Best christmas baking ideas

[CareBearWithFangs]

For the first time in ages I actually have a decent amount of time off over christmas and I'd really like to bake some Christmassy treats.

What do you love to bake at christmas time? And what's your favourite treats to eat?

Best Christmas Baking Ideas...............................

Paul Hollywood in an apron ( just an apron )

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Have you done your cake and puddings (you can do them anytime)

For Christmas, nearer the time we do:

cupcakes with butter icing (which I used to hate until I found out how to make it properly)

fairy cakes with icing and covered in sprinkles

last year I made a chocolate cornflake wreath ( set in a round tin with a glass in the centre to make a ring shape) Then before it set, red smarties and icing holly leaves

gingerbread men

and the Lakeland Limited Vanilla Cookie tree (I haven't got the proper cutters but we used star cutters)

millionaire shortbread
chocolate brownies with pecans, walnuts and white chocolate chunks.

It's nice to have things that you can keep for a while.

Cinnamon and dried banana chip buns with walnuts

(But I never make mince pies at Christmas, they never seem to work)

Carrot cake . Keeps well and delish.

I have a few German friends and they always have a biscuit baking marathon before Christmas, making al sorts of German Christmas biscuits which they give to friends and family. Its rather lovely - I bet if you Google German Christmas biscuits you would get loads of ideas.

For my part, I always make lemon shortbread stars, Christmas cake, mince pies and this year will make spiced carrot and orange cupcakes (a few dried fruit haters coming) and, I hope, iced snowflake biscuits.

I have been meaning for years to make stained glass biscuits. Make a biscuit dough and cut holes in each biscuit, put a boiled sweet in the hole before putting them in the oven

Panforte
Stollen
Chocolate salami
Chocolate bark
Fudge
Marshmallows

Iced gingerbread shapes
Gingerbread house
Stained glass window biscuits
Cheese stars
Chocolate salami
Candied orange peel dipped in dark chocolate
Peppermint bark

I basically make the Nigella Christmas book plus some novelty iced cupcakes.

Favourite recipes are the sticky gingerbread which I sometimes make as cupcakes with lemon cream cheese frosting, and the Christmas rocky road which is amazing.

We make a chocolate log, sometimes coconut ice mice...

could someone post a stollen recipe?

The thought of Paul Hollywood in just an apron is horrifying!

I'll come back and read all the tasty suggestion after I've bleached my eyes and mind.

I love the chocolate conflake garland idea!

*Cornflake!

70 how do you make your butter icing?

I love the cornflake garland idea too - definitely going to do that one!

Jam tarts :)

Not quite baking, but Hugh Furry-Milkingstool has some lush snacky recipes on the guardian website - spiced nuts and chocolate bark...v simple and delicious.

Iced sugar cookies
Loads of different types of choc chip and nut cookies
Rum balls (cross between a truffle and a cookie)

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I am going to make gingerbread reindeer this year (upside down gingerbread men make great reindeer)

I do brownies (Nigella Lawsons Snowflecked brownies) got some more brownie flavour inspiration from thia thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/Christmas/1912928-Christmas-Brownies

I do brownies (Nigella Lawsons Snowflecked brownies) got some more brownie flavour inspiration from thia thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/Christmas/1912928-Christmas-Brownies

I make those brownies too Raisah. We have them as pudding on Christmas Eve still warm with vanilla ice cream, and the left over ones go in a tin to have over the following days or for those that dislike Xmas pud, mince pies etc, they can have one of those.

I also make (it's a Nigella theme), her sticky gingerbread - it lasts for a good while and is nice with a cup of tea while writing Xmas cards, wrapping presents etc.

I also do a mince pie from BBC good food, which is foolproof and very delicious. So good, I no longer buy store bought anymore. www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2174/unbelievably-easy-mince-pies

What is chocolate salami?

Without a doubt Nigella's iced Christmas cookies. I can't remember the exact name but they are amazing.

Yes what is a chocolate salami? It sounds amazing!