Hi Everyone!

This month we’re getting in the mood for the holidays with my ‘Festive Favourites,’ so festive that you can even wrap them up and give to your nearest and dearest. They’re firm favourites in my house and for my gift hampers. Also, with the Christmas holidays imminent, these are fun recipes that you can easily do with the children - get them involved in cooking and baking in the kitchen and make Christmas exciting in a different way.

Let’s get started! - Freda

1. Cinnamon spiced thumbprint cookies with white chocolate

This is a really quick and simple recipe which takes little time to make but excites the kids because they can help garnish (aka play!) with jam and white chocolate with complete gay abandon.

Ingredients

200 self raising flour

100g softened butter

100g caster sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

1 egg beaten

Strawberry jam

White chocolate

Method

Heat the oven to 180 degrees C.
Combine the flour, cinnamon, butter and sugar to a breadcrumb consistency, then add the egg to bring the dough together.
Take a small amount (approx 1 tablespoon) of dough and roll into a ball.
Place your thumb in the centre to form an indentation (children love this part!)
Place in the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 mins until cooked
Place a small spoonful of jam into the indentation then pipe some white chocolate over the top
Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve immediately

2. Curried apple chutney

The only way to describe this chutney is piquant, sweet, spicy, crunchy and tangy…..oh and curried! (I tried to keep it simple!). Apple cider vinegar adds the tangy element that binds all of the other ingredients together; whilst muscavado sugar adds a ‘caramelly’ sweetness. Other ingredients as well as chopped apple, include sultanas, curry powder, garam masala and mixed dried fruit. I used two types of sweet chillies including dried Mexican ancho chillies which I found in my local grocery store. It really does smell incredible and leaves the whole house smelling of the rich spices as it's cooking. Once in the jar, it looks pretty special too. It can be eaten with almost everything I love, from cheese and bread to many types of savoury dishes. With the Christmas table on the horizon, it’s a great condiment as well as a great idea for foodie gifts for your hamper.

Ingredients

2 medium onions chopped
1 1/2 tbsp mustard seeds
1.5 kg red or green apples cored and chopped
150g dried fruit –raisins and sultanas
1 ½ tbsp. paprika
2 tbsp mixed spice
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp garam masala
3 cloves
5 fresh sweet chillies (not hot)
Dried ancho chillies (optional)
Salt to taste (approx. guide 2 ½ tbsp)
350g dark muscavado sugar
425ml/¾ pints apple cider vinager
½ cup oil (vegetable or olive)

Method

Place the oil into a large saucepan. Once hot, add the mustard seeds and heat until they ‘pop’

Place all the chopped apples and all other ingredients into the pan (including the spices and vinegar)

Slowly bring the whole mixture the boil until the sugar has dissolved.

Turn down the heat

Simmer for 1½-2 hours, stirring it at intervals to stop the chutney sticking to the base of the pan.

The chutney is ready when it’s thick enough to make a clear line through it using a wooden spoon or spatula.

Give it a taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Decant into small sterilised jars and seal and cool.

Dress up the jars with festive ribbon if you’re giving them as gifts.

The chutney can be stored in the fridge for up to two months.

3. White chocolate Rocky Road with dried fruit, rosewater, and pistachios

Have you ever wondered what white chocolate and rosewater tastes like? Take it from me, its really really good! Another fabulous festive treat which requires very little labour and ingredients that you’ll probably have in the pantry already. Once again, kids love working with you on this!

Ingredients

250g packet marshmallows, chopped

100g packet dried fruit including cranberries

1/3 cup (35g) desiccated coconut

2 x 180g good-quality white chocolate, chopped

100g macadamia nuts and pecans (optional) roughly chopped

½ tsp rosewater

60g shelled and chopped pistachios

Garnish (optional):

Persian tea roses (available from most specialist tea shops)

Decorative miniature stars (by Dr. Oetger, Tescos)

Method

Take a 20cm square cake pan. Line the base and sides with baking paper, and allow a slight overhang over the edges
Place the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on a medium-high heat for 1-2 minute; keeping your eye on it as it easily overheats and burns! Stir it with a spoon / spatula every 30 seconds until smooth
Combine marshmallows, dried fruit, cranberries, nuts and coconut in a bowl.
Pour the chocolate over marshmallow mixture. Add the rosewater and mix well. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, pressing down with a spatula to ensure even spread.
Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.
Using a warm knife, cut into small squares.
Garnish with small Persian tea rose petals, more chopped pistachios and decorative stars.
Try the milk or plain chocolate version of this by replacing the white chocolate with your own favourite!

4. Oven Baked Chicken Biryani

Here’s something different for your festive table.

If you love a cooked bird on Christmas day and have tried them all (as I have) but just fancy a change, why not ‘spice it up’ with my easy to follow, oven baked chicken biryani. For those who aren’t big on Turkey, but love a white meat with a spicy twist, then this recipe is one for you

I created a brilliant cheats method, that’s not labour intensive at all (as biryani can be) and involves throwing all the ingredients into the oven from scratch and guess what? it's just as tasty as a conventional biriyani. It saves so much time which is the principle reason behind this recipe. The chicken marinade is what makes this work so well, rich spices mixed in yogurt, left to marinade until you're ready to cook this dish. The chicken is so tender and moist, the rice fluffy and spices balanced. Garnish with fried onions, lemon and pomegranate for a little piquant twist

An adventurous addition to your festive feast!

Ingredients:

1 large chicken preferably organic skin on

1 onion finely sliced

2 cups basmati rice washed

2 fresh chillies roughly chopped

Marinade

1 cup plain yoghurt

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp turmeric

2 tsp sweet paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp crushed coriander seeds

1 tbsp fresh garlic and ginger crushed

Salt to taste

Juice of one lemon

1 tsp dried mango powder (optional)

1 tsp tandoori powder

5 tbsp olive oil

Garnish

1 onion finely sliced

1/2 tsp whole peppercorns crushed

1 bay leaf

2 cloves

2 cardamom pods

Fresh coriander

Pomegranate

2-3 Fresh chillies sliced

Method

In a bowl, place the yogurt and all the ingredients for the marinade. Combine thoroughly and spread generously over the chicken making sure it is well coated including underneath
Wrap in clingfilm (or cover over) and refrigerate for a few hours
Pre heat oven 200C fan forced
When ready to cook, place the chicken in a baking tray and cook for 40 minutes at 200C
In a frying pan, add a little oil and fry the onions, bay leaf pepper corns, cloves and cardamom pods until crispy and golden brown
Take a large saucepan and fill with boiling water. Add a teaspoon of salt then continue to boil.
Add washed Basmati rice and boil until almost cooked but with a little bite to it. Drain the rice.
After 40 minutes remove the chicken from the oven and all the juices (there will be a lot of liquid) and place it into a large oven proof (prerably ceramic) dish. Spread the boiled rice around the outer edges of the dish around the chicken making sure it's well distributed into the chicken and the juices / sauce.
Sprinkle the fried onions over the rice and chicken and return to the oven and bake for a further 25-30 minutes until cooked through
Once cooked, garnish with the dish with fresh coriander , pomegrate, fresh lemon and chillies and serve immediately

5. Easy cardamom spiced shortbread and Easy mince pies

Easiest Shortbread recipe ever which is a staple for the biscuit tin over the holidays and those festive gifts. Bag them up or box them, I think they’re a great Teachers gift to say thanks to for all their hard work and care looking after our children all year round!

Shortbread

Makes 18-20

Ingredients:

125g Butter

55g Caster sugar

180g plain flour

8 cardamom pods with seeds removed and finely crushed (use a pestle and mortar)

Icing sugar to dust

Method

Heat the oven to 170C (fan forced)
Mix / whisk together butter and sugar, to a creamy consistency, then fold in the flour and cardamom seeds until a smooth paste is formed.
Gently bring the dough together using your hands on a floured work surface.
Roll out evenly to approx. 1.5 cm thick.
Use festive cookie cutters to create cookies of different shapes and sizes (stars, rounds, trees) as shown in the image.
Place on a baking tray and chill for 20 mins to set the dough
Bake in the pre heated oven for 15-20 mins until pale golden colour then cool on a wire rack.
Whilst still hot, pierce one edge with a skewer and thread string through the cookies to create small batches.
Dust with icing sugar to look frosty!

6. Easy Mince Pies

Makes 12

Shop bought mincemeat (I used Co –op 400g jar ready- made fruit mincemeat)

Ingredients

225g butter diced

350g plain flour

280g mincemeat

100g caster sugar

1 egg

Icing sugar to dust

Method

Pre heat the oven to 200C
Grease a 12 hole pie tray
Combine the butter, plain flour into breadcrumbs then add caster sugar and a pinch of salt
Roll into a ball and gently knead to create a firm dough.
Take a small amount of dough (walnut sized) and press it into the pie hole and make sure that it hangs outside of the edge.
Spoon in 1 tbsp mincemeat (or thereabouts) into each pie.
Take a smaller amount of dough and press into the palm of your hands to form a lid to cover the pies, pressing the edges together to seal.
Brush the surface with a beaten egg and bake for up to 20 mins until golden brown.
Let them cool on a wire rack then dust with icing sugar
Both the shortbread and mince pies make excellent gifts and look so beautiful for your festive gatherings.