December 24th: Christmas Eve

ciderwithrosie_2

noodles86 wrote: »

Could I have your cheesecake recipe please? Is it hard to make? I have made cheesecake before but a lemon with ginger base

Not too hard to make, just a bit involved! I adapted it from another recipe as all the recipes that claimed to be like Wagamamas were baked cheesecakes and theirs is more light and moussey. It does have raw egg in it though which some people may not want to eat...

Base
· 50g butter, melted
· 200g gingernut biscuits

Filling
· 200g good quality white chocolate, chopped
· 5 leaves gelatine
· 2 tbsp syrup from jar of ginger in syrup
· ½ tsp ground ginger
· 6 tbsp milk
· 500g tub ricotta
· 300ml pot double cream
· 50g icing sugar
· 2 large eggs, separated

Method
1. Heat oven to200C/180C fan/gas 6. Melt the butter in a pan or microwave. Very finely crush the biscuits together, stir with the butter, then press very firmly into thebase of a 20cm round loosebottomed or a springform cake tin. Bake for 6 mins. Cool, then wipe around the inside of the tin with a little sunflower oil on kitchen paper.

2. Soak the gelatine in a bowl of cold water to soften while you make the filling. Tip the chocolate into a bowl over a pan of simmering water, then add the milk. Gently heat until melted, then stir together. Squeeze the gelatine dry, add to the chocolate mixture while it’s still hot and stir to dissolve.

3. Beat the ricotta,cream, sugar, ground ginger, ginger syrup and egg yolks together. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites.

4. Stir the chocolate and ricotta mixtures together, then gently fold in the egg whites. Carefully pour onto the cooled biscuit base. Cover the tin with cling film, then chill until firm, preferably overnight.

The cheesecake can be made up to 2 days ahead. Keep in the tin and cover with clingfilm. If you want to be really fancy you could do some white chocolate curls for the top when you take it out of the tin

Toffee and ginger sauce
100gms soft brown sugar
50g butter
1 tsp ground ginger
Small pot of double cream (300ml?)

Melt the sugar and butter in a pan, add the ginger and heat until bubbling well and all the sugar is dissolved, don’t let it burn, take off heat and stir in the cream. Leave to cool and serve in a jug to pour over the cheesecake

quidsy

OMG that sounds like the business. Thanks for posting

nitnurse-not2

My Christmas Eve has evolved over the years from child-based to what it is now.
When my children were small they and some of their friends used to attend the Christingle service at a local church which they all loved.:)We would all return to my home and there would be a huge kids style buffet for them all to enjoy. When everyone had gone home my parents would come as they stay on Christmas Eve. The children would be bathed then after reading the Night Before Christmas, they would leave out Santas snack, sprinkle reindeer food and hang Santas key on the back of the door. When they were asleep the grownups would have supper and wine before being elves for Santa!:rotfl::rotfl:

Things are quite different now my Children are adults…..although some traditions remain.
I spend most of the day in the kitchen on Christmas Eve. I cook as much as I can for the next day. I love preparing the veg in the morning and blessing the sprouts The parsnips, roasties and mash are all cooked as well as the Yorkshire puddings (they may not be your tradition but they are ours):D
My husband always has to pop out on Christmas Eve for something I have “forgotten” to buy. He is usually away about an hour and a half and when he returns the conversation is always the same.
Me-Must be busy in the shops
DH- Very long queues.
Translated, this means he popped in for a couple of pints. Not sure how that tradition began but it happens every year.:rotfl::rotfl:
I also cook a 3 course meal for the evening to replace kids buffet and adults supper. We now sit together and eat. I take great care in setting the table with the best china, crystal glasses and decorations. I always choose recipes that I have never cooked before to make it different each year.:):)
Bedtime routine has not changed. They are 23, 20 and 18 and we still do Santas sancks, reindeer dust and the magic key.
Oh how I love Christmas:snow_laug:santa2::xmastree::xmassmile:snow_grin:rudolf::xmassign:

*Twinkle*

im getting married on Christmas Eve

ciderwithrosie_2

*Twinkle* wrote: »

im getting married on Christmas Eve

Awww, that's lovely! Are you having a Christmassy theme?

nitnurse-not2

*twinkle* Hope your wedding is full of festive fairy dust. How romantic to be making your future memories togetherxxxx

*Twinkle*

ciderwithrosie wrote: »

Awww, that's lovely! Are you having a Christmassy theme?

No not really, it's just us both, our children and witnesses, I think im a bit nutty for having it on Christmas Eve as its such a busy day already but I have a vey personal reason for doing so, and I adore everything Christmas so what better day? Everyone has their own plans so we're doing it quietly and having a big party next summer x

Hanley25

I got married on Xmas Eve, it was magical! We had a small reception and an afternoon party. Everyone was home by tea time. It'll be 6 years ago this year. I always work on Xmas Eve and DH cooks a beautiful dinner for the 2 of us. We put the kiddies to bed, have our dinner and then afterwards we start sorting all the pressies and stockings for the next day.

browneyedbazzi

Christmas Eve is when my family (French Canadian) always had the big celebration....a big gathering together with friends and extended family, having the big meal with lots of traditional food, drinks and opening gifts in the early hours of the morning (often with one of the slightly tipsy uncles dressed as santa and handing out the gifts). Christmas day was always a more low-key affair with just the immediate family so nothing exciting.

Last year was the first time I did the big Christmas Eve meal etc since I moved to the Uk and it was really nice so I think it's a tradition I will carry on even if it is a bit odd over here.

Flowfy

This is my first post on moneysavingexpert. so I hope it is ok.

Christmas eve is my favourite day, I feel once the presents have been unwrapped and the excitement over, Christmas is done with.

Our Christmas kind of begins late November as my son is a musician, he plays in a brass band, swing band and orchestra. So basically I am out every night with him whilst he plays carols and makes other peoples lives very merry too. this means though that Christmas and its food has to be well prepared before the end of nov and it is. Christmas is very tiring but wonderful. last year he played at Manchester Cathedral and the Bridgewater Hall amongst others.

So Christmas eve begins early. I like to watch Olive the Other Reindeer in the morning (weird I know) I always have a pair of new pyjamas wrapped under the Christmas tree for us all (might start the Christmas hamper tradition this year though - 1 question though - whats santa soup?)

After I we have had a special breakfast (usually some kind of pastries or cinnamon porridge) and I discovered about 3 years ago how to make my own eggnog latte so will give all the family one of them in a 'go-cup'. we have to go out carolling in the village at 10am. everyone is very merry and happy to see us and sings songs. I do not play an instrument but usually I play the sleigh bells on that day we all wear a santa hat, but usually have to wear gloves as the brass instruments are so cold. about 1, the band finishes and goes off to the pub, which has a real fire etc but we walk home.

At this point I start to cook the Christmas Ham, which DH loves. I will probably have something on radio 4, like a story or talking comedy show. also finish off all the prep for the following day. Nigella Lawson is my hero, so her recipes have been used year after year with absolute success. Her bread sauce is to die for!!

I will have highlighted the Christmas Radio Times to see what is on and usually we watch some of this. I do a buffet at tea time and always a massive sherry trifle. old fashioned rules in our house. the new pyjamas are put on at tea time.

I warm up a pan of mulled wine and add lots of extra stuff. and we will drink this. DD is 21 and DS is 14. we may have DD boyfriend over Christmas as he lives in Norwich (we live on the saddleworth moors between Yorkshire and Manchester)

We still put out mince pie/carrot etc at night but the only stockings we put out are for our pets lol.

DH and I, after all preparations have been made for the morning like to watch a horror film in bed. shocking!!!