Winter Recipes
Written by: Grace Agar
Winter Warming Favourites
Early morning walks across misty field lead us home to warm woollen blankets, calming cups of tea, and a true Christmas sanctuary of light and cosiness. As colder days set in, we embrace spending a little more time indoors, baking home-made goods and enjoying slow days in the heart of the home. With hosting season getting ever closer, festive tablescapes are bustling with seasonal foliage, candlelight and home comfort foods. Today, we are sharing some of our teams favourite Winter recipes, perfect for cosy days and hosting evenings, this Christmastime.
recipe 1.
Christmas Gingerbread Biscuits
Sift together 350g plain flour, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda, 2 tsp ground ginger and 1 tsp ground cinnamon and pour into the bowl of a food processor. Add 125g butter and blend until the mix looks like breadcrumbs, then stir in 175g light soft brown sugar. Lightly beat 1 egg and 4tbsp of golden syrup together, add to the food processor and mix until the mixture clumps together. Tip the dough out, knead briefly until smooth, wrap in clingfilm and leave to chill in the fridge for 15 minutes! To prepare for baking, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line two baking trays with greaseproof paper. Roll the dough out to a 0.5cm thickness on a lightly floured surface. Using cutters, cut the dough into gingerbread men or christmas shapes and place on the baking tray, leaving a gap between them. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden-brown. Once cooked, leave to cool, decorate with icing and enjoy!
recipe 2.
Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate
The perfect festive home comfort. To make, simply put 65g cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Pour in 100ml of just-boiled water and stir well, until the cocoa powder dissolves and forms a smooth paste. Measure out 1 litre of milk and begin by whisking in only around 100ml of the milk until thoroughly combined, then pour into a slow cooker pot and whisk in a 397g tin of condensed milk and remaining milk. Cover with a lid and cook on low for 3–4 hours, or high for 1½–2 hours. When your timer goes off, remove the lid and whisk the hot chocolate well to incorporate any cocoa that’s remained on the surface. Ladle into your festive mugs and top with cream, grated chocolate, mini marshmallows or any other toppings you wish. Serve immediately whilst warm!
recipe 3.
Christmas Pudding
A Christmas classic! To make your pudding, pop one cup of the following ingredients into your bowl: raisins, sultanas, self-raising flour, finely grated butter, fresh breadcrumbs, light muscovado sugar and mixed nuts. Next, combine with 1 tsp of ground cinnamon and mixed spice, then stir in 1 cup of milk and 1 large egg. Once well combined, tip into a buttered 1.5 litre pudding bowl. Cover your bowl with a double layer of buttered foil, leaving a little extra room in the centre to allow the pudding to rise. Tie the foil securely with string, then place in a steamer or large pan containing enough gently simmering water to come halfway up the sides of the bowl. Cover with a lid, and steam for 2½ hours. Check the water level during cooking, topping up if necessary. If you are serving it immediately, unwrap and invert onto a deep plate. For the sauce, put 85g butter, 100g light muscovado sugar, 200ml double cream and 1tsp of vanilla extract in a pan and bring slowly to the boil, stirring. Allow to bubble for 2-3 minutes, always stirring, until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce is pale caramel in colour and slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and pour the sauce over your finished Christmas pudding!
