Twelve Days of Christmas

On the twelfth day of Christmas The Pink Whisk sent to me…..Brandy Snap Baskets

The last in the 12 Days of Baking Christmas from The Pink Whisk.  

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Posted in Biscuit, Biscuits, Christmas, Pudding, Treats, Twelve Days of Christmas | 11 Comments

On the eleventh day of Christmas The Pink Whisk sent to me……Christmas Bakewells

Christmas Bakewell Tarts

Instead of the usual jam try these Christmas style with Cranberry and Port mincemeat!

Makes 18 small Bakewell Tarts

Ingredients:
Pastry
225g plain flour
25g caster sugar
100g butter
1 egg yolk
35ml cold water

1/2 jar of mincemeat

100g butter, melted
2 eggs
100g semolina
100g ground almonds
a few drops of almond essence
100g caster sugar

flaked almonds or icing to top

Start off by making the biscuity pastry base, because its so rich and buttery you can get away with making it in the food processor.

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Posted in Christmas, Pastry, Treats, Twelve Days of Christmas | 13 Comments

On the tenth day of Christmas The Pink Whisk sent to me…… Gingerbread Cupcakes


Gingerbread Men Cupcakes
Makes 18 cupcakes
Ingredients:
Cakes

115g butter, softened

55g dark brown sugar

50g caster sugar

1 large egg

150ml treacle

310g plain flour

1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 1/4tsp ground ginger

230ml greek yoghurt
Gingerbread men (optional) to decorate
Frosting

500g icing sugar, sifted

1 tbsp meringue powder/meri-white/egg white powder
or
1 x box of Silver Spoon Royal Icing Sugar
90ml lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 160c fan/180c/Gas Mark 4.

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Posted in Cake, Cinnamon, Cupcakes, Treats, Twelve Days of Christmas | 27 Comments

On the ninth day of Christmas The Pink Whisk sent to me…. Mince Pies

Mince Pies The Pink Whisk Way

Mince pies The Pink Whisk way – with zesty pastry, mince pies were meant to be individual, sticky, oozy, bursting with mincemeat and a good dusting of icing sugar to hide the imperfections!

My mince pies are like my scones, very definitely homemade – I have never striven for looks of perfection with these beauties – uneven tops and sticky bits of mincemeat that ooze over the edge are everything I like in a mince pie – if you’re after neat and precision perfection you won’t find it here!

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Posted in Christmas, Pastry, Treats, Twelve Days of Christmas | 32 Comments

On the eighth day of Christmas The Pink Whisk sent to me……Stollen

Stollen

Another traditional Christmas baking treat – candied peel and almond paste- mmmmmmmm!

Ingredients:

450g strong plain flour
15g dried yeast
40g caster sugar
zest of one lemon
200ml milk, lukewarm
1 egg large, beaten
115g melted butter
115g sultanas
55g currants
70g mixed candied peel
90g blanched almonds, chopped

250g marzipan

50g butter melted to brush on before baking
icing sugar for sifting onto finished loaves

Makes 2 x small loaves.

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Posted in Bread, Christmas, Treats, Twelve Days of Christmas | 22 Comments

On the seventh day of Christmas The Pink Whisk sent to me…..Ultimate Sausage Rolls

Fabulous Sausage Rolls

There is nothing that tastes better than home made sausage rolls, I have to admit that it’s been a Christmas tradition since I was little and was in fact my Dad who taught me to make them,  these really are delicious.

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Posted in Christmas, Savoury, Treats, Twelve Days of Christmas | 32 Comments

On the sixth day of Christmas The Pink Whisk sent to me…. Chocolate Coconut Snowballs

Chocolate Coconut Snowballs

Chocolate and coconut were made to go together, add in some marshmallow and it’s heaven in a snowball!

Ingredients:-
Cakes
200ml milk
2 tsp malt vinegar
75g dessicated coconut
140g butter, softened
200g caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
55g self raising flour
165g plain flour
3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
60g cocoa powder

Marshmallow
225g caster sugar
85ml water
1 x 7g sachet of gelatine
50ml water

Topping
20g dessicated coconut
50g plain chocolate to drizzle

Preheat the oven to 160c Fan/180c/ Gas Mark 4.

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Posted in Cake, Chocolate, Christmas, Cupcakes, Treats, Twelve Days of Christmas | 15 Comments

On the fifth day of Christmas The Pink Whisk sent to me….Party Breadsticks

Party Breadsticks
I suppose you’re thinking breadsticks is a really random type of recipe to include in a twelve days of Christmas, believe me if you’re having a party these will amaze people….you made them yourself…..?  really…?  Watch them disappear at the speed of lightening!

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Posted in Bread, Christmas, Savoury, Twelve Days of Christmas | 15 Comments

On the fourth day of Christmas The Pink Whisk sent to me………ideas for decorating your Christmas Cake!

Christmas Cake Decorating
I feel like we’ve been working on our Christmas cakes for such a long time lovingly stirring boozy fruit, baking our precious cakes and feeding them with brandy it’s really exciting to be at the final stage – decorating!

For an 8″ cake you will need:

1 x 10″ cake board

500g marzipan

1kg ready to roll icing

2 tbsp apricot jam or marmalade

Unwrap your cake from the paper and foil you’ve been storing it in and set it on your worksurface.

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Posted in Cake, Christmas, Twelve Days of Christmas | 66 Comments

On the third day of Christmas The Pink Whisk sent to me……Christmas Monkey Bread

Christmas Monkey Bread

It’s Monkey Bread time….but this time with a Christmas twist – I couldn’t resist.  This is my entry into the Merchant Gourmet Christmas Chestnut Challenge!  (If you don’t want the Christmas twist the original version is here.)



Ingredients:

For the dough

500g Strong White Flour

2 tsp Mixed Spice

1 1/2 tsp Salt

55g Butter

2 Eggs beaten

2 tbsp Honey

15g Dried Yeast (3 tsp)

175ml Milk
For the sugar coat

150g Caster Sugar

2 tsp Mixed Spice
For the Sauce

200g Butter

100g Dark Brown Sugar
Plus 1 x regular sized jar of ready made mincemeat

1 x 100g pack of Merchant Gourmet Whole Chestnuts you can find stockists through their website – Merchant Gourmet but most major supermarkets sell them at this time of year.

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Posted in Bread, Caramel, Christmas, Treats, Twelve Days of Christmas | 14 Comments