Jean's Christmas Day cooking schedule

 

Pavlova slice

Gerda's Redcurrant Flan

RIBISEL KUCHEN

This recipe is from a dear, elderly, Austrian woman named Gerda. Measurements and wording are all her own….. I can hear her reciting it to me, in the beautiful way she spoke….

Prepare a pastry with two ounces sugar, four ounces butter and six ounces flour, a few drops of lemon juice and line a buttered and floured flan tin with this. Bake 'blind'.

When baked, but still hot, cover thickly with red-currants, sprinkle with a little sugar.

Whisk two egg whites until stiff, whisk in two ounces sugar, fold in another two ounces sugar.

Pile the whipped egg white over redcurrants.

Bake in cool oven until meringue top has set. Cut into slices when cool.

Gerda's Notes:

This simple pastry is ideal for any fruit you have that does not need precooking, such as berries.

Finely ground almonds or hazelnuts may be substituted for some of the flour. Toasting them in a dry pan first adds extra flavour.

Easy Christmas Pudding

I have made this easy Christmas pudding recipe for years ever since my Auntie Win gave it to me.
So it is really called Auntie Win’s Overnight Christmas Pudding. It is a light flavourful pudding and is great eaten cold the next day.

Ingredients
1  375 gram pkt of Mixed Dried Fruit
1 cup of water
1/4 cup of sherry or rum or brandy
Mix the above ingredients together and stand all day.
Then add
1 cup of freshly made breadcrumbs
1 cup of Self Raising Flour
1 teaspoon of mixed spice
2 tablespoons of melted butter
1 small teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
1 tablespoon of honey or golden syrup
1 or 2 beaten eggs
Mix well .
Spoon into a greased pudding basin.
Cover with buttered greaseproof paper.
Cover with aluminium foil.
Tie these around the lip of the bowl with cotton string.
Leave to stand overnight.
Next day boil the pudding for 3 hours in a pan with boiling water and a lid.
Remove from the pan, allow to stand for 15 minutes, turn pudding onto a plate and serve with custard, cream and seasonal berries.
This pudding keeps for months in the refrigerator or it can be frozen.
The original recipe had 1 cup of sugar which I leave out. Dried fruit, honey and sherry add ample sugar. I usually multiply the recipe by 4 to make 4 puddings and I substitute 1 375 gram pkt currants for the mixed fruit. Dried black currants add a wonderful flavour and richness.

HOT CROSS BUNS

 

Recipe From BBC Food, photo is mine.

Truthfully these are the best buns I have not only ever made but also ever eaten! I did exactly what it says but instead of the whole crosses thing, I just dipped my finger in honey and rubbed it gently onto the hot buns.... perfect!

For the buns
625g/1.3lb strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground mixed spice
45g/ 1.5 oz unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing
85g/3oz sugar
1 lemon, zest only
1½ tsp fast-action yeast
1 free-range egg
275ml/10fl oz tepid milk
125g/4oz mixed dried fruit
For the topping
2 tbsp plain flour
vegetable oil, for greasing
1 tbsp golden syrup, gently heated, for glazing

Method

1. For the buns, sieve the flour, salt and ground mixed spice into a large mixing bowl, then rub in the butter using your fingertips. Make a well in the centre of the mixture, then add the sugar and lemon zest and yeast. 
2. Beat the egg and add to the flour with the tepid milk. Mix together to a form a soft, pliable dough.
3. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Carefully work the mixed dried fruit into the dough until well combined. Knead lightly for 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
4. Grease a large, warm mixing bowl with butter. Shape the dough into a ball and place it into the prepared bowl, then cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm place for one hour to prove.
5. Turn out the proved dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knock back the dough. Shape it into a ball again and return it to the bowl, then cover again with the tea towel and set aside for a further 30 minutes to rise.
6. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten slightly into a bun shape using the palms of your hands. 
7. Grease a baking tray with butter and transfer the buns to the tray. Place inside a large polythene bag. Tie the end of the bag tightly so that no air can get in and set aside in a warm place for a further 40 - 60 minutes to rise. 
8. Preheat the oven to 240C/475F/Gas 8 while they are rising. 
9. Meanwhile, for the topping, mix the plain flour to a smooth paste with 2 tablespoons of cold water. 
10. When the buns have risen, remove the polythene bag and the greaseproof paper. Spoon the flour mixture into a piping bag and pipe a cross on each bun.
11. Transfer the buns to the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes, or until pale golden-brown. As soon as you remove the buns from the oven, brush them with the hot golden syrup, then set aside to cool on a wire rack.

Summer Treats from Nirvana

CHESTNUT PUREE
Chestnuts (peeled or soaked dried)
Milk, water or stock
Put Chestnuts in saucepan, cover with liquid, and simmer gently until soft. Mash and put through a mouli or blend in food processor.
Can add salt or sugar to taste.
Chestnut puree forms a base for many recipes.

NIRVANA CHESTNUT ICE CREAM
700g Chestnut puree as above
2 litres ice cream
300 mls cream
125g of crystallised cherries, candied orange peel, seedless raisins and currants which are soaked overnight in Muscat wine.
Mix chestnut puree, ice cream, cream and fruit together and refreeze. When 1/2 frozen mixes with fork and refreeze in a mould.

RASPBERRY AND LIME DRIZZLED CAKE
150g butter
150g castor sugar
3 large eggs
175g self-raising flour
25g flaked almonds
Grated rind and juice of 1 lime
200g raspberries

For the syrup
Juice of 2 limes
Grated peel of 1 lime
100g sugar

Cream together the butter and sugar. Gradually beat in the eggs and mix in flour, almonds and rind. Then stir in the lime juice .Fold in three quarters of the raspberries .Grease and line a 20 cm cake tin, spoon in mix, smooth the surface and scatter remaining raspberries on top. (They will sink as cake rises.) Bake at 180C (350F) for 40 minutes.
To make syrup put lime juice, peel and sugar in a small saucepan, heat gently to dissolve sugar. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, prick all over with a skewer and drizzle the syrup over the cake. Allow to cool before turning out.


RASPBERRY JELLY
200g RASPBERRIES
100g sugar
60ml port or cassis
20g gelatine
Put the raspberries and sugar into a saucepan and cover with water. Boil until soft and sieve to remove pips Sprinkle the gelatine over 150 ml of water and heat gently until it dissolves. Pour onto the raspberry puree and stir. Add the port. Transfer to a jelly mould add a few whole berries and chill to set. When ready to serve invert the jelly onto a plate and serve with elderflower cream. Can be made with black or red currants as well.

ELDERFLOWER CREAM
300 mls cream
75 mls Nirvana Elderflower Cordial
Add elderflower cordial to cream and whip.

MASCARPONE ICE CREAM WITH REDCURRANT AND CHESTNUT SAUCE
Serves 6
For the ice cream
2 egg yolks
4 tablesp .icing sugar
250g mascarpone
2 tsp vanilla essence
Whisk to together the egg yolks and icing sugar until really thick. Add the mascarpone and vanilla to the egg mix and beat .Put in container and freeze until firm.
For the sauce
200g Red currants, pureed and sieved
100g chestnut puree
Mix chestnut puree and red currants together and serve with the ice cream.


REDCURRANT & CHOCOLATE POTS
Maggie Beer ‘Beat the Chef”
150gm Dark couverture chocolate
100ml cream
8 teaspoons red currant jelly
4 tablespoons fresh red currants
In a microwave proof container combine the cream & chocolate, stirring to combine.
Using small macchiato glasses or similar place 2 teaspoons of red currant jelly into each glass then top with chocolate mixture leaving room at the top for fresh currants. Finish with a layer of fresh currants.
Chill 15 minutes before serving

GOOSEBERRY FOOL
500g gooseberries
40 g butter
Sugar
300ml whipping cream
Top & tail gooseberries & put them in a pan with butter. Moisten with 2 tablespoons water. Cover pan & cook gently, shaking pan occasionally, until gooseberries are soft. Crush them lightly with a fork once or twice during cooking. Sweeten to taste & put aside.
In a large bowl whisk cream until it stands in soft floppy peaks. With a large metal spoon, fold in the gooseberries. Pile into a large glass bowl, chill & serve.

QUENTIN”S RED CURRANT SAUCE
Quentin Jones ‘Beat the Chef’
200gm red currants
1 dessertspoon sugar
2 tablespoons red wine
1 tablespoon red currant jelly
Heat red currants in small saucepan with sugar & wine. Cook for a few minutes until juices run Add red currant jelly. Reduce a little.
Serve with poultry or game meat.






RED ON RED SALAD
1 cup grated raw beetroot
1-2 Tbsp Nirvana raspberry vinegar.
Place grated beetroot in salad bowl, toss in raspberry vinegar and serve.

BLACKCURRANT GARDEN SALAD
Blackcurrants add a real zing to salads.
Prepare a selection of lettuce leaves, fresh green peas or beans, chopped spring onions, blackcurrants. Toss in Nirvana raspberry or blackcurrant vinegar and serve.

PAN FORTE

Buy a pack of ingredients at Charlesworth's for making Panforte. This is not a packet cake but rather just the dried fruit part - all weighed already, plus the recipe.

Follow all the instructions carefully - you will have to add flour, butter etc -and you will have a perfect and especially delicious cake that will last for months - until you start eating it, then it will go in a flash.

I cut slices and put them in cellophane bags and attach a little gift card. When visitors drop in around Christmas time, you can quickly write their name in the card and it seems like you had remembered them all along!!

Gingerbread shapes

180C

Makes 3 trays

Cream : 4oz butter
1/2 cup brown sugar

Sift and add: 2 1/2 cups plain flour
1 tsp carb soda
3 tsp ground ginger

Add: 1 egg yolk
2 1/2 Tbl golden syrup
a little water to dough consistency

Roll out thinly. Cut shapes with floured shape cutters - I use men, butterflies, bells, all sorts I have collected over the years. Place on trays and bake 10 - 15 mins.

Icing for decorating: 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 egg white, lightly beaten
3 drops acetic acid (optional)

Divide icing between several little containers and colour each differently with food colouring. Cover until ready to start.

Use piping bags made from greaseproof paper. Put a different colour in each one.Roll down the top so the icing is in the pointy end. Snip off a tiny bit of the point to allow the icing to be squeezed out. Go for it - anything goes.

ps Don't leave your dog unattended in the same room with these on a coffee table !!