A Taste of Christmas Cheer

A TASTE OF

Christmas Cheer

Celebrated by millions worldwide and beloved by adults and children alike, there’s nothing quite like Christmas! A time of warmth and love and, for many families, one of the few times a year when everyone can be together! Whether it’s Christmas hits, sung a little too loud, families gathered around a dinner table or grandpa asleep in his chair after a few too many Christmas tipples, Christmas is a time that brings us so many special memories and if only for a moment, takes us back to the magic of our childhood, desperately trying to stay awake to catch Santa or running downstairs in our pyjamas to see what can be found under the tree! However, despite all of this, perhaps the real star of the Christmas show is the food and drink! A popular expression asserts that ‘We don’t count calories at Christmas!’ and we’re here to tell you to treat yourself and help you along the way!

Below you will find two recipes to help make this year’s Christmas feast that little bit more extravagant! Let’s start with a Christmas favourite, Mulled Wine!

Mulled Wine:HOT WINE, SPICE AND ALL THINGS NICE!

A drink that not only warms the body but fills the heart with warmth and love! The catalyst for many an honest, late winter’s night conversation between friends and family, mulled wine can be traced back as far as 20AD to the Roman Empire and found popularity in 12th-Century France where it was known as ‘spicy wine’. While the essential flavours are generally the same across the board, there are all sorts of variations on the traditional recipe and ingredients can be added, changed or removed depending on your own personal taste! Ingredients:

- 750 ml of wine, preferably red but you can use white if you prefer - 100 ml of water - 1 tbsp of sugar - 1 pinch of ground nutmeg - 1 tsp of chopped ginger - 5 cloves - 1 stick or half a tsp of cinnamon

Preparation:

Additional ingredients could include:

- cardamom - apples - lemon/orange - cranberries - currants - walnuts - vanilla - black pepper - bay leaf - honey - star anise

One of the great things about mulled wine is that you don’t need to splash out on a fancy bottle of premium red as, due to raise in temperature and addition of spices, the original bouquet of flavours will be lost. If you choose to make the recipe using white wine, then you must include around three more spoonfuls of sweetness. Step 1: Mix the water and spices together in a pan over a medium heat until it boils Step 2: Set the water aside for 10 minutes to allow the water to cool and the flavours to settle Step 3: Strain the water through a sieve to remove any excess spices and leave the infused liquid Step 4: Add the infused water, the wine and sugar to a saucepan and heat on low to avoid boiling. Step 5: Remove from the heat and cover for 30 minutes to allow the flavours time to settle. Step 6: Pour yourself a cup and enjoy!

We recommend choosing no more than three or four additional ingredients so as not to overwhelm the flavour of the drink. In addition, if you’re looking for a little extra Christmas kick, add a drop of cognac or rum to the mixture!

For those of you who don’t drink, fear not! We have a solution! Substitute the red wine for grape juice. You will not need to include water in the recipe if using grape juice and instead can mix everything together in a pan at the start. You may want to add lemon to the recipe for a little extra flavour!

Kuglof:FRESHLY BAKED CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

This recipe is a Christmas favourite in Montenegro and a number of countries in the region. Traditionally baked in a ring pan, Kuglof is a deliciously sweet cake packed with Christmas flavour!

Ingredients:

- 250g butter - 250g sugar - 3 eggs - Vanilla essence - 150g baking powder - 500g flour - Juice of half a lemon - 1 glass of rum - 3 tbsp cocoa powder - 250ml milk - Powdered sugar - Raisins & chocolate chips (optional)

Preparation:

Step 1: Melt the butter and mix in the sugar Step 2: Add the eggs, vanilla, zest and lemon juice and mix together Step3: Add the rum and then gradually mix in the flour and baking powder Step 4: Gradually add milk to the mixture, Step 5: Coat the inside of the baking tin with butter and sprinkle in a little flower Step 5: Pour 3/4 of the mixture into the tin Step 6: Sprinkle raisins and chocolate chips on top Step 7: Add the cocoa to the remaining mixture and add a little milk and mix together Step 8: Add the remaining mixture to the tin and bake at 180˚C for 45 minutes Step 9: Remove the cake from the oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar Let the cake sit for at least 30 minutes to cool down and then – feast!