Each year I am inspired to try one or two new recipes - either to share at a festive dinner party or serve at my own Christmas table. However there are several MUST recipes that are essential for it to truly feel like the holidays at home.
Try them all or consider just a few for your table this season. Part 2 arriving to subscribers tomorrow!
Latkes
For me, these are pure joy and comfort in 2-3 bites
Makes 8-10
2.5lbs Russet Potatoes - Peeled and Grated on a Box Grater
1 Medium Yellow Onion Peeled and Grated
1 Heaped tsp Salt
2 Large Eggs
1/4 Cup Matzo Meal
1/2 tsp White Pepper
1 Cup Canola Oil
Heat the oil over medium low heat in a large pan.
Place the grated potatoes and onions in a large clean cloth. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can and transfer to a bowl. Add the salt, eggs, matzo and pepper. Stir gently to combine.
Test the oil by placing the handle of a wooden spoon in the pan - if small bubbles appear around the wood you are ready to fry.
Gently place approximately 2 tablespoons of the latke mixture in to the hot oil and gently press down. Don’t overcrowd the pan - work in batches.
Fry until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes a side.
Remove and drain on paper towel, sprinkle with a touch of salt.
Serve with sour cream or labneh and applesauce.
Matzo Ball Soup
And these…pure joy and comfort in a bowl!
Makes Approximately 18-22 Balls
225 Grams Matzo Meal
1 - 2 Pinches Freshly Ground Nutmeg
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp White Pepper
3 Large Eggs
60ml Schmaltz or Canola Oil
2 Tbsp Soda Water
4 Large Carrots, Peeled and Chopped Large
Chicken Broth for Serving (Homemade is best)
Fresh Dill for Garnish
Gently mix together all of the ingredients with the exception off the carrots and broth. Cover and place in the fridge to chill for at least an hour.
Heat your chicken broth to a low boil in a large pot and cook the carrots until tender.
Remove carrots and set aside until ready to serve.
Shape your balls slightly smaller than a ping pong ball and gently place in the hot broth. Cover the pot and cook the balls for 25-30 minutes for a slightly chewy texture or a bit longer for a more tender consistency.
Serve the soup by ladling the broth into a bowl. Add some of the carrots and 3 balls to each bowl. Garnish with fresh dill springs.
Sufganiyot
These puffy little donuts are a little chewy, a little sweet and kissed with a touch of nutmeg. Fill them with your jam of choice - I like combining apricot and pomegranate together.
Make approximately 10-12
2 tsp Dry Active Yeast
175 ml Warm Water
50 grams White Sugar
60 ml Canola Oil
2 Large Eggs
Approximately 375-400 Grams All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg
1 tsp Salt
Canola Oil for Frying
Jam/Jelly for Filling
Powdered Sugar for Dusting
In the bowl of an electric mixture place the yeast, sugar and warm water. Allow to proof for 8-10 minutes.
Once foamy, add in the oil and eggs. Use a fork to break down the eggs a little. Add in the flour, salt and nutmeg. Use the dough hook attachment to mix. Knead on the hook until a soft pliable dough forms. If the dough it too sticky add a bit more flour.
Remove from the bowl and knead by hand a few times. Set aside under a towel to rest and rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Use a scale to weigh out 10-12 equal pieces of dough. Gently shape them into balls and set aside again to rest in a warm spot for about 30-40 minutes.
Heat your oil to 325F or heat the oil over medium heat and test using a wooden spoon - hold the end of the spoon in the oil, if little bubbles form your oil should be ready.
Gently drop the donuts into the oil (work in batches). Cook on each side until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes in total).
Transfer to a paper lined tray to drain and cool.
Fill a piping bag with jam. Pipe a hole in the top of each donut and fill with roughly a tablespoon of jam.
Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Irish Soda Bread
An easy bread that can be served for breakfast, tea or alongside dinner. Best served with good salty butter
Makes one rather large round loaf
450ml Buttermilk, Shaken
1 Large Egg
2 Tbsp Honey or Barley Malt Syrup
550 Grams All Purpose Flour
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 Heaped tsp Salt
86 Grams Cold Unsalted Butter, Cubed
160m Grams Raisins or Dried Currants (Optional)
Preheat oven to 400 and butter or oil a round oven proof vessel.
In a large bowl whisk the buttermilk and egg together with the honey.
In a separate bowl sift the flour, baking soda and salt together. Add the cold butter and use your fingers to break apart the butter within the flour. You want the butter to be in tiny pieces and the whole mixture to be crumbly. Stir the raisins in here if using.
Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the wet mixture. Gently mix everything together until combined but not overmixed. Roughly knead/shape into a round.
Place the dough into the baking vessel. Dust the top with flour and use a sharp knife to score an “X” in the top.
Bake for 50-60 minutes until dark brown. Use a cake tester to ensure the centre is fully cooked or an instant thermometer - the centre should read 195-200 degrees F.
Irish Brambrack
An easy fruit studded bread that smells and tastes of the holidays. Best served with a thick swipe of salted butter. You can add the traditional ring or coin into the loaf for good luck to the person who gets that slice - I omit it though, should no one accidentally bite down on it.
Makes 1 Loaf
225 Grams All Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Ground Clove
Pinch of Salt
175 Grams Raisins
100 Grams Sultanas
50 Grams Candied Orange Peel
250 ml Cold Brewed Black Tea
50 ml Irish Whiskey
125 Grams Dark Brown Sugar
1 Large Egg, Lightly Beaten
Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, spices and salt.
In a smaller bowl soak the fruits in the cold tea and whiskey for 10-15 minutes.
Make a well in the flour mixture and add in the brown sugar, egg and fruit mixture. Stir to combine. The dough will be wet.
Transfer the dough to a buttered loaf tin. Bake for approximately 60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Allow to cool before slicing.
Hogmanay Shortbread
There are many iterations of “shortbread” but this is the one I learned as a child. A “true” Scottish shortbread. Slightly sweet, buttery and crumbly with just a light crispiness on the outside. I prefer to not compress my dough too much as I like the more rustic look and texture. These are the best accompaniment to a cup of milky tea or a whisky.
350 Grams All Purpose Flour, Sifted
110 Grams White Sugar
225 Grams Unsalted Butter at Room Temperature
A Good Pinch of Salt
Preheat oven to 375
In a bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all of the ingredients until a soft dough just comes together - it should be a little crumbly.
Butter and line a round 8-9 inch baking tin. Press the dough mixture into the pan as evenly as possible - if you want a smoother less crumbly end product you can roll out the dough with a pin and place it into the tin.
Use the back of a large dry measure cup to smooth out the top. Score the top of the dough with a knife - marking 12 triangles. Prick each triangle with the tines of fork a few times to make little holes on top.
Bake for 20-25 until just lightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Use a knife to rescore your cut lines then allow to cool for 30 minutes before fully cutting.
Colcannon
Mashed potatoes taken to an even more fulfilling level! The addition of cabbage/kale and leeks with lightly browned butter to an already near perfect mash results in just about my favourite side dish on the holiday table.
Serves 6
1.5 Lbs Russet Potatoes, Peeled and Cut into Chunks
100 Grams Savoy Cabbage, Cut into Thin Strips about 1-2 Inches Long
100 Grams Kale Leaves (No Stems), Chopped into Small Pieces
1 Large Leek (Just the Pale Green and White Parts), Cleaned and Chopped
175 Grams Unsalted Butter
4-5 Spring Onions, Finely Chopped
1-2 tsp Salt (To Taste)
1/2 tsp White Pepper
250ml Half and Half or Full Fat Milk
In a large pot of boiling water cook the potatoes until tender. Once cooked, drain and return to the pot to steam under a lid. At the same time, in a separate pot of boiling salted water, cook the cabbage and kale for 4-6 minutes until just tender. Drain and set aside.
While the potatoes and cabbages are cooking, heat a pan over medium heat and melt 75 grams of the butter. Add in the leeks and sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add in the spring onions and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the leek mixture to the cabbage/kale bowl.
In that same pan add the rest of the butter and melt over medium heat until golden brown - do not allow the milk solids to burn, keep an eye on the pan and swirl every once in a while. Once brown and nutty, remove from heat.
Press your potatoes through a ricer (or mash by hand). Add in the cabbage, kale and leek/onion mixture as well as the brown butter and the milk or cream.
Stir together and serve hot. Check for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
Chocolate Gingerbread
Serves about 12
I do enjoy a proper Christmas cake and a spice cake at that but, a moist gingerbread is a favourite - made even better with a blanket of dark chocolate ganache draped over top. This is a minor twist on a Nigella Lawson recipe - I have played around with iterations over the years but her original is close to perfect.
200 Grams Unsalted Butter
150 Grams Brown Sugar
200 Grams Golden Syrup
200 Grams Treacle or Molasses
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Clove
2 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Ground Allspice
Pinch of Salt
2 Tbsp Stem Ginger in Syrup, Finely Chopped
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
2 Large Eggs
250ml Full Fat Milk
300 Grams All Purpose Flour
50 Grams Dark Cocoa
Ganache
250 Grams Dark Chocolate, Finely Chopped
250ml Heavy Cream
Preheat oven to 350.
In a saucepan combine the butter, sugar, syrup, treacle, spices, salt and stem ginger. Cook over medium heat until the butter is melted and everything is well combined. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
In a large bowl mix the baking soda with 1 Tbsp warm water. Then whisk in the eggs and milk. Pour in the sugar mixture and stir well.
Sift the flour and cocoa together and add to the wet mixture. Stir until just combined - don’t over mix.
Pour batter into a buttered 9x13 baking dish. Bake on the middle rack for 40-45 minutes until a tester comes out clean. Allow to cool.
For the ganache - heat the cream over low heat until just simmering. Pour over the chopped chocolate and stir until smooth and glossy.
Pour the ganache over the cooled cake. Allow to set for 15-20 minutes before cutting.
Add a dusting of ground cinnamon and a sprinkle of chocolate as well as a sliver of stem ginger to the top for decoration.
Stollen
This is a slightly easier holiday bread to make than Italian panettone. It does take a bit of time but it is less intensive. A favourite served warm with butter and a cup of coffee.
Makes 1 Large Loaf
250ml Warm Milk
3 tsp Active Dry Yeast
2 Tbsp Honey
4 Large Egg Yolks
200 Grams Soft Unsalted Butter
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
1/2 tsp All Spice
1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Nutmeg
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Salt
Zest of 1 Large Orange
475 Grams All Purpose Flour
6-8 Ounces of Marzipan, Chopped into Pieces
225 Grams Sultanas
85 Grams Candied Orange Peel - Cut into Small Pieces
100 Grams Slivered Almonds
For The Glaze/Topping
65ml Fresh Orange Juice
15 Grams Unsalted Butter
Powdered Sugar for Dusting
In a small bowl, proof the yeast in the warm milk and honey.
In the bowl of an electric mixture place the yolks, soft butter, vanilla, spices, salt and zest. Combine using the paddle attachment. Switch to the dough hook and add in the flour. Mix until a soft dough comes together, scrape down the sides if necessary.
Remove the dough from the bowl and gently knead a few times. Add the marzipan, sultanas, peel and almonds to your dough and knead them in.
Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a towel. Allow to rest and rise for about 1 hour in a warm place.
Punch down the dough and shape into an oval. Place on an overproof tray. Use the side of your hand to make a depression down the length of the dough - slightly off centre.
Cover and allow to rest and rise again for 40-60 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350.
Use your hand again to reinforce the depression line down the length of the loaf.
Bake for 35 -45 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 195F.
Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
In a small pot heat the orange juice with the butter. Use a pastry brush to coat the top of the loaf with the orange juice “sauce”. Allow to cool completely. Dust with a heavy coating of powdered sugar before serving or wrapping.
Liz’s Linzertorte
I typically make linzer cookies each year but Liz, who works with me, makes her German linzertorte. She is German and I trust her recipe as authentic! More importantly it’s delicious.
Makes 1 8-Inch Round
25 Grams Toasted Hazelnuts
25 Grams Toasted Walnuts
225 Grams All Purpose Flour
1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
40 Grams White Sugar
150 Grams Cold Unsalted Butter, Cut into Small Cubes
2 Large Egg Yolks
Zest of 1 Orange
Juice of Half an Orange
Raspberry and Red Current Jam for the filling
Preheat oven to 350.
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the nuts until finely ground. Add in the remaining ingredients with the exception of the jam. Pulse until a loose dough just comes together.
Transfer dough to the work surface. Roll out into a round. Gently place into a 8-9 inch fluted false bottom tart pan, trim off the excess.
Place in the fridge to chill. Use the remaining dough trimmings to cut out stars or circles to decorate the top.
Remove the tart from the fridge and fill with jam mixture (or just one of the flavours if preferred). Top with pastry decorations and brush with egg wash (beaten egg yolk with a splash of cream)
Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
Allow to cool and set before slicing. Dust with powdered sugar to serve.
Apfelstrudel
Serve 10-12
I love this northern Italian strudel. While I only visited Trentino Alto Adige briefly, it was in the colder months and I was served this in both local homes and cafes. I have made it each Christmas since.
For the Dough
85ml Warm Water
1 Heaped Tbsp Canola Oil
1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp vanilla or vanilla paste
Pinch of Salt
150 Grams All Purpose Flour
For the Filling
50 Grams Unsalted Butter
100 Grams Dry Unseasoned Bread Crumbs
75 Grams Brown Sugar
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Allspice
1/2 tsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg
75 Grams Raisins or Currents (or dried cherries work nicely too)
2 Lbs Apples (Honey Crisp work well), Peeled, Cored and Finely Sliced
1 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
Melted Butter for Brushing the Dough
Powdered Sugar for Dusting
To make the dough - place all of the dough ingredients into a bowl and mix by hand to combine. Turn out onto a board and knead for a couple minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer to a lightly oiled boil and set aside to rest.
For the filling - Melt the butter in a pan and add in the bread crumbs. Sauté over medium heat, stirring until the crumbs are golden brown. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Add in the sugar, spices and raisins and stir to combine. In a separate bowl combine the apples and lemon juice.
Roll out the dough very thin - you can make life easier by ensuring you have a large work surface and place a clean tablecloth down and dust with flour. Roll and stretch the dough by hand until you can clearly see your hand through the dough or read a note through it.
Brush the entire surface of the dough with melted butter. Sprinkle the crumb mixture onto 2/3 of the dough. Top with the apples. Gently start to roll up the dough, starting at the end with the filling.
Brush more butter on the dough as you roll. Once completely rolled, coil the strudel and place on a large parchment lined baking tray. Brush with more butter.
Bake in a 375 oven for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown.
Allow to cool and dust with powdered sugar.