Holiday Favorites

[lalbo-81]

  I've been reading, and watching shows about food around the world, it's diversity and its similarities. And with Christmas coming, I thought I'd ask what your favorite special to the holidays dish is? 

  One of mine is Whoopee pies, one of my DILs is from Pennsylvania Dutch country and she makes them for us only at Christmas. They are so goood! 

[springyzone]

Maybe you can share the recipe. I'm looking for something different for Christmas.

All through my life, plum pudding or Christmas pudding as we called it, was our special Christmas dish.  That special indulgence, so rich and always served with cream, icecream, custard etc. No counting calories with this dish, that's for sure!

I remember when I was young,  my father saved some of the old sixpence pieces that were (I think ) real silver and on Christmas day a few would be stuck in the pudding so you had to be careful how you ate it and hoped you'd find some money in there. After 1966 they were exchanged for 5 cent pieces.

We kept up the tradition of plum puddings (without the money) and I used to make my own once i became responsible for holding Christmas dinner at my place. My parents loved all the usual Christmas routine and meals, the roast, the pudding, the christmas crackers with the silly hats etc and even after they died, my siblings & our families kept to it till one year, just after my brother died, my sister & I looked at each other and said-we're about the only ones who eat the pudding now, the kids don't like anything with dried fruit, and mum & dad are gone so we don't actually have to have it. That year we changed to pavlova and salads.

But this year, my sister has bought a very small plum pudding just for us older ones.

[tasfleur]

At the moment, I'm soaking lots of dried fruit in four different liqueurs and six different spices to make a Creole cake which I'll turn into a Christmas cake with a snow scene frosting.  After that, and closer to the day, I'll make a Noel log from a French recipe and decorate that with a robin and little pine cones.

Thank you so much for starting this thread lalbo, I think it's a wonderful idea and am looking forward to lots of ideas from other posters xxx

[tasfleur]

This is a Donna Hay recipe that I might try out ... 

FROZEN CHRISTMAS PUDDING

INGREDIENTS

• ½ CUP (110G) CASTER (SUPERFINE) SUGAR
• 1 CUP (250ML) WATER 
• ½ CUP (85G) CURRANTS 
•  ¾ CUP (100G) SWEETENED DRIED CRANBERRIES 
• 2 LITRES VANILLA ICE-CREAM 
• 2 TEASPOONS VANILLA BEAN PASTE 
• 1 TEASPOON CINNAMON 
• 85G UNSALTED SHELLED PISTACHIOS, CHOPPED 
• ¼ CUP (60ML) BRANDY
  BLACKBERRIES AND RASPBERRIES, TO SERVE 
• ICING (CONFECTIONER’S) SUGAR, FOR DUSTING

METHOD

1. Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil for 1 minute. 
2. Place the currants and cranberries in a bowl and pour over the sugar mixture. Set aside for 10 minutes or until the fruit is plump. Drain and allow to cool completely. 
3. Place the ice-cream, vanilla and cinnamon in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 1 minute or until softened. Stir through the currant mixture, pistachios and brandy and spoon into a 1.75 litre-capacity pudding basin lined with muslin. Top with a round of non-stick baking paper and freeze for 4 hours or overnight until set. Top with berries and dust with icing sugar. Serves 8–10.

[lalbo-81]

---

@springyzone wrote:

Maybe you can share the recipe. I'm looking for something different for Christmas.

All through my life, plum pudding or Christmas pudding as we called it, was our special Christmas dish.  That special indulgence, so rich and always served with cream, icecream, custard etc. No counting calories with this dish, that's for sure!

I remember when I was young,  my father saved some of the old sixpence pieces that were (I think ) real silver and on Christmas day a few would be stuck in the pudding so you had to be careful how you ate it and hoped you'd find some money in there. After 1966 they were exchanged for 5 cent pieces.

We kept up the tradition of plum puddings (without the money) and I used to make my own once i became responsible for holding Christmas dinner at my place. My parents loved all the usual Christmas routine and meals, the roast, the pudding, the christmas crackers with the silly hats etc and even after they died, my siblings & our families kept to it till one year, just after my brother died, my sister & I looked at each other and said-we're about the only ones who eat the pudding now, the kids don't like anything with dried fruit, and mum & dad are gone so we don't actually have to have it. That year we changed to pavlova and salads.

But this year, my sister has bought a very small plum pudding just for us older ones.

---

What a nice memory, and a really nice sister too!  I will ask my DIL for the recipe tomorrow, I'm sure she'd be willing to share her treat with another sweets lover across the globe.

[lalbo-81]

---

@tasfleur wrote:

At the moment, I'm soaking lots of dried fruit in four different liqueurs and six different spices to make a Creole cake which I'll turn into a Christmas cake with a snow scene frosting.  After that, and closer to the day, I'll make a Noel log from a French recipe and decorate that with a robin and little pine cones.

Thank you so much for starting this thread lalbo, I think it's a wonderful idea and am looking forward to lots of ideas from other posters xxx

---

You're very welcome Tasfluer, I hope we get lots of contributions! If possible, I'd love to see pictures of your cakes, please. What exactly is a Noel log? 

[lalbo-81]

---

@tasfleur wrote:

This is a Donna Hay recipe that I might try out ... 

FROZEN CHRISTMAS PUDDING

INGREDIENTS

• ½ CUP (110G) CASTER (SUPERFINE) SUGAR
• 1 CUP (250ML) WATER 
• ½ CUP (85G) CURRANTS 
•  ¾ CUP (100G) SWEETENED DRIED CRANBERRIES 
• 2 LITRES VANILLA ICE-CREAM 
• 2 TEASPOONS VANILLA BEAN PASTE 
• 1 TEASPOON CINNAMON 
• 85G UNSALTED SHELLED PISTACHIOS, CHOPPED 
• ¼ CUP (60ML) BRANDY
  BLACKBERRIES AND RASPBERRIES, TO SERVE 
• ICING (CONFECTIONER’S) SUGAR, FOR DUSTING

METHOD

1. Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil for 1 minute. 
2. Place the currants and cranberries in a bowl and pour over the sugar mixture. Set aside for 10 minutes or until the fruit is plump. Drain and allow to cool completely. 
3. Place the ice-cream, vanilla and cinnamon in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 1 minute or until softened. Stir through the currant mixture, pistachios and brandy and spoon into a 1.75 litre-capacity pudding basin lined with muslin. Top with a round of non-stick baking paper and freeze for 4 hours or overnight until set. Top with berries and dust with icing sugar. Serves 8–10.

---

I could make this! And we all love cranberries too. I wonder if I could make two and leave out the brandy on one, or maybe use a brandy extract...Children, you know. 

[twyngwyn]

Summer Berry Trifle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHM5WWEKzGE

[lalbo-81]

I live in the deep south, in pecan country, and one of the things I can make is pecan pralines. Unfortunately, I usually end up eating the entire first batch and have to make more as gifts, lol! here's my recipe-
Lal's Pecan Pralines


1&1/2 cups of white table sugar
1 cup of light brown sugar, packed
5 tablespoons of chilled salted butter
1 tablespoon & a dash of pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup of evaporated milk
2 cups of pecan halves

Cut the butter into small chunks and put it on a plate with parchment paper and put in the freezer while you proceed.

In a heavy bottomed medium saucepan, mix the sugar and the milk, whisk well and cook over medium heat until the candy hits soft ball stage , or 235 on a candy thermometer.

Remove from heat fast and blend in the butter with a good heavy wooden spoon.

Add the vanilla and nuts and keep stirring until it's not shiny anymore and just starts getting stiff.
Spoon the mixture out on to parchment or waxed paper by the tablespoon, don't worry if it spreads out a little. Use the tablespoon to mound it up some over the nuts.

Let it stand at room temperature until firm, about 30 minutes or so. I like to dust a few of each batch with cocoa or cinnamon for gifts.
Store in individual layers on waxed paper, in a tight sealing tin, I use old fruit cake tins.
An additional tip, plan on making at least 2 batches,lol! And use them as bribery to get someone else to stir the second batch, it does a number on your arm. Enjoy!

[domino-710]

I'll try to contribute - but my prowess in the kitchen is well known.

I do have a great recipe for ' Choc Pots ' - will see if I can find it.

They can be frozen & brought out for the unexpected.