Presenting you recipes of some of the must-eat Christmas delicacies:
Candy Cane
Ingredients:
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- Red food coloring
Method:
- In a pan, cook sugar, corn syrup, water and cream of tartar to a very hard ball stage.
- Use candy thermometer to check if it’s reached the right temperature of 250 to 265 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Remove from heat and add peppermint. Divide into two parts and add red food coloring to one part and mix well.
- Pull pieces of each part to form ropes and twist red around the white to make candy canes.
Christmas pudding
Ingredients:
- 1 & 1/2 cups plain flour
- 1/2 cup self-rising flour
- 375g raisins, roughly chopped
- 375g sultanas
- 250g currants
- 200g dried apricots, roughly chopped
- 150g pitted prunes, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup blackcurrant conserves
- 3/4 cup brandy
- 1/4 cup green ginger wine
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon mixed spice
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 250g butter, melted, cooled
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- Whipped Cream, to serve
Method:
- Put dried fruit, brandy, wine, conserve and spices in a bowl. Mix well. Cover and let the mixture stand for a few hours, preferably overnight.
- Grease a 10-cup capacity pudding basin with melted butter. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Brush with butter again. Line the base of bowl with baking/butter paper.
- Whisk eggs and butter together. Add to fruit mixture with sugar. Sift flours and bicarbonate of soda over fruit mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon to mix. Pour into the prepared basin.
- Cut 1 large sheet of foil and 1 large sheet of baking paper. Lay paper over foil. Make a pleat in the centre. Place, paper-side down, over pudding. Secure with string.
- Place an upturned saucer into the base of a large, deep saucepan. Place basin onto saucer. Pour hot water into saucepan so it comes one-third of the way up the side of the basin. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for five hours. Remove pudding from water. Stand for 30 minutes. Turn onto a platter. Serve with cream. Alternatively, cool completely then store.
Eggnog
Ingredients:
- 1 liter milk
- 5 whole cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 12 egg yolks
- 300g caster sugar
- 600ml light rum
- 1 liter single cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Method:
- Combine milk, cloves, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and cinnamon in a saucepan; heat over lowest setting for 5 minutes, then slowly bring to boil.
- In a large bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar. Whisk together until fluffy. Whisk hot milk mixture slowly into the eggs. Pour mixture into saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 3 minutes, or until thick. Do not allow mixture to boil. Strain to remove cloves, and let cool for about an hour.
- Stir in rum, cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla and nutmeg. Refrigerate overnight before serving.
Ginger Bread
Ingredients:
- 150g unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup (125ml) golden syrup
- 1/2 cup (110g) firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 3 cups (450g) plain flour
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg, lightly whisked
- Writing fudge and rainbow choc chips, to decorate
Method:
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 large oven trays with baking paper.
- Place butter, golden syrup and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring for 3 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil. Remove from heat. Add bicarbonate of soda and stir to combine. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl. Set aside to cool.
- Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and baking powder over butter mixture. Add the egg and stir until well mixed. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until smooth. Divide dough into two portions. Shape each portion into a disc and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 45 minutes or until firm.
- Roll one portion between 2 sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick. Using a 6-7cm Christmas pastry cutters, cut shapes from dough, re-rolling scraps. Place on the lined trays, 3cm apart, leaving space to allow spreading. Repeat with remaining gingerbread portion.
- Bake in preheated oven. Bake one tray at a time for 8 minutes or until just firm to touch. Remove from oven and set aside on trays for 5 minutes to cool before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate gingerbread using writing fudge and rainbow chocolate chips if desired.
[…] Over the time, many new dishes have been added to the classic Christmas dinner menu. But there are some which have remained all-time favourites! So here’s presenting you the five “must have” Christmas delicacies and their recipes. […]