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Baking at Christmas, I wish... |
I've mentioned it before, I don't do that much baking normally but it gives me real pleasure to do lots at Christmas time, whether it is to give as gifts or to eat with family and friends.
Here are some of my favourites.
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Cocoa Nib Florentines |
Cocoa nibs are small morsels of fermented, dried, roasted and crushed cocoa beans. Nutty, slightly bitter and very moreish, they work in both savoury and sweet recipes. And they are a major superfood, having more antioxidant flavonoids than any food tested so far, including blueberries, red wine, and black and green teas. In fact, it has up to four times the quantity of antioxidants found in green tea.This recipe for Cocoa Nib Florentines is really delicious, and would make the perfect pressie for the chocolate lover in your life.
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Girdlebuster Pie |
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Orange Popping Chocolate Chip Cookies |
Orange Popping Chocolate Chip Cookies
250 grams plain flour
175 grams butter, cut into small cubes
50 grams sugar
1 large orange,zest and juice
1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of orange essence (optional)
100 grams of chocolate chips
25 grams popping candy ( optional )
Pre-heat the oven to 180C, butter a baking sheet
Put the flour, sugar and bi-carb into a large bowl. Rub in the butter until you have a breadcrumb texture. Add the orange zest, juice, vanilla and orange essence, mix to combine, add a drop of milk if mixture too dry. Add the chocolate chips and popping candy and squish through evenly. Roll into a sausage shape, approx 30cm by 5cm, wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for a minimum of 10 minutes. Slice into rounds about 2cm thick and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. This mix freezes well and I'll be giving these away uncooked in their sausage-shaped wrap, bon-bon style so they can be sliced off and cooked when needed.
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Cornbread with cheese and jalapenos
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Cornbread, not very British but I love it all the same, rich but light and spiced up with jalepeno peppers or chorizo served with the left-over turkey or with chunky guacamole and red cabbage coleslaw, makes great comfort food. I use the Barefoot Contessa's recipe as a base, but substitute buttermilk or natural yoghurt for the milk. Adding whole corn kernals and chopped up coriander works really well too.
Well we're coming to the end of a pretty challenging year for many people, many countries. Maybe we'll be a little more kind, a little more thoughtful and better humoured over this Christmas time.I send you all the best for the holidays and wish you a bright and love-filled 2013.
Love Food X
Ps. Some great, green, last minute gift ideas from Inhabitat, free and next-to, perfect for the kids to make!
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