The Main Menu: Holiday gift ideas from the kitchen

By JAN MAIN

Christmas is the one time of year when cooks go into the kitchen to prepare seasonal treats. And this year, with rising food costs, a gift from your kitchen will be very welcome.

I have selected a range of recipes which may tickle your tastebuds and say “Make Me!” or better still, “Give me as a Gift!”
Be sure to make some for yourself as well!

Individual Christmas Puddings

The old-fashioned Christmas pudding, rich with candied fruit which would feed a crowd, has been streamlined here both in production with commercial mincemeat and quantity to feed a single person.

It’s ideal fare after a simple main course, perhaps a warming soup, to finish with a hearty dessert, on a cold winter’s night.
In the past, puddings had to be steamed for hours then served with custard, hard sauce or caramel sauce.

My English Nanna served her substantial pudding with a divine hard sauce flavoured with brandy and sherry- enough to chase away the winter blues.

On the other hand, my Canadian Grandmother served her carrot pudding with a hot caramel sauce. They were both delicious!
In fact, I could never choose which I preferred. To solve the problem, I made both sauces and served them with this luscious dessert.

Instead of steaming the pudding for hours, I learned early on to divide the pudding recipe into individual one cup servings and bake them in a roasting pan with an inch of boiling water (technically, this is called a bain-marie or boiling water bath) in the oven.

This simplified re-heating immensely and produced wonderful single servings which could be colourfully wrapped and given to people (especially those who did not cook!) for Christmas! Be sure to keep one for yourself!

1 cup (250 mL) softened butter
1 cup (300 mL) packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 jar, (635 mL) commercial mincemeat. Available in the baking section of the supermarket
4 cups (1 L) mixture, candied fruit such as cherries and dried chopped dried fruit such as apricots, dates, figs, raisins, currants, prunes and dried cranberries
1 cup (250 mL) toasted nuts such as almonds, pecans or walnuts
2 cups (500 mL) fine dry breadcrumbs
2 cups (500 mL) sifted cake and pastry flour
2 tsp (10 mL) each, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger
2 cups (500 mL) buttermilk or 1 1/2 cup milk plus 1/2 cup plain yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 F (180C). Prepare 8-12, 1 cup/ 1 ½ cup custard cups or oven proof souffle dishes lining base with parchment paper and spraying container with baking spray.

Use a large roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet to hold containers. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, cream butter until fluffy, gradually beat in brown sugar then eggs.

Gradually stir in candied fruit and chopped dried fruit, buttermilk or milk and yogurt then breadcrumbs and nuts. Combine well. Spoon into prepared baking dishes leaving ½ inch (1 cm) headspace. Cover with a circle of parchment paper.

Arrange molds in roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. Bring kettle to the boil and pour in about 1 inch (2.5 cm) boiling water into bottom of pan.

Place container in oven and bake about 1 hour or until pudding is firm to touch and golden brown around edges. Makes 8-12 servings.

Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate has become very expensive. However, it is still possible to make good truffles from imported chocolate for much less than buying ready-made truffles. Chocolate truffles are always a welcome gift!

1 bar (300 g) imported bittersweet chocolate (or semisweet for a sweeter taste). Available In supermarkets including No Frills
1/2 cup (125 mL)each, butter and whipping cream
1/4 cup (50 mL) liquor, choice of: orange liqueur, brandy, whisky or rum
Sifted cocoa to coat balls

Chop chocolate into small pieces and place in a medium mixing bowl with butter and whipping cream.

Place bowl over a saucepan with at least 2 inches (10 cm) boiling water. Bring saucepan to simmer with just enough heat to melt chocolate. Stir chocolate, butter and whipping cream until the chocolate mixture is smooth and melted. Stir in chosen liquor.

Remove mixing bowl to counter to cool then refrigerate until firm but not stiff.

Take a heaped teaspoon of chocolate and roll into ball. place in bowl of sifted cocoa; roll chocolate to coat evenly then place on tray. Repeat with all chocolate to produce even balls then refrigerate.

Makes about 40 to 48 truffles.

Shortbread

Shortbread is made from three ingredients: flour, sugar and butter.

However, it is type of ingredients and how they are combined to work their magic that produces a shortbread which melts in your mouth but is a bit crispy and has that delicious taste of all three caramelized together to produce the perfect cookie. You will know when you taste it. Melt in the mouth delicious and always a welcome gift!

1 cup (250 mL) butter, softened
1/2 cup (125 mL) fine fruit sugar or granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
1/2cup (125 mL) rice flour

Preheat oven to 275 F (140 C) Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer beat butter until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar until well creamed. Measure your flour by spooning it into a dry measure and levelling it off with a knife. Gradually beat in flour then rice flour.

Knead with hands until smooth and satiny and form into a ball.

Roll dough out between 2 layers of parchment paper rolling away from you until dough is ½ inch (.5 cm) thick.

Cut into desired shapes using a knife or small cookie cutters.

Arrange on prepared baking sheet leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) between cookies.

Bake in preheated oven about 30-35 minutes or until a pale brown. Cool on rack. Store in cookie tin for up to a week, for longer storage freeze for up to 3 months. Shortbreads freeze well!

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.