Christmas 2024

 

Christmas Eve: All was merry and bright as we started with Wonton and Hot Sour soup and then joyously tucked into a scrumptious set meal from our favourite Chinese restaurant. Conversation ebbed and flowed as we munched dinner. 

Christmas Day: It was a mix of no fuss and carefree leisure to the start the day. Bakery cinnamon buns, yoghurt and mandarin oranges were breakfast. Buck Fizz and Christmas chocolates followed as we waited for guests to arrive.

Christmas dinner was traditional festive fare with a few added vegetables. It was a full house and full plates of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, lightly glazed carrots, steamed Brussels sprouts and steamed green beans. All nestled with gravy, cranberry sauce, I added some after I took this photo, and dashes of pepper. A selection of wine was poured to toast festive cheer. For dessert Stollen and my baking, which each guest left with a bundle of both.

Boxing Day: Relaxed, restful and quiet. It was a lovely day to be out and about and share nibbles later on. I made a tasty Chicken Moroccan Stew, which I will post about later, for us to warm up to which brought much comfort as we settled in for the evening. 

And of course our annual Fortnum's order arrived. Such a lovely selection of biscuits, teas, crackers, jams, honeys, pudding, sparkling tea and pickled olives. Christmas and the year ahead would not be complete without it!   

Cinder Toffee

 

Another no-bake holiday treat that is legendary with slight variations not only with ingredients but in name as well. Whether you call this Sponge Toffee, Sea Foam Candy, Puff Candy (Scotland), Honeycomb, Honeycomb Toffee or Hokey-Pokey the texture is airy, rigid and sponge-like. A simple recipe that is quick to prepare and a pleasure to munch and crunch.  

Cinder Toffee

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1 cup (200 grams) white sugar

5 tablespoons golden syrup

1 tablespoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)

Generously grease a 8 inch x 8inch (20cm x 20cm) square foil tin pan with butter. Place a couple of sheets of aluminium foil on a clean flat surface and place the prepared tin on top. This will catch any cinder toffee trying to escaping the tin. 

In a large heavy bottom saucepan add the sugar and golden syrup and mix together until you have clumps of golden sugar. Turn the stove burner on medium heat and place the saucepan over it. Heat and simmer, allowing the mixture to bubble for about 3 minutes... possibly 4 minutes. The colour should be golden amber and no darker. 

Take off the heat and quickly whisk in the baking soda. The mixture will froth and foam and double up into an opaque pale golden mass. Quickly pour into the prepare buttered tin pan and leave to set for 2 hours. 

Once set, you can use a knife and to cut pieces, the best you can, however I find it best to turn the pan upside down onto the aluminium foil that is set underneath and bash the bottom of the tin with your hand and listen to the crunch and crackle of the falling shards of cinder toffee pieces. Lift the tin and behold a heap of splintered golden cinder toffee. 

Notes: pieces can be dipped into melt chocolate and allowed to set on parchment paper for a homemade take on a Crunchy or Violet Crumble bar. 

    

Yule ~ Christmas ~ Winter Solstice and Chocolate Orange Marble Cake

 

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. 

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. 

With it's distinct orange chocolate flavour, this Chocolate Orange Marble Cake honours Yule, Christmas and Winter Solstice celebrations perfectly, with the marble effect representing both the dark and light half of the year and the coming together of the return to light. 

Happy Christmas and Holidays, Merry Yule, Yule tidings and Winter Solstice to all!

Chocolate Orange Marble Cake

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1 cup (225 grams) soft unsalted butter

1 cup (225 grams) white sugar

4 large eggs

1 and 2/3 cups (225 grams) self raising flour

3 tablespoons milk

zest and juice of 1 large orange

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

FOR DECORATING: 

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

diced candied orange peel

Grease and lightly flour a 2 lb loaf tin and line the bottom with baking parchment. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC/160ºfan/Gas Mark 4).

In a large bowl beat together the butter, sugar and eggs with an electric hand held mixer until pale and fluffy. Add the flour, orange zest and milk and mix until combined and lump free, then add the juice from the orange and blend together.   

Place half the batter into another bowl, add the cocoa powder to it and stir until blended together. 

Spoon alternating dollops of the batters into the prepared cake tin, then use a knife or a skewer to swirl through the batter to create a marble pattern. Do not overmix or the marble pattern may not be as noticeable when baked. Smooth the top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin on a wire rack. Once cool, carefully remove cake from tin and place on a plate that's been dusted with icing sugar. Using a microwave safe bowl, slowly melt the chocolate chips in the microwave or in a heat proof bowl over lowly simmering water until smooth. Spread over the top of the cake and sprinkle with the candied orange peel. Allow the chocolate to set before slicing. 

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

 

Made with five ingredients and practically effortless these chunky fudgy no bake chocolate peanut butter bars are incredibly alluring and decadent. An easy holiday recipe that tastes similar to a peanut butter cup. With the addition of crushed pretzels and chopped peanuts on top, adds a decorative salty crunch to these already irresistible bars.   

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

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1 cup (120g) graham cracker crumbs (approximately 8 full sheet graham crackers)

2 cups (240g) icing sugar

1/2 cup (113g/8 Tbsp) unsalted butter melted

1 cup (250g) smooth peanut butter 

2 tablespoons (30g) peanut butter

1 x 270g package (about 1 and 1/2 cups) semi sweet dark chocolate chips

crushed pretzels pieces, optional

chopped peanuts, optional

 

NOTES: for the best texture use a processed smooth and creamy peanut butter, such as Kraft, Jif or a store brand peanut butter not a natural oily peanut butter. Using a crunchy peanut butter may result with a more crumbly texture bar.  

If you cannot find or do not have graham crackers try using 120 grams (approx. 8 biscuits) ground digestive biscuits instead.

Line a 8 inch or 9 inch square tin foil pan with baking parchment. Making sure that the parchment goes a bit up the sides. Set aside. 

If not using ready made graham crackers crumbs then blitz the graham crackers or digestive biscuits, in a food processor, until fine crumbs form. 

Whisk together the graham cracker crumbs and the icing sugar in a large bowl. Add the melted butter and peanut butter and using a wooden spoon or spatula stir until combined. Then press the peanut butter mixture evenly into the prepared pan.

Melt the 2 tablespoons of peanut butter with the chocolate chips in the microwave, using a microwave safe bowl, or on the stove. Stir until smooth and spread evenly over the peanut butter layer. Sprinkle with the crushed pretzel pieces and chopped peanuts, if using. 

Chill in the refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight. Allow to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before cutting. Served chilled. You can also set the bars out for a few hours at room temperature for serving. Place remaining bars in a tin or air tight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze in freezer friendly containers for up to 3 months.   

Chocolate Marshmallow Squares

 

Many will know these squares as chocolate stained glass windows, chocolate salami, chocolate marshmallow squares, peanut butter marshmallow squares, marshmallow squares, church windows or even rocky road... whatever the recipe name they all use those sweet pantry staple confectionary ingredients and require no oven baking. The only other requirement or trick with these squares is to not over stir and move diligently. You can omit the peanut butter if you wish however I found the slight hint of peanut butter adds a bit of salty savouriness that cuts through the sweetness. I did place the package of marshmallows in the freezer before using so they will hold their shape better while stirring them together with the melted chocolate. 

Chocolate Marshmallow Squares

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1/2 cup unsalted butter

4 heaping tablespoons smooth peanut butter

2 x 270 gram bags (540 grams) semi sweet chocolate chips

2 x 250g packages (400 - 500 grams) of white mini marshmallows

1/2 cup Kellogg's Rice Krispie cereal

1/2 cup shredded coconut, for decorating

1/2 cup roughly chopped pecans, for decorating

Line the bottom of a 13 x 9 rectangle tin foil pan with baking parchment paper.

Place the marshmallows and Rice Krispie cereal in a large heat proof bowl. Lightly toss together and set aside.

Using a large saucepan, melt the butter and peanut butter on the stove over medium high heat. Once melted together, add the chocolate chips and slowly melt until creamy and smooth. Pour the chocolate mixture over the marshmallows and cereal and quickly toss to coat. Do not over stir and you do not want to melt the marshmallows.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin foil pan and tap the mixture into place, do not smush it down. Sprinkle with the shredded coconut and the chopped pecans. Place in the refrigerator overnight to chill and set. Once firm cut into squares.  

Notes: you can use different nuts or cereal, add dried fruit or add crushed cookie pieces. You can use mini multi fruit flavoured marshmallows, they will give a different flavour.