Tell me about your Christmas baking

[Falafelolive]

Christmas baking chat.
I've so far made spice biscuits and brandy snaps as gifts, mince pies and sausage rolls made and in the freezer, and am planning on doing a bit more baking but not sure what.
What have you made so far and what are you planning to make?

I’ve made nothing yet but I am going to make mince pies but with a crumble (and hazelnut) topping

Not doing a Christmas cake as nobody here likes it, but I fancy making a cake of some sort, something Christmassy

Oh I like the sound of a hazelnut crumble topping

Fudge and granola made as gifts. Would like to make more but I'm stuck with the fact that a lot of the recipes I would make wouldn't last a month or so (long enough to be unwrapped Christmas day and then time to be eaten). Would love to hear ideas!

On the savoury side I've got red cabbage that I want to braise in the slow cooker this week and freeze for the big day. Apart from prepping the veg and turkey everything else will be purchased ready to cook or serve.

I'm planning to make stollen, as I have the ground almonds that I bought to make them last year! I always make brownies to give/send as gifts. I'd also love to make some cookies and decorate them in that lovely cutesy way!

Never made it before but thinking of making a gingerbread Yule log just before Christmas, to my ginger and cinnamon is all very Christmassy and I do like a bit of a challenge! And if that doesn't turn out well, then I might make some gingerbread spongecake tray bake instead, as that always turns out well!

Prepped sausage rolls - in freezer now.
mince pies first batch made yesterday snd DH has promptly worked his way through them.
Swiss roll - practice run today as mum is on very low fat diet and want to offer her a safe alternative to Xmas pud.

To make -
marbled choc & vanilla cake for midweek party.
choc log and fruit crumble for son and his mate at weekend
granola for daughter

Xmas pud was made last year, just needs a dousing in booze this week
not mad on Xmas cake so we have other sweet treats as yet undecided

Danish biscuits

Sorry sent too soon.

Danish biscuits the kind that came in the tins people use for sewing kits 😂

So delicious. Also gingerbread men. (I have young kids)

We'll make brownies and decorate as reindeer with smarties, edible eyes and pretzels for ears too.

Frangipane topped mince pies (DH favourite)
Brownies and dark sticky gingerbread in the freezer
Also cinnamon buns - waaaay too many and too delicious so some are confiscated in the freezer to slow us down
@Falafelolive Tunis cake is a light, plain-ish alternative to Christmas cake. Madeira loaf with cherries is a good shout too. Quite traditional in Scotland at new year.

I'm intrigued now about making stollen, off to Google some recipes over coffee.
Love the idea of frangipane topped mince pies too

I'm looking forward to decorating my Christmas cake this weekend. Years ago I bought the most lovely and vastly reduced Emma Bridgewater for Fortnum and Mason cake plate and I love getting it out.

Also going to make:

Sausage rolls,
Gingerbread for everyone to decorate,
Some little sponge cakes in the shape of presents - I bought a mould yesterday,
A winter crumble as a Christmas dessert.

This week I'm making a huge batch of chilli jelly and caramelised onions to clear the freezer and this years onion harvest.

Next week I am making those riconelli almond biscuits and a chocolate and cream swiss roll.

I took a small Christmas cake to a thing yesterday and I have one batch of pan forte done - gave some away. Need to do another batch.

Will do sponge cake for trifle, another small Christmas cake and a nutmeg slice thing.

Chocolate orange oat cookies with dark chocolate chips, orange zest, cinnamon and nutmeg. Never done them before but make a change from shortbread.

Dd and I have already made (and eaten) two batches of mince pies!

To make this week are Christmas biscuits for the tree, some shortbread for neighbours visiting, Lebkuche for dh and something gingery but haven’t decided what yet.

Just stepping sideways but peanut brittle and baklava are great gifts that can be done early...and with nine days to go there's not much I can crack on with unless I freeze and defrost.

Well, apart from the sprouts. Need to turn them down to simmer today or they'll never be ready for Christmas lunch 🤔

@Falafelolive @PatChaunceysFruitCake what's your sausage roll recipe please

Sausage rolls, mince pies, chocolate Swiss roll, buttercream to go in & on said Swiss roll for chocolate log-all in the freezer

Oh & pre prepped roast potatoes

Today I'm making fudge and cauliflower cheese and wondering if I can prep/parboil then freeze carrots for Xmas day. Am feeding 12 and working Xmas eve so trying to get ahead.

The gingerbread Yule log sounds delicious.

Also re sausage rolls, does anyone cook them or freeze them raw?

Gifts:

Gardeners chutney
Fudge & Tablet
Granola
Brownie 'kits' for kids (add egg and done)

For eating (frozen)
Caramelised onion and sage sausage rolls
Loaded cookie dough (in freezer)
Mince pies with brandy
Mince pies with frangipane

To do:
Brandy snaps
Sugar cookies
Brownies
Flapjacks (DC's request)

@PomandersandRedRibbon I cook my sausage rolls before freezing then defrost & reheat or eat cold.

Mince pies however I freeze pre cooked

I’m off to buy ingredients for sausage rolls today and some mincemeat for mince pies.

Have just iced two Christmas cakes. Going to make a Yule log. Plan to do all the baking Xmas Eve. If I made them this week everything would be gone before the big day- think my ds and son in law inhale homemade stuff ! I did Nigella’s filo pastry mince twist things years ago they were nice.
And cheese and pesto straws are so easy and yummy, will do some of those.

My ex Greek MIL makes the most amazing Greek Xmas biscuits and sends a big box round every weekend! They don't last very long in our house so I've had a crack at making some myself, they haven't turned out as nice as hers 😅 they are called Kourabiedes

Cranberry and port sauce.
Sausage rolls - pheasant and cranberry, pork and apple.
Mincemeat to be done today (I'm always late with it!!)
Mince pies.
Gingerbread
Mini game and Stilton pies topped with cranberry sauce
Pheasant and bacon wellington
Mince pies.