Jam-filled Egg Nog Pie (A.K.A. Scone in the US) | BLOGMAS DAY 13

If you've seen yesterday's post you'll know that I'd searched high and low for one ingredients: egg nog. I gave up and ended up making it. The reason I needed it so badly is not because I fancied sipping it by the fire, it was mainly for the following recipe; a strawberry jam-filled 'pie'. The recipe is American and was found in the December issue of the Food Network magazine. I've adapted it slightly and changed the measurements from cups to grams/ml. Now, i've stated that it's a pie when I don't really know what it is. The Americans have called it a 'scone' when it barely resembles the English scone. It's got the texture of a rock cake and actually tastes a bit like one too (I think it's the nutmeg). However its jammy inside, crumbly texture and sweet, spiced taste from the egg nog, just keeps me coming back slice after slice. 

Ingredients

125ml egg nog (you can find my recipe here) + extra for glazing
1 large egg
250g plain flour + more for dusting
2 tbsp caster sugar + more for sprinkling
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
90g cold, unsalted butter
Strawberry jam
Flaked almonds

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees. Whisk the egg nog and egg in a  bowl. 

2. In a large bowl add: the flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Whisk together.

3. Cut the butter into small pieces and work into the flour until almost incorporated. You want some small pea-size lumps to remain. Add the egg nog mixture and mix to form a dough.

4. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Divide the dough in half and press one half into a 7-inch round onto the prepared tray. 

5. Spread the jam on the dough but don't go right to edge. Leave an inch gap from the edge.

6. Cut another piece of baking parchment and on it press the other half of the dough into a round the same size. Place the dough on top of the other half of dough and gently press the edges together.

7. Score the top of the dough into 8 pieces. Brush the top of the dough with egg nog. Sprinkle with sugar and the flaked almonds. Baked for 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool slightly and then cut the scones a long the scored lines. You can serve them warm or at room temp, perhaps with a glass of egg nog?

Traditional Egg Nog | BLOGMAS DAY 12

I wasn't originally going to make egg nog. I was going to buy the carton stuff. I searched high and low for it: Morrisons, Waitrose, Tesco.. no luck. Ocado had it but they were sold out. Eventually I gave in and thought to myself that I'm just going to have to bloody make it myself aren't I! I found a recipe online, and that's what I did today. 
I'd never really had egg nog properly before today. I'd had that Advocaat stuff but I don't think that is reaaaally egg nog. A lot of people are saying it is and some are saying it's not. Since it only contains the egg yolks and egg nog contains also some whipped egg whites, I'd say it's not the real thing. 
I found my recipe on the Jamie Oliver website and found it really simple to make! It's such a wonderfully festive drink that we always associate with an American Christmas, so perfect for this time of year to be drank by the fire. It's lovely and creamy; a perfect night-cap to send you to sleep.

This recipe serves 8

Ingredients

700ml whole milk
240ml double cream
3 cinnamon sticks
1 vanilla pod with the seeds scraped out, or 1 tsp vanilla extract with seeds
1 tsp ground nutmeg
5 eggs, separated
130g granulated sugar
175ml dark rum

Method

1. In a saucepan, combine the milk, cream, cinnamon sticks, vanilla and nutmeg.

2. Bring the milk mixture to a boil and then remove from the heat. Leave to steep for 10 minutes.

3. Separate the eggs and add the yolks to a bowl. Add the sugar and whisk until the mixture goes pale and thick ribbons form when you lift out the whisk.

4. Slowly whisk in the milk mixture until it's fully combined. Add the rum, stir, and then pour into a large container or a jug (you might need two). Put in the fridge once cool enough, and cool completely in there (about an hour). 

5. Before you serve, whisk the egg whites to form soft peaks.

6. Once whipped, carefully fold into the egg nog mixture. Serve with a sprinkling of nutmeg, preferably in front of a fire somewhere!

And if you're interested...

Vlogmas day 12

Christmas TV to Watch 2017 | BLOGMAS DAY 11

Christmas is as much about gorging on food and spreading festive cheer as it is about sitting down in front of the telly, watching old comedies and Christmas day specials. 
I don't know when this tradition started, but definitely sometime after I could read. I would sit down with the Radio Time's double issue, highlighting the programs I want to watch this Christmas. I know I'm not the only one who does this! 
So this year I thought, since i'm doing Blogmas, I would share with you those programs I'm excited to watch. I may not have the same viewing taste as you, but I hope I manage to inform you on some tv crackers for you to watch this season. Happy viewing! 

P.S - does anyone else always end up in conflict with a family member about what to watch?? I do - It's inevitable and wouldn't be Christmas without it!!

Saturday 23rd

BBC 1
8:55pm / Miranda - The last ever episode of Miranda! 

BBC 2 
8:30pm / Dad's Army - My Dad is a big fan so I expect he'll want to watch it. I do also find it quite funny (this conflicts with Miranda! I'll have to record one of them).

ITV
7:30pm / Ant & Dec...The Missing Crown Jewels - The hilarious weekly clips from Saturday Night Takeaway are put together to make a program. Mary Berry's in it. Enough said!

Channel 4
5:10pm / Gogglesprogs Christmas Special - I've never watched Gogglesprogs! It does sound good though, as children come out with the funniest things!

BBC 4
7:00pm / Stuffed: the Great British Christmas Dinner - Historians and food critics, including Prue Leith, look at traditional Christmas dinner to see how it can survive in our diverse culture as it is now. I love food, so this will be interesting.

Sky 1
12:15am / Michael Buble's Christmas in New York - I'll have to record this since it's on so early. I love a bit of Buble!

Sky Premiere 
5:50pm / Hidden Figures - After Fabio read the book this film is based on, he's been raving about it, saying I should watch the film. Perhaps I will! It's a biographical drama about three black, female Nasa employees who contributed massively to the US Space Program back in the 60s.

Christmas Eve

BBC 1
7:00pm / Mary, Mel and Sue's Big Christmas Thank You - I'm really looking forward to seeing this trio back together. They'll be in the Rhondda Valley, organising a party at a community centre there. Mary will be cooking a roast! 

8:30pm / Michael Mcintyre's Big Christmas Show - I've been following this show and will not miss an episode! 

10:30pm / The Vicar of Dibley, The Christmas Lunch Incident - You all know this classic. I can watch it a million times and it never gets old! Hilarious.

BBC 2
5:45pm / Carols from Kings - It doesn't feel like Christmas until I hear the angel voices of the choir from Kings.

ITV
6:40pm / All Star Musicals - Celebrities trying to sing is always a good watch.

Channel 4
5:20pm / The Snowman - Makes me cry every time!

5:55pm / The Snowman and the Snowdog - see above!

8:00pm / Child Genius vs Celebrities Christmas Special - I love a good quiz at Christmas and I think this episode will prove hilarious.

Sky 1
6:00pm / Ratburger - An adaptation of David Walliam's book of the same name. Sheridan Smith will be starring in it, as well as other well-known faces.

Christmas Day

BBC 1
4:45pm / The Highway Rat - An animation narrated by Rob Brydon, based on the book by Julia Donaldson. I reckon it'll be one of those Christmas feel-good animations that'll make me cry!

10:30pm / 300 Years of French and Saunders - The comedy duo come together to look back at their years together, featuring some new comedy sketches. 

BBC 2
5:30pm / The Queen - Most years we have the Queen's annual address on, even if it is just in the background.

Boxing Day

6:30pm / Snow Bears - A documentary is always needed at Christmas. This one is about two polar bear cubs who make a 400-mile treacherous journey. Tear-inducing, yet again.

8:00pm / Little Women - A new series based on the well-known classic.

BBC 2

10:00pm / QI - Fabio and I love a bit of QI, any day of the year!

ITV

10:15pm / Bird of a Feather - My Mum used to watch this comedy and I faintly remember watching it with her. It'll be interesting to see if this new episode is still as funny! 

Wednesday 27th

Channel 4

9:00pm / Miranda Does Christmas - Like I said, I find Miranda hilarious. Any show of hers I'll be watching!

What are you most looking forward to watching this Christmas?


And if you're interested...

Vlogmas day 11

Apple Hot Toddy | BLOGMAS DAY 10

Christmas is the time of year when dark evenings are spent cuddling up on the sofa, snuggling up under a blanket, whilst drinking a hot cup of something. 
My parents recently gifted me an early Christmas present - Nigel Slater's Christmas Chronicles. I absolutely love Nigel. His writing about food is like poetry to my ears and his recipes for winter are all so cosy. I became inspired to make this drink for my blog after reading his recipe titled 'a hot drink for a cold night'. I've adapted the recipe ever so slightly, omitting the clementine and allspice berries. The following drink is sweet, warming and like Christmas in a pan. Serve this for your friends or loved one and they'll just keep coming back for more.

Ingredients

1 apple
450ml cloudy apple juice
3 tbsp soft brown sugar
100ml brandy
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves

Method

1. Cut the apple in half and remove the core. Cut the halves into quarters and then the quarters in half.

2. To a pan, add 3 tbsp of apple juice and heat. Once hot, add the brown sugar and the apples. Cook the apples until soft but not falling apart. 

3. In another pan, add 400ml of the apple juice, the brandy, the cloves and cinnamon stick. Boil and then simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Once simmered, pour into glasses, pop in a couple of apples slices and serve. 

And if you're interested...

Vlogmas day 10

My Christmas Playlist | BLOGMAS DAY 9

Time for something a bit different on my blog: the Christmas tunes I have been loving so far this festive season. I'm definitely one of those people who will start playing Christmas music in the middle of November, although I know there are people who start A LOT earlier! 
This year I discovered Christmas FM, an Irish radio station, as well as Heart Extra Xmas, so I've been playing Christmas music non-stop! Highly recommend it! 

In no particular order, here are some old classics and newer tunes that I've been playing on repeat so far:

1. Lindsey Stirling's Warmer in the Winter (FULL ALBUM) 
Give this a listen if you love a bit of violin crossed with dub-step. A variety of tunes, slow and fast, so you might getaway with playing this when you're parents are around! It counts as Classical music, right??

2. Michael Buble's Christmas (FULL ALBUM)
I like to play this one in November to ease myself into Christmas listening, instead of playing the classics straight away.

3. Fairytale of New York by The Pogues
How can anyone NOT love this tune?? 

4. I wish it could be Christmas everyday by Wizzard
Absolute classic.

5. It's the most wonderful time of the year by Andy Williams
I totally agree with the title of this song. Also i'm sure this song is featured in nearly every Christmas movie?!

6. Carol of the Bells 
Reminds me of when Fabio and I spent Christmas in New York and the Saks department store holiday lights display was playing this tune every so often. You could hear it half way down fifth avenue. I think we saw it numerous times, and it was magical every time.

7. Feliz Navidad by Jose Feliciano
I can never resist singing this one when it comes on!

I think these are those I've been loving the most. Of course, I love all the Christmas tunes (maybe not Mariah Carey though - sorry!) I don't want to just list them all though as it will defeat the point of the post!

Which tunes have you been playing on repeat this Christmas?

And if you're interested...

Vlogmas day 9

Vin Brûlée (Mulled Wine) | BLOGMAS DAY 8

It's quickly beginning to turn more wintery here in the Cotswolds. This morning there was a hard frost here in Cheltenham and on our trip to Stow-on-the-Wold there was snow covering large parts of the ground! It would be magical if we could have a white Christmas this year! On cold, snowy evenings, the perfect comfort drink is a glass of fruit-infused mulled wine. It's also a clear sign that Christmas will soon be upon us and more mulled wine is expected.

In Italy, especially in the Piemonte region, mulled wine is called 'vin brûlée' - quite literally, 'burnt wine'. Of course, we don't burn our wine, and nor do we boil it. 

It is traditional in my husband's Mum's village in the Piemonte region to serve mulled wine after midnight mass. The wine is served out of a massive vat and is usually made by volunteers from the village. The locals gather to chat about their Christmas so far, with their mulled wine in hand, along with a slice of panettone. It's such a festive and joyous time; everyone is so happy and merry - I'm sure the mulled wine helps!

The following recipe is from the Eataly website. Eataly is an Italian marketplace in New York with delis, restaurants and cooking courses. On the top of the Flatiron building there was a pop-up, alpine-insired restaurant called Baita, and this is the mulled wine they served. I halved the recipe, which serves around 4 half-full wine glasses.

Ingredients

375ml Barbera red wine (or something not high in tannins)

Half an orange

Half a lemon

1 star anise

1 stick of cinnamon

1 clove

1 cardamon pod

1/2 cup of sugar (125g)

3 ounces of brandy (use Vecchia Romagna brandy for true authenticity)

Method

1. Cut the peel off half an orange and lemon so it's down to the white, inner peel.

2. In a large pot combine all the ingredients apart from the brandy. Heat on a medium heat and before it reaches boiling point, take off the heat. Leave aside with the lid on to infuse for 20 minutes.

My wine of choice, bought in Morrisons

3. Once the wine has infused, stir in the brandy, strain and serve! Salute! 

And if you're interested...

Vlogmas day 8

Panforte | BLOGMAS DAY 7

It has been a long day out with the family, and I sorta forgot about this Blogmas post. However all was not lost! Christmas is all about spending time with family, and in the end, this blog post allowed me to enjoy making this panforte with my Mum when we got back (we haven't made anything together for years!) It created some hilarious moments that we'll never forget.
So here I am, having given up the time I would usually spend writing this (no, I'm not organised enough to pre-write posts), sitting in bed at 11pm, writing this post. It's an easy choice to put family first - we had fun watching Christmas with the Kranks - but I WILL NOT LET BLOGMAS DEFEAT ME! 
Anyways, you're probably wondering about the recipe. Panforte is a citrusy traditional Italian 'cake' served at Christmas. It's SO easy to make and it looks pretty impressive too. Full of festive spices, it looks more difficult that it is. I chose the recipe from the Italian food website, Giallo Zafferano. I have translated it myself into English for you guys, to ensure it's as authentic a recipe as possible. 

Ingredients

260g almonds
300g caster sugar
4g nutmeg
2g cinnamon
320g candied peel
150g honey
4g ground cloves
icing sugar for dusting
160g flour 00
4g ground coriander
1 sheet of rice paper

- 20cm cake tin with a loose bottom

Method

1. Pour the sugar and honey into a pan and heat on a low heat until all dissolved. 

2. Once dissolved, weigh the peel into a bowl and pour in the honey mix. You must be quick at this stage, as the honey will begin to harden again. 

3. Add the almonds and mix together. It will seem hard but this is normal.

4. Now add the flour and mix together. Again, it will seem hard but it's normal. You'll need to give it some elbow at this stage! I certainly did! Once combined, add the spices and mix in. It will look lumpy too.

5. Grease the bottom of your tin. Cut out a circle from your rice paper and layer on the bottom of the tin.

Got my Mum to be a hand Model! Haha.

6. Grease the sides as well and line with baking parchment. 

7. Next, pour the mixture into the pan. Grab yourself a glass of water and a metal spoon. Wet the spoon, and using the back, press the cake down in order to level it out. Wet as many times as needed.

8. Next, pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees. Generously sieve icing sugar over the cake, covering it all over. Once the oven has pre-heated, bake for 10 minutes.

9. Once baked, cool on a wire rack for a few mins and then remove from the pan. You'll want to do this quick as you don't want the cake to cool because then you won't be able to peel off the parchment. Carefully peel off the parchment and then leave to cool further. Dust with more icing sugar to cover any areas that caramelised whilst cooking. 

BUON APPETITO E BUON NATALE!

And if you're interested...

Vlogmas day 7