Boxing Day Chelsea Buns

500g/1lb 2oz strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
50g/2oz caster sugar
10g/¼oz salt
40g/1½oz unsalted butter cut into small pieces, plus extra for greasing the tin
2 free-range eggs
2 x 7g sachets fast-acting dried yeast
150ml/5fl oz lukewarm milk
90ml/6 tbsp lukewarm water
280g/10oz cranberry sauce
300g/10½oz roast turkey, shredded
200g/7oz leftover sage and onion stuffing

Preparation method

1. Place the flour, caster sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter, eggs, yeast, milk and warm water.
2. Mix the ingredients with your hands until a rough dough is formed.
3. Tip the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead well for ten minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Watch technique0:00 mins

1. Place the dough into a clean, oiled bowl , cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise for one hour.
2. Tip the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface.
3. Roll out the dough into a rectangle about 50x28cm/20x11in. Turn the dough so that the longer edge is closest to you and “tack” the dough to the work surface by pressing it down firmly with your finger.
4. Spread cranberry sauce onto the surface of the dough with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the shredded turkey and stuffing on top.
5. Roll the long side of the dough towards you quite tightly, forming a spiral inside. When rolled up, release the tacked edge and place it onto a floured part of the surface. With a sharp knife cut the sausage shape into 5cm/2in rounds.
6. Place all spiral rounds, swirly side up, into a large, deep roasting tin or baking tray greased thoroughly with butter, leaving a 1cm/½in space between each one. You want them to be close enough so that they will bake with their sides touching.
7. Cover with a damp tea towel and set aside in a warm place to rise for an hour. They should have expanded and be touching each other.
8. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
9. When the buns are ready, put them in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
10. After removing the buns from the oven, let them cool slightly before removing them from the tin and placing on a cooling rack.
11. When ready to eat, pull the buns apart to reveal the soft edges.

Mince pies (or is it tarts?)

These easy deep mince pies with readymade mincemeat are so delicious. No soggy bottoms, please.

Equipment and preparation: You will need a deep muffin mould with 12 holes, a round pastry cutter and a fluted pastry cutter.

Ingredients

For the pastry

375g/13oz plain flour
250g/9oz butter, softened
125g/4oz caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 medium free-range egg

For the filling

2 x 400g/14oz jars mincemeat
2 tangerines, zest grated and flesh chopped
1 apple, finely diced

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. To make the sweet pastry, rub the flour, butter, sugar and egg together with a splash of cold water until it just comes together as a dough. Do not over work the dough. Wrap the pastry in cling film and set aside to chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
   Technique: Rubbing in
   Watch technique0:46 mins
2. To make the filling, turn the mincemeat out into a bowl, grate the zest of the tangerines into the mincemeat, then peel and chop the fruit. Throw the tangerine and apple pieces into the bowl and blend by hand.
   Technique: Grating lemon zest
   Watch technique0:38 mins
3. Roll out the pastry to a 3mm/1/8in thickness. With a round pastry cutter, cut out 6 x 9cm/3½in discs of pastry. Press the pastry into the muffin cups and fill each one with a good helping of the mincemeat mixture, so that it reaches three-quarters of the way up the side of the pastry-lined cup.
   Technique: Rolling out pastry
   Watch technique0:32 mins
4. With a fluted pastry cutter, cut out 6 x 8cm/3¼ in pastry circles for the lids (slightly bigger than the top of the muffin cups). Place a lid on top of each pie and gently push down. Sprinkle with caster sugar.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with fresh cream.

Cranberries Plus an Apple Cake

I Call it Cranberries Plus an Apple Cake

Am sharing an easy recipe from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa.  It's an almost pudding-type cake baked in a pie plate. 

 

It's just December 1 and I've already made this "Christmasy" (or whatever winter solstice time holiday you celebrate) treat four times.  I've cut back the granulated sugar a bit each time I've made it and been happy with the results.

 

The cake cuts well into wedges and I can attest that its tartness goes well with morning coffee.  If you want to balance out the tartness for a sweeter dessert, you can make a bit of topping with the leftover sour cream, a spoonful of concentrated orange juice, a spoonful of brown sugar or maple syrup and a drop of vanilla 

 

Maybe yoghurt could replace the sour cream in the recipe and for the topping?  

Maybe rhubarb could replace the cranberries?

Might try those options.

 

Am pasting the recipe below.  If you want to go to its source, here's the link:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/easy-cranberry-and-apple-cake-recipe.html

 

Barefoot Contessa's Easy Cranberry and Apple Cake

• 12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over for stems
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (2 oranges)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 1/8 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine the cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the butter, vanilla, and sour cream and beat just until combined. On low speed, slowly add the flour and salt.
Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10-inch glass pie plate. Pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it over the batter. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Pork Stir Fry with Mild Spices

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 350g pork fillets (tenderloin), cut into thick strips
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 225ml chicken stock
• 100g frozen peas
• 1 rounded tbsp Greek yogurt
• handful coriander, roughly chopped

Method

1. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a wok or large frying pan until very hot. Add the pork and stir fry for 3-4 mins until it starts to brown. Remove from the pan, set aside and wipe the pan out with a piece of kitchen paper.
2. Pour the remaining oil into the pan and tip in the spices. Cook over a medium heat for a minute to release their aromas. Pour in the chicken stock and cook for about 3-4 mins over a high heat until reduced by about half. Toss in the peas. Take it off the heat and stir in the yogurt. Season if you want to. Add the pork and warm through, then scatter over the coriander. Serve with some rice.

Hassleback Potatoes

We saw this in a magazine and thought it sounded interesting!  We have yet to try it though.

Set the oven to 200C.  Peel two medium sized baking potatoes, cut in half lengthways and place them  cut side down on a chopping board.  Using a kitchen knife, make thin slices across each potato, but only cutting 3/4 of the way down, so the pieces are joined at the base.  Transfer the potatoes to a roasting tin, pour over a little oil and melted butter or a spoonful or two of goose fat, then roast for approx an hour until softly tender inside and crisp and golden outside.  Baste the potatoes several times as they cook.  They serve it with oven baked Camembert and air dried ham.

They are also known as Toast Rack potatoes!