Goodies, Edible Ones

These are my favourite recipes that never fail. Last minute baking that doesn’t need weeks to mature, and can be eaten the next day. Or the  same day for the shortbread. I am going to add some lavender flower petals to the next batch, crush each one a little and add to the mixture.

Baby Christmas Cakes          Perfect for a gift to a single person

175 gm mixed fruit, 1/4 cup whisky, brandy, rum or sherry      100gm softened butter,  75 gm soft brown sugar.2 tblespoons treacle or golden syrup  , 1 egg, 75 gm flour, pinch baking soda, pinch cinnamon 2 tblespoons milk.

Put the fruit in a bowl with the whisky and soak overnight.Heat the oven to 160C, Beat butter,golden syrup, and brown sugar till light, add egg. Sift dry ingredients, and add with the milk. Put into 12 patty pans, paper cases or silicon muffin pans, bake 20-25 minutes, They will be flat and sticky when done. Brush with a little more whisky, and leave to cool.

Christmas Fruit Cake       No sugar, butter or eggs

1 kg mixed fruit , 2 cups orange juice , ½ tsp vanilla

Soak for several hours or overnight  .  Add 2 cups S R flour, or use plain flour with 1 tsp B Powder to each cup                                                         1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp mixed spice     

Line an 8 inch square tin with greased then baking paper.

I use a tin that slides to make it larger than the 7 inch square one.

Can be cooked in a ring tin as well.

Oven 170 degrees C, 1 ¼ hours.

Favourite Shortbread   This is for a double batch.

10 ounces butter, 5 ounces icing sugar, 5 ounces cornflour,10 ounces flour. Cream the butter and sugar well, should be light and fluffy. Add flour and cornflour. Knead well, roll out  1/2 to 3/4 inch thick, cut into squares, and prick with a fork. Place on greased try, or use baking paper, and bake for 30 minutes in pre-heated oven at 150C( 300F).

Apricot Fudge Slice  , Decadent delight.

250gm packet wine biscuits,( any plain sweet biscuit will do) 1 cup dried apricots, then chopped finely or whizzed into tiny pieces, 1 and 1/2 cup coconut, , 1 can  Sweetened Condensed Milk, 125 gm butter. Put condensed milk and butter in a pot, stirring all the time till melted.Add the other ingredients,  mix well, ( I do it all in the large pot)  I use a large wooden spoon, and press into a slice tin, 27cm x 18cm ( 11” x 7”). Put into the fridge till set. This can be iced for extra garnish. Yummy to the extreme.

The new Open Live Writer has no spell check yet, they are hoping to add this soon, so although I have proof read this, there may still be mistakes.

The lawn has been mown, all of it,  some, well, all  the  outside windows  and some inside windows have been cleaned, almost all the sewing is done, one bag to finish, and some table place mats to do, and Whew!! just the presents to wrap.

Quotation of the day, from Bing Crosby

“ Unless we make Christmas an occasion

to share our blessings,

all the snow in Alaska won’t make it WHITE”

Greetings from Jean