Christmas recipes

You really did it now!

Some of you are already looking forward to Christmas, apparently your first guilt free one in some time.

As a first time dieter I thought I'd be a little bit cruel (second time this week )

Like others (hi Pauline) I love cooking. It's part of the reason I am here in the first place! Even on a DD I am likely to get up a little early and make a batch or 2 of muffins.... lemon drizzle ones on Sunday, knowing that Monday is a DD and I will be taking about 22 into the office. I can't help it. But at least I know longer at them all myself!

So.... shall we create the perfect Christmas menu, recipes and all?

Or is Jo going to pull this thread cos it is just one cruel step too far

LOVING it Twenty Twelve, off to read some festive food porn now

P x

Cruel no, wicked maybe lol, fire away with all your recipes, bearing in mind Christmas cakes should be started about now I think ?? I will move this thread to off topic though if thats ok x

bajoleth said:

Cruel no, wicked maybe lol, fire away with all your recipes, bearing in mind Christmas cakes should be started about now I think ?? I will move this thread to off topic though if thats ok x

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I was just talking about trying Christmas cake for first time. My four year old.daughter brought it up. She never fails to amaze me. So,x does anyone have any good recipes? X

Ooh me miss, me miss!

Delia's cake and pud are delicious The Classic Christmas Cake - English - Recipes - from Delia OnlineThe Classic Christmas Cake - English - Recipes - from Delia Online

If anyone makes the pudding I have a change to the recipe - buy twice the amount of alcohol and soak the fruit in the first amount, at least 1 day, 2 is better. Then make the pud as she says, using the second amount of alcohol. The pud comes out really moist, rich and moreish. It freezes well too.

I usually use what is left over to make icecream or, even better now, something I saw on telly - an ice cream and leftovers pudding/bombe

Get a pudding basin, must be freezable. Line the basin with clingfilm (vitally important step do not miss this out) leave a lot hanging over as you will need it at the end.

Line the clingfilmed bowl with spongey cakey stuff, I use Panettone, save some for the base/lid, it doesn't have to be one whole piece, you can patchwork it together, just overlap each bit.

Put half a tub of your favourite ice cream inside, layer with Christmas pud, cake and/or any of the weird fruit things you only buy at Christmas, glaced anything, cherries in kirsch - all that weird stuff. Top with the rest of the ice cream and put a spongey cakey lid on it.

If you have any sweet wine or even a liqueur, you can drizzle the spongey cakey bits, keeps them soft and really oozy boozy.

Wrap over the rest of the clingfilm, I usually wrap the outside of the bowl too, and squish down until the contents fit the bowl better, you can really squeeze it cos anything that comes out will remain inside and will freeze into the pud.

Pop in the freezer. take out about 20 - 30 minutes before you want to eat it.

It is dead easy to make and is sooooooooooooooooo good! I used a Lidl's orange liqueur, vanilla ice cream and thick, chunky whisky marmalade at Easter and it was lovely!

Do u make the cake up about now and keep adding alcohol to it? X

yes, feed that cake like it is a member of the family

OK, feed once a fortnight, I use a bottle of good brandy. MIL once used some paint stripper cheap stuff and it was foul!

2012willdoit said:

yes, feed that cake like it is a member of the family

OK, feed once a fortnight, I use a bottle of good brandy. MIL once used some paint stripper cheap stuff and it was foul!

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Lol I think I am gonna do it! Maybe

I got a recipe for Xmas cookies I can post when on pc. They're like the caramelised ones you get with coffees x

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins

Not just for Christmas but an every week cake that keeps and keeps. It's dead easy to make.

Banana and nut loaf (leave the nuts out if you want to)
85g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes + softened, I tend to use salted as it is what I have in most
150g light brown sugar, I have used dark brown, it adds a more toffee rich flavour
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed.
250g self-raising flour, sifted
a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg or mixed spice
50g shelled walnuts, chopped, Almost any nut is good.
Preheat your oven at 180, 160 for a fan oven
Grease a 2 pint/pound loaf tin with a little butter and line with baking parchment if you use it or coat with flour: drop some in and turn the tin so it sticks to the butter, tap out the excess. I ever use parchment paper on cakes.

Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and cream together until light, pale and fluffy
Add one egg to the bowl and stir in to combine, then repeat with the second egg
Add the mashed bananas and stir to combine
Add the flour, nutmeg and walnuts, stir gently to combine all the ingredients (do not over mix some banany lumps are good)
Pour into the tin, gently tip from side to side, bang on the worktop to even out if necessary
Bake for 1 hr 10 mins, until a cocktail stick comes out clean. I often cooke for an hour and switch the oven off and leave the laof in the oven until the oven is cool
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack (still in the tin) for about 15-20 mins.
Remove from the tin and leave to cool completely - unless of course you eat it all before that happens.

Because of some changes in how bananas are kept whilst being transported now the skins tend to go mouldy before the bananas inside go over, that translucent slushiness is good. From this year most bananas have been shipped by boat and transported green and heavily chilled. Then they go to the ripening centres for their shot of nitrogen (I think) that starts them to turn yellow. But the chilling process seems to stop them from becoming overripe. That's great for me as I like them starchy. But that's no good for banana loaf. So I am messing around with keeping my nanas to try to get them really ripe before the skins rot off.

I foil the ends to the bananas, where the bunch joins. This keep them fresher for longer. Left for ages (up to 3 weeks) and the banana inside will start to breakdown properly. The best thing is that I now always have something to ripen up other fruit and avocados etc.

I hope you all enjoy it. But be careful, it's about 400kcals a slice - a mean, 8 from a loaf slice

Self saucing toffee apple pud


Sauce
250ml water
140g dark brown sugar

Boil the water and pour over the sugar and stir until dissolved. Leave to cool a little bit - you don't want to cook the egg when you pour this over the top of the cakey bit!

Cakey dry bits
Some apple - whatever you have, sliced, stewed or however you like it
140g self raising flour
100g caster sugar
1 tablespoon of baking powder - no, that is no mistake!
pinch of salt

Cakey wet bits
200ml milk
1 egg, beaten
85g melted butter
Vanilla extract - just a splash

Preheat oven to about 180 or 160 fan

Arrange your apple in the bottom of a nice, large ovenproof dish. I mean large so don't try squeezing the ingredients in, you will regret it, as will the bottom of your oven!

Then mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt

Combine milk, egg, melted butter and vanilla extract. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until you get a smooth batter. Please don't expect it to be a thick sponge mixture...it won't be, it will be pourable. Tip it over the apples. scared or assume I have gone mad...this is what makes the scrumptious toffee sauce and if you hold back, you will really regret it!. It will look seriously strange at this stage but it will all come good in the oven, I promise!

Sling the whole mess into the oven for 40-45 mins until the top is golden - keep an eye on it as it can come good a bit quicker!

Serve with double cream, custard or vanilla ice cream.

Please make sure you have nowhere to go, nothing to do after eating this! Wear loose clothing and don't even think of reaching for your mfp food calculator!