Magic FM

Ravishing Christmas Recipes

Fancy adding a little something special to your Christmas spread this year? Take a peek at our selection of delectable recipes from easy eggnog to cranberry sauce with a twist. Keep reading...



Festive Fruit Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons each; ground cloves, ground allspice, ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups butter
4 cups packed brown sugar
12 eggs
32oz candied cherries
2 cups candied mixed citrus peel
4 cups raisins
2 cups dried currants
2 cups dates, pitted and chopped
10oz blanched slivered almonds
1 cup brandy
1 1/2 cups molasses
1 1/2 cup apple juice

Method:
- Mix together cherries, citrus peel, raisins, currants, date and almonds into a bowl and pour in the brandy. Coat the fruits with the alcohol and allow to steep overnight. Dredge with half a cup of flour.

- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees Farenheit and grease to 8inch fruit cake tins, line them with baking paper and grease once more.

- Taking the dry ingredients (except the sugar), place into a bowl and mix together. Place this to one side.

- In a larger bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar and eggs. Then mix the molasses and apple juice into the mixture. Then fold the butter mixture, fruit mixture and juice mixture into the flour mixture.

- Place this mixture into the cake tins and bake in the oven for three to three and a half hours, until the centre of the cake comes out clean on a knife.

- Gently remove the cakes from the tins and allow to cool before serving.

Sweet Snowballs

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbspn vanilla extract
1 cup pecans
3/4 cup confectioners sugar

Method:
- Preheat an oven to 325°F

- Sift the flour and salt until light and airy.

- In a medium bowl, mix together the butter and sugar until a dropping consistency. Add in the vanilla to add a touch of sweetness to the mixture.

- Combine the butter mixture with the flour mixture, and finally add in a cup of chopped pecans. Ensure that this is all combined to a rich consistency.

- Dust your hands with confectioners sugar to prevent the mixture sticking to your hands and roll the dough into 1 inch balls. Place these 2 inches apart on a greased baking tray and place in the oven for 25 minutes until golden brown.

- Once ready, place onto a cooling rack for at least 20 minutes. Then using the rest of the confectioners sugar, rolls the balls so they have a light white dusting of sugar which looks just like snow.

- Place these on a platter to serve.

FOR MORE MAGICAL RECIPES, CLICK HERE

Christmas Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
2 pounds apples
1/4 teaspoon allspice
12 oz cranberries
3/4 cup sugar
 

Method:
- In a non stick pan, melt the butter until a golden liquid state. Then add in peeled, cored and diced apples and the allspice. Cook for 10 minutes until the apples are soft to touch.

- Add in the cranberries, sugar and one and a pint and a half of water and heat until boiling. Once it's reached boiling point, reduce the heat to a medium heat and cook uncovered  until the cranberries disintergrare and the mixture instensifies in density. Stir occaisionally.

- Once the mixture is the consistency of a soft jam, place into a a serving bowl and refrigerate until ready for use.

FOR MORE MAGICAL RECIPES, CLICK HERE

Magnificent Mulled Wine

Ingredients:
2 bottles of red wine
2 oz of brandy
4 cinnamon sticks
A handful of cloves
A dash of nutmeg
2 lemons
2 oranges

Method:
- Wash and slice the lemons and oranges, but do remember to leave the peel on.

- Pour the wine into a large pan and leave to simmer on a medium light. Any higher and the wine will reduce into a jus, so ensure that the heat is medium to low.

- Into the simmered wine, place the oranges, lemons, brnady, spices and a dash of sugar. Leave this to bubble and simmer for 20 minutes.

- After 20 minutes, add in cinnamon sticks and simmer for five more minutes.

- Once the wine is infused with the flavours of Christmas. Remove the pan from the heat, allow to cool until warm and pour into glasses with a cinnamon stick to garnish. 

- Serve with mine pies for a delectable winter bite.

FOR MORE MAGICAL RECIPES, CLICK HERE

Easy Eggnog

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups milk
1 cup light cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
 

Methods:
- Seperate the four eggs. Using the egg yolks, beat these together with a quarter cup of sugar until it reaches a thick mixed consistency.

- Mix in the milk, cream, vanilla, salt and nutmeg and whisk together until a light and frothy.

- With the remaining egg whites, beat together with the remaining sugar until you acheieve soft pillowy peaks. Then fold in the previous mixture to create the complete eggnog.

- Pour into a tall glass dust with nutmeg.

FOR MORE MAGICAL RECIPES, CLICK HERE