Jasmyne Tea

Almond Shortbread Christmas Cookies

I received an early Christmas present from Stephen; an adjustable cookie cutter. So I figured, while it's Christmas, why not play with it? Besides, we can't forget to leave some milk and cookies out for the Big Guy ;)

This recipe isn't very hard, and the results are well worth the effort: you're left with gorgeous, delicate looking biscuits with charming cut-out shapes in the middle that are great to serve to friends and family. The filling also gave me an excuse to use some of the jam that I've collected (Stephen reckons I could open a jam museum). It's a win-win cookie!

Almond Shortbread Christmas Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups plain flour

3/4 cup almond meal

1/3 cup icing sugar

125g cold butter, chopped

1 egg

1 tbsp milk

1 cup of jam (any flavour; I used blackcurrent, fig and almond, and orange and rhubarb)

2 - 3 tablespoons water

 

    1. Combine flour, almond meal, butter and icing sugar in a food processor until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

    2. Add egg and milk, and process until just combined. Knead gently until dough forms a ball, flatten into a disc, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for half an hour.

    3. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Roll out dough to a 3 mm thickness, and, using a cookie cutter, cut out 32 rounds (16 should have the middle shape cut out, and 16 should be solid). Place rounds on a lined baking tray and cook for 8 - 10 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on tray.

    4. To make the filling, combine the jam and water in a small saucepan and stir occasionally until jam is melted. Strain into a bowl, discard the solids and leave to cool in the fridge for about 10 - 15 minutes.

    5. Spread a teaspoon of the cooled jam onto a solid biscuit half, gently press a biscuit half with the cut-out on top, and repeat. When complete, dust with icing sugar and serve.

2 days 'til Christmas! :D

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

A.K.A The Miracle Casserole.

The title "Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic" may shock some readers, but rest assured; the method of cooking, in their skins at a low temperature for a long time, renders the cloves into small morsels of sweet, nutty goodness perfect for using as a spread or eating by themselves.

The slow method of cooking this casserole also produces deliciously tender chicken, with lots of flavour from the other ingredients incorporated. The spring onions add freshness, the vermouth contributes sweetness, and the flesh of the chicken turns out aromatic with thyme. This recipe is ideal for those lazy weekend evenings, when you can't really be bothered standing over a hot stove, and I'm also considering this recipe for Christmas; it gives me an hour and a half to prepare other dishes while it's cooking, and will also impress the family.

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

INGREDIENTS

40 mL olive oil

Chicken (8 thighs - any other part will dry out, unless you reduce the cooking time)

6 spring onions

Small handful of thyme

40 garlic cloves (approx 4 bulbs) unpeeled, with papery excess removed

30 mL vermouth

2 teaspoons sea salt flakes

Black pepper, to taste

 

    1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius and heat the oil on a stove in a wide casserole dish, over high heat. Sear the chicken skin side down, transferring browned chicken to a bowl as you go.

    2. Finely slice the spring onions and fry them in the casserole dish with the leaves of a few sprigs of thyme for approximately a minute, then take dish off the heat.

    3. Put half the garlic cloves into the dish, over the spring onion. Top with the browned chicken pieces (skin side up) and cover with the remaining garlic cloves.

    4. Add the vermouth and any juices from the chicken into the dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper and a few sprigs of thyme. Put the lid on, and cook in the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Before...

And after!

The flavours in this dish are amazing; the chicken takes on the sweetness of the vermouth and roasted garlic, and the freshness of the thyme. The skin is thick and crispy, and you know it's bad for you but you eat it anyway; besides, it's about the only thing unhealthy in this dish. The juices are delicious, and I highly recommend including a serving of bread, to soak them all up. The bread also comes in handy for spreading the cooked garlic; it's sweet, nutty and aromatic, and pops right out of it's skin.

The Perfect Fruit Cake

Ah, fruit cake. Is there any cake that represents Christmas more than the fruit cake?

The earliest the fruit cake can be traced is to Ancient Rome, where pomegranate, pine nuts and raisins were mixed into a barley mash. In the Middle Ages, honey was added to sweeten the mixture, and spices to give the cake more flavour. Soon different versions of the cake were eaten all over Europe, the ingredients varying depending on what was available.

The fruit cake took a big leap forward in 1490, when Pope Innocent VIII finally allowed the addition of butter and milk to the cake during periods of fasting. In the 16th century, when the discovery that sugar could be used as a preservative was made, the addition of candied fruits became more popular, and so did the cake itself.

Today the cake is commonly made during the Christmas period all over the world, and often contains fruits, nuts and alcohol. In some countries, like Canada, this cake is rarely seen at any other time, but we Australians enjoy a slab of fruit cake every now and then with tea.

I coerced Stephen's mum to give me the recipe to her beautifully moist and rich fruit cake, and I'm so glad I did, because now I have another idea for Christmas presents. With the addition of Grand Marnier, this cake will last for quite a while, letting the recipients choose when they want to start tucking in. The zest in this recipe cuts through the sometimes cloying sweetness of so much dried fruit, and the cranberries also give the cake a Northern Christmas feel.

Fruit Cake

INGREDIENTS

zest of 1 lime, 1 lemon, 1 orange

70 g glace cherries

2 tbsp dried apricots, diced

3 dried figs, chopped

240 g golden sultanas

150 g dried raisins

185 g chopped butter

165g brown sugar

120 mL orange juice

150 mL Grand Marnier

1 tbsp golden syrup

3 eggs lightly beaten

80 g cranberries, halved

185 g plain flour

40 g self-raising flour

1/2 tsp bicarb soda

blanched almonds, to decorate

 

    1. Preheat oven to 140 degrees celcius. Line a deep 20 cm round cake tin with baking paper, making sure it comes out 5 cm over the rim (you may need a couple of layers).

    2. Combine half of the Grand Marnier, the orange juice, fruit, butter, and sugar in a saucepan until sugar dissolves and butter is melted. Bring to the boil for 2 minutes, then set aside to cool.

    3. Move the fruit mixture into a bowl, mix in egg and golden syrup, stir to combine. Add cranberries, stir. Sift plain flour, self-raising flour and bicarb into the bowl, and stir until well combined.

 

    4. Transfer mixture to cake tin and decorate top of cake with almonds. Bake in the oven for 2 hours until cooked. Remove from oven, brush the top with the remaining Grand Marnier, and wrap tightly in foil, tin and all, until cool (overnight).

Fruit cake will last for ages. Some say, properly stored, that it can last for 25 years, but most people will say about 3 months unfrozen is the average. I like to say, "until you eat it all!" :)

Mulled-Wine Pork and Stone Fruits

It's only a week until Christmas, and Stephen and I are debating over what to cook (because of course, we're cooking). There are so many fantastic, tasty recipes to choose from that we've been trying them out over the last couple of weeks in an attempt to narrow down the list.

 

The recipe for Mulled-Wine Pork and Stone Fruit I found in Fast Healthy  struck me as rather Christmas-y with its combination of meat and fruit, and also scored some points in that the dish is pretty healthy, leaving more calories for the numerous desserts of Christmas day :)

This dish lived up to my expectations - the pork was tender and complex with the flavours it had taken on in the cooking process, the fruit deliciously soft and moist, and with the addition of chili, a new element of hotness was introduced. The mulled wine in itself is an ancient embodiment of Christmas, and it lends a beautifully spicy, aromatic dimension. It's a simple recipe that leads to impressive results, and I'll definitely consider making it next week.

Pork and Stone Fruit in Mulled Wine

INGREDIENTS

500 mL water
250 mL dry white wine
1/2 cup white sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
5 cloves
1/4 cup brandy
2 medium peaches, stoned and quartered
4 plums, stoned and quartered
2 nectarines, stoned and quartered
4 apricots, stoned and quartered
800g pork fillets, trimmed
1 fresh red or green sliced chili, to serve.

    1. Combine the water, wine and sugar in a large frying pan over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves; bring to a boil. Add fruit, cinnamon, cloves and brandy, then reduce heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes until fruit is tender, and using a slotted spoon, transfer fruit into a large bowl. Cover with a teatowel to keep warm.

    2.Return liquid to a boil and add the pork. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes or until pork is cooked through (pork should be slightly pink on the inside, no blood). Cool pork, in the liquid, for 10 minutes. Slice thickly and discard liquid.

    3. Divide fruit and any fruit juices among serving bowels, top with pork, and garnish with chili, if desired.