Christmas Cooking Day

I thought that I would be really organised with my baking as I am not going out to work any more.  Not the case - I still allocated this weekend before Christmas as my "cooking weekend". A lot of cooking comes from our English heritage, and may not be familiar with everyone.  It is a treat for my family and friends to have old fashioned food, made with love.

 My Christmas Cake, pudding and fruit mince tarts all come from the old favourite Women's Weekly book.

 Starting with the cake - the fruit has been soaking several weeks in brandy and sugar - it is so nice!  Gently mix in the eggs.  These are from my own chooks.  What a treat!

 Add the flower and mix

Line the cake tin with several sheets of baking paper

Into the oven for 4 hours.  I was able to leave John in charge - yes, terrible idea - while I went to the gym

 Now for the pudding.  this is the same fruit mixture, soaked in brandy for several weeks.  I add bread crumbs - about 4 cups of fresh, and only 1/4 cup of flour, and mix it all up with eggs and melted butter.

 The pudding cloth is dipped in hot water, then spread with plain flour

put the cloth into a bowl, and transfer the mixture.

 pull up the cloth, and make it a nice round shape.  Tie it with string and into the boiling water.

 It needs to boil for 4 hours today, and again 2 hours on Christmas Day.  No I am not going out and leaving this one!  Must not let it boil dry.

 these are a few more goodies I have made - fruit mice tarts

 and mini-Xmas puddings.  These are made from dark fruit cake, all munched up, sprinkled with a 1/2 cup of brandy and left to soak.  Mix in some melted chocolate, and then make them into balls and decorate.  Lovely!