FESTIVE DESSERT

This is a easy to make desert with left over Xmas pudding, fruit puree and whipped cream with orange zest. I used can cherry in syrup and cranberry sauce but you can use any fruit puree you desire.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tbsp Xmas pudding, crumbled
• 2 tbsp pecan or walnuts, chopped
• 2-4 Cherry juice or orange juice
• 1 can of cherry in syrup
• 2 tbsp cranberry sauce
• 1 tbsp cherry  liqueur ( optional )
• 250 ml double cream
• 4-5 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp orange zest
• cinnamon sugar for sprinkling.

Place Xmas pudding , nuts, cherry juice in a bowl and heat in a microwave to warm it. ( or warm it in a pan on a stove ). Divide this mixture into 2 serving glasses. Drain the cherry and reserve the liquid. Mix cherry with cranberry sauce in a blender and add cherry juice as you need it. Add the liqueur and pour this mixture over the pudding in the serving dish. Whip the cream with orange zest and brown sugar then pour over the cherry sauce. Mix little cinnamon powder with some brown sugar and sprinkle over  the desert. Decorate with pecan nuts just before serving.

CHRISTMAS TIME IN LONDON

Here are some pictures taken during my visit a few days ago. They are the London Eye, Carnaby Street and Liberty and Hamley's Toy Store. 

TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS CAKE

INGREDIENTS

• 800 g, mixture of sultanas, raisins and currants
• 50 g candied peel, chopped
• 50 g glazed cherries, chopped
• 4 tbsp brandy
• 230 g butter
• 230 g sort brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 230 g plain flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 50 g almonds or mixed nuts, chopped
• grated rind of 1 orange and 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp black treacle
• extra brandy for feeding.

THE DAY BEFORE

First place all the dried fruit, candied peel and  cherries  in a large bowl together with brandy. Mix and cover. Let the mixture soak for  10- 12 hours.

METHOD

First prepare the cake tin by grease and lining with greaseproof paper. Sizes are, 18 cm square tin and 20 cm round tin.

Pre-heat the oven to 140C, 275 F. 

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat up the eggs and add little at a time to the creamed mixture, beating after each addition.

Sift flour with salt and mixed spice.Add to butter and egg mixture and fold.  Then stir in the fruit mixture that has been soaking. Add the treacle,  nuts,  lemon and orange rind. Spoon this mixture into the cake tin.

Tie a band of brown paper, around the outside of the cake tin and tie it with a string. Cover the top of the cake mixture with double greaseproof paper with a hole in the middle, for steam to escape. 

Bake the cake on the lover shelf of the oven for 4 hours.

Cool on wire rack and store in a tin wrapped with greaseproof paper. Feed with brandy occasionally during the storing time. ( Make few holes in the top of the cake with a needle and pour 2-3 tsp of brandy to soak the cake ) Reaped this at intervals  for one or two weeks before Christmas.

NOTE : You can use PEKMEZ instead of black treacle.

HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS MINCE PIES

MAKES 3 DOZEN

FOR THE PASTRY

• 350 g plain flour
• 150 g  unsalted butter
• pinch of salt
• cold water to mix

FOR THE FILLING

• 750 g mincemeat ( see below )

FOR THE TOP

• milk and icing sugar

METHOD

Pre-heat the oven to 200C, gas mark 6, 400F. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Then cut the butter and add to the flour.With your fingertips rub the pieces of butter into the flour. Lift your hands up high as you do this, to incorporate air. When the mixture is crumbly add 2 tbsp of cold water all over. Use a knife to mix and bring the mixture together. Add more water as needed until you achieve a smooth ball of dough. Wrap the pastry in foil and rest in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.

Roll half of the dough out about 3 mm thick and cut it out into 3 dozen 7.5 cm rounds. Gather up scraps and re-roll again.

Then do the same with the other half of the pastry but this time using the 6 cm cutter.

Grease the patty tins and line them with the large rounds. Then fill them with mincemeat, not over filling them. Dampen the edges of the small rounds with water and place them on top and press them lightly to form lids. Seal the edges. Brush each pie with milk and make 2-3 snips in the top with scissors.

Bake near top of the oven for 25-30 minutes until they are light golden brown. Cool them on a wire rack and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Store them in a airtight tin and warm them before serving.

HOME-MADE CHRISTMAS MINCEMEAT

INGREDIENTS

• 500 g apples, peeled and chopped finely
• 250 g sultanas
• 325 g raisins
• 200 g currants
• 200 g candied peel, chopped
• 225 g vegetable suet
• 325 g soft dark brown sugar
• rind and juice of 2 lemons
• grated rind and juice of 2 oranges
• 50 g hazelnuts or walnuts, chopped
• 4 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 6 tbsp of brandy

METHOD

Mix all the ingredients together  in a large bowl thoroughly. ( Except brandy ). Cover with a cloth and leave for 10-12 hours. Then place the mincemeat in a cool oven, 120C, for 21/2 to 3 hours, loosely covered with foil. Then let it cool, add the brandy and store it in clean jars, with waxed discs. Seal and store.

VEGETABLE COCKTAIL

SERVES 4-6

• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1/2 cucumber, roughly chopped
• 2 celery sticks, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 x 425 g cans of tomato juice
• 125 g beetroot, cooked and chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh herbs of your chose, chopped
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp Tabasco ( optional )
• salt and ground black pepper
• ice cubes to serve.

Blend half of the carrot, cucumber and celery and garlic with a little of the tomato juice. Add the rest of the vegetables and blend again until smooth. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl or glass jug. Add the remaining tomato juice, Worcestershire  sauce, Tabasco salt and pepper to taste. Stir well and chill. Serve with ice in tall glasses.

NON-ALCOHOLIC FRUIT COCKTAIL

This serves 4-6

• 425 ml mixed fruit drink, chilled
• 275 ml apple juice, chilled
• 275 ml bitter lemon, chilled
• 2 oranges, quartered and sliced
• 2 lemons, quartered and sliced
• ice cubes to serve
• mint leaves

Mix fruit drink, apple juice and bitter lemon in a bowl then pour into glasses. Add ice and garnish with mint, orange and lemon slices.

ICED TOMATO COCKTAIL

This is very refreshing, served before a  meal.

SERVES 6

500 ml cartoon tomato juice

Few drops of Worcestershire sauce

dash of Tabasco sauce

1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

1 tbsp sherry or vodka

ground black pepper

lemon and cucumber slices to garnish

METHOD

Put all the ingredients in a food blender and blend until all ingredients are well combined.  Alternatively mix well with a balloon whisk.

Pour into a container and freeze for 2 hours in the freezer. Take the container out, beat the icy mixture with a whisk or fork and freeze it again for 2-4 hours. 

30 minutes before serving, place the container into the fridge and let it soften slightly. 

Spoon the mixture into glasses and garnish with slice of cucumber and lemon just before serving.

COCKTAILS, Mojito.

MOJITO

2 parts  white rum

1 part slimline lime juice

1 tbsp mint leaves, chopped

1 tsp sugar

soda water

crushed ice or ice cubes

slice of lemon or lime to decorate.

First, mash the mint leaves with sugar. Pour it into a tall glass with ice cubes in. Add the rum, lime juice and top it up with soda water. Decorate with mint leaves and lime slice.

SUGAR FREE CARROT AND BANANA CAKE ( Sekersiz havuc ve muz keki )

 Using the carrots and banana in this recipe, make the texture beautifully moist, at the same time adding natural sweetness.

FOR THE CAKE

• 170 g self raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 level tsp mixed spice
• 200 g carrots, peeled and grated
• 100 g sultanas
• 50 g walnuts or hazelnuts, chopped roughly
• 1 large banana, mashed
• Juice of 1 whole orange
• 120 ml sunflower or olive oil
• 2 eggs beaten

First sift the flour with baking powder and mixed spice. Add the grated carrots, mashed banana, sultanas, walnuts and mix. Add the beaten eggs, oil and orange juice and mix it until well blended. Spoon this mixture into a greased and lined 20 cm cake tin.

Bake at pre-heated oven 180C, 160Fan, 350F for 60 minutes or until the skewer inserted comes out cleanly. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and let it cool. Rewove the lining paper.

TOPPING

• 2 bananas
• 165 g soft cheese
• 1 tbsp lemon 

Mash one of the bananas and beat in the soft cheese. Spread this mixture on top of the cake. Slice the other banana and toss in the lemon juice to prevent discolouring. Arrange the banana slices round the edge of the cake just before serving.

COOK'S NOTE

I have adopted this cake to microwave and it was good but it is best cooked in conventional oven. I cooked this cake in microwave on full power for 7 minutes and further 2 minutes at 650 Watt.

APPLE PIE WITH PISTACHIOS

This is my family's favorite apple pie and it is always pleasure to make it and  as I know that it is enjoyed with loved ones.

YOU NEED

• 325 g plain flour
• 50 g pistachio nuts
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 150 g butter
• 2 egg yolks
• cold water to bind

FOR THE FILLING

• 1 kg of apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 75 g caster sugar
• 2 tsp mixed spice

FOR THE GLAZE

• 1 egg white
• caster sugar for sprinkling

METHOD

Place the pistachio nuts and flour into a food processor  whizz until the nuts are ground. Add the butter and the icing sugar to blend it until the butter and flour have combined evenly. Add the egg yolks and water and whiz until the mixture is just forming a ball. Knead lightly and wrap to chill for about 10-15 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven for 200C, 180 F, and put the baking sheet to heat up. 

Toss the apple slices in cornflour, sugar and mixed spice. 

Roll half of the pastry on a lightly floured work surface, large enough to cover 23 cm round pie plate.

Pile the apple mixture into the pastry case, brush the rim with cold water. Reserve some pastry for decorating and roll the rest of the pastry into a circle large enough to cover the pie. Pinch the pastry edges together to seal. Brush the top of the pie with some egg white.

Roll the reserved pastry and cut out leaves to decorate the top of the pie. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with caster sugar.

Bake for 45-60 minutes or until the pastry is golden. Serve warm with home made custard, clotted cream or brandy sauce. AFIYET  OLSUN...

BRANDY SAUCE

This sauce s so good with Christmas pudding and mince pies.

• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 250 ml milk
• 3 tbsp brandy

Mix cornflour with egg yolks and sugar  in a bowl until smooth. Add the milk gradually and transfer this mixture into a non stick sauce pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Then add the brandy. Take it off the heat and stir it well. Serve it  straight away or warm with Xmas pudding and  sweet mince pies.

MICROWAVE CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Hi all, firstly I must mention that my camera is a big miss since I dropped and broke it and hoping to get a new one of SANTA LOL!!! In the mean time we will make do and get those festive recipes going.

This Christmas pudding is so easy and quick to make in the microwave and it is  as good as conventional pudding. This pudding was cooked  and tested on full power at 650 Watt Microwave.

YOU NEED

• 2 dessert apples, grated
• 150 g bread crumbs
• 100 g raisins
• 100 g sultanas
• 100 g prunes, chopped
• 100 g vegetable suet
• 50 g almonds, chopped
• 50 g candied peel
• 50 g soft brown sugar
• 2 tbsp black treacle or pekmez
• 3 eggs
• 125 ml Guinness
• 1tsp grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 tsp gravy browning

Place all pudding ingredients into a bowl and mix. Spoon the mixture into a lightly greased, base-lined 1.25 litre basin. Level the top with a spoon. Cover with cling film and pierce. Cook for 8 minutes on full power in a 650 watt microwave. ( Or adjust your time for lower or higher watt. ) After 8 minutes, leave to cool and remove the cling film. Cover with fresh cling film and foil before storing.

Serve with Brandy Sauce.

MULLED WINE WITH SPICED NUTS ( SICAK SARAP VE BAHARATLI CEREZ )

Hi all, with  Christmas just round the corner , I thought I share some of my quick and easy to do Xmas recipes, with you all. I hope you like them. This serves 10.

YOU NEED

• 1 litre red wine
• 4tbsp soft brown sugar
• 250 ml boiling water
• 1 orange
• Half a lemon, sliced
• 15-20 cloves
• 5-6 cardamoms
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 5cm fresh ginger piece
• dash of brandy

First cut the orange in half. Spear one half with cloves and slice the other half. In a large pan mix red wine, brown sugar,boiling water  orange, lemon slices, cardamoms, cinnamon stick and ginger and mix. Cover and let it rest for 30 to 60 minutes. Take the cover off and heat the wine gently until it is hot for about 5-7 minutes.  DO NOT BOIL. Divide the wine into glasses and serve it with roasted spicy nuts. 

TIP: Add a dash of brandy for extra warmth.

NOTE: Place a metal teaspoon to each wine glass to prevent it cracking.

SPICED ROASTED NUTS

• 25 g butter
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 50 g peanuts
• 50 g hazelnuts
• 50 g cashew nuts
• 50 g almonds

Place the butter in a non stick frying pan. Add the spices and salt to melted butter. Add nuts and mix well. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring. Cool on kitchen paper and serve with Mulled Wine.

LEMON ROAST CHICKEN( Firinda limonlu tavuk )

Hi all. this is one of my Sunday roasts i enjoy doing. I love the sharp lemon taste and lovely fragrance while it is cooking.

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 - 1.8  kg chicken
  
• 1 lemon ( cut into quarters )
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 shallot
• 100 g butter ( softened )
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• salt and ground black pepper.

First pre-heat the oven to 200C, 180Fan.  Wash the chicken and dry with paper towel. Place lemon pieces, garlic and shallot inside the bird. Mix butter, lemon juice, tomato paste, parsley, salt and pepper in a bowl. Then spread this mixture evenly  all over the chicken. Place the chicken in a roasting tin and cover the breast with foil. Roast 1 1/2 hours basting it often with buttery juices. Remove the foil and cook for further 30-45  minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Leave to rest 10 minutes before serving. Serves 4.