Christmas Food things- make or buy?

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Cake- I've made, I like a light fruit cake not a dark one

Marzipan- homemade is much nicer.

Royal icing rather than the roll out fondant (though I've got some for decorations and some little snowflake cutters)

Mince Pies- I cannot get them nice. Either rock hard or fugly. I like the Sainsburys Taste the Difference Mini ones

Yorkshire Puddings - Aunt Bessie

Stollen- I bake, shop ones too buttery and rum soaked

Bread sauce - I'll have all the ingediants so I'll make it

Braised red cabbage - Waitrose or Sainsburys

Christmas Puddings- I don't usually do, but I had fruit left from the cake so I made some

Cupcakes- make, shop butter icing , eurgh

Mincemeat- made it once, lifes too short

Steak pie- I will make so I know what's in it (which reminds me, I'll need a trip to the butcher, which is an experience for a vegetarian )

Is marzipan easy? I fancied making some but didn't get my act together this year so bought (then ate and bought again ) the marzipan for the cakes I've made.

Cake Made it.

Marzipan- homemade is much nicer. Agree

Royal icing Will make it.

Mince Pies- Will make ones with crumble topping.

Yorkshire Puddings - I make these, but don't have the for Christmas dinner.

Stollen- Tried the Lidl ones but now have made my own version.

Bread sauce - I'll have all the ingediants so I'll make it me too

Braised red cabbage - Made tons of it up and it's in the freezer

Christmas Puddings- I don't usually do, but I had fruit left from the cake so I made some Same

Cupcakes- make, shop butter icing , eurgh totally agree

Mincemeat- made it once, lifes too short Agree but I add to it.

Steak pie- I will make so I know what's in it (which reminds me, I'll need a trip to the butcher, which is an experience for a vegetarian wink ) Agree

Make:

Xmas cake (today, plus some Christmas cookies DD wants to make with me)

Mince pies (this week)

Buy:

Yorkshire puds (for Christmas, although I can make them from scratch - its just less faff on the day)

Stuffing (there are such good fresh stuffings available now, saves me sticking my hands in a bowl of minced pig )

I use Delias recipe for marzipan or almond paste ( I think almond paste is softer)
I use Amarretto in my cake and marzipan (well it has got raw egg so it acts as a preservative ) almond extract ,lemon juice, ground almonds, icing sugar and caster sugar.
Last year I used the silicone blade on the mixer to knead it then rolled out between siliconed paper. Delicious.

I tried a Martha Stweart cookie recipe (once I'd gone online to decifer all the American names and measures) they were gorgeous, much nicer than Millies which sometimes seem undercooked.
I'll make some for Christmas Eve

Thank you 70 DH loves marzipan but hates fruit cake and mince pies. I think I'll make him choc covered marzipan.

Cake is made but will use shop marzipan.
My mince pies are crap.
Red cabbage home made
Everything else bought

I love stollen slices but I'm not as keen on "proper" stollen, I've not Bern able to find a recipe for the slices - does anyone have one?

Thanks 70, I'll have a google for a recipe to try out.

Mum sent me three little M&S puddings but everything else I will burn or otherwise ruin make myself.