Several rainy days this week got me started baking for this year's Struan Farm Boxing Day family gathering. You will remember this is a much anticipated annual event, a gathering of the extended tribe. Current RSVP's approach 40, so I am being organised. Out of character, I know. The ham has been ordered for weeks, and I've just ordered several salmon fillets.
On rainy day #1 I made (and froze) "Margaret's Easy Mincemeat," from Simon and Alison Holst (they quibble over using store bought pastry, which I will use as does Simon), batch #1 of my classic "Chewy Fudge Brownies" (the recipe for which I managed to find online here), the dough for David Lebovitz' "Pain d'amande," (one granddaughter calls these "crispy almond cookies," which they are), and batch #1 of mini cupcakes (to be iced and decorated festively the day before).
I appreciate none of the above look terribly appetising in their pre-freezer state in bad light on a rainy day, but they will when cut and/or baked and/or decorated on the day!
On rainy day #2 I made our "signature" chocolate chip cookies and the first batch of Cream Cheese Christmas cookies.
The Cream Cheese Christmas cookies have meaning to me, they are/were a Barrett family Christmas tradition, one of the few that lasted over the years (along with homemade apple, mince and pumpkin pies). My mother made them every year and the three kids would decorate them with sprinkles, candied cherries and/or chocolate chips. She used a recipe from a book that came with her cookie press, but I managed to find one online that is similar (predictably I can't manage to find it right now to provide a link). Ingredients are butter, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and flour, so quite simple in that respect. But they are fiddly to make, the planets must align and temperatures cooperate. I've recently learned that it helps to chill both the press and the cookie sheet in addition to the soft dough in NZ's summer climate.
Next I'll probably make a lemon verbena shortbread. With these done, and after I get the second batches of cupcakes and brownies made, I can take a breath. I'll have the basic offering covered and will be free to experiment if time permits, or bake things that can't be made ahead and frozen. I always put out a big crystal bowl of Piopio Berry Orchard strawberries and blueberries. Also a bowl of Cadbury "Roses" chocolates, which the kids sneak, wanting more than parents might otherwise allow. Let's let kids be kids, at least for one day, eh?
My motto for Boxing Day: have something for everyone so it's a fun and special day, and look forward to that cold glass of white wine when it's all over!
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