Damson chocolates

Ingredients

Damsons that have been soaked in gin or vodka for a few months making either damson gin or vodka.
If you don't have any then you can use cherries, remove the stone and stalk (I have a cherry stoner, great gadget from either Lakeland or John Lewis) and soak these in chosen alcohol overnight or better still for a few days, either brandy, gin or vodka.
A packet of Marzipan
200g Plain chocolate

Method

1. Very carefully remove the stone from the damson. As they have been soaked they will be very soft so a warning this is a very messy business. To do this just cut into them and squeeze or flick the stone out or use a stoner.
2. See images below for the next stages.......If using the marzipan then take a large pinch of marzipan off the block about the size of a large grape. Roll out as shown, cut out with a cutter large enough to give you a circle to wrap around, then wrap around the damson pinching it closed enough to roughly seal around the damson. continue, placing them on a sheet of baking parchment as you go ready for the next stage.

3. Melt the plain chocolate in a bowl over a pan of boiling water.
4. Using two forks take each one of the marzipan covered damsons balanced on the fork and roll in the melted chocolate. Lift out and tap the fork lightly to get any excess chocolate off and set aside on the baking parchment. If you have not covered them in marzipan then dip the damsons in the chocolate in the same way and again set aside on the baking parchment.
5. Allow to set and then pop in a jar or cellophane bag.

Mulled wine

Ingredients

2 oranges

1 lemon

200g caster sugar

6 whole cloves

1 stick cinnamon

10 gratings of fresh nutmeg

1 star anise

2 bottles red wine

Method

1. I start by making a syrup base to avoid burning off all the alcohol in the making process. To do that add the sugar into a large saucepan that will eventually hold two bottles of wine and add in enough wine to just cover the sugar at this stage.

2. Wash the fruit. Using a vegetable peeler peel the peel from the oranges and lemons. Slice up the oranges and add to the pan. 

3. Add in the cloves, cinnamon, gratings of nutmeg either in a muslin bag or loose.

4. Bring to a simmer until the sugar has dissolved and then bring to a boil and boil for about 5-8 minutes until you have a thick syrup.  

5. When you are ready to serve add the rest of the wine. pop in your star anise. heat over a low heat for 5 minutes and then serve. 

To give as a gift, pop the cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg gratings, star anise in a muslin bag, attach along with the instructions to a bottle of wine. 

Christmas spice biscuits

Ingredients

100g oats, ground into a flour (or use oat flour)

100g rice flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp mixed spice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

50g dark brown soft sugar ( I use muscovado)

50g  golden syrup or black treacle (I favour golden syrup)

100g butter 

1 tbslp milled flaxseed mixed with 3 tbslp water

Method

1. First preheat the oven to 170c/gas mark 4

2. Line a few baking sheets with with baking parchment.

3. Mix up the 1 tblsp milled flaxseed and 3 tblsp water and set aside. 

4. Using a high speed blender or food processor make your oat flour by grinding the oats into a flour.

5. I use a free standing mixer for making the dough for speed. Add into the bowl all the dry ingredients. Mix with your hands if doing by hand or mix with the paddle blade on your mixer until the ingredients are blended.

6. Add in the butter and and mix until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

7. Make a well in the centre and add in the golden syrup or treacle depending on what you prefer. (or have) and your flaxseed mix.

8. Mix really well so it is all blended in. Bring the dough together and form into a flat rectangle and wrap up in baking parchment. Place in the fridge to chill until ready to use or use straight away.

10. To roll out I use baking parchment to roll on to and on top of and roll with the dough squidged between the sheets to avoid drying out the mix by adding any more flour,  if you find that tricky then  lightly dust the rolling pin and surface but I would definitely recommend at least using parchment to rollout onto.

11. Roll out the dough to about 5mm thick. Use your cutters to cut out and place evenly spaced on the lined baking trays. It is really important to place similar sized biscuits on each tray (so if you have a mix of large and small biscuits put all the small ones on one sheet and all the large ones on another because the small ones will obviously cook quicker so this will avoid any burning.

12. At this stage it can be a good idea to chill each tray for 20 minutes before baking to help the biscuits hold their shape but I don't always bother and they do hold their shape well still with maybe a little spreading.

13. Bake each tray separately for about 15 minutes but they are baked when they are golden brown. 

14. Allow to firm up slightly before removing them to a wire rack as they will be very fragile when hot. (or very carefully lift off with a spatula)

15. Allow to cool before decorating. I like to use royal icing to decorate but you can use whatever icing you favour. Enjoy.