comment_119689353

No it never needs topping up if sealed right with tinfoil, be far too awkward to even check, too hot to put the tinfoil back on! I never even check and just take them out after allotted time and they are done and still plenty of water.

TRS30

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119685734#Comment_119685734

I’ll happily test it for you if you want to send me some! 😂 Looks great.

phormium

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119689224#Comment_119689224

I store mine in the hotpress. Now if you have a damp house that is a disadvantage, it's important to get them really really dry in the first place, any hint of softness in them when baked and they will not last. Meringues are more dried out than baked, best meringues I used to get were overnight in a gas oven that had a pilot light but that was years ago in a big commercial oven. These days I put them in a low oven for ages and then usually as I bake a lot I put them back in the turned off cooling oven a few times over following days, then they go into the hotpress. Once they are that dry they last for months, I think there is some multicoloured ones in there I made with my grandchildren early in summer!

CheerLouth

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119686356#Comment_119686356

20221019_090955.jpg

Apologies, I kept forgetting to take a photo of it!

Mystery Egg

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119686356#Comment_119686356

Yes, I'd love to try making it too. :)

Loughc

https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/christmas-eve-snack-ideas/?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=organicsocial&utm_audience=toh&utm_content=lib&utm_placement=feed

some good ideas here

Smell the glove

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119790247#Comment_119790247

I'll be checking these out!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119685734#Comment_119685734

Looks fantastic- no burning and if skewer came out clean i reckon you're on to a winner there- wrap up well and look forward to a great cake

CheerLouth

While I was off, I got two puddings & two cakes made...I've found my Christmas cooking mojo again after losing it last year!

freshpopcorn

Christmas cake.(2 done 2 to go).

Jude13

Does anyone have the recipe for Baileys truffle? I found it on here before and saved it in a draft email which I since accidently deleted.

Basically condensed milk, baileys, chocolate....along those lines

A cup of te

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/jewelled-mincemeat

This is the mincemeat i meant to post last year. I use sherry for the alcohol and a little less sugar and orange and just dried pineapple for the exotic fruit. Makes about 50 mince pies so adjust accordingly. Its a lovely fruity mince pie because theres no suet. For the pastry i just do water, butter and flour. Even people that dont actually like mince pies eat these!

TRS30

Eldest elf is making a Christmas cake with her cousin and aunt. They have been preping the fruit etc the last while and put it all together and did the actually baking yesterday. Can't wait to try it.

tscul32

I've my fruit soaking ready to bake later. Then I remembered I've 5th year parent teacher meetings later🙄

phormium

Freezer seriously filling up now! Made mince pies & mini apple pies today for those that don't like the mince pies plus some biscuits, all gone into freezer with the stuffing/bread sc etc etc. Don't think I'll squeeze much more in. Might have to take out the marmalade oranges and actually make marmalade to make a bit of space, a jar of it would be nice Christmas present anyway with the few mince pies :)

Swiss rolls for trifle done too, right hand one bit of a dud but sure who will notice!

pigtail33

Similar problem here, my parents' freezer is full of loganberries from the summer that I haven't got around to turning into jam.

@phormium do you fully cook the apple and mince pies? And are they as good as fresh when defrosted? It's something I've never done, but we're not that busy in work at the moment and it's a job I would love to have ticked off the list. I'm usually trying to get them made on Dec 23rd or 24th.

CheerLouth

For the mincemeat lovers amongst us, I came across this recipe: https://www.nancybirtwhistle.co.uk/recipes/home-made-mincemeat/ I haven't tried it myself but think I'll give it a go over the weekend. It omits the need to steep your fruit the night before & leaving it to ferment for a couple of weeks.

leahyl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119960323#Comment_119960323

Do you freeze the Swiss Rolls phormium? It's a good idea! We normlly buy a gateau swiss roll with the 50% extra free but haven't seen those ones around yet. My mum makes a lovely jam and cream swiss roll normally, so could make one of those and just leave out the cream!

phormium

@pigtail33 Yes I bake them before freezing, you can freeze raw too and just bake from frozen. They are perfectly fine once thawed, assuming you have a good freezer as not all are great although for this short length of time anything would probably do! Need to be well sealed too from cold air so mine are layered with parchment in a plastic container and then into two large freezer bags tied. Can be heated in the oven for a few minutes once thawed for that 'just out of oven' feeling but really they are just as good as ones baked freshly.

@leahyl Yes I freeze the swiss rolls, basic ones with just jam as you say, leave out the cream, you can even cut them from frozen when you're making the trifle, cake doesn't freeze rock solid like liquids do. I used up a load of raspberries in the freezer and made jam to use in them too, made a bit of space! You can use up some of the loganberries 😊

Today it's sticky toffee pudding which my sister wants for dessert in her house Christmas day, also a lemon ring cake to be decorated like a wreath later as she doesn't eat anything with dried fruit plus a few chocolate logs, all for the freezer!

sdp

Anyone ever done Christmas pudding in a pressure cooker?

Have mine made doing the old steaming, would love to know how they come out from a pressure cooker. Thank you

tscul32

I usually use the slow cooker. Can pop it on overnight.