Traditional English Christmas dinner Roast turkey or goose, Brussels sprouts, roast potatoes, cranberry sauce, rich nutty

stuffing, tiny sausages wraped in bacon and gravy. For desert: rich fruity pudding doused in flaming brandy. Gingerbread stuffing Ingredients 3 tbsp butter 1 tbsp vegetable oil 500g/1lb 2oz onions, finely chopped 2 eating apples peeled, cored and finely chopped 750g/1lb 8oz streaky bacon, finely chopped 2 clementines or 1 orange, zest only 450g/16oz loaf gingerbread (or 2 smaller ones to give you 450g) 2 free-range eggs, beaten tsp freshly ground black pepper Preparation method 1. Heat the butter and oil in a large wide saucepan. Add the onion and apple to the pan and cook until both ingredients have softened and turned golden in colour (about 10-15 minutes). 2. Add the bacon to the softened onion and apple mixture and mix well. Cook the mixture, stirring frequently, for about five minutes. Then add the clementine or orange zest and mix well. Technique: Zesting citrus fruit

3. 4. 5. 6.

Watch technique1:02 mins Remove the pan from the heat and set a side to cool a little. Roughly cut the gingerbread into clumps and crumbs and add the pieces to the stuffing and mix well. Add the beaten eggs and pepper to the stuffing, and press the stuffing into a buttered baking dish. Bake the stuffing in a hot oven with your turkey for about the last 45 minutes. To serve, let the cooked stuffing sit in its dish for a good ten minutes after it has been removed from the oven, before turning it out on to a clean serving plate and slicing it.

Traditional Bread Sauce Traditional bread sauce is one of the great, classic British sauces, but I think it has suffered from either not being made properly or worst of all being made from a mix or packet. The real thing is beautifully creamy and the perfect accompaniment to chicken or turkey. Ingredients 4 oz (110 g) freshly made white breadcrumbs (a two-day-old white loaf with crusts removed will be hard enough to grate, but the best way to make the crumbs is in a liquidiser, if you have one)

1 large onion 15-18 whole cloves or freshly grated nutmeg 1 bay leaf 8 black peppercorns 1 pint (570 ml) breakfast milk 2 oz (50 g) butter 2 tablespoons double cream salt and freshly milled black pepper Method Cut the onion in half and stick the cloves in it how many you use is a personal matter; I happen to like a pronounced flavour of clove. If you don't like them at all, you can use some freshly grated nutmeg instead. Place the onion studded with cloves plus the bay leaf and the peppercorns, in a saucepan together with the milk. Add some salt then bring everything up to boiling point. Take off the heat, cover the pan and leave in a warm place for the milk to infuse for two hours or more. When you're ready to make the sauce, remove the onion, bay leaf and peppercorns and keep them on one side. Stir the breadcrumbs into the milk and add 1 oz (25 g) of the butter. Leave the saucepan on a very low heat, stirring now and then, until the crumbs have swollen and thickened the sauce about 15 minutes. Now replace the clove-studded onion, the bay leaf and the peppercorns and again leave the pan in a warm place until the sauce is needed. Just before serving, remove the onion and spices. Reheat gently then beat in the remaining butter and the cream and taste to check the seasoning. Pour into a warm serving jug.

Christmas Pudding Recipe Ingredients: 225g golden caster sugar 225g vegetarian suet 340g sultanas 340g raisins 225g currants 120g chopped candied peel 120g plain flour 120g fresh white breadcrumbs 60g almond flaked Zest of 1 lemon 5 eggs beaten 1 level tsp cinnamon 1 level tsp mixed spices 1 level tsp nutmeg Pinch of salt 150ml brandy or rum Mix together all dry ingredients Stir in the eggs and brandy and mix well Put the mix in a lightly greased pudding basins Put baking parchment and foil over the top and tie with a string Put the basins in a large steamer of boiling apa and cover with a lid Boil for 5-6 hours, topping the boiling water from time to time if necessary.

If you dont have a steamer, put the basins in a large pan on inverted saucers on the base. Pour water to come to a third of the way up to the sides of the pudding bowls. Cover and steam as before To serve the pudding steam for 2 hours and serve with brandy butter, rum sauce or home-made custard.

Traditional German Christmas Vanilla scones Ingredients: 200g margarine, unsalted 100g sugar vanilla bean 100g unskinned almonds 260g plain flour 50g sugar 8g vanilla sugar Combine the unsalted margarine and the sugar until a smooth mixture result. Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise, scratch out the vanilla core, and add to the margarine. Finely ground the almonds and knead with the flour in the margarine mixture. Form a ball and wrap in aluminum foil. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Form the dough in a roll of 4cm diameter. Cut 2cm slices from the dough roll. Form little scones and place them on a baking tray that is lined with parchment paper. Pre-heat the oven to 375 F and bake the vanilla scones for 10 min on the middle rung. Or until light brown. Mix the vanilla sugar and the remaining sugar and sprinkle over the hot cookies. Let them cool off on the baking tray, because they are very fragile while they are hot. To keep the vanilla cones fresh and crunchy, put them in a cookie tin.

Rumkugeln (Rum balls)

100 g butter 100 g powder sugar 5 Tbsp cacao 100 g ground almond 1 Tbsp lapte condensat 2 Tbsp rom 80 g ciocolata For the rum balls melt very high-quality clarified butter in a pot at low temperature. Add powder sugar, stirring until dissolved. After, stir cocoa powder. Take the pot of the stove. Knead ground almond, condensed milk and rum with the chocolate mass. Cool the composition. With a teaspoon, take of tiny amounts of the composition and quickly make them into small balls. Rum balls on a plate lay, until all rum balls are ready. Roll the rum balls in chocolate. They become quite quickly soft at room temperature. Take therefore only the amount from the fridge which one would like to eat.

Dominosteine
125 g unt 100 g zahar 1 Tbsp zahar vanilat 50 g Speisestrke 150 g Mehl 3 TL Backpulver 1 Pkt aroma de portocala 30 g Mandeln, gerieben 3 EL lapte 3 EL cacao 200 g Currant jely 200 g martipan pasta 3 Tbsp rom 100 g zahar pudra 350 g Kuchenglasur

Beat for the dominoes butter with sugar and vanilla sugar until fluffy. Cornstarch, flour and 3 teaspoons baking powder mix and knead in the butter. Add orange peel flavor, ground almonds and milk. Knead well. Break the dough in half. A half kneads with cocoa powder. Roll both dough on a baking sheet lined paper and rectangular roll out, or flatten with floured hands shape. Bake in preheated oven at 200 for 10-12 minutes on the middle rack oven. Currant jelly slightly warm, stir until smooth and spread half of the light dough. Marzipan with rum and powdered sugar and knead. Roll out on parchment paper the same size of a rectangle and place on a light dough. Brush with remaining jelly. The dark half of the dough on top and press slightly. Cut into 30 cubes. Cake frosting as directed heat and dominoes to cover.
Beat to froth butter with sugar and vanilla sugar. Food strength, flour and 3 painted teaspoons of baking powder mix and play with plasticine under the butter. Orange peel aroma, grated almonds and milk add. Well verkneten. Dough halve. Half with cocoa powder verkneten. Both dough halves apart on a metal occupied with pan liner lay and roll out rectangular, or with bemehlten hands press level in form. In the preheated stove with 200 10-12 minutes on the middle rail bake. Johannisbeergelee easily warm up, glattrhren and half glide of it on the bright dough. Marzipan raw mass with rum and powdered sugar verkneten. On pan liner roll out to the same size of a rectangle and on the bright dough lay. Coat with the remaining jelly. Dark dough half lay on it and easily press. In 30 cubes cut. Cake glaze after instructions warm up and cover dominos with it.

Christstollen

Zutaten:

400 g sultanas Sultaninen 5 cl rom Rum, 54% 0,1 L lapte Milch 84 g drojdie Hefe 1 TL zahar Zucker 540 g faina Mehl 90 g zahar Zucker sare Salz 250 g unt Butter 85 g grasime vegetala Butterschmalz 30 g martipan Marzipan Rohmasse 50 g lamiae confiata Zitronat 50 g portocala confiata Orangeat 120 g chopped almond Mandeln, gehackt 1 TL coaja de lamae Zitronenschale nutmeg Muskat ulei de almond Bittermandell Butter-Vanille-Aroma 150 g unt Butter 80 g Kristallzucker, fein 125 g zahar pudra Puderzucker

Chris tunnel was to rest before slicing at least 1 week, as contained butter again only need to be determined. To cut the Christmas cake at too early, it can crumble. Chiststollen also tastes better the longer it rests, as it develops the flavour of the ingredients in full. The preparation takes time and patience. The raisins should soak overnight in rum. Put Sultanas in a bowl with boiling water and soak them for a few minutes, pour into a sieve and drain well. Sultanas return back into the bowl and pour 5 cl 54% quality rum over it. Cover the bowl and let it sit overnight. The next day the rum should be absorbed completely. This is important; otherwise we get too much liquid at the Christmas cake and can diverge from the dough. All ingredients should be at room temperature. Pour milk into a saucepan and heat to lukewarm low temperature. Remove from heat and dissolve 2 cubes of fresh yeast in milk. Add 1 teaspoon sugar and mix well. Put 540 g of flour in a mixing bowl and press the center of a deep trough. Pour the milk wit yeast into the well and stir with a little flour from the edge to make a thin dough. Cover dough with a little flour and put a towel over the bowl. Let it stand about 10-15 minutes in a warm place until he has rose. Add 90 g sugar and a pinch of salt to the flour. Soft butter and butter (room temperature) in small pieces spread over the flour. Break 30 g almond paste into small cubes and scatter over the flour. Mix the dough with the dough hook of the food processor thoroughly for 10-15 minutes. At the beginning the dough seems to be too dry. He is but as time goes smoother and smoother. Please dont add any additional liquid; otherwise the tunnel will breaks up during baking. The longer you knead the dough, the more shiny and smoother it becomes. Add diced candied peel and chopped almonds to the dough. If the raisins rum have not completely absorbed, pour away the excess rum and give the drained raisins to the dough. Add finely grated rind of half an untreated lemon, nutmeg, 1 / 2 teaspoon bitter almond oil and 1 teaspoon butter and vanilla flavouring and knead well. Cover the dough again with a cloth and leave for about 1 hour in a warm place until it expands. Preheat oven to 220 . Since Christmas cake is baked with bottom heat, it can be slightly dark on the bottom. To avoid this, you put a thick piece of cardboard on top on a baking sheet (preferably not printed to avoid toxic fumes). Knead the dough again and form a loaf about 40 inches in length. The loaf with a rolling pin, roll slightly flat while pressing in the middle of a depression. Fold the long side toward the center of the depression and lightly press. Put the Christmas cake on a baking sheet and bake on

the lowest level in a preheated oven first for 25 minutes at 220 degrees. Reduce temperature to 200 and bake the Christmas cake about 30-35 minutes. Check with a wooden stick and see if the dough is cooked. If dough is still sticking to the rod, the tunnel can be a few more minutes in the oven. Take baking sheet from oven and cool on the Christmas cake baking sheet. Put 150 g of butter in a small saucepan and melt on low temperature. Brush the Christmas cake with butter all around. Then sprinkle fine granulated sugar or a pinch of sugar sprinkled over. This is the tunnel and is preserved up to 6 weeks. Then powdered sugar in a thick layer over the tunnel seven. Christmas cake can be wrapped in aluminum foil and at least 1 week, better longer rest before being sliced.

Marzipan Torte

Zutaten: 6 oua Eier 150 g zahar Zucker 85 g faina Mehl 85 g cornstarch Speisestrke 1 Pkt praf de copt Backpulver 100 g nuci Walnsse 6 Blatt(foi) gelatine Gelatine 750 g cream/ frisca Sahne 2 Pkt zahar vanilat Vanillezucker 1 bloc de martipan Marzipandecke 12 jumatati de nuciWalnuhlften

Marzipan Cake can be prepared well in advance, as the cake gets better with age. Separate eggs into two bowls. Beat egg whites until stiff and stir in sugar gradually. Whisk egg yolks with a fork and fold into the beaten egg whites. Mix flour with cornstarch and baking powder and fold into the beaten egg whites. Pour in a cake form cake. Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Put the cake on the middle rack about 30 minutes. When done, cool the cake briefly in the form. Then loosen the edges with a knife and put it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut it horizontally into three layers. Finely chop walnuts. Soak the gelatine for about 10 minutes in cold water then drain and place in a pot and warm slightly stirring until the gelatine has dissolved. Beat the whipping cream with vanilla sugar until stiff. Add a little cream to the gelatin and mix until smooth. After pour the gelatine in the remaining cream and stir, so that no lumps. Use some of the cream for filing the tort and some for decorating. Mix part of the cream with chopped walnuts and coat two layers with it. Set one above the other and put on the third layer. Put marzipan cover over the last layer and decorate with the last of the cream.

Pogacelele cu jumari

Ingrediente: jumatate de kg de faina 1 plic de drojdie uscata 1/4 l lapte caldut 2 oua 1 lingura rasa de zahar 100 gr untura (osanza, nu unsoare) 1/4 kg jumari macinate sare, piper dupa gust sau dupa ochi un ou batut, chimen si piper pentru pus deasupra Drojdia se amesteca cu cateva liguri din laptele caldut si cu zaharul. Se lasa la dospit intr-un loc caldut. Faina se framanta impreuna cu untura (osanza macinata) pana obtinem o compozitie nisipoasa. Se adauga drojdia dospita, si ouale, sare si piper. Sarea si piperul se pot amesteca si cu pasta de jumari, dar va sfatuiesc sa adaugati sare si in aluat. Se adauga trepat si laptele caldut. (la unele fainuri s-ar putea sa mai aveti nevoie de putin lichid. Mai puteti adauga lapte caldut.) Framantam pana obtinem un aluat potrivit, pe care il lasam jumatate de ora la dospit, intr-un loc caldut, intr-un vas acoperit. Dupa ce aluatul a dospit, il intindem pe masa pudrata cu faina, intr-o foaie de aproximativ 1,5 cm grosime. Il ungem cu1/3 din pasta de jumari (pe care o obtinem macinand jumarile in robotul de bucatarie sau in masina de carne). Il impaturam in doua, apoi in patru. Il introducem in frigider pentru 15 minute. Il scoatem si il intindem din nou, in acelasi mod ca mai inainte. Il ungem in nou cu pasta de jumari, il impaturam si il introducem la frigider. Repetam aceasta procedura, in total de trei ori. La final, intidem aluatul intr-o foaie de aproximativ 1 cm grosime si il ungem cu un ou batut. Presaram chimen. Decupam pogacele cu o forma sau un pahar pe care in prealabil l-am introdus in faina. Se coc in tava unsa sau pe hartie de copt, la foc mediu, pentru aproximativ 20 de minute. Cand sunt gata trebuie sa arate ca in fotografia de mai sus.

Foi de haios sau Cremes Se face un aluat din 400 gr faina, 1-2 oua intregi, putina sare, 6 linguri smantana sau lapte, ca sa fie un aluat moale bun de intins. 400 gr osanza se framanta cu 200 gr faina si se face un sul care se imparte in patru. Aluatul de mai sus se intinde si se unge cu o parte din aceasta compozitie. Se impatura in patru in aceiasi directie, apoi se intinde mai mult in lumgine se unge cu a doua parte din compozitia cu osanza, se impatura in patru.si asa mai departe pana se termina toate cele patru parti de osanza. Se lasa sa se odihneasca. Aluatul astfel format se imparte in 6 foi pentru cremes, sau pentru haios. Pentru cremes se coc foile pe fundul unei tavi mari. Pentru haios se intinde foaia, se imparte in patrate, pe fiecare se pune gem de prune si se impatura in dreptunghi. Se pun la copt in tava neunsa. La coacere se desfac precum evantaiul.

Pentru cremes se face crema : Se amesteca galbenusul de la 4 oua, zahar vanilat, 150 gr faina si 250 gr zahar tos. Se toarna incet 1 kg lapte rece si se amesteca ca sa nu se faca cocoloase. Se pune pe foc se amesteca in continu pana se ingroasa. Cand este destul de groasa se amesteca usor cu albusurile batute spuma. Se intinde pe o foaie, se pune a doua foaie. Se presara zahar pudra.

Crema cu amidon 3 oua 250 grame zahar 125 grame amidon 1 l lapte 250 ml frisca lichida (optional) 4 pliculete zahar vanilat zahar pudra pentru ornat la final foi de cremes (cumparate) Preparare: Separam ouale, batem bine albusul cu un pic de sare, galbenusurile le frecam cu zahar si zaharul vanilat. Punem la fiert jumatate din cantitatea de lapte, iar in cea ramasa punem amidonul si amestecam. Cand fierbe laptele adaugam galbenusurile frecate cu zahar (ca sa se dizolve si amestecam in continuare), dupa care punem si laptele cu amidonul. Este foarte important sa lucram la foc mic. Amestecam pana se face ca o budinca, apoi adaugam imediat albusurile batute spuma (atunci cand este fierbinte budinca) punem cate o lingura de albus si amestecam. Nu e important cum amestecam pentru ca nu se "taie" nimic in reteta asta. Intr-o tava asezam prima foaie de cremes peste care sa turnam budinca un pic calduta si o lasam sa se raceasca de tot. Acum putem sa adaugam si un strat de frisca, dar este optional. Faramitam cea de-a doua foaie de cremes si presaram peste budinca (are si un aspect mai frumos, dar este si mai usor de taiat). Dam la frigider pentru cateva ore sau ideal ar fi sa o lasam peste noapte. Inainte sa o taiem pudram cu zahar pudra.

Ingredients

6 lemon peels, cut into 1/4 inch strips 4 orange peels, cut into 1/4 inch strips 2 cups white sugar 1 cup water 1/3 cup white sugar for decoration

Directions
1. 2. Place lemon and orange peel in large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 20 minutes, drain and set aside. In medium saucepan, combine 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and cook until mixture reaches thread stage, 230 degrees F (108 degrees C) on candy thermometer, or small amount dropped in cold water forms a soft thread. Stir in peel, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Drain. Roll peel pieces, a few at a time, in remaining sugar. Let dry on wire rack several hours. Store in airtight container.

3.

Vanilla Snowflake Cake

WHAT YOU NEED 1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix 2 pkg. (4-serving size each) Jell-O Vanilla Instant Pudding, divided 6 squares Baker's White Chocolate 1/4 cup icing sugar 1 cup cold milk 3 cups thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping 1/4 cup Kraft Pure Red Raspberry Jam, warmed, strained MAKE IT Heat oven to 350F. Prepare cake batter and bake as directed on package for 2 (9-inch) round layers, blending 1 pkg. dry pudding mix into batter before pouring into prepared pans. Cool cakes in pans 10 min.; invert onto wire racks. Gently remove pans; cool cakes completely. Meanwhile, draw 3 or 4 snowflake shapes on paper, ranging in size from 1 to 3 inches in diameter. Place on tray; cover with waxed paper. Melt chocolate as directed on package; cool 5 min. Spoon into small resealable plastic bag; cut small corner off bottom of bag. Trace over snowflake patterns with chocolate, rearranging patterns as needed to make a total of 35 chocolate snowflakes. Freeze 10 min. or until chocolate is firm. Carefully transfer snowflakes to plate; refrigerate until ready to use. Beat remaining dry pudding mix, sugar and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in Cool Whip. Place 1 cake layer on plate; spread with jam, then 1/3 of the pudding mixture. Cover with remaining cake layer. Frost top and side of cake with remaining pudding mixture. Decorate with chocolate snowflakes. Keep refrigerated.

Molten-Middle Truffle Cookies

WHAT YOU NEED 1-1/2 pkg. (8 squares each) Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate 1/4 cup butter 1 can (300 mL) sweetened condensed milk 1 tsp. vanilla 2 cups flour 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts 24 Kraft Caramels, cut in half 1/4 cup sugar MAKE IT Heat oven to 350F. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted, stirring after 30 sec. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Blend in milk and vanilla. Add flour and nuts; mix well. (Dough will be stiff.) Shape 1 level tablespoonful dough around each caramel half, enclosing caramel completely. Roll in sugar. Place, 1 inch apart, on baking sheets. Bake 6 to 8 min. or until cookies are until soft and shiny. Let stand 5 min. on baking sheets. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. (Cookies will firm up as they cool.)