Christmas Baking

It’s always great to have extra little yummies on hand over Christmas for those unexpected visitors and as last minute gifts!

We’ve compiled some great Christmas recipies to get you inspired in the kitchen…

Cooking code:
c = Cup
g = Grams
t = Teaspoon
T = Tablespoon

Best Ever Cookies
Good for homemade gifts, wrap in cellophane and tie with a spectacular ribbon.
125g chopped soft butter
1 ½ c self raising flour
¾ c brown sugar
1 egg
1 ½ c choc buttons, chunks or even bits (try cooking m&ms YUM!)
1t vanilla essence or 1T your fave liqueur
Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C , chop butter into to sugar to form a crumbly texture add the egg and vanilla essence/ liqueur. Mix to combine and gently fold in choc buttons. Roll into walnut sized balls and flatten on a baking paper lined baking sheet, flatten gently with a fork (just to make the lines) and cook for 15 – 20 mins.
Serve warm with a dollop of ice-cream on top for a different kind of Christmas treat.

Upside down cherry cake
200g soft butter
1c caster sugar or plain sugar
2 medium eggs
1/2t cinnamon
2 ½ c flour
1t baking powder
¾ c buttermilk (almost every supermarket has this)
2x 400g cans of pitted dark cherries
Corn flour and water
Method:
Preheat oven to 170°C, Mix butter and sugar in a bender until pale and smooth then add eggs and cinnamon and mix well. Transfer to a large bowl, add sifted flour and baking powder and fold in the buttermilk until smooth. Drain the cherries (keep the juice for later) and arrange cherries in the base of a shallow cake dish (23cm works the best). Pour over cake batter and bake for 25 – 300 mins. Test by poking a skewer into the middle, if it comes out clean then the cake is done. Tip cake (when its cooled) onto a serving platter so the cherries are on top. Heat the remaining cherry liquid (I would have drunk it all by now) with a little corn flour mixed with water to thicken and make a glossy sauce. Spoon over cake and serve with fresh cherries and whipped cream.

Chocolate peanut fudge
Also good as a homemade gift
400g sweetened condensed milk
375g of chocolate melts (dark, milk or white, or mix them all together)
¼ c super crunchy peanut butter (I use Kraft, it’s the sweetest)
½ c chopped mixed nuts (any kind of nuts can be used, I favour almonds and brazil nuts)
Method:
Combine condensed milk and melts in a sauce pan over a low heat until choc is melted, mix in peanut butter and nuts then pour into a lined tin and refrigerate until set. Enjoy as a lunchbox treat.

Rice bubble slice
Remember this from those little kiddy parties, I tell you it’s a blast from the past!
125g butter
½ c sugar
3 dessert spoons of honey (thick is good, so is manuka)
4c Rice bubbles
Method:
Boil butter sugar and honey for 5 mins, pour butter mix over rice bubbles that are in a lined slice tin, refrigerate and slice when set. Alternatively you can mix boiled ingredients with rice bubbles in a mixing bowl and pour into wee patty cases then refrigerate till set. Yummy things to add are 1c coco pops + 3c rice bubbles or ½ c nuts or ½ c mixed dried fruit, just stir in when adding boiled mix to rice bubbles.

Melt-in-the-mouth traditional shortbread!
You can get creative with your shortbread: Cut it into festive shapes, dust with icing sugar, decorate with nuts, hundreds and thousands, chocolate… anything! This recipe is particularly great, as it only uses one bowl.
250grams butter
125grams icing sugar
250grams high-grade flour
50grams custard powder
Method:
Beat butter and icing sugar together until fluffy.
Add all other ingredients and combine until mixture forms a ball.
Press dough out into a slab, wrap in glad wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll out dough (add any nuts if you are using at this stage) to 1.5cm thick and use a shaped cutter or cut into shapes.
Place on a greased baking tray and bake at 150 degrees or 30 minutes or until pale gold.
Remove from tray and cool on a baking rack. Makes about 30 biscuits.

Happy baking!