Spiced Christmas Biscuits

These lovely biscuits can be made into whatever shape you like, used to decorate the Christmas tree (it’s fun to hide them for kids to find), or given away as gifts.

This is basically gingerbread with other spices added to make it more Christmassy.

• 125 g softened butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup golden syrup
• 2.5 cups plain flour
• 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
• 1 teaspoon allspice powder
• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon bicarb soda
• Raw sugar, egg white and icing sugar for decorating.

Preheat the oven to 180c.

Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Cream the butter and brown sugar with electric beaters until creamy, just about a minute. Add the golden syrup and beat in. Sift the flour and bicarb and add the spices. Fold into the butter mixture and mix together with a spoon or with a dough hook attachment if you have it. Turn it out onto a floured surface, knead a little then press together to form a dough.

Roll out in batches on a floured surface to your desired thickness, at least half a centimetre works well. The dough will be crumbly so take care when cutting out and transferring to the baking tray. You might think it will fall apart when baking but it will be ok!

If you like the sugared decoration, brush with a little egg white and sprinkle with raw sugar before putting in the oven. If you’re decorating with the white royal icing, just bake as is. If you want to make a hole to hang them, use a plastic straw, and don’t make the hole too close to the edges.

Bake for approx 10 minutes, until golden on the top. Transfer carefully to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

To decorate with royal icing, mix a little egg white (not the whole egg white, just a small amount of it, start with about a teaspoon depending on how much icing you want) and add icing sugar until you reach a desired consistency – a smooth pliable icing that is neither runny or too pasty.

Savoury Polenta Cake

This is a great recipe for Christmas entertaining. It’s as easy to make as a batch of muffins, and the batter can be baked in a cake tin and cut into squares for serving, or as little mini muffins. This recipe comes from my lovely friend Stephanie who first made it for me. It’s really versatile… you can use the basic batter (ie the ingredients below up to and including the eggs) and create any type of savoury cake you like by changing the ingredients that come after it.

• 1.5 cups polenta
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup plain yoghurt
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for the top
• 2 eggs
• Two tablespoons chopped fresh mixed herbs such as chives, parsley, basil and dill (use a single herb or a mixture of at least two).
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons black pitted olives, sliced
• 1 cup mixed small diced vegetables, such as zucchini, capsicum, cherry tomatoes, corn kernels (I like to use one red and one green vegetable to get some nice colours going)

Preheat the oven to 180c.

Grease and flour a square medium size cake or brownie pan, or a 24 capacity mini muffin tin (if using the muffin tin I just grease with a little olive oil). Don’t worry too much about the size of the cake tin, as long as it’s not very large or small it will be fine.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, polenta and baking powder. Add the vegetables, olives, shallots and herbs and combine. In another bowl mix the eggs, milk, yoghurt, oil and cheese and beat with a fork until combined. Add to the other ingredients and mix gently to combine. You should have a batter of muffin-type consistency but if it’s dry, add a little extra milk. Don’t overmix.

Pour into the cake tin or muffin tin and sprinkle some extra parmesan cheese on the top.

Bake for 40-45 minutes for a full cake or 15-20 minutes for mini muffins. Test by inserting a spaghetti stick or skewer into the middle.

Allow to cool a little then turn out. If making the cake, cut into squares and top with anything that takes your fancy – I like a little basil leaf and halved cherry tomatoes. You could wrap each mini muffin in a sliver of prosciutto or just scatter with some chopped herbs.

Mince Tart-orama!

Seasons greetings, friends! While my commercial website (theabbotsfordkitchen.com) is undergoing an update and temporarily down I’m using my blog to let you all know about some news from me on the mince tart front.

First, I’m tickled pink to tell you that my mince tarts have made it onto Wendy Hargreave’s website – Five of the Best - in her Top 5 Mince Pies this year. Wendy is the former food editor for the Sunday Herald Sun and now has her own fantastic site devoted to the best of all things food that Melbourne has to offer. Thanks for the inclusion, Wendy, I’m so flattered!

My other news is that my mince tarts will be available at the swanky new Rathdowne Village Deli from early December, and possibly other locations – stay tuned.

And if you’re in Melbourne and you’d like to order directly from me, I’ll be taking limited orders so get in quick! Email me: rebecca@theabbotsfordkitchen.com.

So What Was It All For?

It’s four days after Christmas, my son has gone on a holiday with his dad to his grandparents’ home and I’ve had some time to recover a little from the exhaustion and reflect on everything.  I seem to get into a post-Christmas funk each year. Perhaps its because of the initial bad weather, or maybe its just that I’m missing my son.  Or maybe its just that Christmas this year seemed the best ever – great food, happy children, and great friends. Whatever the reason, I found myself asking this question – was it worth it? The weeks and months thinking about, planning and preparing for Christmas Day all for this feeling of sadness and emptiness now that its over?

And another question: why do we do it? Why do we go to so much trouble for one day? Why do I put so much energy into it?

And the answer I find is this: because there is nothing else like it.  There are birthdays, there are weddings, there are other celebrations, but Christmas – particularly when there are children around – holds a kind of magic.

No-one has any more or less invested in Christmas than anyone else – it’s not more one person’s day than any other’s. Christians will stake more of a claim over the holiday, and fair enough. But it’s not been just a Christian holiday for a very long time. It’s our tradition and cultural chattel.  It’s a rite of childhood.  It’s a full stop to the year – of work, social engagement, study. It’s a celebration of food, and a time when loved ones come before work, school and routine.  It’s a time of abundance and indulgence – and acknowledging and giving thanks for our good fortune in this abundance.  It’s a time to think about others less fortunate, and do something about it.  Christmas is everything.

But the magic that is Christmas doesn’t just happen (sorry new agers).  It’s in the details that you put effort into. It’s the six bottles of French champagne sitting in ice that you thought to ask everyone to chip in for,  it’s the chocolates you sprinkled around the garden for children to find, it’s the pleasure that only comes from beautiful ingredients carefully prepared, it’s the thoughtful actions of your guests.  But most of all, it’s the mythmaking that captures children’s imaginations like almost nothing else.

On Christmas Eve, mince pie and beer in front of the hearth, my son asked me how Santa would fit down the chimney.  He’s seen pictures of Santa, he’s seen our chimney, and he’s done the maths.  I didn’t have to think twice about my answer: “Because of the magic.  Because its Christmas.” I said.  And he didn’t pause for a second in accepting that.

Damn straight Christmas was worth it.  Now, the sun is beckoning: what to do for New Years?!

Christmas Countdown – Day 1

I think I like Christmas Eve even more than Christmas Day.  The build up to the main event is always such a thrill.  Today’s been spent cooking of course, and also a bit of last minute running around which I’d hoped to avoid, but getting the flu this week has put things out of whack.

Foodwise, its been a bit of a production line. Under my belt so far: gravlax, vitello tonnato, chocolate cheesecake, arancini and the little mince pies in the picture. I’ve also done the mammoth task of stuffing and rolling the two x two kilo turkey breasts.

I’ll have a little rest from cooking tonight while we wrap the last of our presents, take Princess for a walk, and stop to enjoy the moment.

Happy Christmas in all of your kitchens, and don’t forget to leave something delicious for Santa!

XX BEC

Christmas Countdown – Day 2

Today is going to be spent food shopping and cooking, and getting the house and yard ready.  I’ve been up early to the Prahran Market for an epic 2 and a half hour shop, so my food shopping is just about wrapped up now.  My Xmas splurge was these wild New Zealand scampi for my cold seafood platter.  I hope they taste as fabulous as they look!

I’ve altered my planned menu due to the availability or otherwise of fresh produce.  No point locking yourself into recipes if the ingredients aren’t as fresh as they should be, or there was something different in season.  Thrilled to get a few kilos of new season bismark potatoes – these will make fantastic crunchy roasts spuds!

I’m spending the day in the kitchen making mayonnaise, arancini, chocolate cheescake, gravlax, and mince pies.   Lucky for my trusty assistants – one man, one boy, and one little dog who’s come to stay for Xmas – Princess Poppy

Christmas Countdown: Day 3

I’m officially panicking. I have come down with the flu and am now behind schedule. This means something will have to give. I won’t be able to do everything I have planned for today, but that’s just how it is.

• House clean – a good clean of every room is a great idea now.  If you don’t have time, pay someone to do it if you can afford to, or delegate if you can.  Think I’ll be delegating this one today
• Grocery shop – if you haven’t done your grocery shopping by now, today really is the last day.  I don’t know about you but tomorrow and Xmas Eve for me is all about fresh food at the markets, bakery and fishmonger.
• Have a rest  – the next few days are going to be exhausting.  Take a night off if you feel sufficiently organized, or if you don’t, plan to at least have an early night.  This will not be optional for me tonight.

I made these raspberry marshmallows, from the Christmas Gourmet Traveller, for my son’s last day of kinder as gifts to the friends he is saying goodbye to.  I have to say the recipe was a challenge, and I am not sure I would do them again.  But they are so pretty, and they taste amazing as they are made with real raspberries.

Christmas Countdown – Day 4

It’s all getting a bit crazy now – have you noticed the looks of mild panic on people’s faces, the queues in the post office, the general frenzy of it all? I kind of love it.

Today should be the last day for all those things you need to get out of the way so you can focus on the food.

• Wrap any unwrapped presents – the last thing you need to be doing on Xmas Eve is wrapping presents.
• Make an iTunes Xmas playlist – don’t get caught out on the day with the done-to-death wedding or the last significant birthday playlist.  This is a good job to give someone else if you don’t have time.
• Begin prepping food that can be frozen – some things can be made now and frozen, eg pastry, stuffing, biscuit dough, stock. The more you can do ahead of Xmas Eve/Xmas Day, the better. Just don’t take risks with freezing – some things don’t freeze so well. Check before you prep ahead!

Do you like my frozen tealight holder? I bought these plastic moulds from an Asian import store, and wish I had a bigger freezer so I could fill my garden with them on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Countdown – Day 5

Woohoo! The forecast for Saturday is 28 and mostly sunny. Yesssss!

Not a lot on the list today as most people are at work, but a few things you can mostly do in your lunch break:

• Post last minute gifts/cards today and don’t give it another thought.

• No-one wants to arrive at Xmas Day looking like they’ve been pulled through a hedge backwards, which is often how the cook ends up looking.  Today or tomorrow, have that haircut, wax or pedicure you’ve been putting off.

• Make a note of any altered rubbish collection days – I once missed the day early collection and ended up with a week old bin full of seafood waste in the hot summer…  which I won’t go into any further.

• Plan for some easy meals during the week – if you live on takeaway this week because you’re too busy and stressed to eat a homecooked meal, you’re going to feel pretty ordinary by the time Xmas Day comes.  Tonight, make a few big pots of something simple and nourishing that can be frozen in meal size batches, like my lentil soup, or pasta e fagioli:  http://theabbotsfordkitchen.wordpress.com/2010/02/17/lentil-and-vegetable-soup/ http://theabbotsfordkitchen.wordpress.com/2010/02/15/pasta-e-fagioli/

• If you can afford it and haven’t yet, its not too late to make a donation to a charity that helps disadvantaged families at Christmas.  Try your local council if you don’t want to donate to the big organisations.

Tonight’s a good night for a rest from Christmas preparations.  I’m going to put my feet up and have a Pimms in the backyard, or a perhaps a cup of tea on the couch if the weather doesn’t improve.

Day 6 – Take 2!

Somehow I managed to be one day ahead of myself on my Christmas countdown.  Oh well, better than one day behind.  So here is day 6 again.

Sunday

If Saturday was the day to be out and about hunting and gathering, Sunday is the day to be at home – taking stock, organizing and preparing.

• Make a master shopping list – read through your recipes taking notes of all the ingredients you will need.  Make 5 separate lists – meat/seafood that you haven’t pre-ordered; deli; fresh fruit and veg; grocery; bakery.
• Pantry audit – look through your kitchen cupboards and make a list of all the other kitchen items you may need, such as baking paper, oils, salt etc.
• Place an online grocery shop order for the bulk of things you need at the supermarket – it will make a big difference to break the back of this task without leaving the house, and you’ve still got time for last minute things.
• Declutter kitchen cupboards – trawl through your cupboards and reorganize, throw out any chipped or broken things, move unneeded things away, place things that will be used in the next week close to hand and generally make space.  Half an hour spent doing this will be repaid in spades on the day.
• Clean out fridge & freezer – A clean and clear fridge and freezer will be a welcome thing come Xmas Eve.  And you definitely will need the space, so throw out any iffy food and cook anything from the freezer you can.  Wipe clean all shelves and wash drawers out.
• Outdoor/barbecue clean up – give the backyard/courtyard a once over and clean the barbecue if you plan on using it.  If this task is too daunting and you would rather outsource it, then give Champion Property Maintenance a call on 0448 118377 if you’re in Melbourne, but be quick. Oooo, shameless plug!

I’m making raspberry marshmallows this weekend from the Christmas edition of Gourmet Traveller.  As a byproduct, I’ve also made some raspberry jam, that we had on our toast this morning – delicious!