Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Christmas Baking Report


Christmas baking report

Well, the floury dust has settled in my kitchen, and I can report on this year's Christmas baking. (I still have some desserts to make for a party next week, and some cookies for a post-Christmas cookie swap, but the actual Christmas baking is, of course, completed.)

I baked mini-loaves of breads and cakes for our neighbors:

* Golden Apricot Cake
* Gift of the Magi Bread
* Fruited Eggnog Bread

Of these, the apricot cake is definitely my favorite, but I'd bake the others again too.

For candy, I made:

* Heavenly Delight (a chocolate-peanut butter layered fudge)
* Four-Chip Fudge
* Cranberry Nut Fudge
* Almond Brittle
* Chocolate-covered Fruitcake

I guess the fruitcake doesn't really belong in the candy category, but it's not a cookie either, so... I made a favorite fruitcake recipe (with no yucky citron -- in fact, with no candied fruit at all) in a jelly-roll pan, cut it in small squares and dipped in melted chocolate confectionery coating. I'd seen chocolate-covered fruitcake bites offered in a Gooseberry Patch catalog and decided to try making my own. These have been well-received by everyone who has tried them!

For cookies, I made:

* Cranberry Pecan Sandies
* Sacher Torte Cookies
* Whipped Shortbread
* Eggnog Logs
* Brown-Sugar Cut-out Cookies
* Macaroon Kisses

Of these, the only new recipe I tried was the Cranberry Pecan Sandies. This recipe came from Simple & Delicious magazine and starts with a cranberry quick-bread mix. With an orange drizzle and a pecan half on top, these cookies looked impressive and tasted delicious too.

In other kitcheny gifts, I also made:

* Mulling spices for cider
* Sunset Orchard Spiced Tea Mix
* Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
* Make-Ahead Bran Muffin Batter

This was also a Christmas when I had an unusual number of kitchen disasters.. but that's another story for another post!

2 comments:

  1. Mom T!!! How are you? Good report on the baking - wow, you do a lot! That's what makes you who you are - I love it! And I especially appreciated the "heavenly delight" title still attributed to the peanut butter fudge! Mmmm. . .I can taste it now! I have made it in the past - I should do it again! Merry Christmas - a little after the fact. Happy New Year!

    Esther

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Esther!!!!

    Thanks so much for commenting! Yes, the peanut-butter chocolate fudge will always be Heavenly Delight to our family. Great title!

    Actually, I cut back on the Christmas baking this year -- usually I make probably 6 or 7 more kinds of cookies than I did this time. Things have been busy... my parents are aging and need a lot of help and attention.

    It was so good to hear from you! I am sure that Christmas at your house was very merry indeed, with 2 little girls! I trust you are enjoying your new ministry there in California. Happy New Year to you and yours as well!

    God bless,
    Mom T

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit my kitchen table! I love company here in my kitchen, so be sure to leave a comment so I'll know you've visited! I'll answer your questions and comments here on the blog unless you request otherwise.