Thanks to the sugar strike the sugar shelves bare.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate Christmas with a few sweet notes.
The last two posts had a few honey and molasses recipes, as well as links for more recipes.
Some items, such as the gingerbread, Pfeffernüsse and Gingersnaps, are actually traditional for Christmas.
And on this post, below the recipe for Raspberry Shortbread, I posted links for brunches, desserts and cookies that use jam. Please take a look.
If someone asks for sugar cookies, just give him THE LOOK.
No matter how old a person is, THE LOOK usually makes him pause and think twice.
Along with honey and molasses, jams can add lots of sweetness to the holidays.
And, thank goodness, jams are still in the stores.
Don’t ask where jam makers get their sugar.
You’ll just get THE LOOK.
Hints:
About the Little Twists…
Feel free to experiment with the filling.
You can use strawberry or blackberry jam, or whatever is on your shelves.
Don’t roll up the dough too tightly or the filling will ooze out.
About the Raspberry Honey Cake with Raspberry Sauce…
If you use a Bundt pan, bake at a lower temperature and for a longer time.
You could strain the sauce through a sieve or cheesecloth to remove the seeds. Or not.
Little Twists
For filling
Place in a skillet
1 Cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Stirring constantly, toast over medium heat until fragrant.
Place in a blender
the toasted nuts
1 Cup raisins or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 Cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pulse a few times, until everything is coarsely chopped and a thick paste forms.
Add
1 Tablespoon cold butter, cut into pieces
Pulse until the mixture is combined.
Place in a bowl, cover and refrigerate.
For cookies
Place in a large mixer bowl
1 Cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
Cream until smooth.
Add and beat in
1/2 Cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
Using low speed on the mixer, add 1/2 cup at a time
2 1/2 Cups flour
Blend well, but do not over mix. It should be crumbly.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and divide into three pieces.
Shape each piece into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick.
Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until firm.
Lightly flour a counter surface and a rolling pin.
Take one portion of the dough out of the refrigerator.
Roll the dough to a 12 x 7 inch rectangle, 1/8 inch thick.
Smooth the edges as well you can so that it looks like a real rectangle.
Stir to smooth
3/4 Cup raspberry jam
Leaving a 1/2 inch border on all sides, spread 1/3 of the jam evenly over the dough.
Spread 1/3 of the nut filling on the dough and press the nuts into the dough.
Starting at one of the long sides, roll up the dough and pinch the ends to seal.
Wrap the filled dough log in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Repeat for the remaining two pieces of dough.
Refrigerate logs for 2 to 3 hours.
For Egg Wash
Place in small bowl
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon milk
Beat well to combine.
Combine in a pan with a rim
3/4 Cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Place the oven rack in the centre of the oven.
Line 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Preheat the oven to 350° F
Unwrap one log and brush lightly with the egg wash.
Roll the log in the cinnamon sugar
Using a serrated knife, slice the log into 3/4 inch thick pieces.
Leaving 2 inches in between, place the cookies on the baking sheet spiral side up.
Bake one sheet at a time for 25 minutes.
Remove and cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.
Hand Pies
Yield: 5-6 mini pies
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Have on hand
1/3 Cup jam
Combine in a small bowl
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar
Roll out
pie dough for a single crust
Cut an even number of circles using a round cookie cutter.
Place half of the dough rounds on the prepared baking sheet.
Place about a tablespoon of jam in the centre of each round.
Lightly moisten the edges of the rounds with
milk
Top with another dough round and lightly press to seal.
Curl up the edges of the sealed rounds, then press down with a fork to crimp closed.
Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the crimped dough rounds with milk.
Sprinkle the cinnamon / sugar mixture on top.
Preheat the oven to 400° F
Poke a few holes in the rounds’ tops to let the steam escape.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Transfer pies to a wire rack to cool.
Raspberry Honey Cake with Raspberry Sauce
Grease well and flour a 10 inch tube pan
Sift together in a medium bowl
3 Cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Stir together in a measuring cup
1/2 Cup plain yogurt
1/2 Cup sour cream
Blanch and chop
1/4 Cup almonds
Place almonds in a medium bowl and add
2 Cups raspberries
Stir together to coat the raspberries.
Preheat the oven to 350° F
Place in a large mixer bowl
2 Cups honey
1 Cup unsalted butter, softened
Cream together until light.
Add, beating well after each addition
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 large eggs
1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest or 1 teaspoon lemon extract
Making 3 dry and 2 liquid additions, add the flour mixture and the yogurt mixture, beating well after each addition.
Fold in the raspberries / almonds mixture.
Pour into prepared pan.
Bake 45 to 55 minutes, or until cake pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate.
For sauce:
Place in a saucepan
2 Cups raspberries
1/3 Cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 Cup water
Bring to a boil and stir until sauce is smooth and thickened.
Serve cake with the raspberry sauce drizzled on each serving.
Raspberry Shortbread
Combine in a medium bowl
2 Cups flour
1 Cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
Place in a large mixer bowl
1 Cup unsalted butter at room temperature
On medium speed, cream until soft and fluffy.
Add
2 egg yolks
Mix well.
Add the flour mixture and, scraping down the side, mix just enough to blend.
Divide the dough in half and flatten each piece.
Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and freeze for at least two hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350° F
Remove one piece of dough from the freezer.
Coarsely grate the dough onto the bottom of an ungreased 9 inch square baking pan.
Gently pat down the dough so it forms a smooth surface.
Leaving a 1/2 inch border on all sides, spread
1/2 Cup raspberry jam
Remove the second piece from the freezer and coarsely grate it over the surface.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until a light golden brown.
Remove from oven, place on wire rack, cool 15 minutes, then dust with
1/4 Cup confectioners’ sugar (optional)
Return to wire rack.
When completely cooled, cut the shortbread lengthwise into four strips, then crosswise into nine strips, forming cookies.
~~~
Jams can also be sweeten your holiday brunches.
And I’m not just talking about smearing it on toast.
The German Oven Pancake can be served as a brunch or as a dessert with a jam filling.
The Pönnukökur can be filled with jam, folded into quarters and served with whipped cream.
The Coronation Chicken uses apricot jam and can be used as a filling in Cream Puffs or served over cold rice as a buffet dish.
It can be prepared the day before. Perfect for the holidays!
A platter of Almond Thimble Cookies and Three Colour Bar Cookies looks very festive.
Happy Holidays!
Anna Sultana's German Oven Pancake & Yorkshire Pudding
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2018/09/anna-sultanas-german-oven-pancake.html
Pancake: Pönnukökur - Traditional Icelandic and Manitoba Style
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2019/10/pancake-ponnukokur-traditional.html
Anna Sultana’s Coronation Chicken
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2015/05/anna-sultanas-coronation-chicken.html
~
Anna Sultana's Spongecake with Lemon Cream Filling, Maltese Style
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2016/02/anna-sultanas-spongecake-with-lemon.html
Carmela Soprano's Almond Torte with Raspberry Jam and Chocolate Glaze
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2013/06/carmela-sopranos-almond-torte.html
Anna Sultana’s Jam Pie, Maltese Style
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2014/03/anna-sultanas-jam-pie-maltese-style.html
Anna Sultana's Qassata, Christmas Cheese Dessert, Maltese Style
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2010/12/anna-sultanas-qassata.html
~
Bakewell Tart and Scottish Shortbread
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2019/06/folklorama-then-and-now-bakewell-tart.html
Safeway Almond Thimble Cookies
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2016/10/safeway-almond-thimble-cookies-and.html
Carmela Soprano's Venetians (Rainbow Cookies)
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2010/12/carmela-sopranos-venetians.html
Anna Sultana’s Three Colour Bar Cookies with Ganache, Maltese Style
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2014/12/anna-sultanas-three-colour-bar-cookies.html
Anna Sultana’s Three Colour Bar Cookies with Apricot Preserves, Maltese Style
https://imturning60help.blogspot.com/2014/12/anna-sultanas-three-colour-bar-cookies_30.html
~~~
This was a holiday piece I wrote a few years ago for the CKUW radio show ‘2000 & Counting’ when we decided to chat about family holiday dinners.
Being politically correct - and politically sensitive - was just starting around the turn of the century. It was and is still a part of menu planning.
The family that eats a holiday dinner together… can still be in for a whole lot of trouble.
My friend Muriel still hasn't recovered from last Christmas.
The poor dear had tried to please everybody. Solomon couldn't have pulled that off. Muriel was willing to go with the flow, but she was caught in a tsunami. Her husband Tom is a simple man with simple tastes. He just wanted a roasted bird with stuffing and cranberry sauce.
He should never have had children.
Their eldest daughter, Donna, keeps up with trends. Muriel had asked Donna to bring the appetizers. Muriel expected their traditional celery sticks with cream cheese, crackers and cheese cubes. Donna waltzed in with an oriental party pack and assorted seafood and chicken wing platters. Something for everyone. Uh, huh.
Tom backed off when he saw the egg rolls. I don't like Chinese.
Donna said, I got you BBQ chicken wings.
Ignoring her, Tom said, They don't serve bread. He went to the kitchen for bread.
Then Betty arrived. Betty lives in a commune and supports the rights of everything and everybody… except those of the hostess. Betty always carried tofu because she never ate dairy products or anything with eyes or eggs. Muriel had prepared a nice salad for Betty.
Not good enough.
Were the pickers paid a decent wage?
The lettuce had a union label.
I only eat organically grown food. Did they use manure.
We had to scrub the carrots with bleach to get the E coli off.
Oh... okay.
Tom heard E coli and reached for another slice of bread.
Finally their son Bill arrived with his wife Carol and their children, Krystal and Jason. Bill and Carol had every allergy in the book. Bill also had high cholesterol and Carol had her waistline. They avoided the platters of appetizers and drank the water that they had brought.
Krystal, a tender-hearted child, burst into tears when she saw the chicken wings.
Oh, those poor birdies. Do you know how they treat chickens, Grandma?
Muriel figured the birds were better off than she was. They never had to make a holiday dinner for the family. But this was her granddaughter.
Krystal, dear, these birdies lived in a happy place where they laughed and played and sang songs for a long, long time. Then one day they just went to sleep and, just like butterflies, they turned into chicken wings.
Oh... okay.
Who says the next generation knows it all?
Tom heard Muriel's tale of the laughing, singing chickens, figured she'd finally lost it, and ate more bread.
Ignored by his elders, Jason gobbled a fistful of seafood appetizers and started wheezing. Muriel packed away the appetizers before her children could start a food fight and led them to the main event.
The table looked like a sailboat regatta that had been designed by Martha Stewart. Every dish had a tiny flag listing all of the ingredients. Muriel did not want to have to call the paramedics again. Krystal cried when she saw the turkey.
When Betty reached for the potatoes, Bill said, But they have eyes. Betty meant to kick her brother, but got her sister-in-law, Carol, who screamed and kicked back. Muriel yelled at her kids. The holiday dinner was just like always. Damn.
After everyone had eaten what they could, Muriel brought out a carafe of hot cranberry apple cider. This was her gift to herself. Seeing all the different coffees at the supermarket had made her go all whoozie. Whatever happened to plain old coffee, black or with cream? Muriel’s children didn't say a word while visions of cappuccinos, espressos and lattes danced in their heads.
Betty was in charge of the dessert. She had created something that was just what the doctor ordered. No eggs, no cream, no butter, and no taste.
Tom just saw a pumpkin pie and it looked fine. He helped himself to a slice, smiled and thought that Betty was returning to the food of her mother.
But, something tasted... off. Maybe a new spice?
Betty, what's in this pie? he asked.
Tofu.
Geez. Tom reached for the bread.
Jason had wheezed throughout the whole meal.
All in all, it had been just another family holiday get together.
God help Muriel. The holidays are back.
No comments:
Post a Comment
All comments are moderated. Spam will not be posted.