Holiday Treats
Monday, 9. April 2007, 03:50:43
During the holiday season, Rob & Yvonne came over for drinks before going out to dinner. I made some shortbread biscuits and a mulled (hot) red wine. I used a toaster oven to bake the shortbreads, and the day before I baked an orange banana walnut muffin cake. Usually you bake muffins in a special muffin tin with 6 compartments, but since I didn’t have a muffin tin and couldn’t find one in Zhanjiang, I used a glass ovenproof baking dish.
The shortbreads turned out rather well and Yvonne and Rob enjoyed the mulled red wine, also called ‘Glogg’ in Germany and ‘Vin Brule’ in France, so I thought I would pass on the recipes. The red wine is easy to make in large quantities. If you are having a party, use a larger saucepan and double the recipe, but be careful -- hot red wine can make you very happy.
SHORTBREAD
Preheat oven to 325F (163C)
Cream 1 cup of butter 236ml with 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Sift together:
2 cups of all-purpose flour (476ml)
1/2 a cup of sifted confectioners’ sugar (118ml)
1/4 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp. of baking powder
Blend the dry ingredients into the butter.
Press the stiff dough very flat and thin on a floured board. Cut into round biscuit shapes with the top of a glass. Re-shape and press dough as necessary to use it all up.
Arrange dough circles on a flat metal baking pan and bake for 10 minutes. You may need to do several batches depending on the size of your pan. Makes about 20 biscuits
ORANGE, BANANA, WALNUT MUFFINMakes 12 medium muffins. Cut recipe in half for one small cake
Pre-heat oven: 400F(200C)
In a food processor or blender, reduce to puree with1/4 cup of sugar:
one whole orange including skin – cut in sections and remove pips first.
In a small bowl add and combine well:
2 eggs
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of butter
2 small mashed bananas
orange puree as prepared
1/2 cup orange juice
In a large bowl combine well:
11/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup of chopped walnuts
Combine wet and dry ingredients and fold together gently until just mixed. (Don’t over mix). Spoon into greased muffin tin, small pan or ovenproof glass bowl. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on rack before eating.
MULLED RED WINE
Place in a saucepan, covered over high heat:
I bottle dry red wine
4 sticks of cinnamon
6 cloves
Peel of one orange
3 tbls. sugar.
Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and gently simmer.
You may uncover it and light it so it flames before serving in mugs or glasses
The shortbreads turned out rather well and Yvonne and Rob enjoyed the mulled red wine, also called ‘Glogg’ in Germany and ‘Vin Brule’ in France, so I thought I would pass on the recipes. The red wine is easy to make in large quantities. If you are having a party, use a larger saucepan and double the recipe, but be careful -- hot red wine can make you very happy.
SHORTBREADPreheat oven to 325F (163C)
Cream 1 cup of butter 236ml with 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Sift together:
2 cups of all-purpose flour (476ml)
1/2 a cup of sifted confectioners’ sugar (118ml)
1/4 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp. of baking powder
Blend the dry ingredients into the butter.
Press the stiff dough very flat and thin on a floured board. Cut into round biscuit shapes with the top of a glass. Re-shape and press dough as necessary to use it all up.
Arrange dough circles on a flat metal baking pan and bake for 10 minutes. You may need to do several batches depending on the size of your pan. Makes about 20 biscuits
ORANGE, BANANA, WALNUT MUFFINMakes 12 medium muffins. Cut recipe in half for one small cake
Pre-heat oven: 400F(200C)
In a food processor or blender, reduce to puree with1/4 cup of sugar:
one whole orange including skin – cut in sections and remove pips first.
In a small bowl add and combine well:
2 eggs
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of butter
2 small mashed bananas
orange puree as prepared
1/2 cup orange juice
In a large bowl combine well:
11/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup of chopped walnuts
Combine wet and dry ingredients and fold together gently until just mixed. (Don’t over mix). Spoon into greased muffin tin, small pan or ovenproof glass bowl. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on rack before eating.
MULLED RED WINEPlace in a saucepan, covered over high heat:
I bottle dry red wine
4 sticks of cinnamon
6 cloves
Peel of one orange
3 tbls. sugar.
Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and gently simmer.
You may uncover it and light it so it flames before serving in mugs or glasses
WIDGETIZE
Yvonne Larmour # 12. April 2007, 01:55