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Hi, and welcome to my Christmas page. There are some Christmas Carols and Melodies to listen to while you're browsing, just click below. After you chose your tune, minimize the popup window and away you go.

Well.....it's snowing outside and the kids are out there on the village green with the dog, playing in the snow and looking at the big Christmas tree. First time the dog's seen snow. You should have seen him on the front porch. He had no idea what was happening. He howled and howled, until he saw the kids throwing snowballs, then he decided to take the plunge and chase after them.

The tree sure is a beauty this year. It took a full day to decorate it too. Most of the village turned up to help with the lights. Luckily we got it finished before the sky opened up. Old Mrs.Grace from the Post Office came over with some homemade mince pies and Jody's wife, Alice brought a tray of steaming mugs of coffee. The whole bunch came over to our house for some hot toddy when we finished the tree and we ended up roasting chestnuts over the fire. The kids finished off the marshmallows before I had time to save even half the packet.

The lights are on over at the Church and I can hear someone calling for me to get ready to go. It's always nice to sing Carols for the first time each year, I'm really looking forward to it. "O.K., I'm coming honey!" Got to go, be seeing you!

Oh, before I forget, I've left a few recipes for some of our favourite Christmas time food and drink just below. They're from five of our all-time favourite cook books, so I'd like to say a big thanks the writers of the books and I just hope you get the chance to try out some of the recipes. I hope you'll enjoy them all as much as we do.

And if you'd like to see more of our wonderful snow scenes, similar the window of our house just below,

A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY AND PEACEFUL NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!

YULETIDE DRINKS AND CHRISTMAS RECIPES
DRINKS I always find that while preparing and cooking Sunday lunch on a cold and frosty day it's really nice to have a hot, mulled wine. My favourite has always been made with Claret, although you can choose your favourite type of wine if you wish. MULLED CLARET Ingredients: 1 pint of claret, half a pint of boiling water, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon, sliced orange and lemon (hazelnuts, raisins/sultanas). Method: Heat the Claret nearly to boiling point, add the boiling water sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon to taste, slices of orange and lemon and serve hot. Other ingredients you can add are Hazelnuts and Raisins. These can be added to the wine whilst heating although I recommend you add them after adding the water. Any kind of wine may be used, but Claret and Port are the usual ones. If you feel like trying something a little different, try this for size. In England over a hundred years ago Mulled Ale used to be a favourite tipple when the weather turned cold. You don't see it so much these days as youngsters go for beers and spirits with fancy bottles and names, no matter how awful it tastes, but there are a growing number of people getting back to the traditional ways. MULLED ALE Ingredients: 1 quart of good ale, 1 glass of rum or brandy, 1 tablespoonful of castor sugar, a pinch of ground cloves, a pinch of grated nutmeg, a good pinch of ground ginger. Method: Put the ale, sugar, cloves, nutmeg and ginger into an ale warmer or large saucepan, and bring nearly to boiling point. Add the brandy and more sugar and flavouring if neccessary, and serve at once. There's another type of mulled wine which takes a lot more preparation than the first one above, but it's just as good if you care to try it and have the patience to make it. It has a rather unusual name. BISHOP Ingredients: 1 bottle of port or sherry, 2 lemons, 2 ounces of 'loaf' sugar (or normal sugar) 1 tumbler of water, whole cloves, spices to taste (cinnamon, nutmeg, possibly vanilla or whatever takes your fancy). Method: Take 1 lemon, stick it with cloves and roast or bake the it. Boil the spices in the water, boil up the wine and take off some of the spirit with a lighted paper (taking great care). Add the water and the roasted lemon, and let the preparation stand near the fire for a few minutes. Rub the sugar on the rind of the second lemon and put it into a bowl. Strain, and add half the juice of the first lemon, then pour in the wine and serve as hot as possible. A tasty traditional English hot punch for these cold winter days is guaranteed to keep the chill out. WINTER PUNCH Ingredients: 1/2 a pint of brandy 1/2 a pint of rum 1 pint of boiling water 2 or 3 ounces of sugar 1 large lemom a pinch of ground cinnamon a pinch of grated nutmeg Method: Remove the rind of the lemon. Put all of the sugar, the cinnamon, nutmeg, brandy, rum and boiling water into a large saucepan and heat gently. Don't allow the punch to approach boiling point. Strain the lemon juice into a punch bowl and add the hot liquid. Serve at once. MAIN COURSES Goose has recently come back into fashion after about 60 years or more in England. A treat not only for the 'in' people now, but also for those of you who may naver have tried it. There are some wonderful flavours here which make this meal so good. Brussel sprouts , garden peas, runner beans, roast and mashed potatoes go well with the following recipes ROAST STUFFED GOOSE with PRUNES in ARMAGNAC (These quantities serve 8.) Ingredients: 1 young goose with giblets, weighing 10-12 pounds. salt and freshly milled black pepper A little wine for the gravy FOR THE PRUNES IN ARMAGNAC 12 ounces of dried prunes 1 pint of cold tea 2 ounces of granulated sugar 5 fluid ounces of armagnac FOR THE APPLE STUFFING 1 and 1/2 pounds of Bramley Apples, cut roughly into 1/2" slices 1/2 pound of prunes, soaked, stoned and chopped 1 large onion, roughly chopped 2 tablespoons of Armagnac 1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon of ground mace salt and freshly milled black pepper FOR THE FORCEMEAT STUFFING The goose liver, finely chopped 1 Cox's apple, finely chopped 10 ounces of minced pork or good quality pork sausagemeat 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 ounces of breadcrumbs 2 level teaspoons of dried sage Salt and freshly milled black pepper GOOSE GIBLET STOCK The giblets and neck of the goose 1 onion, sliced in half 1 carrot, split lengthways 1 thick celery stick, cut into chunks (plus leaves) 1 bayleaf 1 sprig of thyme 6 black peppercorns 1 and 1/2 pints of water salt Method: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade, 425 degrees Cahrenheit or gas mark 7. you can prepeare the prunes several days in advance. Soak them overnight in cold tea, then drain them, barely cover with water, add the sugar and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain, sprinkle over with the Armagnac, cover and leave in the refrigerator. Make the apple stuffing by mixing all the ingredients together and make the fircemeat stuffing, too, by once again mixing all the ingredients together. When you are ready to cook the goose, begin by placing the forcemeat stuffing into the neckflap end of the bird, pressing it in as far as you can, tucking the neck flap all round it and patting it with your hands to make a rounded shape. secure the flap underneath with a small skewer. Next, place the apple stuffing in the body cavity as it is - although it looks raw and chunky, after cooking it will collapse to a fluffy mass. Season the goose well with salt and pepper; lay it on a rack in a roasting tin.then place it in the centre of a preheated oven. Give it 30 minutes initial cooking, then reduce the heat to 180 degrees Centigrade, 350 degrees Fahrenheit, gas mark 4, and roast another 3 hours. These figures are for an 11 pound goose plus stuffing; allow 15 minutes less for a 10 pound bird, and 15 minutes more if it's a 12 pound one. To make the giblet stock, wash the neck and giblets, then place them in a medium sizes saucepan and add the rest of the ingredients along with the water. Bring everything up to the boil, skim off any scum that rises to the surface, then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. Put a lid half on the pan and simmer for 1and 1/2 to 2 hours. After that, strain the stock, and bring back up to simmering point before making the gravy. When the goose is cooked, the juices will run clear when you pierce the thickest part of the leg with a skewer. Remove the bird to a serving dish, snap off the wing tips, and allow to rest for 20 minutes or so before serving. Now drain off the fat from the tin and make a light gravy from the remaining residue, the giblet stock and a little wine. Then heat the prunes gently in a frying pan and transfer them to a warmed serving dish. After carving the goose, give each person a little of each of the stuffings, and serve the gravy and sauce separately. The next recipe is a special braised dish which is great for a party as it demands no last minute attention or fuss. You can use shoulder of venison, which gives a rich, gamey flavour. Alternatively, choose a well flavoured cut of beef such as brisket. Serve this with traditional red cabbage and puree of potato. Add any of the vegetables mentioned earlier. VENISON (or beef) with PORT, GUINNESS and PICKLED WALNUTS (These quantities serve 10-12) Ingredients: 6 pounds of venison or beef cut into 1 inch squares 2 pints of Guiness 10 fluid ounces of port 2 bayleaves 4 sprigs of thyme 8 ounces of onions, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 2 x 14 ounce jars of pickled walnuts 3 tablespoons of butter 3 tablespoons of olive oil 2 level tablespoons of flour salt and freshly milled pepper Method: Begin this the night before by placing the meat in a large bowl along with the bayleaves and thyme. Pour the Guiness and port all over it, place a plate on top of the meat (to keep it pushed down into the marinade as much as possible), and leave in a cool place overnight. The next day, stir everything well. When you're ready to cook the meat, pre-heat the oven to 140 degrees Centigrade, 275 degrees Fahrenheit, gas mark 1. Take a large flameproof casserole, add half the butter and oil to it and heat gently. Drain the meat, (reserving the liquid and herbs), and dry a few pieces at a time with kitchen paper. Turn the heat up high, then add these few pieces to the pan to brown them (if you add too much meat in one go, it will release too much steam and not brown sufficiently). When browned, remove them and continue until all the meat is browned. Now add the rest of the butter and oil to the pan and as soon as it foams and bubbles add the chopped onions and garlic to brown these for approximately 10 minutes. Meanwhile, drain all the liquid off the walnuts and cut them into quarters. Return all the meat to the casserole to join the onions. Stir in the flour to soak up all the juices, pour in the marinade (including the bayleaves and thyme), add the walnut quarters, and season well with salt and pepper. As soon as it reaches a gentle simmer, put a lid on, transfer the casserole to the middle shelf of the oven and forget all about it for 3 hours - by which time the meat will be tender and the sauce marvellously dark and rich. Enjoy! Of course, there's the most traditional of all main courses these days, which I must include, as sadly, there are people out there who don't know how to cook it correctly or haven't got a good recipe for it. TRADITIONAL ROAST TURKEY (Family size - 8 people) Ingredients: 1 x 14 pound turkey, oven ready 6 ounces of butter, softened 8 ounces of very fat streaky bacon salt and freshly milled black pepper 1 quantity of stuffing extra wide turkey foil PORK, SAGE & ONION STUFFING 2 pounds of good quality sausage meat or finely minced pure pork 4 heaped tablespoons of white breadcrumbs 1 large onion, grated or very finely chopped 1 heaped dessertspoon of dried sage A little boiling water 1 egg, beaten (optional) salt and freshly milled black pepper TRADITIONAL BREAD SAUCE 4 ounces of freshly made white breadcrumbs 1 large onion 15 to 18 whole cloves of grated nutmeg 1 bayleaf 8 black peppercorns 1 pint of creamy milk 2 ounces of butter 2 tablespoons of double cream salt and freshly ground black pepper Method: First, the stuffing. Combine the breadcrumbs with the onion and sage in a large mixing bowl, then stir in a little boiling water and mix thoroughly. Next, work the sausagemeat into this mixture and season with salt and pepper. Next stuff the turkey with your stuffing. Loosen the skin with your hands and pack the stuffing in the neck end, pushing it up between the flesh and the skin towards the breast (not too tightly as it will expand during cooking). Press it in gently to make a nice rounded end, then tuck the neck flap under the bird's back and secure with a small skewer. Don't expect to get all the stuffing in this end - put the rest into the body cavity. NOTE: It is only dangerous to put turkey stuffing inside the body cavity if either the turkey or the stuffing is not defrosted properly, because the heat will not penetrate it quickly enough. If both are at room temperature it is perfectly safe. Now arrange 2 large sheets of foil across your roasting tin, one widthways and the other lengthways (no need to butter them). Lay the turkey on its back in the centre then rub it generously all over with the butter, making sure the thigh bones are particularly well covered. Next season the bird all over with salt and pepper, and lay the bacon over the breast, with the rashers overlapping each other. Now wrap the turkey loosely in the foil the parcel must be firmly sealed yet roomy enough to provide an air space around most of the upper part of the bird. So bring one piece of foil up and fold both ends over to make a pleat along the length of the breast bone. Then bring the other piece up at both ends and crimp and fold to make a neat parcel. Place the turkey in the pre-heated oven, where it will cook at the initial high temperature for 40 minutes. When the 40 minutes is up, lower the temperature to 170 degrees Centigrade, 325 degrees Fahrenheit, gas mark 3, and leave for 3 hours. Time to start the bread sauce now. Cut the onion in half and stick the cloves of nutmeg into it (for a stronger flavour use more, not so strong, less). Using freshly ground nutmeg instead is also an option. Place the onion studded with cloves of nutmeg plus the bayleaf and peppercorns in a saucepan together with the milk. Add some salt then bring everything up to boiling point. Take it off the heat, cover the pan and leave in a warm place for the milk to infuse for 2 hours or more. 10 minutes before going back to the oven once again to take care of the turkey, it's time to finish off the bread sauce. Place it in a jug with some butter to melt over the surface, and keep in a warm place. Increase the oven temperature to 200 degrees Centigrade, 400 degrees Fahrenheit, gas mark 6. Take the turkey out of the oven and remove the foil from the top and sides of the bird, and take off the bacon slices. Now baste the turkey thoroughly with a long handled spoon, then return it to the oven for a further 30-45 minutes to finish browning - give it as much basting as you can during this final cooking period. The bacon rashers can be placedplaced on a heat proof plate and put back in the lower part of the oven to finish cooking until all the fat has melted and there are just very crisp bits left. Nice to serve with the turkey. When the cooking time is up, remove the turkey from the oven. It can be left to stand for anything up to 50 minutes if loosely covered with double foil without loosing it's heat. Serve with bacon rolls and chipolata sausages, roasted parsnips and potatoes, brussel sprouts, garden peas, bread sauce and cranberry sauce. Yum! It's surprising how many people prefer to go for a pie at Christmas nowadays. It's quite the 'in' thing. Traditional dishes are returning though and this is one of them which I think you'll like. OLD FASHIONED GAME PIE (These quantities serve 6-8) Ingredients: 1 and 1/2 ounces of butter 2 oven ready pheasants, quartered 2 pidgeons or partridges, halved 12 ounces of bacon rashers, rinded and diced 2 large onions, sliced 3 large carrots, sliced 4 celery sticks, sliced 1 pint of beef stock 8 fluid ounces of red burgundy or bordeaux wine (another good red will do fine) salt and freshly milled black pepper 1 bayleaf 1 tablespoon of cornflour 2 tablespoons of port or sherry 3 tablespoons of redcurrant jelly 8 ounce pack of puff pastry (bought) beaten egg, to glaze Method: Melt the butter in a large pan, add the pheasant and partridge and fry over a moderate heat until browned, then remove. Add the bacon and onions and brown lightly. Return the pheasant and partridge pieces to the pan with the celery, carrots, stock and wine. bring to the boil, season well and add the bayleaf. cover and simmer for 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours until tender. Strain off the juices into a small pan. Cool the meat slightly, then remove the flesh from the bones and place in a pie dish with the bacon and vegetables. Blend the cornflour with the port and stir into the juices with the redcurrant jelly. Bring to the boil, stirring until slightly reduced. Pour into the pie dish. Roll out the pastry slightly larger than the top of the pie dish. Cut off a strip 1 inch wide and fit on to the dampened rim of the pie dish. Brush the pastry rim with beaten egg and cover with the pastry lid. press the edges firmly together, then trim and flute. Roll out the pastry trimmings and use to cut into leaves. Brush the pastry lid with beaten egg, make a hole in the centre and decorate with pastry leaves. Stand the pie on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes at 220 degrees Centigrade, 425 degrees Fahrenheit, gas mark 7. Reduce the temperature to 190 degrees Centigrade, 375 degrees Fahrenheit, gas mark 5, and bake for a further 20-30 minutes until browned. There are many people throughout the world who don't eat meat, but who celebrate this time of year as much as we meat eaters do, so I've included a vegetarian recipe here too. PINE NUT ROAST (These quantities serve 6.) Ingredients: 1 and 1/2 ounces of butter or margerine 2-3 tablespoons of dried breadcrumbs 1 onion, peeled and chopped 2 ounces of pine nuts 4 ounces of cashew nuts, grated or very finely chopped 2 ounces of ground almonds 4 ounces of fresh brown or white breadcrumbs 4 tablespoons of milk 2 eggs, beaten salt freshly milled black pepper freshly ground nutmeg THE STUFFING 4 ounces of butter, softened grated rind and juice of 1/2 a lemon 1/2 a teaspoon of dried thyme 4 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley 1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed 4 ounces of fresh brown breadcrumbs TO GARNISH 2 tablespoons of pine nuts, roasted lemon slices parsley sprigs Method: Line a 9" x 5" x 3" loaf tin with non stick silicone paper. Grease the paper with 1/2 ounce of butter, then coat with the dried breadcrumbs. Next, melt the remaining butter in a frying pan, add the onion and fry over a gentle heat for about 7 minutes until soft and lightly browned. Turn into a bowl and add the nuts, breadcrumbs milk, eggs and salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Stir well to mix. Make the stuffing: cream the butter in a bowl, then gradually work in all the other ingredients until thoroughly blended. Spoon half the nut mixture into the base of the prepared tin. Cover with the stuffing, then with the remaining nuts. Smooth the surface and cover with a piece of buttered foil. Bake in a preheated moderate oven for about 1 hour (180 degrees Centigrade, 350 degrees Fahrenheit, gas mark 4). Remove the foil and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes if necessary to brown. Remove from the oven and leave to stand in the tin for 5 minutes. Turn out very carefully onto a serving dish and gently pull off the paper. Sprinkle the toasted pine nutsover the top and garnish with lemon slices and parsley sprigs. Serve with accompaniments as with the Turkey Roast in the recipe above. ACCOMPANIMENTS The next recipe is dark, spicy and delicious with cold cuts, pork pies or hot sausages � and it goes splendidly with matured Cheddar. CHRISTMAS CHUTNEY (These quantities make 2lbs.) Ingredients: 12 oz (350 g) pitted ready-to-eat prunes 10 oz (275 g) pitted dates 10 oz (275 g) ready-to-eat dried apricots 1 lb (450 g) onions, peeled 1 pint (570 ml) cider vinegar 2 oz (50 g) sea salt 1 level dessertspoon grated fresh root ginger or 1 heaped teaspoon ground ginger 3 oz (75 g) allspice berries 1 lb (450 g) demerara sugar You will also need a 2lb jar and a small piece of muslin or gauze. Method: The dried fruits and the onions need to be chopped very small, and this can be done in a food processor, or with an old-fashioned mincer, or else with a sharp knife and lots of patience! When they're all dealt with, put the vinegar in a large saucepan with the salt and the ginger, then tie the allspice berries up in a small piece of muslin, or gauze, very securely so they can't escape and add these to the pan. Bring everything up to the boil, then stir in the chopped dried fruits and onions together with the sugar. Leave it all to simmer very gently without a lid for about 11/2 hours, or until the chutney has thickened. Stir it from time to time during the cooking period. When it's ready, you will be able to draw a spoon across the surface of the chutney and make a trail that doesn't immediately fill up with surplus vinegar. In the meantime, the jar should be washed thoroughly in warm soapy water, rinsed, dried and heated in a moderate oven for 5 minutes. Spoon the cooked chutney into the warmed jar, seal well with waxed discs and tight lids, and label as soon as it's cold. Keep this chutney for 1 month to mature before eating.		STARTERS A good meal at this time of the year requires a good starter, especially if you have a whole lot of friends or relatives dropping in on you unexpectedly. This allows you to eke out the main course a little to help provide for the extra guests. The starters need not be especially heavy as the main course and dessert will certainly be filling. Below, you'll find a few of my favourites to try. The first one is not only for if you need something in a hurry, it also tastes great too. INSTANT SALMON PATE (These quantities serve 4.) Ingredients: 1 pound of cold cooked salmon without skin or bone, or alternatively, 1 16 ounce can of red salmon. 5 tablespoons of softened, unsalted butter. 1 tablespoon of sherry. Half a teaspoon of bottled anchovy sauce. A pinch of ground mace. Salt and pepper. 4 thick slices of cucumber. Method: If using a can of salmon, drain the can and remove any bone/skin you find. Flake the salmon and either pound it or beat with an electric mixer to reduce to shreds. (Don't use a food processor as it tends to reduce it to a puree.) Beat in 1-2 tablespoons of butter, then the sherry, anchovy sauce and mace; season very lightly. Beat in the remaining butter, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Turn into 4 individual pots or ramekin dishes, level the tops and chill to firm up. Meanwhile, salt the cucumber slices well and place on a tilted plate for 30 minutes. Pat dry with soft paper. Chop the slices finely and pat dry again. Sprinkle on the pate just before serving. The next recipe takes a lot longer to prepare, but can be made the day before, and is well worth the effort. It can also be put in the deep freeze. OXTAIL SOUP (These quantities serve 4-6.) Ingredients: 1 and 1/2 pounds of thick end of oxtail, jointed 1 medium sized onion 1 large carrot 1/2 a turnip 1 celery stalk 1 ounce of beef dripping 3 and 1/2 pints of basic brown stock bouquet garni 1 rasher of streaky bacon, without rind (optional) salt and pepper 3 tablespoons of plain flour 2 tablespoons of cream sherry (optional) Method: Trim any excess fat off the joints. Prepare and slice the vegetables. Heat the dripping in a heavy based pan. fry the joints, turning them over, for 2 minutes then add the vegetables, and fry for 4-5 minutes until the joints are browned all over. Add the stock and bouquet garni and bring slowly to the boil. Chop and add the bacon (optional). Cover the pan, lower the heat and simmer gently for 3-4 hours until the meat is very tender. Keep skimming off any excess fat while simmering. When it's finished, strain the soup into a clean pan. Cut the meat off the bones, and mince into very small pieces. Return it to the soup. Taste and season. Blend the flour with a little water and the sherry (optional), and stir in some of the soup. Stir the mixture into the main soup, return to a moderate heat, and reheat to the boil, stirring briskly all the time. Re-season if required. This soup can be used with or without the solid pieces of meat, depending on if it's going to be used as a starter or not, and with a thin half slice of lemon floating on each serving. Traditionally, it's main use is as a family soup. It makes a good main course for supper or an informal gathering if small onion dumplings are added. This is one of my favourite, easy to prepare, quick soups which always hits the mark. Sure to please. FRENCH ONION SOUP (These quantities serve 4.) Ingredients: 8 ounces of medium sized onions 1 and 1/2 ounces of butter 2 and 1/2 pints of brown stock 1 tablespoon of plain flour salt and pepper 1 bay leaf 4 slices of bread from a french stick grated Gruyere cheese Method: Peel and slice the onions into thin rings. Heat the butter in a pan and simmer the onions until golden and beginning to brown. While frying, add a bay leaf to the stock and heat to boiling point in a second pan. Stir the flour into the fat and cook gently for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Take off the heat and stir in the boiling stock gradually. Return to a low heat, and simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes. While simmering, warm a tureen or 4 soup bowls (oven proof). Place the slices of French bread in the bottom/s. Remove the bay leaf from the stock and pour the liquid into the tureen or bowls. Scatter grated Gruyere cheese on each slice of floating bread. Place in the oven at 200 degrees centigrade (400 deg. fahrenheit), gas mark 6 for 7-10 minutes until the cheese has melted. Serve carefully. This is a quick, simple fix starter which tastes absolutely gorgeous. Great for if you're in a hurry, and any other time too! It's nice and light, doesn't fill you up too much, but gets your taste buds going. It's also good as a light dessert. SHERRY & SPICE GRAPEFRUIT (These quantities serve 4.) Ingredients: 2 large 'Sweetie' (pink) grapefruits mixed spice or cinnamon warmed clear honey or brown sugar 4 fresh pitted cherries or maraschino cherries. Method: Cut the grapefruits in half, crossways, and snip out the cores with scissors. dig out the pips. Using a small serrated knife, cut round the fruit to separate the flesh and pith. Snip, with scissors, each side of the membrane separating the segments, but leave in place. Sprinkle the cut sides of the fruit with the honey or sugar, then the spices, and place under the grill for about 3 minutes, or in a hot oven for 6-10 minutes (best). Add the cherry garnish and serve. Another method, you can add either the honey or the sugar plus 4 teaspoons of sherry instead of the spices if you prefer. DESSERTS To many people, this is the most important part of Christmas lunchtime, especially for the kids. You're probably quite full now, so a special dessert is just perfect. There's always a little room left for something which is sweet and tastes wonderful. TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS PUDDING with BRANDY BUTTER (These quantities serve 4.) Ingredients: 4 ounces of flour 2 ounces of breadcrumbs 1 teaspoon of mixed spice 1 level teaspoon of cinnamon 1 level teaspoon of nutmeg 4 ounces of shredded suet 4 ounces of brown sugar 4 ounces of grated apple 1 small grated carrot 4 ounces of mixed candied peel 2 eggs 4 ounces of currants 8 ounces of raisins 4 ounces of sultanas 2 ounces of chopped prunes or dried apricots 4 ounces of chopped, blanched almonds grated rind of 1/2 a lemon juice of 1/2 a lemon grated rind of 1/2 an orange 1 tablespoon of golden syrup or black treacle 1/4 of a pint of ale, beer, stout or milk BRANDY BUTTER 4 ounces of unsalted butter 6 ounces of icing sugar 4-8 dessertspoons of brandy (rum may be substituted if preferred) Method: Mix all the ingredients together, stir very well and leave overnight if possible. Place in 1 large or 2 smaller basins and cover well with cloth or paper. Steam or boil for 6-8 hours. Cool. Remove wet coverings. When cold put on dry covers. To prevent the top of the pudding becoming too wet, it's a good idea to make flour and water paste. Mix about 8 ounces of flour with enough water to make a firm dough and roll into a round the size of the basin. Place this mixture over greaseproof paper on the pudding; cover with more greaseproof paper, and the pudding is ready to cook. Steam for 2 hours on Christmas day. If you have a pressure cooker, allow 2-3 hours at 15 pounds pressure. Brandy butter: Cream the butter until white, and then gradually add the sugar and the brandy. Stand for some little time in a cold place to get really hard. Pipe or pile into a pyramid shape and then decorate with glace cherries and angelica. Alternatively make butter curls with a cold, wet spoon, and pile on a plate. Decorate the edges. Gorgeous crispy brandy snaps filled with cream. I remember these from when I was very young and we used to spend Christmas time at my Grandparent's house in the country. 3 o'clock in the afternoon as the sun started to descend behind the hills, frosted window panes, an open log fire, the smell of fresh coffee and roasted chestnuts. Chocolates and brandy snaps on a gilt tray. Wonderful memories. BRANDY SNAPS (These quantities make 12 to 16.) Ingredients: 2 ounces of butter 2 ounces of golden syrup 2 ounces of caster sugar 2 ounces of plain flour 1/4 of a teaspoon of ground ginger Method: Line several baking sheets with non-stick silicone paper and grease several wooden spoon handles or cream horn tins. Melt the butter in a saucepan with the golden syrup and sugar, then remove from the heat. Sift the flour and ginger together and beat into the melted mixture. Place teaspoons of the mixture well apaert on the baking sheets and spread out a little. Bake in a moderate oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. (160 degrees Centigrade, 325 degrees fahrenheit, gas mark 3). Cool until just firm enough to remove with a palette knife. Immediately wind them around the cream horn tins or spoon handles. When cold, spoon thick whipped cream into the brandy snaps and serve immediately. Christmas wouldn't be the same without mince pies, would it? Here's a good recipe to try on your kids, your parents, the neighbours, your friends and everyone else who happens to drop by. TRADITIONAL MINCE PIES (These quantities make 24 pies.) Ingredients: 12 ounces of plain flour 3 ounces of lard 3 ounces of margerine or butter a pinch of salt cold water ti mix 1 and 1/4 pounds of mincemeat (recipe below) FOR THE TOP a little milk icing sugar You'll need 1 or possibly 2 trays of 2 and 1/2 inch patty tins, 1 fluted 3 inch pastry cutter and 1 x 2 and 1/2 inch cutter. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees Centigrade, 400 degrees Fahrenheit, gas mark 6. Method: Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl, and rub both the fats into it until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add just enough water to mix to a dough that leaves the bowl clean. Leave the pastry to rest in a polythene bag for 20-30 minutes in a refrigerator, then roll half of it out as thinly as possible and cut into 24 x 3 inch rounds, gathering up the scraps and re-rolling. then do the same with the other half ofthe pastry, this time using the 2 and 1/2 inch cutter. Now grease the patty tins lightly and line them with the large rounds. fill these with mincemeat up to the level of the edges of the pastry. Dampen the edges of the smaller rounds of pastry with water and press them lightly into position to form lids, sealing the edges. Brush each one with milkand make 3 snips in the tops with a pair of scissors. Bake near the top of the oven for 25-30 minutes until light golden brown. Cool on a wire tray and sprinkle with icing sugar. when cool, store in an airtight tin. If you want to serve these hot as a dessert, they're great with thick cream poured on top. (Slurp!) Mincemeat Delia style - Very tasty but so easy to make. It's cooked on a very, very low heat so the suet melts slowly. Vegetarians can make this mincemeat happily, using vegetarian suet. HOME MADE CHRISTMAS MINCEMEAT (These quantities make 6lbs) Ingredients: 1lb of Bramley Apples peeled and chopped (no need to peel them) 8oz Shredded Suet 12oz Raisins 8 oz Sultanas 8oz Currants 8oz Whole mixed candied peel, finely chopped 12oz Soft dark brown sugar Grated zest and juice of 2 oranges Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons 2oz of whole almonds cut into slivers 4 level teaspoons mixed ground spice 1/2 level teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 level teaspoon of nutmeg 6 teaspoons of brandy You will also need 6 1lb jars Method: All you do is combine all the ingredients, except for the brandy, in a large mixing bowl, stirring them and mixing them together very thoroughly indeed. Then cover the bowl with a clean cloth and leave the mixture in a cool place overnight or for 12 hours, so the flavours have a chance to mingle and develop. After that pre-heat the oven to gas mark 1/4, 225�F (120�C). Cover the bowl loosely with foil and place it in the oven for 3 hours. Then remove the bowl from the oven and don't worry about the appearance of the mincemeat, which will look positively swimming in fat. This is how it should look. As it cools stir it from time to time; the fat will coagulate and instead of it being in tiny shreds it will encase all the other ingredients. When the mincemeat is quite cold stir in the brandy. Pack in jars that have been washed, dried and placed in a moderate oven for 5 minutes, cover with waxed discs and seal. The mincemeat will keep in a cool, dark cupboard indefinitely, but I think it is best eaten within a year of making. There's nothing like a yuletide log to set a table off and make the kids eyes open wide. This one's not a sickly one at all and has a sophisticated chocolaty, chestnutty flavour. CHOCOLATE CHESTNUT LOG (These quantities serve 8-10) Ingredients: FOR THE BASE 6 large eggs 5 ounces of caster sugar 2 ounces of cocoa powder, sifted a little icing sugar FOR THE FILLING 1 x 8and 3/4 ounce tin of sweetened chestnut puree 4 whole candied chestnuts, roughly chopped 1 tablespoon of double cream FOR THE DECORATION 10 fluid ounces of double cream (less the tablespoon above.) 2 ounces of dark dessert chocolate a few holly leaves You will need a swiss roll tin, 13" x 9", greased and lined with silicone paper. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade, 350 degrees Fahrenheit, gas mark 4 Method: Make the base by separatimg the eggs - put the whites in a large bowl and the yolks in a small bowl. Using an electric hand whisk, whisk the yolks until they start to pale and thicken, add the sugar and continue to whisk until the mixture becomes more thickened (don't overdo it or it will become too stiff). Now whisk in the cocoa powder until it's thoroughly blended in. Clean the whisk heads completely and dry them thoroughly. Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Spoon one lot of egg white into the chocolate mixture to loosen it, then begin to fold all of the mixture into the egg whites, cutting and folding until they're thoroughly combined. Spread the mixture into the prepared tin, giving it a few taps to even it out, and bake it in the centre of the oven for about 20 minutes or until it is risen and puffy and feels springy in the centre - it's important not to overcook. When you take it out of the oven it will sink down quite alot but that's quite in order, so don't panic. Let it cool completely, then place a sheet of greaseproof or silicone paper, about 1" larger all round than the swiss roll tin, on a work surface and sprinkle it with some icing sugar. Loosen the edges of the chocolate base all round, turn it out on to the paper and carefully peel off the base paper. For the filling, empty the contents of the chestnut puree into a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of double cream and mix thoroughly. Using a small palette knife, spread the mixture carefully and evenly all over the base. After that, sprinkle the chopped, candied chestnuts all over. Have a plate ready which will hold the whole length of the log comfortably, an oval plate or a small oblong tray lined with foil. Taking the edge of the greaseproof or silicone paper to guide you, roll the base over lengthways into a long roll, keeping it on the edge of the paper; then, transferring it to the plate, pull away the last of the paper. If it cracks or loses shape, don't worry, just pat it back into a log shape using your hands (nothing will show because of the topping). If you want to freeze it at this stage, keep it in the paper then wrap it in foil. Now to make an authentic-looking log, you need to cut 2 diagonal pieces off each end. these are to represent branches and should be about 2" at their widest part. Place 1 on one side of the log, the cut side to join to the log about 1/3 of the way along, and the second piece on the other side, nearer the top of the log, about 2/3 of the way along. The sticky chestnut cream will make these weld to the log. To decorate the log, you'll need to melt the chocolate in a bowl over some hot water, then beat the rest of the 10 fluid ounces of cream until it's spreadable - be careful not to overbeat. Now spread the cream evenly all over the log. Drizzle a little trickle of chocolate up and down the length of the cream, take a fork and, working only lengthways, blend the chocolate lightly into the cream, giving a woody bark-like effect. The 'bbanches' need the chocolate swirled round with the fork at the ends, as do the ends of the log. It's nice put a few sprigs of fresh holly on the plate for effect. Well, it wouldn't be Christmas without Christmas cake, so without further adieu, here's a fabulous recipe for you to treat the family with. CLASSIC CHRISTMAS CAKE Ingredients: 1 pound of currants 6 ounces of sultanas 6 ounces of raisins 2 ounces of glace cherries, rinsed, dried and finely chopped 2 ounces of mixed candied peel, finely chopped 3 tablespoons of brandy 8 ounces of plain flour 1/2 a teaspoon of salt 1/4 teaspoon of fresh grated nutmeg 1/2 a teaspoon of ground mixed spice 8 ounces of unsalted butter 8 ounces of soft brown sugar 4 large eggs 2 ounces of almonds, chopped 1 dessertspoon of black treacle the grated zest of 1 lemon The grated zest of 1 orange 4 ounces of whole blanched almonds (only if you don't intend to ice the cake) You'll need an 8 inch round cake tin or a 7 inch square tin, greased and lined with greaseproof paper. It's also best to tie a band of brown paper around the outside ot the tin for extra protection. Method: You need to begin this cake the night before you want to bake it. All you do is weigh out the dried fruit and mixed peel, place it in a mixing bowl and mix in the brandy as evenly and thoroughly as possible. Cover the bowl with a clean tea-cloth and leave the fruit aside for 12 hours to absorb the brandy. Next day, pre-heat the oven to 140 degrees Centigrade, 275 degrees Fahrenheit, gas mark 1. Measure out all of the rest of the ingredients you need. Sift the flour, salt and spices into a large mixing bowl, whisk the butter and sugar together until it's light, pale and fluffy. Now beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add them to the creamed mixture a table spoonful at a time. Keep the whisk running until all the egg is incorporated. If you add the eggs slowly by degrees like this the mixture won't curdle. If it does, don't worry, any cake with such good ingredients is bound to taste fine. When all the egg has been added, fold in the flour and spices gently, avoiding beating. Now fold in the fruit, peel, chopped nuts and treacle, and finally the grated lemon and orange zests. Next, using a large kitchen spoon, transfer the cake mixture into the prepared tin, spread it out evenly with the back of the spoon, and, if you don't intend to ice the cake, lightly drop the 2 ounces of blanched almonds in circles all over the surface. Finally cover the top of the cake with a double square of greaseproof paper with a 1 inch diameter hole in the centre. (Protection during long, slow cooking). Bake the cake on the lowest shelf of the oven for 4 and 1/2 to 4 and 3/4 hours. Sometimes it can take up to 1/2 to 3/4 of an hour longer than this, but whatever, don't look until at least 4 hours have passed. Cool the cake for 30 minutes in the tin, then remove it to a wire rack to finish cooling. When it's cold, make some holes in the top and bottom with a small darning or knitting needle and spoon a few teaspoons of brandy into the holes and allow it to soak in. Wrap the cake in double greaseproof paper secured with an elastic band and either wrap again with foil or store in an airtight tin. You can now feed it brandy at odd intervals until you need to ice or eat it. (This can be done once a week depending upon how much brandy you like in your cake). The recipe below is for the icing for your Classic Christmas cake. MARZIPAN and ROYAL ICING Ingredients: 1 pound of marzipan pound 2 ounces of icing sugar, sifted 3 egg whites (medium to large eggs) 1 teaspoon of glycerine Method: Firstly, you need to roll out the marzipan thinly, and cut it in long strips to fit around the sides of your cake, making sure they're wide enough for the height of the cake. Place the first strip on your cake, adding more until you've covered all around it, pressing it carefully together at the joins. Gather together the remaining marzipan and roll it out into a round to fit the top of the cake. Cut it to size and place it on top of the cake, pressing the edges to join it together. Next, the icing. Place the egg whites in a bowl, then stir in the icing sugar, a spoonful at a time, until the icing falls thickly from the spoon. At this stage, stop adding any more sugar and whisk with an electric whisk for 10 minutes or until the icing standsup in stiff peaks, then stir in the glycerine. Now spread the icing all over the sides and top of the cake as evenly as possible using a palette knife. Switch to a broad-bladed knife to 'spike' the icing all over to give a snow scene effect. Leave the cake overnight to allow the icing to dry out before placing it in a container until needed.