Month: December 2017

  • Christmas Cake

    Christmas cake is best made early in the year. This allows the maximum amount of time for the flavours to mature, as well as allowing the regular sousing with brandy, whisky, whiskey, or bourbon to deepen the flavours. Preheat oven to 325f / 160c 10oz butter 10oz brown sugar 1 tablespoon black treacle or molasses…

  • Christmas Pudding

    This is a 1968 recipe, based off many older recipes. I retrieved it from “Marguerite Pattens Every Day Cookbook“, which you can buy from Amazon.com second hand. See * substitutions below. 1lb raisins* 12oz sultanas* 12oz currants* 4oz chopped candied peel* 2oz blanched almonds* 2oz flour 3.5 tsp spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, etc) 8oz sugar…

  • Substitutions

    A note on some basic substitutions you can make to accommodate differences in what is available in stores. SUET Some stores in the US are now selling “beef tallow”. Beef tallow is rendered out suet. It also tends to be painfully expensive. Amazon.com is now selling Atora suet, which is cheaper than the tallow, but…

  • Microwave Lemon Curd

    Lemon curd is delicious, and you need to make some now! 1 cup granulated sugar 3 eggs (yolks and whites) 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4-5 lemons) zest of 3 lemons 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted In a large microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth and thoroughly combined. Whisk in…

  • Fresh custard recipe

    It’s funny how you can get a mental block about something. In my case, it was custard. I always saw custard being made from Bird’s powder, and even when I moved to the USA I carried on buying it, albeit at a stupid price. Then, recently, I decided to check out how to make custard…

  • Instant hot chocolate

    Hot chocolate comes in two varieties: the ones worth drinking, and the ones that you can afford. With 4 simple ingredients you most likely already have in your pantry, you can make your own! 3 cups dried non-fat milk powder 2/3 cup sugar 2/3 cup baking cocoa 1/2 tsp salt Shake ingredients thoroughly to completely…