Christmas Baking 2011

I'll be picking up the cake ingredients on Tuesday when I get some pennies! Will also make mince pies but have a jar of mince left from last year. They'll be done the weight watchers way with filo pastry though

I made my mincemeat about a month ago, raw with alcohol,but not much,just a quarter pint cider. Hope it matures OK and doesn't go mouldy. I will bake the cake in December from a rich fruit cake recipe . I already have a pud, bought last year a 2 for1 offer but best before date Jan 2012 so should be OK -I hope. Will be baking mince pies and mincemeat and apple pies next week and freezing them just ready to heat up over the Xmas season. also game pies. Our xmas lasts from xmas eve to new year because of various family work commitments,so we give gifts on xmas eve,have a nice meal on xmas day,a cold cuts meal on Boxing day,then a normal week time sort of thing for a few days then start again on NYE, a salad and salmon and pie buffet and a pork roast on NYD, when all the family will be together. I find the "secret" is to have all presents bought and wrapped by mid Nov and most food bought eg I have a turkey crown in the freezer and venison and pheasant and rabbit already. ,then bake the last week of Nov and first week of Dec. Avoid all the last minuit rushing and excess spending. Spend time going for decent long walks and enjoying the fresh air and countryside instead. Makes things quite stress free and enjoyable. I also take the attitude if we havent got it then too bad! we'll do without or suubstitute,its real life,after all,not an American movie.

I've got the fruit soaking for the Christmas Cake as we speak.

I was going to buy "miniatures" as we don't have spirits, except sometimes at Christmas.

However, the only "miniatures" I could find were in a gift box affair, three bottles for about £7.00 :eek: So I bought a qtr bottle of Captain Morgan (with Tesco vouchers of course) the OH likes Rum and Black - Tastes like cough mixture to me :eek: but he seems to like it. So it won't go to waste.

I buy bought mince meat and Christmas pud. I won't make any mince pies though until Christmas. For one there isn't much room in the freezer as yet so I can't really freeze any. Another reason is I don't want to be fed up with them, so I tend to save them until the right time.

I've just made some mini Christmas Cakes (presents for single friends/pensioners) they are a perfect size for single people and those who like a "bit" of rich cake but dont want to buy/make a large cake (feeding and maturing them at present).

Its a recipe from the "doyen" of baking - Mary Berry and uses small Baked Bean tins to bake them in.

Also nearer the time I will also do some Shortbread rounds to go with the cakes - having found a carved wooden mould that belonged to my grandmother :T.

Baking cupboard has also been stocked up to make sweets like peppermint creams, truffles and crispy fudge squares which have a rice crispie and toffee base with fudge poured over the top - ok, ok I know - dentists and nutritionists will hate it - but hey its once a year!!

ps pp i agree about jason winning strictly...id love to do some baking for him but i digress