Yule ~ Christmas ~ Winter Solstice and Gingerbread Brownies

 

Yule - Christmas - Winter Solstice, typically falls between December 21st and December 22nd, in the Northern Hemisphere and occurs in the Southern Hemisphere between June 21st - 22nd and the Celtic celebrations may vary from year to year depending on when the Sun reaches the southern most point in its yearly cycle. Yule celebrations are believed to be connected to the original celebrations of Yule with the Wild Hunt (the Norse god, Odin) and the pagan Anglo-Saxon Modraniht/Modranicht (Mother's Night) and the Roman celebration of Saturnalia. Yule also marks the longest night of the year.

Winter Solstice is a time for gathering in darkness and honouring and celebrating the return of light and the rebirth of the Sun. It also marks the beginning of Winter with the shortest day and the longest night of the year and because of that the days grow longer. Darkness begins to diminish as the returning light brings hope and promise. As the days become longer think perseverance, transformation and renewal as the increase of daylight will lift your spirit with hope of what lies ahead, Spring.   

Christmas, December 25th to December 27th, is linked with Winter Solstice and most customs, lore, symbols and rituals are similar; such as feasting, gift giving and decorating with symbolism of light and rebirth.  

Other festivals or celebrations that occur in and around this time include: Yuletide (Various/Germanic/Northern European, Dec 21st-Jan 1st), Wren Day/Wren's Day (Irish), Alban Arthan (Celtic/Druidic), Finn's Day, Festival of Sol, Great Day of Cauldron, Festival of Growth, Wassailing, Mari Lwyd (Welsh), Koliada/Koleda (Slavic), Lohri (Punjabi), Julebord or Julebukking (Scandinavian), Yalda Night/Chelle Night (Iranian), Hanukkah (Jewish, Dec 10th -18th), Kwanzaa (African-American Dec 26th-Jan 1st), Las Pasadas (Spanish, Dec 16-24), Soyal (Zuni and Hopi, Dec 20-22) and Saturnalia (Ancient Roman, Dec 17-23). Other traditions or customs such as Krampus, Mummer's play, First-foot, Wishing Tree, Yule Goat, Polaznik, and Jaslickari are also observed and connected to Yule, Winter Solstice, Christmas and or New Years. 

Merry Yule, Happy Christmas and Happy Holidays, Merry Winter Solstice and Holiday Blessings to all who celebrate! 

Gingerbread Brownies

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1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups (300 grams) dark brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs, room temperature

3 tablespoons molasses 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups (300 grams) unbleached all purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon English mixed spice

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

icing sugar, for dusting

crystallized candy ginger pieces

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC) Lightly grease and flour a 9 x 9 inch square baking tin. Line the bottom with baking parchment. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat until fluffy and light. Mix in the eggs, molasses and vanilla and stir until well combined.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, English mixed spice, baking powder and salt. Then gradually stir the flour mixture into the butter and egg mixture until both are incorporated and completely combined.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking tin. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centre is no longer squidgy.

Allow to cool completely before sprinkling with icing sugar. Cut into 9 squares and place a candied ginger piece on top. May be served with whip cream or warm custard.   

Honey Rum Shortbread

 

Honey Rum shortbread is a rich and buttery festive treat. With all the sweetness and warmth of honey and rum this traditional Scottish biscuit is a beloved recipe and favourite around this time of year. 

Honey Shortbread

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1 cup (225 g / 8 oz) butter, softened

1/3 (80 ml / 3 fl. oz) cup runny honey

2  (10 ml) teaspoon rum extract or rum

1 3/4 cups (225 g / 8 oz) unbleached all purpose flour

1 cup (100 g / 4 oz) finely ground almonds

fine caster sugar to decorate

1. Preheat the oven to 300ºF (150ºC or Gas Mark 2) and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

2. Beat together the butter, honey and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add the flour and almonds and mix well.

3. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly to about 10 mm (1/2 inch) thickness, to fit the shape of your baking sheet. Transfer to the baking tray, you may have to reshape the dough, and mark into slices with a knife. Alternatively, after kneading the dough, place on the lined baking tray, shape to fit the baking tray and mark into slices with a knife. Then gently indent with the tines of a fork. 

4. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a wire rack, and while still warm sprinkle generously with caster sugar. Allow to cool slightly but while still warm gently follow the premade score marks to cut into slices. 

 

Pumpkin Raisin Fruit Loaf

 

A golden amber spiced loaf that is moist and rich. A definite winter warmer in every slice and depending on which mix of spices you use and dried fruit you add, it will have a wonderful abundant seasonal flavour.  

Pumpkin Raisin Fruit Loaf

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makes 1 loaf

1 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon English mixed spice

1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie spice

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup Italian mixed peel or any citrus candied peel

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup white sugar

3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 can (398 ml) pumpkin purée

1/2 cup light olive oil

1/4 cup milk or orange juice

walnut pieces or pumpkin seeds for sprinkling on top, optional 

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºF). Lightly grease and flour a 2 lb. loaf tin and line the bottom with baking parchment. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Whisk together and then add the raisins and Italian mixed peel. Stir to combine.   

In another bowl whisk the eggs, white sugar and brown sugar together until combine. Then whisk in the pumpkin purée, olive oil and milk or orange juice, which ever you are using, until incorporated and smooth. Pour into the flour mixture and gently stir together until just combined. Do not over mix. 

Pour or spoon the batter into the prepared loaf tin. Sprinkle walnut pieces or pumpkin seeds, if you are using, over the top.   

Bake for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, a few moist crumbs will be fine, checking halfway through baking time and covering the top with aluminum foil if you notice the top browning too quickly. 

Allow the loaf to cool completely in the tin on a wire rack before carefully removing to slice and serve. 

Notes: if you cannot find any English mixed spice just use 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice. You can also mix together your own spice blend of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, all spice and or cardamom. You may also add some grated orange zest to the batter.  

The Drayton Arms

The Drayton Arms, Old Brompton Road, South Kensington, built in 1860 and then rebuilt 1891, has to get a tremendous honourable mention here. We stumbled across this pub on our way back from Brompton Cemetery. Very charming and cozy and quite taken with the fact that there is a theatre upstairs. Still trying to figure out why I didn't take a photo of our lunch... guess not everything needs to be photographed or probably and more likely, too busy tucking into our scrumptious plates, my husband had the Devonshire Cheddar and Pancetta Burger and I had the Chicken Milanese. The gentleman that was working behind the bar, was the presumed host, delightful and friendly and the service fantastic. The pub had such a warm and elegant feel to it. The food was spectacularly delicious and hit the spot. Worth a visit and revisit! 

Ode to The Drayton Arms. Thank you and until next time... 

Wheaten Biscuits

 

An easy biscuit to graze your tea time or cheese board at any season. A harmoniously golden crisp biscuit with a buttery crunch texture and taste.  

Wheaten Biscuits

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1 1/2 cups (175 g) whole wheat flour

4 tablespoons rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoon poppyseeds

1/2 cup (1 stick/100g) unsalted butter, cubed

3 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons cold water

Preheated oven to 400ºF (200ºC) and line a baking tray or two with parchment paper.

Add the flour, oats, baking powder, salt, sugar and poppyseeds to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse all the ingredients together a few time to combine.

Add the cold cubed butter to the food processor and blitz until you have a coarse meal consistency. Keep the food processor running as you drizzle in the milk. Then drizzle in the cold water. You want the biscuit dough to just come together. 

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and just give it a few quick squeezes to bring everything together. Pat and then using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 4mm thick, then use a 2 to 3 inch round cutter to cut out as many rounds as you can. Use an offset spatula to help lift the cut rounds off the surface and transfer them to the prepared baking tray. Re-roll any scraps of dough to cut out more biscuits. 

Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges have turned light brown. Allow the biscuits to cool on the baking tray for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with fresh fruit, cheese, butter or jam.

Tom Cribb revisted, mulled wine and cherry bakewell tarts

 

Well it just wouldn't be proper if we didn't return to Tom Cribb's. I had my usual fish and chips and my husband had the steak and ale pie, see in the background. Both scrumptious as ever, and yes, I needed help with mine, because look at the size of the fish!

Mulled wine in three glasses. Being in London so close to Christmas had some inviting drinks to try. Along with the Hotel Chocolat beverages this was second and at almost every pub and restaurant. When it was festively offered we happily had a glass... or two.  

This time we tried Waitrose cherry bakewell tart. Similar to the M&S we tried on our last visit, from what I can remember. Very buttery and flaky and still sweet. They went down lovely with a nice cup of tea at the end of the day. 

Dishoom Kensington ~ London

 

Another delightful place we throughly enjoyed was Dishoom Kensington, just off the Kensington High Street. The menu was extensive which made it hard to decide because everything sounded absolutely delish. Our lunch was light and sharable, lamb samosas, Chicken Briyani, spiced vegetables with chilli peppers and a smooth cooling cucumber yoghurt salad. 

One or two of these wouldn't go amiss. We happily sipped on one of the most well crafted infused margaritas, The Dishoom Margarita, as we nibbled on complementary poppadoms and sauces waiting for our lunch to arrive. 

Dessert? How could we not resist after reading the dessert menu. No sharing here as my husband tried the most comforting creamy rice pudding, Basmati Kheer, topped with blueberry compôte. Delicately rich and creamy.     

As for myself, I tried the mixed fruit crumble, Coconutty Fruit Crumble. A medley of sweetly tart pineapple, apple and raspberries with a toasted coconut crumble topped with coconut ice cream. Crunchy, sweet and very coconutty. Absolute scrumptious heaven!