Snowflake Cookies

My third offering for the Irish Foodies December Christmas themed cookalong(Jaysus, that's a bit of a mouth full) are these yummy Snowflake Cookies.  These cookies are deliciously buttery and sweet with a beautiful texture.  Don't just save them for Christmas time though, cut them into different shapes and enjoy them year round.

Snowflake Cookies
(makes 12+ depending on the shapes you cut)

225g/8oz Unsalted butter, softened
225g/8oz Caster Sugar
1 Large Egg, lightly beaten
1tsp Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Salt
450g/1lb Plain Flour

1.  Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy.
2.  Add the egg, vanilla and a pinch of salt and mix again.
3.  Gradually sift in the flour and continue to mix until incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
4.  Form the dough into a round, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for a couple of hours until firm.
5.  Line 2 baking sheets with greaseproof paper and preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
6.  Roll the dough out onto a floured work surface to a thickness of 5mm.  Dip cookie cutters into some flour and cut shapes out of the dough and place onto the lined baking sheets.
7.  Place into the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden and firm to the touch.
8.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
9.  Decorate with some white icing(175g/6oz icing sugar sifted into a bowl, add 1.5teaspoons of warm water and mix to a smooth paste.  Adjust the consistency with additional icing sugar or water if needed by adding a little at a time.  Spoon into an icing bag with a fine nozzle attached.) or leave plain if you wish.  

Gingerbread Place Settings

As I stood in my kitchen last Friday, whistling a merry tune and going to town on my gingerbread with a gazillion cookie cutters calling out to be used, an idea struck.  OK, so I don't have a gazillion cookie cutters, but I do have rather a lot.  My miniature alphabet ones were shouting the loudest, practically begging to be used so they were.  Edible place settings would be perfect for my Christmas table, I thought, and what would be better than a personalised gingerbread cookie for our guests to take home to enjoy.  Lilly Higgins made some beautiful Christmas card cookies for the Christmas edition of Easy Food magazine and so I took my inspiration from her. 

The recipe for the dough is the same one that used for my gingerbread cookies and you can find it here.  Follow the instructions as far as step 5 and I will give the rest of the details below.  Enjoy!

Depending on the size of your cookies the recipe should yield at least 12 place settings.

Once the dough has chilled remove it from the fridge and roll to a thickness of 5mm.

Cut rectangles using a sharp knife.  I cut mine 100mm x 60mm but you can cut them to size according to the length of names. 

Place on the lined baking sheets and bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before moving to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

While the cookies are baking roll out some fondant icing to a thickness of 2-3mm.  Using miniature alphabet cookie cutters cut out the letters required for the names of your guests.  Place the letters on greaseproof paper(don't make too far in advance as they will dry out and may crack as you position them on the cookies).  You can also cut out a miniature Christmas shape if you wish.  If you would like to use coloured fondant make a thumb print in the fondant and add a couple of drops of food colouring, knead until the icing is evenly coloured.  Refrigerate for a few minutes if you need to, it may warm up from being handled.  Don't worry if you don't have alphabet cookie cutters I will give another option below.

Mix up some icing (175g/6oz icing sugar sifted into a bowl, add 1.5teaspoons of warm water and mix to a smooth paste.  Adjust the consistency with additional icing sugar or water if needed by adding a little at a time).  Add a couple of drops of a food colouring of your choice or leave white if you wish.

Using a teaspoon, place some icing onto the cookies a teaspoon full at a time, and spread evenly until the top of the cookie is evenly covered.

Position the letters on each cookie to make up the names of all of your guests and add a Christmas shape at the end if you wish.

Alternatively allow the icing to dry and use icing writing pens(these can be purchased in packs in most supermarkets) and write your guests name freehand on each cookie. 

Allow the icing to dry completely to avoid smudging.  Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Gingerbread Cookies

When the Irish Foodies Christmas Cookalong was announced I knew instantly that I wanted to make gingerbread cookies.  There is something about the sight of a cute little gingerbread person that always brings a smile to my face.  I have a stash of cookie cutters cluttering up the kitchen so couldn't wait to get stuck in.  I was really pleased with the results, a deliciously moist cookie with just the right balance of Christmas spice.   Although you will have to excuse my icing skills, they are not quite what they should be.  Enjoy!

Gingerbread Cookies

(The amount of cookies you yield will depend on the size and shape of your cookie cutters, depending on size you should yield between 12 and 36.)

350g/12oz Plain Flour
1.5tsp Ground Ginger
0.5tsp Ground Cinnamon
1tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
100g/4oz Unsalted Butter, chilled
175g/6oz Dark Muscovado Sugar
1 Large Egg
2tbsp Black Treacle
30ml/1floz Milk

Icing and sweets of your choice to decorate.

1.  Sieve the flour, spices and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl.
2.  Grate the butter into the dry ingredients and rub in until the mixture has a breadcrumb consistency.  Add the sugar and stir in. (you may notice some dark spots in my cookies, my sugar had some lumps that I didn't take the time to break down as I was a bit up to my eyeballs in flour so take the time to break them down to avoid this happening.)
3.  Break the egg into a separate bowl and mix with the black treacle.  Add to the flour mixture and stir to form a smooth dough.
4.  Add the milk to help to bind the dough together, form into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and pop into the fridge for half an hour to chill.
5.  Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.  Line 2 baking sheets with grease proof paper.
6.  After half an hour remove the dough from the fridge.  Place on a floured work surface and roll out to a depth of 5mm.  Flour cookie cutters, cut out shapes and place onto the lined baking sheets.  If you are left with off cuts form them into a dough ball, roll out to 5mm and repeat the cutting process.
7.  Place the cookies into the middle of the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

8.  Decorate as you wish with icing and sweets of your choice or leave plain if you prefer.  The cookies will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

*** If you do not have cookie cutters you can simply cut into squares or use an upturned glass or cup to make rounds.  To make the houses in the picture above simply cut the dough into rectangles and then cut two small triangles from the top to form the point of the roof. ***

Irish Foodies December Cookalong - Christmas

The theme for the Irish Foodies December cookalong was Christmas.  Well, what else could it be this festive month?  As the snow fell and covered the ground in a thick blanket last Friday I busied myself in the kitchen.  I will do separate posts over the next few days with recipes but for now here are pictures of my offerings.

Mince Pies using my homemade mince meat

Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Place Settings

Snowflake Cookies

Eggnog

Ireland has been experiencing snowy weather these past few days.  On Friday night I was witness to a lightning storm, the like of which I have not witnessed before in Ireland.  The whole night sky was illuminated with each flash and they grew progressively more frequent as the night went on.  A quick check in with the lovely @yddib over on twitter to pick the brain of her very own personal weather man explained that it was the result of hail clouds colliding.  When I woke the next morning we had the lightest dusting of snow and sure I was only delighted with life, until I phoned my sister that is.  "Oh we have a few inches here, can't even see where the kerb ends and the road begins."  Show off!  That was me on snow watch for the rest of the day, willing the clouds to empty their load so I could concur, "oh we have inches here, won't be venturing outside the door in that".  Alas it was not to happen.  I toddled off to bed to dream of snow angels and snow ball fights.

There was still quite a nip in the air on Sunday morning and imagine my delight when I stumbled down the stairs & threw open the curtains to be greeted by a pure white blanket of snow, thick on the ground.  I was up the stairs in a jiffy and before the hubs knew what was happening I had burst through the bedroom door and decided there was nothing else for it other than to bounce on the bed and scream "snnnnooooooooooooooooooooooooooowwww".  Needless to say at 8a.m. on a Sunday morning he wasn't too impressed.  We did have a little snow ball fight as we walked to the shop later that morning before we tucked ourselves up indoors for a cosy day.

I wandered into the kitchen in the afternoon with the intention of whipping up a batch of mince pies but instead emerged half an hour later with a glass of eggnog in hand much to the hubs amusement.  I'm not much of a drinker you see but the sight of the marshmallow world outside was screaming Christmas at me, so a glass of eggnog was the only man for the job.  I then spent a blissful afternoon on the sofa eggnog in one hand, large Toblerone in the other and Love Actually on the old telebox.  Bliss. 

It really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas.  Enjoy! x

Eggnog
(serves 8-10)

6 Large Eggs, separated
180g/8oz Caster Sugar
1tsp Vanilla Extract
250ml/8floz Milk
500ml/16floz Cream
100ml/3.5floz Brandy
100ml/3.5floz Rum
Nutmeg, freshly grated to serve

1.  Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until well combined, the sugar is dissolved and the mixture thickened slightly.  Gradually beat in the vanilla, milk, cream and alcohol.

2.  Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then thoroughly whisk into the cream mixture.  Pour into glasses and sprinkle each with a little grated nutmeg.

Mince Meat

I have mentioned a time or twenty on the blog that I am not a huge fan of dried fruit.  As a child I was always repulsed at the thought of mince pies at Christmas time.  My mam would heat some up in the oven for my dad or guests and they would be served with a nice dollop of fresh cream or maybe some custard.  Cream and custard with mince?! Bleugh. 

Then one year we made them in school and I was confused to find that there was no meat mixed in with the sweet mixture.  When I tasted the fruits of my labour I was pleasantly surprised and since then I have enjoyed many a mince pie over the festive season.  They are usually a last minute thought for me that I pick up with the final grocery shop before the big day but this year I decided to make my own, completely from scratch, including the mince meat.

I looked at many recipes but didn't find any that I liked so I decided to come up with my own.  I had a good understanding of the basics from reading so many other recipes and so set about it with my pen and trusty note book in hand.  I haven't used either butter or suet in the recipe as I wanted to cut out any unnecessary fat or heaviness.  The mixture gave off the most amazing fragrance as it simmered in the hob and looks beautiful today in it's jar.  I will do another post about mince pies closer to Christmas including a pastry recipe and an assembly how to.  For now you can mix up a batch of mince meat and leave the flavours to mature for a couple of weeks.  Enjoy!

Mince Meat
(makes approximately 800ml)

60ml/2floz Port
150g/5.3oz Dark Brown Sugar
Zest & Juice of 1 Orange
Zest & Juice of 2 Lemons
75g/2.65oz Raisins

75g/2.65oz Currants

75g/2.65oz Sultanas

75g.2.65oz Dried Cranberries
75g/2.65oz Chopped Almonds
4 Apples, peeled and grated
1tsp Cinnamon
1tsp Mixed Spice
1tsp Nutmeg
1oz Brandy
2tbsp Honey
1tsp Vanilla Extract

1.  Dissolve the sugar in the ruby port in a pot over a gentle heat.

2.  Add in the orange and lemon juice and zest, dried fruit, grated apple and spices.

3.  Simmer for 20 minutes or until the fruit has plumped up and absorbed most of the liquid.

4.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.  Add the brandy, honey and vanilla extract.  Stir well to incorporate.
5.  Spoon into sterilised jars and seal.

This will keep for a few weeks once stored in a cool dry place in the unopened sterilised jars.  Once opened refrigerated and use within a couple of weeks.

To sterilise jars:

Wash in warm soapy water or put through a hot cycle in the dishwasher.  Place into a preheated oven at 150C/300F/Gas Mark 2 for 15 minutes and fill and seal while the jar and contents are still warm.

The Night Before Christmas

Well, the big day has come and gone and sadly we must wait a whole year now for the revelry and goodwill to envelope us all once again. The build up this year seems to me to have been a mammoth task and bar the last two days I have not had a minute to myself. Exhaustion has set in, but it is a happy kind of exhaustion coupled with backache from basting the glorious bird and paper cuts from endless gift wrapping.

I must admit that Christmas Eve is my favourite day of the season. I find that this is the day when excitement reaches its most heightened point. Santa Claus is so close that you can almost smell him and yet you are still wondering what delights he may have safely stowed away on his sleigh for you. And then the children around you are positively beside themselves with anticipation of the whole situation, not knowing what to do with their little selves. Their faces tense with a mixture of emotions, hoping that they have indeed been good enough to receive the gifts they have been dreaming of for so long now.

This Christmas Eve was no exception and did not disappoint in any way. I did panic slightly when I woke up late having slept through my alarm but a little rushing around got me back on track. First we visited my parents in law who were also playing host to my husbands sister's and their families. This was manic of course with children opening presents, children fighting over presents, children fighting over empty boxes and fifty different conversations taking place all at once.

From there it was down to my Dads local to have a drink with him and my sister, and have a look at the decorations. The landlord turns what could be viewed as a somewhat dreary, lacklustre bar into a magical Christmas Grotto each year and my Dad insists we all meet up to admire them. This was a fairly sedate hour spent colouring with my niece and watching her do ballet up and down the pub regardless of who was in her way (man in wheelchair included). Then it was a quick stop off at my Dad's to collect a pot of his mouthwatering stuffing. This batch also proved a little eye watering as he had plied it with so many chillies!

Then the hunt was on for a suitable bath for Dustin who was to be brined as per Nigella's instructions. An eleventh hour dash to the shopping centre proved fruitful and so we could relax and make our final port of call of the day. And so to the pub to meet my brother in law and his wife before we headed for our traditional Christmas Eve Indian. After stuffing our gills with food and bubbles and laughing ourselves sick it was time to head home and get to bed before the big man arrived.

At this stage my bed was calling but unfortunately there was a ham to cook, a spa bath to prepare for the turkey and last minute presents to be wrapped before I dressed in my new Christmas p.j.'s and slippers, gave the house a final once over and headed to bed for visions of sugar plums to dance round in my head.

For once I jumped out of bed as soon as the alarm sounded on Christmas morning. I was expecting my whole family for dinner and had both the dinner and dessert to prepare before making myself beautiful. With all of my rushing around over the previous few days I was unfortunately not as prepared as I would have liked to be and so had not made my desserts in advance. This called for either a miracle or some quick thinking and having prepared all of the meat and veg for the main event I had to think on my feet and so I made a 5 minute trifle and adapted an ice cream bomb to turn it into a rather delicious cake. So, if you have any further entertaining to do over this festive season and like me find you are running dangerously short on time give these a try and I am sure that neither you or your guests will be disappointed. Enjoy and may I take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy and prosperous new year.

5 Minute Trifle

1 Packet of Niece Fingers/Trifle Sponge
1 Tin of Ready Made Custard
2 Punnets of Raspberries(reserve some for decorations)
4oz of Sherry
100ml of Whipped Cream

1. In a glass bowl place a layer of Niece Biscuits/Trifle Sponge on the bottom and around the sides. Overlap where necessary to ensure there are no gaps.
2. Pour over 3oz of sherry ensuring you soak all biscuits/sponge.
3. Place a layer of raspberries onto the sponge layer.
4. Place a layer of custard on top of the raspberries.
5. Place another layer of Niece Biscuits/Trifle sponge on top of the custard.
6. Pour the remaining sherry on to the sponge layer and then repeat the raspberry and custard layers.
7. Finish of by pouring the whipped cream over the top and decorate with the reserved raspberries.
8. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.

Bailey's Bomb Cake
1 Litre Vanilla Ice Cream
3 Chocolate Covered Honeycomb Bars
2oz Baileys Irish Cream
100g good quality Plain Chocolate
100g Rice Krispies
50g Milk Chocolate Buttons (optional)

1. Remove the ice cream from the freezer to allow to soften.
2. Melt the plain chocolate over a pan of gently simmering water.
3. Crush the Honeycomb bars to large crumbs.
4. Once the plain chocolate has melted add the Rice Krispies and stir to coat. Place into the bottom of a silicone* baking tin and place in the freezer for 5 minutes to set.
5. When the ice cream has softened stir in the Baileys and crushed honeycomb bars.
6. Pour the ice cream mixture on top of the chocolate Krispie base. Decorate with the chocolate buttons and place in the freezer until ready to serve.

*If you do not have a silicone baking tin simply line a standard tin with grease proof paper. A silicone one works well in this recipe as the cake just peels away from the sides and stops the ice cream does not stick.