Fun Things To Make In The Kitchen at Christmas Time
| Published: 28th October 2008 20:59 |
Florentines
A great Christmas treat, because you are making them yourself you can adjust the recipe accordingly, so you could replace the nuts with pumpkin seeds or use gluten free flour for anyone who's allergic. Package them either in handmade boxes or decorated cellophane bags. If you are working with children stress the fact that the mixture is hot and they will be very hot when they first come out of the oven, so be careful no-one wants burned fingers.
- Christmas recipe makes: 12
- Preparation time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 8-10 minutes
Ingredients
25 g Glace cherries, quartered
40 g Almonds, flaked
60 g Unsalted butter
50 g Golden caster sugar
30 ml Double cream
25 g Sunflower seeds
20 g Mixed peel, chopped
20 g Sultanas,
15 g Plain flour
125 g Dark chocolate, chopped
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180oC/gas 4 Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Using a little butter or vegetable oil lightly grease a sheet of baking paper.
2. Melt the butter and add the sugar, bring to the boil.
3. Add in the cream, fruit and nuts, stir very well until combined.
4. Place heaped teaspoonfuls of the mixture 4cm apart onto the lined greased baking sheet. The mixture will spread during cooking.
5. Bake for 9-10 minutes until golden brown.
6. Cool for a couple of minutes before removing to a wire rack for complete cooling.
7. Prepare melted chocolate by heating in a bowl over a saucepan of water at boiling point. Ensuring the bowl doesn't touch the water.
8. Then take each Florentine and dip into the chocolate so all the edge is covered. Place on non-stick paper till cooled.
Stained Glass Cookies
This recipe is a lot of fun to make with the kids, and the cookies look great once they're baked. You can use them to decorate the tree, give them as gifts or just munch them by the fire on a cold evening! If you are making these with children be careful when you take them out of the oven as they will be really hot.
- Christmas recipe makes: 8
- Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling
- Cooking time: 8-10 minutes
Ingredients
325g Plain flour, sifted
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
200g Brown sugar
225g Butter (melted)
6 tbsp honey
60ml Water
Brightly coloured boiled sweets
Cookie cutters
Coloured ribbon if you're hanging the cookies as decorations.
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180oC/gas 4, lightly grease two baking sheets.
2. Cream the butter, sugar and honey in a large bowl, add the water and mix until smooth.
3. Combine the salt, baking soda and sifted flour in another large bowl.
4. Add the butter mixture to flour mixture and knead the dough a little with your hands. Form into a roll and wrap up in cling film, then place in the freezer for approximately 30 minutes.
5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut out shapes using cookie cutters.
6. Using the tip of a sharp knife cut out a circle in the center of each cookie to approximately fit the boiled sweet. If the cookie is going to be an ornament make a hole at the top using a straw or skewer. Place on the baking sheet.
7. Bake for approximately 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and place a boiled sweet in the hole in the center of each cookie and bake for a further 2 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before displaying or eating.
Christmas Crispy Cakes
Perfect for small children to make. Don't expect it all to stay in the bowl in my experience it just doesn't happen. If you can find them use pretty Christmassy paper cases.
- Christmas recipe makes: 12
- Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling
- Cooking time: 0 minutes
Ingredients
100g Milk chocolate
200g Puffed rice cereal
50g Raisins
25g Chopped mixed peel, finely chopped
25g Glace cherries, chopped
25g Dried cranberries, chopped
Method
1. Lay out 12 paper cases on a baking sheet.
2. Prepare melted chocolate by heating in a bowl over a saucepan of water at boiling point. Ensuring the bowl doesn't touch the water. Or melt in the microwave.
3. When the chocolate has cooled slightly, mix in the dried fruit, raisins and cherries. Stir well.
4. Add the puffed rice in batches stirring in well after each addition, add enough puffed rice so that when you stir really well the chocolate is just coating the rice. If you add too little puffed rice then when they set they'll be really hard and difficult to eat.
5. Spoon the mixture into the cases and allow to set in a cool place, not in the fridge or the chocolate will set hard and bloom (discolour).
