Cookery Book Club December - Nigella Christmas and any other Christmas themed cookbook

[Pantah630]

New thread, thought I'd better start it early so we can all get ahead. I can't decide on my other book yet, might pick and chose from the others. I have the WI Complete Christmas, Delia's Christmas and Hairy a Bikers 12 Days of Christmas, just in case anyone can recommend some good recipes to try.

Definitely do the gingerbread. I'm still eating mine a week later and it's moist and lovely.

I did the mincemeat someone linked to on the poncetastic thread, which was apple and whisky. It's really nice (I might not have any of batch one of the mince pies left to freeze) and not at all overpowering. My 3 yr old liked it too.

Is nigellas gingerbread the cake with fresh grated ginger? Do you use the fresh ginger and what does it taste like?

I used frozen ginger and it tastes good. There's a good gingery kick but not overpowering.

I used fresh, I should probably have used more because the overwhelming aftertaste, quite pleasant, is of the treacle rather than ginger.

I didn't measure out the fresh ginger because it was frozen, so I just broke a couple of chunks off.

I've made another one, some more mince pies and the armandine tart in Mary Berry's book. But the top of the tart is slightly burnt after reducing the temperature and cooking for 45 minutes.

Off to buy some more white choc chips to make more of Nigella's cookies.

I've got the gingerbread and the white chocolate and cranberry biscuits in the oven. Smells fab! Meant to say that I often tinker with the quantities of the latter recipe, using just 100g of chocolate chips, reducing the sugar by 25g and making up the dry weight with extra oats. They still turn out really well.

The gingerbread I realise I have made before, and that is also a forgiving recipe

oh no, I've given the clementines to my neighbour and now I don't have any to make muffins with! Will have to try these cookies as I've made the gingerbread. Quite fancy the maple cheesecake but I think that'd be a bit greedy for two

I've just made Nigella's cranberry sauce and bunged it in the freezer. Seems yummy, very quick and easy. I used a bit of cranberry liqueur plus normal brandy as I didn't have any cherry brandy.

I picked up Nigella Christmas at the library earlier this week. Was planning to bake today but woke up this morning with a nasty sickness bug.

Now I've stopped throwing up I'm vicariously enjoying all the baking on the thread.

rhinestone hope you're feeling better very soon.

schmalex the cranberry sauce is delicious we had it last year.

I made the gingerbread muffins from Feast as I do every year on 1st December- they are good and last a while as they are v moist.

I like the cranberry cookies too... Maybe tomorrow...

More cranberry cookies here, yum. I used walnut instead of pecan and egg replacer instead of egg as DD is allergic so we don't have them in the house (not that she's allowed cookies anyway at 10mo!).

Really tasty combination and nice and squidgy. A tiny bit greasy though, not sure why but perhaps the oven was a bit cool. Will consult short and sweet!

I'm also going to give the cranberry sauce and beetroot chutney a go, plus the Christmas morning muffins.

Must... ice... cake.

actually I take it back, they're not at all greasy now they've cooled

I'm probably talking to myself here but I made the cranberry sauce and Christmas morning muffins this morning. The sauce is incredibly easy and so delicious I can't believe I've never tried making it before. Definitely an addition to my seasonal repertoire. I must confess I used a mixture of kirsch and brandy rather than buying cherry brandy though.

The muffins are yummy too though not sure they'll knock home cured salmon off our morning menu. Perhaps they could be the veggie option

No I'm listening glorious
Will have a look at those muffins. I've bought a ham to cook but don't like ham in coke so doubtful I'd like it in cherry coke, with use the MN staple and just bung in 400g dark muscovado.

I got some sausagemeat too so will have a look for a nice stuffing recipe.

I'm planning on using the Mary Berry lemon and thyme stuffing. It sounds similar to stuff I've made up in the past, so I thought I'd try a proper recipe this year.

And I'm trying her chestnut amd apricot stuffing instead of my traditional walnut and apricot. It had better be good!

I've got my sausage meat reserved to collect at tomorrow's farmer's market, and will make some sausage rolls, probably using Delia's recipe.

Sunday we're eating Mary Berry's pheasants in apple, Monday is Delia's venison sausage casserole. Can't wait!

oh good [waves]

Mmmm, ham. Haven't tried it in coke but have been meaning to.

Stuffing sounds good, hope it's not a disappointment compared to normal. I usually do a family lemon and parsley one plus a sausagemeat one. MIL won't give me their family recipe even when we're hosting because I'm not a blood relation and it passes down the female line so she won't give it to DH either. It's not even particularly interesting!

Does she think you'll sell the recipe on? I can't understand folk not sharing recipes, they never stay the same with me as I like to tweak and bung stuff in I need to use up.

Lemon and thyme stuffing sounds divine humbug and by chance I have both, may give it a go. We're having roast pork tomorrow so would go well.

I have no idea pantah , I only asked to be nice because they were coming to ours and I know they all like it. She brought some in a dish instead

Christmas morning muffins here today, though with fresh blueberries instead of dried cranberries. Lovely, though the batch that are paler in hue are infinitely nicer than the ones I almost forgot about

Have made another batch of the cranberry and pecan cookies too. I love them!

Festive couscous from Christmas was good. I've also made the redder than red cranberry sauce. It's got a punch, but I was distracted when adding the alcohol and added twice as much as I was meant to! The Christmas coleslaw is good too but there are less faffy red cabbage coleslaw recipes around....

Finally got round to making something from Nigella, made the gingerbread today and it's lovely, nice and sticky! I'm hoping it's like other gingerbreads I've made and gets stickier over time.

Going to brine the turkey tonight too, luckily we're having a crown and I have a large fridge so I don't need to leave it outside.

Ooh we have a red cabbage can't, I'll have a look at that coleslaw. Might have to make a substitution for mayo if required though.

I'm making the beetroot chutney as a little extra present for a few people. It's still cooking but it smells good.

Mary Berry's Highland pheasant last night, needed more seasoning but very nice a quick too, then her mincemeat bread and butter pudding tonight- lovely.

Had Delia's venison sausages in white wine today. They weren't venison (they were game with venison, wild boar and something else). Delicious.

Onto the serious cooking and prep tomorrow!