Yuletide is a special time. The scent of pine lingers by the fireplace and the aroma of gingerbread and egg nog fills the entire house. The lights on the tree glow and cast a rainbow of color on the walls. I can hear the stereo in the living room playing old classics like Jingle Bells and Here Comes Santa Claus.

Memories of past Yuletides come rushing back, of sitting on Santa’s lap and asking for a pony. Cutting carrot sticks for Santa’s reindeer and making sugar cookies for old St. Nick. Trimming the tree with my sisters and sneaking a sip of my mum’s homemade egg nog.

This year, I want to share some of these old holiday recipes with you. I hope you will enjoy them with your families.

Blessed Be!

Mum’s Homemade Egg Nog

12 eggs*
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 quarts milk
6 teaspoons vanilla
1 vanilla bean, scraped

In an extra large saucepan or tureen, beat together egg yolks, sugar and salt. Stir in 4 cups of the milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat a metal spoon with a thin film (about 160-170 degrees).

Remove from heat. Stir in remaining milk and vanilla. Cut and scrap inside of vanilla bean pods and whisk into the liquid mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, pour into bowl or pitcher.

Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream, a sprinkle of nutmeg, and a cinnamon stick.

Adding flavored brandy is optional. Yum.

* Refrigerate whipped egg whites and save for using in baking goodies the same day, like yummy meringue puffs (recipe below).

Holiday Meringue Puffs

This holiday meringue puffs recipe makes a great looking, tasty treat for placing on the cookie tray.

 

4 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup granulated sugar
Red and green decorating sugar

 

 

 

Medium bowl
Cookie sheets
Pastry bag or pastry decorator
Mixer
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Butter and flour cookie sheets; set aside. In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat egg whites until frothy. Add salt and cream of tartar, beat until soft peaks form. Continue beating, gradually adding sugar, until meringue is stiff and glossy. Spoon meringue into pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe out stars, 1-inch apart on prepared cookie sheet. Sprinkle with decorating sugar. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until firm, but not browned. Transfer to cooling surface.

Mum’s Buttery Currant Scones

2 cups flour (self-rising)
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup golden currants
a pinch of salt

Shake flour through a mesh sifter into bowl and cut in butter. Add salt. Add in currants and gently mix. Add milk a little at a time. Coat hands with flour and cutting board or work surface as well. Place dough onto the floured board and roll out until approximately 3/4 inch thickness. Cut scones into triangle shapes. Brush tops with a little milk and sprinkle with superfine sugar. Bake on a greased baking sheet at 425 degrees for 15 -18 minutes. Serve with tea for a lovely breakfast treat by the hearth.

Great-Great-Auntie Anne’s Hypocras

4 gallons claret
10 cinnamon sticks
8 oranges cut into quarters
1/3 pound of fine sugar
1/2 oz. ginger
1/2 oz. cloves
1/2 oz. nutmeg
1/2 gallon milk*
Into large tureen pour the wine, add the orange quarters, giving them a gentle squeeze before adding to the mixture. Toss in cinnamon sticks, sugar and the other spices, making sure to rub them to release their essence. Stir well and good. Pour into lidded containers and shake well. Let sit near sunny window for two days (shaking twice each day) then serve. *traditionally milk was added to this mixture, but I prefer the recipe without the milk, thank you. Yuck! LOL. Note: this is served and enjoyed at Beltaine and Samhain, as well as Yule. :)

Mum’s Hot Buttered Rum*

A combination of cinnamon and nutmeg promotes prosperity, protection, success, and general good wishes, which is why buttered rum makes an excellent festival drink.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 jiggers of rum, or to taste
whipping cream
Boiling water
In a small bowl beat butter together with brown sugar, powdered sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add 1 jigger of rum and 1/2 cup boiling water to each. Stir well and serve. Add dollop of whipped cream.

Mum’s Treacle Bread

Bread baked on Yule contains magical powers. If kept in the house, it will protect the home from fire. If put in a stable or granary or thrust in a heap of corn, it will protect your harvest from rats and weevils. Feed it to your livestock to keep them healthy. If such bread is allowed to dry out it can be crumbled into powder and given to a sick person in a cup of hot broth. Like Hot Cross Buns, the bread will only have these wonderful abilities if baked on the holiday itself.

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup milk or buttermilk
1 tablespoon treacle or molasses, heated until it runs
Sift together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Pinch in butter with fingers. Add sugar, egg, milk, and treacle. Mix thoroughly and knead for several minutes. Put into greased pie tin and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. It should sound hollow if you tap the bottom. Serve fresh from the oven with sweet butter.

Cass’ Spice It Up Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening**
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2/3 cup coarse granulated sugar

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. Set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the brown sugar, butter, and shortening. Stir in the molasses and egg. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients until everything is incorporated. Cover and chill dough for at least 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease baking sheets or line them with parchment paper. Roll the chilled dough into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball in the coarse sugar. If you do not have coarse sugar, you can use regular sugar. Place cookie 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets, and flatten slightly. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are cracked but still soft in the center. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

* Can substitute gluten free flour
** Can substitute for sunflower oil or other heart healthy oil

This entry was posted on Sunday, December 14th, 2008 at 4:33 pm and is filed under Life. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.