RECIPES

Alison Holst Xmas Cake 

1.5 kg mixed fruit
450g can crushed pineapple
3 cups flour
1 tsp each cinnamon and mixed spice
½ tsp ground cloves
225g butter
1 C sugar
½ tsp each vanilla, almond and lemon essence
6 large eggs
up to 1 extra cup flour
About 50g cherries and 50g almonds to decorate.

Two or three days before making the cake/s put the mixed fruit in a large plastic bag with the undrained pineapple. Leave in a warm place turning until the juice is absorbed.

To Make:

Mix the spices with the flour and put aside. Cream butter and sugar add essences until light and smooth. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, adding 2 Tbsp spiced flour to each egg. Toss remaining flour and fruit together in a large bowl. Stir in creamed mixture. Mixture should be soft enough to drop from spoon. If too soft, add extra flour. Put into tin or tins (lined of course).

Bake depending on tin size as follows:

23cm cake. (Mix makes one), 150°C 1 ½ hours then 130°C 2 more hours
18cm cakes (makes 2) bake 140°C 1 hour then 130°C for 1 more hour
10cm cakes (mix makes 12) bake 130°C for 1 ½ hours (smoked fish cans good for 10cms ones).

You can go to her website too and find this and other recipes.


BAILEYS FUDGE

14 oz Condensed milk

1/3 lb butter

1 1/4 c icing sugar

1 1/4 c brown sugar

1 1/2 t vanilla

2 T Baileys

Grab the largest microwaveable bowl in the kitchen and add the condensed milk, butter and sugars. No need to mix just ensure that the container is LARGE because the contents are going to bubble up furiously and splattered fudge mix. For a 900W microwave, cook the mixture on full power for 9 min, removing the bowl for stirring every 3 min. If your microwave has a lower wattage you'll need to cook the mixture for longer. Add 1 min cooking time for every 50W less power. Once the cooking time has finished, add in the vanilla extract and Baileys and beat the mixture until it begins to look smooth and glossy. Transfer the fudge mix into a 9" greased square pan to cool. (You can also line the pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking.) Once the mixture has cooled to room temperature, you can pop it in the fridge for a firmer set if required.

(Author unknown)

EDMONDS COOK BOOK APRICOT JAM

2.75kg apricots, halved and stoned
10-12 apricot kernels
2 1/2 cups waters
12 cups sugar


Crack a few apricot stones and remove kernels.  Put apricots, kernels and water into a preserving pan.  Cook slowly until fruit is pulpy.  Add sugar.  Stir until sugar is dissolved.  Boil briskly for 30 minutes or until setting point is reached.  Pour into sterilised jars.
Makes about 10 x 350ml jars.


Don't forget to look at the Edmonds website too


INSTANT PUDDING BISCUITS

6oz butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 tsp cornflour
1 pkt instant pudding mix
1 cup sultanas (optional)

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg. Add instant pudding. Mix well. Add remaining ingredients, mix well. Roll into balls and flatten with floured fork. Bake 10-15 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit.


BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING

6 slices white sandwich bread, buttered

2 tablespoons currants

2 tablespoons sultanas

2 eggs

2 tablespoons Chelsea White Sugar

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Chelsea Icing Sugar to dust

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Cut the crusts off the bread and cut each slice in half diagonally to make 2 triangles. Lay four bread triangles butter side down in a pie dish or small lasagne dish, approximately 20 x 20 cm. Sprinkle with half the currants and sultanas and repeat to form layers. Finish with a layer of bread with the butter side up. Beat the eggs and sugar together, then add the milk and vanilla. Pour over the bread and butter and sprinkle the top with grated nutmeg. Place the dish into a large roasting pan filled with water to come three-quarters of the way up the sides of the pie dish. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and set. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Don't forget to take a look at the Chelsea Sugar website.