Christmas recipes sweet & savoury ...

[Quassia]

This is a really easy peasey Christmas Cake recipe using a jar of good quality mincemeat. http://allrecipes.co....t-christmas-cake.aspx

[didoatwork]

Quassia, I'm not a great cook. I can burn a salad.

[Quassia]

lol dido!

[Quassia]

Gingerbread House .. One for the kids .. and adults? http://www.suite101.c...-instructions-a179866

[Quassia]

^ Ignore that recipe .. this one is explained much clearer! Gingerbread House .. http://simplyrecipes...._a_gingerbread_house/

[vivandorron]

LUXURY MINCEMEAT.

Before my computer breaks down with all the snow that is falling, I thought I might suggest the following for the Ed's Christmas cake recipe.:-

Don't buy an expensive jar of luxury mincemeat. Get a cheap one, open it, stir in as much brandy and/or sherry as possible. Place in fridge for a month or so before use.

Ron.

[vivandorron]

Sorry Quassia....I though the Ed was the OP.

Snow is really falling fast at the moment I can hardly see the adverts.:-)

Ron.

[welshlibranr]

have a recipe for the best ever home made Irish Cream, will post it later!..........too soon for Christmas yet!.......never think of it till November!......

[vivandorron]

VICTORIAN MINCEMEAT.

Not everyone knows that, originally, Mincemeat actually contained Meat.(Pork, Beef, Lamb or even Ox-tongue.)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...vity/mince-pies.shtml

Ron.

[rowanwitch]

instant ish choccies soak a cup of raisins in rum until they cant absorb any more... melt two bars of plain chocolate tip in the raisins and mix well before the mix 'fudges' spoon into little foil cases and keep in the fridge....beware they are lethal the chocolate stops the alcohol evaporating

[Quassia]

welshi .. nooo .. post it now!!!! :0)
vivandron ... thanks for that lovely link 'Victorian Mincemeat' Very tempted to try that out just to 'taste' it!!!

[redman41]

Any of the Cakes etc ready yet so that I can have a sample !
Testing purposes only mind :-)

[Quassia]

Not yet redman .. keep popping back eh! ;0)

[rowanwitch]

LFG.... wait until Christmas

[redman41]

It will be a special Xmas !
Might need to lose some weight before I tackle the Mountain of Cake/Turkey/Pudding etc !!!! lol

[Quassia]

vivandorran ... I actually made this recipe .. 'Medieval Gingerbread'
I'm fascinated to 'taste' history. Obviously it isn't 100% authentic .. but I enjoyed doing it. What did it taste like? Not too good lol! http://www.godecookery.com/ginger/ginger.htm

[vivandorron]

A MORE MEATY MINCEMEAT.

Quassia...You say the 'Medieval Gingerbread' didn't taste too good. You could be right in saying that the recipe wasn't 100% genuine; especially when it mentioned 'Organic Honey'.

Anyway as you are interested in Historical recipes, the following is 100% genuine and I have copied it from 'Kettner's Book of the Table'
(1st published 1877) :-

Mincemeat. — Two pounds of unsalted bullock's tongue
two pounds of ox-kidney fat ; two pounds of stoned raisins
three pounds of currants ; two pounds of good apples
half a pound of blanched almonds, with a few bitter ones
mince all these separately, then mix them and add to them
minced — half a pound of candied citron and orange peel ;
one ounce of best cinnamon and cloves ; the juice and zest
of three lemons ; half an ounce of salt ; half an ounce of
allspice ; one pound of sifted sugar ; half a pint of sherry ;
half a pint of brandy or pineapple rum ; half a pint of orange-
flower water. Mix the solids well before the liquids are
added. Press all into jars, which are to be close covered
and put aside for some days before use.

Best wishes......Ron.

[Quassia]

ron .. thanks for that! Really interesting to see the ingredients used. Feel a little queazy though about ox kidney fat! Though we have suet in our jars of mincemeat don't we!

[Quassia]

Florentines biscuits! .. http://www.joyofbaking.com/Florentines.html