December 20th, 2007 by alice
Tags: Christmas, Grans, Hard, Pudding, Sauce
INGREDIENTS
- 2egg yolks
- 1/3cupbutter
- 3cupsicing sugar
- 1/4cupsherry wineor port wine(sherry recommended!)
DIRECTIONS
- Soften the butter.
- Combine all ingredients in a blender.
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December 20th, 2007 by alice
Tags: Cashew, Christmas, Cookie, Greek, Kourambies, Nuts
INGREDIENTS
- 600gunsalted butter
- 250gcashew nuts(roughly chopped and baked)
- 1/2teaspoonbaking powder
- 220gicing sugar
- 50gdark rumor brandy
- 1000gplain flouror unbleached bread flour(may need up to 1200gr depending on which you use)
- icing sugar, for topping
DIRECTIONS
- 1. Beat the butter with the icing sugar with a whisker or kitchen machine for 15-20 until they become creamy and fluffy (you will notice that the volume will be doubled).
- 2. Sift the flour and baking powder.
- 3. Add flour mixture to the butter and stir with the hand until all the flour is absorbed. You will notice that the dough will become very fragile and it should be like that.
- 4. Add the nuts and the rum (or brandy) and continue mixing well with your hand.
- 5. The right kourambies dough should just hold itself together.
- 6. Form round cookies 1 inch diameter and press them softly with your finger at the top. Don’t worry if it gets easily destroyed. That’s the way it should be. Apply small pressure and everything will go fine :).
- 7. Place in a baking sheet (keep some distance between them as they will rise soflty).
- 8. Bake in pre-heated oven at 200 Celcius (390 Farenheit) for 15 minutes. They should become lightly golden. I like mine baked until golden brown, but the traditional ones shouldn’t have color. Try for yourself and pick your favorite.
- 9. Let them cool completely. Arrange a layer in a dish and sift icing sugar on top. Repeat with the next layer. The amount of icing sugar really depends on your taste. I recommend a 3mm layer of icing sugar on top but again find your favorite quantity.
- 10. Keep them airtight because they become soft very easily when left exposed in humidity and that’s something terrible for a kourambies cookie.
- 11. This recipe requires some kitchen experience so don’t be easily dissapointed if at first you don’t succeed.
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December 20th, 2007 by alice
Tags: Cabbage, Christmas, Soup
INGREDIENTS
- 6cupsgreen cabbage, cut into large pieces
- 3cupsbaby carrots
- 2mediumonions, wedged
- 3potatoes, sliced
- 12ouncescooked ham, cut(leftovers)
- 4cupslow-fat chicken broth
- 1cupcrushed pineapple, including juice
DIRECTIONS
- Layer cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes and ham pieces in crock pot.(add ham bone if you have one, remove it before serving).
- Add chicken broth and pineapple.
- Cook for about 4 hours on high or until potatoes are done.
- This goes great with french bread.
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December 20th, 2007 by alice
Tags: Breadlmond, Challah, Christmas, Filled
INGREDIENTS
- 1cup lukewarmwater(110oF)
- 1teaspoonsugar
- 1tablespoonyeast
- 4cupsall-purpose flour
- 1/4cupgranulated sugar
- 2teaspoonssalt
- 2eggs
- 1/2cupvegetable oil
- 1egg yolk, beaten
- 1teaspoonwater
-
FILLING
- 1 1/2cups blanchedground almonds
- 1/2cupsugar
- 1egg white, beaten
- 3-4tablespoonsmilk
- 1teaspoonalmond extract
DIRECTIONS
- Pour lukewarm (110oF) water into a small bowl. Add 1 teaspoon sugar and stir until dissolved. Sprinkle yeast over top. Do not stir. Let stand for 10 minutes, until mixture is foamy.
- Meanwhile, measure 3 cups flour into a large bowl. Using a fork, stir in 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tsp salt. Form a well in centre of mixture. Add eggs, oil and yeast mixture. Stir well, using a spoon, just until blended.
- Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead dough with floured hands. When dough becomes sticky, liberally sprinkle flour on kneading surface. Continue kneading until dough forms a smooth satiny ball, about 10 minutes. By this time, you will have incorporated most of flour, and dough should bounce back when pressed with your finger.
- Place dough in a large oiled bowl. Roll around inside of bowl until dough is completely covered with a light coating of oil. Cover bowl with a piece of oiled waxed paper, topped by a damp cloth. Let stand in a warm place, such as on top of the refrigerator, until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare filling. In a small bowl, blend ground almonds and sugar. Stir in egg white, milk and almond extract until thoroughly blended.
- Set aside.
- Punch down dough. Cover and let rise again until double in size, about 45 minutes.
- Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Roll into long strands. Flatten each strand with rolling pin. Spread almond filling over each strand to 1/4 inch from sides. Roll back into long strands.
- Place strands on a lightly greased baking sheet. And braid loosely. Tuck in ends.* Cover with a damp cloth and let dough rise until doubled in size, about 45 more minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400oF. Whisk egg yolk with water. Brush loaf with beaten egg yolk. Bake in centre of preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes Place piece of foil paper over bread if browning too quickly.
- *You can also shape braid into a circle to form wreath and decorate with an icing sugar frosting, almonds and cherries.
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December 20th, 2007 by alice
Tags: Christmas, Cookies, Tree
INGREDIENTS
- 3/4cupunsalted butter
- 1 1/4cups packedlight brown sugar
- 1 1/2teaspoonsvanilla extract
- 1teaspoonfresh lemon juice
- 2eggs
- 3cups siftedall-purpose flour
- 2teaspoonsbaking powder
- 1/2teaspoonsalt
-
frosting ingredients
- 1/2cupbutter
- 3cups siftedpowdered sugar
- 1teaspoonvanilla
- water
- tintedcake decorating gel
- holidaycandy sprinkles
- colored sugar sprinkle, etc
DIRECTIONS
- Cream butter, add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla and lemon juice.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Sift flour, baking powder and salt and add to creamed mixture and mix well.
- Chill, then roll dough to about 1/8 inch or thicker.
- Cut into various sized Christmas trees.
- Squeeze bottom of trunk a little so it will fit into jelly wreaths when baked.
- Bake in preheated hot oven at 425 degrees F for 5 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.Cool.Cover with frosting; decorate.
- For Frosting:.
- Heat and boil the 1/2 cup butter in heavy saucepan until lightly browned; do not burn.
- Stir in 3 cups powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Add water a few drops at a time until frosting is of spreading consistency.
- Frost cookies, then decorate with cake decorator using colored icing of your choice and top off with sprinkles, bits of candied cherries, etc.
- To stand, set each in ring of bought jellied candies.
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