Santa Balls

The quality of ingredients is important.  Use the best you can afford. 

100 g Macadamian nuts, roasted best.
200 g milk chocolate, I used Lindt, but Cadburys cooking chocolate would be O K
2 Tablespoons of cream, 40 mils
400g Xmas pudding. Use a good one. Break into 2 cm cubes.
1 tablespoon of Brandy, rum or a liqueur that will complement the pudding.  I used Peach Brandy. 

300 g of extra chocolate to dip. 
Pen with white chocolate.  You can buy these at Supermarket.  Queen brand
Method

Grind Macadamia nuts until the size of rice grain.  Set aside.  No need to wash bowl.                                                       
Add broken up chocolate to bowl and grind 10 seconds, speed 9. Scrape down and add cream. 
Heat at 50, speed 1 until chocolate is melted. 
Add nuts, pudding and liqueur to bowl and mix on reverse,  until all is incorporated but fruit in pudding is not cut up. 
Use a spatula to see that chocolate and nuts are well mixed through. 
Tip into a dish and refrigerate to firm up mixture. 
Use a 4 cm ice cream scoop to form balls and roll in hand. 
Return to fridge to chill.  This will make dipping in melted chocolate easy. 
When balls are well chilled,  dip in melted chocolate, drain well and place on cooking paper on lined tray. 
Decorate however you wish. 

Keep in container in fridge, but best served at room temperature. 
Makes 25
The bought ones cost $3 each. 
Inspiration for this recipe came from Exclusively Food and Nigella.  Of course adapted to TMX

Armenian Nutmeg Cake

I have combined and adapted several recipes to make this in the TMX.
It is quick to make, easy and economical and very tasty.  The nutmeg also reminds me of Christmas.
This is 1/2 the ingredients as in most recipes but will still make 6 serves.

Set oven at 160 FF

 Ingredients
1 cup plain flour 
3/4 cup of brown sugar, (I used !/2 dark brown and half brown)
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground Nutmeg. (this is important,  the stuff in the bottle will not do.)
1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
65g g  butter
1/4 cup of milk with 1/2 teaspoon of Carb soda stirred in.
1 egg
1/2 cup of walnuts
extra 2 Tablespoons of walnuts to sprinkle on top.

Method
Add flour , nutmeg, sugar and baking powder to TMX Bowl and mix, 15 seconds/ speed 7
Add butter and mix 10 seconds/ speed 5
remove 150 gs of mixture from bowl.  ( to do this set scales and with a spoon remove 150 gs. , this is about 1/2 the mixture.)
Press the removed crumbly mixture and with your hand in to the dish you are going to bake the cake in. I used a 23cm diameter dish with a slightly scooped base. it is the same one that I use for the Belgium Lemon Tea Cake.
with the remaining mix in the bowl add 40 g of walnuts and mix on speed 5 for 7 seconds.
Add egg, milk with the carb soda and mix speed 5 for 10 seconds.
Pour mixture into case and scatter extra chopped walnuts over surface,
bake in lower 3rd of oven for between 30 and 45 minutes.  test with skewer after 30 minutes.
If top is browning too fast,  turn the temperature down a little.
leave in dish for 10 minutes and then remove and cool on a wire rack.

This is nice as is but can be buttered. also nice served with cream or ice cream.
Can double recipe.

Glazed Walnuts

This recipe is dedicated to Katie, Cookie and Bedlam ,  who are great problem solvers.   I bought a small bag of nuts at the Salamanca Market and adapted the idea to use coffee instead of Cardamon.

300g good fresh walnut halves or pieces.
1 egg white
Pinch of cinnamon
1 rounded dessertspoon of granular instant coffee.
 1/4 cup of Raw caster sugar.
Pinch of salt

 Set oven at 160 o C FF

Place butterfly in TMX bowl , add egg white and beat until frothy.
Add rest of ingredients EXCEPT walnuts.
Mix on speed 3  1/2 until well mixed.
Add walnuts to bowl and with spatula mix nuts into coffee mix until all well coated.
Spread on to lined oven tray, separating nuts so not stuck together. May need 2 trays.
Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes.
Remove from oven and turn over nuts. Separate again. Return to oven until not sticky to touch. About 7 minutes.
Allow to cool on tray.
Will keep for 2 to 3 weeks in an air tight container, out of fridge.

Notes
Ideal Xmas gift.  100g a good gift size.  I paid $6 for 60 g.
Could replace Coffee with Cardamon or other spice mix.

Mustard Fruits, Non THM

Prior to cooking with vinegar, sugar and water.

Mustard fruits,  ready for the table.

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Need

1 liter of Apple Cider vinegar
2 1/2 cups of Raw Sugar
2 cups of water
1.2 ks of dried fruit,( I used 400g each of Figs, Apricots, Pears/ peaches and a handful of Raisins
4 Tablespoons of Wholegrain Mustard
2 teaspoons of yellow mustard seeds
1/2 cup of lemon juice
4 cloves of crushed garlic
1 Tablespoon of salt
4 Bay Leaves.

Do

In a large pot boil sugar, water and vinegar.
Add fruit.  (I cut the figs in 1/2 and remove the little hard stem, then cut any large pieces to about the same size as the figs)
Add everything else and simmer for 30 mins,  or until all fruit is tender.
Ladle into jars and seal.

This makes 7 medium size jars.
Best to use jars with plastic lids or those that are lined.

Christmas Hamper

This is the first item in the goodies that I am making for Xmas Hampers

Quatre epices based on a recipe by Mark Best

This spice mix is mostly used in French cooking , but is also found in Middle Eastern Kitchens.
It is used to flavor Soups ,Stews, Vegetables. and added to Pates and Terrines.

10g of each, cloves,cinnamon,nutmeg,ginger and 20g white pepper.

It is best to use whole spices, as ground spices often have an anti caking powder added.

Add to TMX bowl and grind to a fine powder. Store in an air tight container.