Saturday, 25 December 2010

Christmas baking like Grandma used to do

Grandma Abson aged about 16 in 1900
Today is Christmas Day, and I've been busy preparing some treats for the family over the past few weeks and days in preparation for this special day on the baking calendar. I've been particularly busy as I have been setting up my new blog where I will be sharing the baking passion and expertise that I inherited from Grandma Abson. So bear with me as I'm new to this! I hope you'll enjoy these baking tips and stories.

Homemade Mince pies

On Christmas Eve, we had my daughter's fiance and his family over. Grandma Abson's tasty Mince pies are always a really crowd pleaser. They are bitesize so you can enjoy more than one without feeling guilty. I make Mince pies with home made mincemeat and Grandma's melt in the mouth pastry. To make them extra special you can make Christmassy shapes such as stars, bells and Christmas trees out of the pastry on top, and brush them with milk before popping them in the oven. Try them for yourself.


At the end of October, I always make Grandma Abson's Christmas Cake. My tip is to always make the cake at least six weeks in advance so that the brandy  can mature, then just before Christmas, I put the finishing touches - home made almond paste and icing. We are usually too full to start the cake on Christmas Day, so we usually have a slice with afternoon tea and Wensleydale cheese on Boxing Day. 

Grandma Abson's Christmas Cake

Happy Christmas everyone!

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