Christmas Recipes!

Ingredients:

- 3oz (75g) soft brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup
- 1 tablespoon black treacle
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 3 1/2 oz (95g) butter / margarine
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 8 oz (225 g) plain flour (although you may want a little more.)
- Currants for the eyes/buttons

Method:

- Pre-heat oven to gas mark 4, 350°F (180°C)
- Put the sugar, syrup, treacle, spices and 1 tablespoon of water into a large saucepan
- Bring to boiling point, stirring all the time. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and bicarbonate of soda.
- Stir in the flour until you have a dough (here is where you may find you need more flour)
- Leave the dough in a cool place for about 30 minutes
- Roll out the dough onto a floured surface to about 3mm thick and cut out your gingerbread men / whatever shapes you want
- Stick the currants on the men to make them look human - or, if you want to use chocolate drops instead, leave it.
- Bake for about 10-15 minutes
- Leave to cool
- Enjoy!

Ingredients:

- 4 large free-range egg whites
- 120g (4oz) caster sugar
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 600 ml double cream
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 4 tbsp lemon curd
- 200g white chocolate

Method:

- Heat the over to 150°C (gas mark 2). Line a swiss roll tin with baking paper.
- Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks and then gradually add the caster sugar and beat until glossy. Beat in the cornflour and vanilla extract.
- Transfer to the tin and spread out until even
- Bake for about 30 minutes. (Don't worry if it looks like it's rising crazily in the oven, the whole thing sinks down and is fine.)
- Remove from over and cool
- Whip the cream and icing sugar until it forms peaks. Spread the lemon curd over the meringue sponge and then cover this with about half of the cream.
- Roll up the sponge carefully so it forms a 'log'.
- Spread the remaining cream on the outside of the log and then refrigerate before decorating.
- Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl suspended over boiling water until it is smooth.
- Spread the chocolate over a sheet of baking paper (to about 3mm), place on a tray and refrigerate until set.
- Use a star cutter (or alternative shape) to cut out the white chocolate, and decorate the top of the log with these. Dust the entire thing with icing sugar.

Time to make: Around sixty minutes

Servings: Four

Ingredients:
- one cup light or dark brown sugar
- two tablespoons water
- two tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
- one cup heavy cream (divided into 1/2 cups)
- 1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (to taste)
- four twelve-ounce bottles cream soda

Directions:
Step One - In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar and water. Over medium heat, bring to a gentle boil, stirring often, until mixture reads 240F on a candy thermometer (or if you do not have a candy thermometer then once it is boiling, take it off about forty-five seconds afterwards).

Step Two - Stir in the butter, cider vinegar, and a 1/2 cup of the heavy cream. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Step Three - Once the mixture has cooled, stir in the vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice (to taste). Place in the fridge until cooled.

Step Four - In a medium bowl, combine two tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture and the remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Use an electric mixer to beat until thickened.

Step Five (AKA - To Serve) - Divide the brown sugar mixture between four tall glasses (about 1/4 cup for each glass). Add 1/4 of cream soda to each glass, and then stir to combine. Fill each glass nearly to the top with additional cream soda and then spoon the whipped topping over each.

FYI: This is not my recipe. I am merely sharing it for entertainment and (of course) eating purposes. Enjoy.

You'll need:

2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
1 cup (2 sticks) (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (60 grams) powdered (confectioners or icing) sugar
1 teaspoon (4 grams) pure vanilla extract

What to do:

- Whisk the flour and the salt together in a separate bowl.
- In another bowl beat the butter until it's smooth and creamy, then add the sugar and beat until smooth (You can use a hand mixer or an electric mixer) Then add in the vanilla extract.
- Stir in the flour mixture until it's incorporated/makes a dough.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator for an hour.

- I recommend parchment, or wax paper for the cookies.

- Roll out the dough into a thick layer on a floured surface.
- Use floured cookie cutters (I like to make hearts and santa hats 8D)
- Put them in the baking sheet and stick them back in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.

- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C)
- Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until they're very lightly brown.

As a treat, you can dip them in melted chocolate and wait a bit until the chocolate hardens again.

Yum yum yum. :3

WHIPPED SHORTBREAD COOKIES

~ Mix together:
2 pounds (4 cups) tub soft margarine
2 cups icing sugar
1 cup cornstarch
6 cups flour

~ whip it, whip it good!

~ whip until it looks like stiff whipped cream

~ lightly grease cookie sheet
~ drop by teaspoon
~ bake at 325 degrees til golden brown on bottom
~ watch carefully

~ you can sprinkle 'sprinkles' on or use chopped fruit.
~ add your decorations before baking.