Old Style preparations for Christmas 2012!!!!!

icklehelen

Do you think if I just made it soon with my Christmas cake, it would be ok until April? (with regular feeding!) or should I wait and do it in the new year?

Your cake will be fabulous if you make it now for April and keep feeding it til it's iced. Fruit cakes are meant to be made well in advance so they can 'mature'.

I've had friends make their (fruit) wedding cakes a year in advance and I kept the top tier of mine sealed up for 5 1/2 years and had it re-iced for DD baptism.

HTH

ickle

daisiegg

icklehelen wrote: »

Your cake will be fabulous if you make it now for April and keep feeding it til it's iced. Fruit cakes are meant to be made well in advance so they can 'mature'.

I've had friends make their (fruit) wedding cakes a year in advance and I kept the top tier of mine sealed up for 5 1/2 years and had it re-iced for DD baptism.

HTH

ickle

Thanks!

It's only going to be a little 4 inch one (for the top tier) so I would like to do it when I do my Christmas cake as I think it will work out cheaper that way than buying a whole load of ingredients for just a tiny cake.

Thanks!

Patchwork_Quilt

We have a Christmas cake in the cupboard which is two years old - wrapped in cling film twice and then in a tin. I'm hoping it will be ok.

Just tried the par-cooked and then frozen roasties this evening. Re-roasted them for 20 mins at 180 C and they were lovely, so that's our potatoes sorted for the day.

Something that I tried last year and will be made a day ahead for this Christmas is red cabbage in orange. I put shredded red cabbage in a pan, just covered it with orange juice from a carton, added a knob of butter, salt and pepper, then reduced it until there were just a few drops of moisture left. It took ages but it tasted wonderful and was a colourful addition to the plate.

Another thing I tried last year was charity shopping for stocking fillers - I had a budget and got scarves, videos, books etc for very little. I warned DD and DS I was going to do this and they loved the results. They always also get something to read - a favourite magazine; something to wear - usually socks and pyjamas; and something to do - something crafty for DD and perhaps a game for DS. The rest of the budget is paid into their accounts so they can get what they like in the sales. It does mean, though, that there is a lot to open on the day without much being spent.

peking_duck

I noticed that QD have got their xmas stuff out already, so perfect time to stock up on Xmas paper!

craigywv

was in M&S yesterday lovely large tins of scottish short bread half price £8 down to £4, and a lovely ceramic honey /hive shaped pot and a jar of honey and the honey stick thing (sorry descriptions are awful) with ball on end half price at £5 and 3 boxes of their own ferrero rocher for £6 also newly launched boxes of chocs £2 not a bad size just letting you know.xxxxxxxxxx

Possession

Argos have confirmed on Facebook that their 3 for 2 on toys is starting tomorrow.
And Aldi had a few xmas-type biscuits in today.

Phoolgrrrl

Ok so after my parents having a disaster in thier house resulting in lots of work needed before chritmas and them moving into a rented flat...Christmas dinner is goin to be at our new house....which we don't complete on/move into until mid November...Aaagh!!!

Hope my new oven is big! Might be doing some of the pre cooked thing. I'm thinking a cold starter too. At least the cake and pudding will be done and nice!

ragz_2

Lidl had their whole Christmas food range in when I went today. picked up three of their advent calendars as they are really lovely looking rather than garish 'character' related ones. 89p!

bossymoo

Phoolgrrrl wrote: »

Ok so after my parents having a disaster in thier house resulting in lots of work needed before chritmas and them moving into a rented flat...Christmas dinner is goin to be at our new house....which we don't complete on/move into until mid November...Aaagh!!!

Hope my new oven is big! Might be doing some of the pre cooked thing. I'm thinking a cold starter too. At least the cake and pudding will be done and nice!

I think we are doing without a starter this year. Simple stuff for us. I have family coming, and Christmas will be hard for us this year. So it will be prepped stuff, no starter, as we all get too stuffed anyway, and a selection of bought puddings.

Christmas is about sharing with our loved ones anyway, enjoy!

Ellie83

ragz wrote: »

Lidl had their whole Christmas food range in when I went today. picked up three of their advent calendars as they are really lovely looking rather than garish 'character' related ones. 89p!

I know what you mean about the horrible advent calendar. But this year, we're going to have a homemade one, which I finished sewing over the summer And no, we don't even have children :rotfl: