yey!! christmas cakes are in the oven!!

charliee_3

This is going to be our first christmas in our OWN house (FTB in July) and we are having some family over, but money is tight so its going to be an MSE xmas as far as possible.
number one i have just made my christmas cake instead of buying it, it smells good used the nigel slater recipe and my tin was a bit smaller than specified so i have a 7" round cake and a loaf cake out of the mixture- smells delish

also want to make xmas pudding this year as they are very expensive (well i always buy the posh ones which are expensive)

dinner i still want a free range turkey, dont want to compromise on that, but i am going to try and not go mad on the extras...

i'll make mince pies and sausage rolls.. jobs a goodun!!


how are you all doing with your xmas prep? :xmastree:

also does it work out cheaper to make mincemeat or buy it?

[Deleted User]

nice and steady so far, a bit at a time so no stress. Cake made and fed with alcohol, one luscious pud from last year kept and matured, mincemeat from last year also alcoholic so nicely matured, main presents already bought and within the £10 allowance pp. Winter hobbies catered for ie wool is on its way for relaxing knitting while watching soppy films.

floyd

Cake is [STRIKE]festering[/STRIKE] maturing in the cupboard

Mincemeat made and ready to go once it has had time to mellow. I make it because it tastes so much better, probably not cheaper even though the apples were free but its worth it. MIL actually requested that I make the mince pies this year as mine are so good

Sloe and apple jelly, bramble jelly, apple ginger jam, pickled onions and sloe gin all done for christmas hamper gifts.

Might do some rum raisin fudge if I can be arsed

Need to think about ordering meat soon (free range) but we don't tend to go OTT as nobody eats very much

Bought a few prssies online to make sure they arent affecetd by any postal strikes but I still have some stuff to get :A

helyg

Oh I love planning for Christmas!

Have made marmalade, blackcurrant jam, damson jam, apple chutney, plum chutney and tomato chutney for gift hampers.

Am making my mincemeat tomorrow, and will probably make my cake next week.

Closer to the time I will be making fudge with the kids to give to their teachers, and we always make biscuits etc.

Have done all my big pressie shopping, just need little bits and bobs now.

Have knitted toys for eldest two and am halfway through one for my youngest. Am also halfway through my stash of cross stitch Christmas cards.

baz_chaz

Must admit we're 'on the way' nice and early this year :j

Christmas cake and puds done last weekend both 'coming to' and the cake having a good soak in brandy :beer:
Loads of mincemeat made as well, thats also coming too nicely

Went out his morning and picked 5lbs of sloes, seems to have been a good crop this year I asked a few questions re sloe gin/vodka and got some good ideas/replies here ...

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2005021

if you can get a few small nice shaped bottles it always seems to make a nice present, our first year actually making the stuff, seems very easy to make, spent plenty time drinking it over the years :rotfl:

Skint_Catt

Only cake done so far - given it's first feeding this afternoon. Last years was fed too much & sagged, drunk, to one side!
Want to make a pud too - anyone got a receipe? is it poss to make lots of little ones? What would I put them in?
Never thought of making my own mincemeat always buy it
Stocked up on some pastry when it was on offer in Morrisons (my HM pastry has never been right
Barely started on pressies and I thought I was doing well! :rotfl:

Patchwork_Quilt

You people are so organised! I've got a few presents in the sales and have bottled a few things for people who might appreciate them. One of my friends always makes us a pud and I will do a swap with her for some home made shortbread nearer the time. However, I am working my way up to making a gluten free Christmas cake and haven't quite plucked up the courage. Also have the bubbly for Christmas Day and the beer, as it was on sale, and two enormous tins of chocolates.

Not too bad I suppose.

baz_chaz

Skint_Catt wrote: »

Want to make a pud too - anyone got a receipe? is it poss to make lots of little ones? What would I put them in?

Family recipe going back years and years, never had a christmas pud so light

8oz soft brown sugar
6oz margarine
2 eggs
8oz plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp nutmeg
8oz grated baking apple
4oz rasins
6oz chopped dates
8oz breadcrumbs
8oz currants
1 tablsp syrup
1 tablsp sherry

cream together marg/sugar then beat in eggs
add flour tablespoon at a time and mix in baking powder/nutmeg
stir in apples syrup sherry then add dried fruit mixing as you go, better done by hand in a big bowl


put into whatever size pud bowl you like, we do one large one for christmas day and six small ones (for 2) which get eaten or given as gifts (usually eaten except one for old auntie )

when put in pud bowls place then in a steamer and gently steam for 6 hours or 3 hours one day then a further 3 the next, the longer the better, they start to go darker the longer they're steamed. When cooled put in fridge until needed :j

When needed simply put in a steamer for 2 or 3 hours or longer, doesn't really matter, but the longer the better !

Seriously, this recipe has been handed down through the family for four generations and everyone who's ever tried it raves about it, doesn't sit like lead :rotfl:

flowerfish

Patchwork_Quilt wrote: »

You people are so organised! I've got a few presents in the sales and have bottled a few things for people who might appreciate them. One of my friends always makes us a pud and I will do a swap with her for some home made shortbread nearer the time. However, I am working my way up to making a gluten free Christmas cake and haven't quite plucked up the courage. Also have the bubbly for Christmas Day and the beer, as it was on sale, and two enormous tins of chocolates.

Not too bad I suppose.

Hi I made a gluten free christmas cake last year just by following Delia's recipe and using Doves farm flour. It came out perfectly, I didn't need to tweak it at all. I find using the Doves farm flour I can follow any cake recipe and it always comes out great. Good luck.

cyclingyorkie

Cake made -which is miraculous - I've never been this organised!

I come from a long line of christmas panickers - my mum once made the cake on Christmas Eve!

Presents well on the way to being sorted - which is good considering DD1 and DD2 both have birthdays before the festive season.....

Mrs_Thrify

Gosh, everyone has been organizing early. So far I have bought some tins of chocolates from Mr. T's. I will be making my cake at the end of October. I have a Christmas pudding from last year.
Have only been thinking about gifts to buy so far.