Lebkuchen

I love Lebkuchen, the spiced Christmas-time biscuits from Germany which are slightly soft rather than crisp.  They are often called German Gingerbread with the most famous type originating from Nuremburg. The German Food Guide gives more information on the different types of Lebkuchen.  This recipe is for the most well known type: Brown Lebkuchen, but there is a lesser known White Lebkuchen made with almonds and [...]

Read Full Post »

Gingered Glazed Ham

Ham is a traditional meat for the Christmas table, alongside the usual turkey.  We particularly enjoy them together at tea time as cold cuts with salad, pickles and chutneys. Cooking the ham completely or partially in ginger ale, rather than conventionally in water, gives a lovely sweet flavour which penetrates the whole joint of meat. Adding [...]

Read Full Post »

‘Jolly’ Ginger Biscuits

This recipe was given to our family by Mrs Jolly, the Swedish mother of my brother’s school friend Neal.  It’s one of those recipes that works every time.  A lovely crispy spiced biscuit: very more-ish.  At a glance, the amount of spice used seems rather a lot: the original recipe calls for scant teaspoonfuls.  Once you have tried [...]

Read Full Post »

Last Minute Mincemeat & Mince Pies

Mincemeat is a traditional sweetened filling which has altered down the centuries.  It no longer contains minced meat (originally mutton or pork), of course, but most mincemeat includes shredded beef or vegetarian suet.  Mincemeat is relatively easy to make, but sometimes time is tight and this is a useful shortcut.  This is an easy version for improving on [...]

Read Full Post »

Sweetcorn Pancake Fritters

This recipe evolved from some experimentation when I wanted to make some corn fritters to serve with Chicken Gumbo, although it was not difficult to work out a satisfactory recipe.  I wanted a fritter that involved shallow frying using a minimum of oil, rather than a calorie laden deep fried version.  (I do not own a deep fat fryer.)  After [...]

Read Full Post »

Hyacinth’s Salt Fish Cakes

I have eaten lots of Caribbean Salt Fish Cakes but my friend Hyacinth, originally from Jamaica, definitely makes the very best Salt Fish Cakes in E17!  They always ‘go like hot (fish) cakes’ when she brings them to church shared lunches.  One thing that makes them particularly good are that they are crispy outside, soft inside and most importantly, unlike [...]

Read Full Post »

Autumn Pudding

I was delighted to discover that you could make a version of my favourite Summer Pudding (usually raspberries, strawberries & currants) with Autumn fruits (plums, blackberries and apples) and that it was equally delicious.  This, along with Lemon Meringue Ice Cream, was the dessert course for a special family meal. 
The original version of this recipe is from [...]

Read Full Post »

Lemon Meringue Ice Cream

For a special family birthday meal I was planning to serve Autumn Pudding as dessert, but also wanted to please the ice cream loving members of the family! I like the mixture of lemon and blackberry so thought this recipe sounded ideal. It was very sweet and very rich, in some ways rather overpowering the Autumn Pudding, but [...]

Read Full Post »

Lemon Curd

I wanted to make Lemon Meringue Ice Cream and the recipe called for good luxury shop bought or home made Lemon Curd.  Shop bought?! (Even if it is luxury.)  Lemon curd is so easy to make and I had the ingredients in the fridge so it was no contest.  I’m surprised I don’t make it more often: it never lasts [...]

Read Full Post »

Raspberry Bakewell Pudding

I first served Raspberry Bakewell Pudding when my parents came to lunch (after all the recipe had come from their newspaper) and we all thought it was absolutely delicious. I love the buttery-almondy ‘frangipane’ Bakewell Tart filling, or Bakewell Pudding, if you prefer, to give it its proper Bakewell, Derbyshire name.  (Frangipane is the term commonly used for a filling either made from or flavored like almonds.) This is [...]

Read Full Post »