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Home , Christmas cake, Christmas pudding, Poppy seed roll, Pumpkin pie, Vanillekipferl

EPALE Recipe Book 2017 Introduction

The recipes in this book have been put together by EPALE NSSs across Europe. Some of the recipes have been translated using Google Translate. Enjoy! Contents

Austria ...... 6 Lithuania ...... 32 Vanillekipferl ...... 6 ...... 32

White Salad (Potato Salad) ...... 33 German speaking ...... 7 ...... 7 Montenegro ...... 34 Pringanice ...... 34 Bosnia i Hercegovina ...... 9 ...... 9 The Netherlands ...... 36 Kale with kielbasa ...... 36 ...... 10 Tikvenik - Bulgarian Sweet ...... 10 Norway ...... 37 Almond (Bestemors mandelfl arn) ...... 37 ...... 12 Orahnjača (Croatian Walnut ) ...... 12 ...... 38 Roast with Mlinci ...... 14 Polish beetroot soup with dumplings ...... 38

(Barszcz z uszkami) ...... 38 ...... 15 Czech Crescents (Vanilkove Rohlicky) Recipe ...... 15 roll (Makowiec) ...... 40

Denmark ...... 16 Portugal ...... 42 Vaniljekranse ...... 16 RABANADAS ...... 42

Æbleskiver ...... 17 ...... 44 Cozonaceala ...... 44 ...... 19 Rheinischer Doebbekooche ...... 19 Slovenia ...... 46 Beigli ...... 20 Walnut Potica ...... 46

Gerbaud ...... 22 POPRTNIK ...... 48

Iceland ...... 23 Sweden ...... 49 Liquorice Tops ...... 23 Swedish Saff ron Buns ...... 49

Swedish Cookies ...... 50 Ireland ...... 24 Traditional Irish ...... 24 Turkey ...... 51 Theodora Ftizgibbon’s Pogaca (milk buns) ...... 51 Traditional Christmas ...... 28 ...... 53 Latvia ...... 30 Gingerbread recipe ...... 53 Latvian rolls (Speķa pīrāgi) ...... 30 Belgium German speaking

Vanillekipferl Stollen

Enjoy a little Austrian Christmas atmosphere at home Ingredients for the dough A delicious yeasted cake fi lled with dried fruit and a swirl of Ingredients with this wonderfully light, crescent-shaped . . It takes time to make but is well worth the eff ort. * 180g * 500g/1lb 2oz strong white fl our, plus extra for fl ouring Published by the Austrian National Tourist Offi ce Equipment and preparation: for this recipe * 70g shelled and ground almonds you will need a large baking tray. * 100g/3½oz caster

* 50g sugar By Paul Hollywood from The Great British Bake Off * 10g fast action yeast

* 2 egg yolks * 10g salt

* 210 g plain fl our * 150g/5½oz unsalted butter, so ened

* Plus some powdered sugar and (mixed) * 250ml/9fl oz full-fat milk

* pinch ground

Preparation * pinch ground

1. Quickly mix all the ingredients to a short-crust * ½ tsp vanilla extract dough and leave it in a cool place for one hour. * 2 drops almond extract 2. Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1 cm before cutting into small pieces and * 55g/2oz blanched almonds, fi nely chopped forming crescent-shaped biscuits. * 200g/7oz 3. Place the cookies on an ungreased baking tray and bake at a moderate temperature (200°C) for around * 100g/3½oz currants 10 minutes or until they turn a light brown color. * 125g/4oz mixed peel 4. Mix icing sugar and vanilla sugar together, then toss the hot cookies in the mix. * 25g/1oz butter, melted

5. Store the biscuits in a sealed tin for several * 225g/8oz marzipan days for them to become crumbly.

To serve

* 25g/1oz butter, melted

* 2 tbsp icing sugar Bosnia i Hercegovina

Baklava

Directions Ingredients

1. Put the fl our and sugar in a large bowl. Add * 1 (16 ounce) package fi lo dough the yeast on one side of the bowl and the salt on the other. Add the so ened butter and * 1 pound chopped nuts 200ml/7fl oz of the milk and stir together. * 1 cup butter 2. Add the remaining milk and bring the mixture together to form a so dough. Transfer to a * 1 teaspoon ground generously fl oured work surface and knead for 6-7 minutes, or until smooth and pliable. * 1 cup water

3. Mix the nutmeg, cloves, vanilla and almond extract, * 1 cup white sugar almonds, dried fruit and mixed peel together in a large bowl. Put the dough on top and knead from the outside * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into the centre incorporating the dried fruit and spices as you go. When everything has been fully incorporated, * 1/2 cup cover the bowl with cling fi lm and leave to rise for 1-2 hours in a warm place, or until doubled in size.

4. Flatten the dough and roll out on a lightly fl oured work Directions surface to a rectangle about 45x35cm/18x14in (or so the short side of the dough matches the longest side 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). of your baking tray). Brush with the melted butter. Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.

5. Roll out the marzipan to about 35x15cm/14x6in (the 2. Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll long side should approximately match the width of the fi lo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fi t pan. Cover dough). Place on top of the dough in the middle. Roll the fi lo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out dough up to enclose the marzipan and transfer to a baking as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter tray lined with baking parchment. Cover and leave to rise thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. for about an hour, or until risen and doubled in size. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you 6. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5 (fan 170C). go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep.

7. When the dough is risen, bake for an hour. 3. Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes Remove from the oven, brush with melted butter, all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut and dust with icing sugar. Serve cold. into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.

4. Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar Recipe Tips and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes. If you have a smaller oven you may want to make two smaller loaves rather than one large one. 5. Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up. Bulgaria

Tikvenik - Bulgarian Sweet

Ingredients

* 1 1⁄2 lbs pumpkin (peeled and seeded) or 1 1⁄2 9. VARIANT: You could decide to do one whole pie instead of lbs any suitable squash (peeled and seeded) individual rolls. For that choose a baking tin slightly smaller than the size of the phyllo sheets (it could be round). Layer * 1 cup of sugar the sheets one by one slightly folding them to fi t into the tin and to allow air between them. If you are using butter, * 2 ounces of walnuts (chopped) drizzle some over each sheet you lay. When you have laid two sheets, spoon some pumpkin mixture on top. * 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 10. Continue layering the pastry and the pumpkin mix * 1⁄2 lb butter, melted (optional) and fi nish off with a single sheet of dough.

* 1 (1 lb) package phyllo pastry 11. Place the baking tin in the oven.

* 2 -3 tablespoons caster sugar (for sprinkling) 12. Bake at medium heat for about 20 to 30 minutes. A er 10 minutes baking you could take the pie out Directions and spread some butter on it, but I do not do that.

1. Cut the pumpkin or squash into large pieces 13. Let the pie cool down and serve sprinkled and boil. You could do that in a sauce pan with with some caster sugar. water to cover, or even better steam boil it.

2. When so enough drain, place in a bowl, and puree with a fork.

3. VARIANT: Some people, instead of boiling the pumpkin, prefer to grate it and saute it with some butter or vegetable oil. Others prefer to grate it and put it in raw. Downsides are that in the fi rst case it ends up quite greasy, and in the second quite crunchy.

4. Add the sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon; mix in with the pumpkin.

5. If you decide to use the butter, melt it.

6. Take two sheets of phyllo pastry and drizzle some melted butter on the top one. You could also use a single sheet, butter both sheets, or do as I do and skip the butter altogether.

7. Spoon some of the pumpkin mixture over the pastry and roll loosely. Repeat with the rest of the pastry.

8. Take a non-stick baking sheet or tin (or else oil it). If it is rectangular place the rolls parallel to each other. If it is round, start lining the rim with the rolls, slowly spiralling them towards the centre (you can see what I mean in one of the photos I've submitted). Croatia

Orahnjača (Croatian Walnut Strudel)

Ingredients: Directions

Sour Dough: Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (390 F). Grease a 30cm X 20cm (11 x 8-inch) baking tray with cooking oil. * 20g fresh yeast Sour Dough: * 10g granulated sugar Mix fl our, sugar and crumbled fresh yeast. Add warm milk to * 50ml warm milk make sour dough. Leave it in warm place to double in volume.

* 40g all-purpose fl our Dough:

Dough: Place fl our into warmed large bowl. Make a hole in center. Lightly beat egg yolks and the one whole egg with milk * 350g self-rising fl our and sugar. Add eggs, melted butter, lemon zest, sour , rum and sour dough. Using electric mixer beat * 50g butter dough until so bubbles appear. Dust dough with fl our and cover with towel. Leave it to double in volume. * 2 egg yolks Filling: * 1 egg Mix ground walnuts with steaming milk. Add raisins, lemon * 250ml milk zest, cinnamon, vanilla-sugar and honey and mix well.

* 1 tbsp. sour cream Assembling:

* 1 tsp. lemon zest Divide dough in two equal parts. Roll each part in rectangles 25cm x 18cm. Put fi lling mixture alongside * 1/2 tbsp. dark rum each rectangle and roll it into strudel. Put the in baking tray and leave to rise about 15 minutes. Filling: Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes.

* 400g ground walnuts Leave it to cool and dust with sugar. Cut in 15-20 pieces.

* 120g granulated sugar Makes 15-20 servings.

* 100g raisins

* 200ml milk (steamed)

* 2 tbsp. Honey

* lemon zest

* 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

* 1/2 tsp. vanilla-sugar

Glaze:

* 1 egg

* 100g fi ne granulated sugar (or confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar) for dusting Czech Republic

Roast Turkey with Mlinci Czech Vanilla Crescents (Vanilkove Rohlicky) Recipe

Ingredients for Mlinci: Ingredients

* 350 g (12 oz) fl our * 250 g butter (room-temperature)

* Salt * 5 tablespoons sugar

* Water * 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Ingredients for Turkey: * 1 tablespoon water

* 1 turkey * 2 cups fl our (all-purpose)

* Salt to taste * pinch of salt

* 1 cup water * 2 cups almonds (fi nely chopped, or )

* Oil * Garnish: confectioners' sugar

* (spices) Directions

Preparation for Mlinci: 1. Heat oven to 160 °C. In a large bowl, cream 250 g room-temperature butter and add 5 1. Prepare a dough from fl our and lukewarm salted water. The tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla and dough should not be too fi rm in consistency. Knead well. 1 tablespoon water and cream again.

2. Divide the dough into 4 – 5 lumps. Roll each one 2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together 2 cups all- out into a round shape, not too thin. Bake each purpose fl our and pinch of salt, and add to creamed piece separately over a hot grid in the oven. mixture, combining thoroughly. Add 2 cups fi nely chopped nuts of choice until completely incorporated. Preparation for Turkey: 3. Form walnut-size pieces of dough into crescent 1. Rub salt and spices to taste into the turkey shapes on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 15 and leave it to rest overnight. to 20 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom.

2. Before roasting, brush with oil and place it in a roasting 4. Allow cookies to cool 2 minutes on the pan to which you have added a little water. Place baking sheet. And then, while still warm, roll the roasting pan into a heated oven and bake slowly. in confectioners' sugar or vanilla sugar. Roast the turkey slowly, basting it in its own juice for about 3 hours, until the meat is tender (temperature 5. When cookies are completely cool, again roll in should be between 350 F and 400 F/ 180-200 C) confectioners' sugar or vanilla sugar. Transfer to an airtight container. These will keep several weeks. Serving:

1. Leave the roasting juice in the roasting pan, remove the fat, place mlinci into the pan, mix and bake briefl y

2. Arrange the turkey and mlinci on a large plate, garnish and serve. Denmark Æbleskiver

Vaniljekranse The classic apple slices can be made coarser by replacing some of the fl our with whole wheat fl our. Ingredients Dough 30 pcs. per portion * 1 vanilla pod * 4 dl buttermilk

* 375 g wheat fl our (about 6¼ dl) * 3 eggs

* 125 g of potato fl our (about 1¾ dl) * 250 g wheat fl our (about 4¼ dl)

* 375 g of cold butter * ½ teaspoon of soda

* 100 g fi nely chopped slices of almonds * 1 tablespoon of sugar

* 250 g sugar (about 3 dl) * ¼ teaspoon coarse salt

* 1 egg * 100 gr melted butter

Directions Directions

Vanilla Wreaths 1. Separate the egg whites and yolks and put them in separate bowls. Chop the vanilla pod fi nely. Mix wheat fl our and potato fl our together. Cut the butter into smaller pieces and 2. Wish the sugar and egg whites until they are fl uff y and it in the fl our. Add vanilla, almonds and sugar. Quickly mix stiff . The bowl must be compeltely clean and dry. in the egg. Lay the dough covered and cold until the next day. Press the dough through a cookie press, and shape 3. Mix the egg yolks, all purpose-fl our, baking soda, salt them into wreaths. Put the vanilla pods on the tray with and vanilla sugar together in a separate bowl. baking paper and behind them at the top of the oven. 4. Use a handmixer to mix the ingredients Baking time while gradually adding the buttermilk. Keeo mixing until the batter is uniform. Ca. 8 min. at 200 °. 5. Melt the butter and let it cool off a bit. Slowly add the Freezing Tips cooled butter to the buttermilk mixture while whisking.

Both the raw dough and the fi nished vanilla wreaths 6. Use a wooden spoon or similar to slowly can be frozen. Put the dough into the refrigerator. Cut mix the stiff eff whites in the batter. dough into smaller portions to freeze, dry it faster. Germany

Rheinischer Doebbekooche

Döppekooche/Döbbekooche is a form of potato cake that was Servings Cooking the Aebleskiver once only eaten by the poor particularly around St Martin’s Day to take the place of the traditional goose, which would Ingredients You need a special Aebleskiver pan for frying. You can be a more costly menu item. It consists of grated potatoes, get one online or maybe at your local kitchen store. fi nely minced onions, eggs and spices and covered in * 8 ounces bacon pieces or strips of bacon. The resulting potato-onion-egg 7. Heat up the Aebleskiver pan at medium heat mix is then baked in the oven for about 2 hours until it forms * 3 tablespoons oil and add a small piece of butter in each hole. a crust, considered to be the best part of the dish. Purists Fill the holes ¾ with the Aebleskiver batter. insist that the dish should not be stirred during the baking * 1 bread roll period in order to keep the crust intact, however, it is also 8. When the edges start to get fi rm, turn them over. acceptable to stir it so as to distribute the crust throughout * 1 cup milk Turn the Aebleskiver 90 degrees (using a wooden the dish. Döppekooche has a variety of regional names stick or similar) and le the batter fl ow into the pan. such as Kulles in Holzfeld (Holzfelder Kulleslauf), Puttes, * 2 lbs potatoes Dippekoochen, Kesselskooche, oder Knüles (Bad Godesberg). 9. At this point there is a hole in the side of the * 2 large onions Aebleskiver. Pour a little extra batter into the hole and turn the Aebleskiver another 90 * 1 apple degrees so that the hole gets closed. * 2 eggs 10. When the Aebleskiver has a solid surface turn them regulalry so they get an even and light-brown crust. * 1 tablespoon fl our

11. Try adding diff erent fi llings inside the Aebleskiver. We * salt and pepper can recomend fi lling it with chocolate chips, strawberry jam or small apple pieces. Serve these Danish Directions Aebleskiver together with some jam and icing sugar. 1. Cut the bacon into small pieces and fry gently in the oil to draw out the fat.

2. Soak the bread in the milk. Peel and grate the onions, apple and potatoes and add to the bread and combine with the eggs and fl our. Season with salt and pepper. Add more milk if needed and mix into a paste.

3. Place half the bacon into the bottom of a casserole dish, the add the potato mixture. Pour the remaining bacon over the top. Back in a preheated oven 400 degree F for about 1-1/2 hours. Beigli

Beigli (or sometimes-spelled bejgli) is a real Hungarian Ingredients for the dough for 4 rolls: Ingredients for the fi lling for 4 rolls: enough, you can make balls of fi lling, cover them with cling Christmas treat. This pastry is ubiquitous around wrap and use the rolling pin to create rectangles slightly Christmas time; you can buy it in practically any * 1 kg white fl our * 300-350 g ground walnuts smaller than your dough. Just remember to remove the shop or . It is a rolled up crust with lots of cling wrap before you put the fi lling on the dough… fi lling. Walnut and poppy seed are traditional. * 200 g butter * 300-350 g of ground poppy seeds (both can be purchased ground fresh at your local market – do 4. Now fold the edges over the fi lling and * 150 g lard (no, you shouldn’t substitute) NOT buy imitation stuff from the supermarket) press down, on all four sides.

* 80 g sugar * 150 g sugar (adjust to your taste) 5. Here comes the fun part: roll up the dough along the longer side. * 3 tablespoons 20% fat sour cream * 2 lemons 6. Make holes in the top with a fork to let steam escape. This * 1 egg * vanilla extract will help to keep the rolls from splitting along the top.

* 10 g fresh yeast (can be bought in * honey 7. Spread egg yolk on the top of the beigli with a brush. cubes) started in 1 dl warm milk Let it dry. Then spread egg white on top of the beigli. * Rum extract (or hey, real rum!) Let it dry. (The yolk adds a nice golden color, the egg * pinch of salt white adds shine. And the time you wait for the two * ground cinnamon coats to dry allows the dough to rise some more.) Directions * 1 l milk 8. Put the rolls on a cookie sheet covered with baking paper. 1. In one bowl, combine fl our, butter, lard, sugar, Put them in a pre-heated oven at 200C for 15 minutes, salt, and crumble them together. Directions then lower the heat to 190C, and bake until golden and the beigli are fi rm to the touch, which is approximately 2. In another bowl, mix together milk, yeast 1. Mix the ground walnuts (or the poppy seed – whichever an additional 15 minutes. So total baking time should and egg. Mix until smooth. you are making) with the other spices in a saucepan, be around 30 minutes, but this of course depends and add enough milk to make a thick paste. Add the zest on your oven, on the thickness of your beigli, etc. 3. Pour the liquids into the solids, and knead until (scraped off rind) and juice of one lemon. Don’t make the you get a smooth dough. Do not over knead! Stop fi lling runny, or it will leak out of the dough later. Heat the 9. Once they are done, wait for them to as soon as the dough becomes uniform. mixture slowly, stirring continuously and carefully to avoid cool before slicing and serving. burning! Set aside to cool. (Alternatively, you can mix the 4. Once the dough is smooth, divide it into 4 equal parts, dry ingredients in a bowl and boil the milk separately, then roll them up into balls, cover with cling wrap and douse the dry stuff with the milk. Just be careful to achieve let them rest in the fridge for a couple of hours. a thick consistency.) Remember: each of the two types of fi lling (walnut and poppy seed) will fi ll TWO rolls, to make a total of four at the end. So divide your walnut fi lling into two portions and your poppy seed fi lling into two portions.

2. So here is the trick to making pretty beigli. Once the dough has been well rested in the fridge, use a rolling pin to create an even rectangle of dough. The width should be the width of the cookie sheet in your oven (so that it fi ts). Make sure the thickness is even. (And honestly, if anyone has fi gured out how to roll a ball of dough into a geometrically perfect rectangle, please let me know how you do it…)

3. Now spread the fi lling uniformly on the rectangle of dough, making sure to leave a quarter of an inch free around the edges. If your fi lling is fi rm enough, and you are precise Gerbaud cake Iceland

Popular Hungarian cake for Christmas, Easter, Liquorice Tops and other holidays, among the top 5 holiday dishes. Unfortunately, very high in calories. Ingredients Ingredients

* 3 egg whites

Dough: * 200g brown sugar

* 500grams fl our * 150g milk chocolate

* 200grams butter (or margarine or shortening) * 150g small liquorice pieces

* 1 cup milk Direction:

* 25 grams fresh yeast 1. Start with preheating the oven to 150 degrees Celsius (300 degrees Fahrenheit). * 1-5tablespoons sugar 2. Whip the egg whites and brown sugar on an * pinch of salt electric hand mixer. Do this for at least 10 minutes, so the mass is completely stiff . * 2 eggs (original recipe says another egg yolk) 3. Chop the chocolate fi nely. Filling: 4. Add the chocolate and small liquorice pieces in * fruit jam (I tend to use apricot, about two cups) the egg white mixture. Remember to turn the chocolate pieces in the egg mixture, since stirring * ground walnut (to taste, approx. one cup) the chocolate in, can damage the fi nal layout.

* +1 egg white to brush layers 5. Prepare a baking sheet on a baking tray.

Directions 6. Use a teaspoon to place the liquorice top mixture on the baking tray. 1. Combine all the ingredients for the dough and let it rise at a warm place. Knead again, divide into 3 balls (or more), and 7. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes. let them rise again. Roll out one, place on a big baking tray. Brush with egg white to prevent the dough getting soaked. Spread jam on the dough, then ground walnut. Repeat with the next two layers. Brush the top layer with beaten egg. Bake at medium heat for approx. 30-40minutes.

2. Melt dark chocolate with a couple spoonfuls of milk or cream and cover the cake.

3. You can use any other jam you like, my faves are apricot or plum (best if a little sour). Alternatively you can experiment with diff erent amounts of walnut or substitute other nuts.

4. Serving Size: 2x5 cm pieces (around 35 g each, approx. 20 pieces) Ireland

Traditional Irish Christmas Cake

Ingredients Day 1 Day 2

Ingredients are listed in the order in which 1. Prepare the Fruit 1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). A bit lower – you will use them to make the cake. 280°F (140°C) – for fan ovens. You want a long 2. The night before you intend to bake the cake, slow cook, so that the fruit does not burn. Metric put all the ingredients down to and including the whiskey into a bowl and mix well. 2. Put the butter and sugar into a bowl and whisk with * 450g sultanas the mixer until it turns a pale colour. Add the eggs 3. Cover and leave the fruit to soak in the whiskey one at a time, mixing each one in very well before * 225g raisins and fruit juice overnight. Li the cover now and adding the next, as the mixture can easily curdle at again just to relish the amazing smell!! this stage. If it does curdle – don’t panic, just add a * 225g currants spoonful or two of fl our, mix that in and then 4. Do NOT be tempted to skip this pre-soaking as it adds add a spoonful of fl our with each subsequent egg. * 100g glacé (candied) cherries, halved or whole, not chopped immensely to the moistness of the fi nished cake. 3. Mix the fl our, ground almonds and salt together and * 50g mixed candied peel, fi nely chopped 5. Prepare the cake tin then fold into the butter/sugar/egg mix – don’t use a mixer for this. Add the fruit and mix everything up well * 1/2 teaspoon ground mixed spice or pudding spice 6. You could prepare the cake tin at the same – again by hand or with a wooden spoon, no mixer. time, or do it the following day. It is quite hard * 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon to describe this procedure – but here goes. 4. The resulting mixture will be thick and quite sticky.

* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essense 7. First line the tin carefully with the silicone or 5. That’s it – spoon the mix into the lined cake tin, greaseproof paper smeared with butter. Let the smoothing it out as you go. When it is all in, smooth * grated zest & juice of 1 lemon paper extend a little over the top of the cake tin. the surface using a large metal spoon dipped in cold water, so that the mix is slightly higher around * grated zest & juice of 1 8. Then fold a length of brown paper so that you the edges of the tin than it is in the centre. have a rectangle of paper several layers thick. * 1 large or 2 small apples, fi nely grated Wrap this paper around the outside of the tin 6. Tuck the square of silicone paper with the cross and tie it securely in place with string. shaped cut in it loosely over the top of the cake – * 100g slivered almonds this will stop the top from browning too much. 9. Your tin should now be almost invisible – * 1 tablespoon Golden syrup sandwiched between a layer of brown paper on 7. Put the cake into the oven and ignore it for 31/2 hours. the outside and the silicone paper layer inside. Don’t be tempted to even peek – just leave it there and * 4 tablespoons Irish Whiskey savour the fabulous aroma that will fi ll the house! 10. Cut an extra piece of silicone paper, fold in two, and cut a * 280g Irish butter square or circle about the size of your cake tin. In the centre 8. A er the 3 1/2 hours, take the cake from the oven to check of this double sheet make 2 cuts about 2″ long in the if it is cooked. Do this by inserting a metal skewer or probe * 225g so brown sugar shape of a cross. Set this and the tin aside for the next day. into the centre of the cake – if it emerges dry the cake is done, if not, put it back in the oven for another 30 minutes. * 5 eggs 9. It can take up to 4 1/2 hours – it is very * 280g plain (all-purpose) fl our variable, even with the same oven.

* 50g ground almonds 10. When the cake is done, set it aside to cool completely in the tin. Leave it till the next day to remove. * 1/2 teaspoon salt

Utensils/Equipment

2 large mixing bowls, an eclectic mixer (eg a kenwood or similar), an 9″ round or 8″ square cake tin [cake pan], with straight sides – this sort of one is ideal. You also need silicone or greaseproof paper, brown paper and string. Day 3 Icing = frosting Marzipan Icing Method

1. Carefully remove the cake from the tin by easing 6. You can leave the cake un-iced, some people prefer it that This should be added about a week in advance of Christmas, 8. Making the icing is simple. Put all the dry ingredients a palette knife between the cake tin and the lining way, but traditionally it is iced with two layers: a marzipan though it can be done earlier. Shop bought marzipan is fi ne, into a bowl. Beat the eggs. Add the juice of the paper. Then peel the lining paper off the cake. layer fi rst, followed by a layer of white royal icing. This but really it’s very simple to make and the home made version orange to the eggs. If you like your almond extra can be done in the last week or so before Christmas. is much nicer. You can fl avour it a little for one thing – I like a ‘almondy’, add the almond essence too. slight orangey tang – and pre-made icings tend to be made 7. It is then decorated in one of many possible ways with far more (cheap) sugar than (expensive) almond. 9. Mix everything together. It should be very stiff and Feeding the Cake – families tend to each have their favourite. Some quite hard to bring together, but come into a fi rm pipe icing decorations onto the cake, or write “Happy If you are worried about using raw eggs, make ball with some eff ort. If it seems wet, add a little 2. Now it is time to give the cake it’s fi rst ‘feed’ – of Christmas” on it, some make coloured marzipan a cooked marzipan, but the amount of sugar in more icing sugar. If it seems dry add tiny bits of whiskey! Turn it upside down and pierce it in 5-6 places leaves and berries, others use cake ornaments the icing really makes the eggs quite safe. water or orange juice till it comes together. with a thick skewer. Pour about half a teaspoon of like Christmas trees, snowmen or Santa. whiskey into each hole – it won’t be very accurate, Ingredients 10. Warm a little apricot jam and brush over the top but don’t worry about it, it’ll soak in anyway. I go for a fairly simple approach, just icing, a of the cake so that the icing will stick to it. ribbon and a few simple decorations on top. * 300g caster sugar (golden if possible) 3. You will repeat this feeding process every week to 10 11. Most Directions tell you to roll it out with a rolling pin. I days in the run up to Christmas – maybe 4-6 feeds in all. * 100g Icing sugar never bother. I just pull of lumps of icing about the size of an egg, place them around the cake and then push Storing the Cake * 500g ground almonds them fl at with my fi ngers to cover the top and sides. It’s a very pliable material to work with, not unlike play Christmas cake keeps for ages, certainly * 2 medium or large eggs dough and it’s easy to merge the seams and make months, if wrapped and stored properly. it fairly smooth. It does not have to be perfect. * One Orange 4. Wrap the cake completely and fairly tightly with silicone 12. Leave to dry for at least 2 days before or greaseproof paper held in place with string or an elastic * A few drops of almond essence (optional) adding the fi nal layer of icing. band. Then wrap this in tinfoil or put into an air tight tin. * A little apricot jam 5. You will have to unwrap and then re-wrap each time you feed the cake which is a bit laborious but worth the eff ort.

Icing the Cake Theodora Ftizgibbon’s Traditional

Ingredients For the butter: Directions

Makes 2 (each 1.2 litre in size): Serves 12 1. Put the prepared fruit and all dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Make a well in the bowl * 100g plain or self-raising fl our * 250g so ened unsalted butter and add the grated rind and juice of the orange and lemon and grated carrot. Mix again. Beat the eggs * 2 tsp ground cinnamon, * 250g icing sugar, si ed and add them gradually, stirring well. Finally, add the stout and spirits, mixing together thoroughly. Add any * 2 tsp mixed spice or ground nutmeg * 4 tbsp boiling water charms. Put into 2 x 1.2 litre greased basins, cover with greaseproof paper and then tie a cloth over. * 350g fresh white breadcrumbs (from * 6 tbsp brandy bread not more than two days old) 2. (If necessary they can be le overnight.) Steam or boil, * Equipment with the water coming up to the rim, for 7 hours, topping * 50g ground almonds up with water as it runs dry. When cooked, uncover * Large mixing bowl and let steam out. Don’t be alarmed if they are not * 225g brown sugar dark brown, this comes with age. Re-cover lightly with * litre greased basins x2 greaseproof paper and the following day tie up with clean * 1 carrot, grated cloths. Before serving, steam or re-boil for 2 hours. * greaseproof paper * fi nely grated rind and juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon 3. Puddings can also be cooked in the oven in the following * String way: put the puddings in a large tin, three-quarters full * 225g each sultanas, seedless raisins and currants of hot water. Cover the pudding completely with tin foil * cloth (muslin) and bake at 150°C/300°F/ Gas Mark 2 for 6 hours. * 100g chopped glacé cherries * Large pot x 2 4. To make the brandy butter, cream together the * 175g chopped mixed peel (the whole peel is the best) butter and icing sugar in a bowl. Beat in the boiling water and brandy until smooth. Transfer * 225g grated or butter or oil to a serving dish and chill until needed.

* 300ml Guinness Top tip

* 4 tbsp rum, whiskey or brandy When serving, pour a little brandy over your puddings and set it a light for that added theatrical wow factor! * 5 eggs Latvia

Latvian Bacon rolls (Speķa pīrāgi)

Bacon rolls is traditional pastry prepared for Christmas in Ingredients Directions Latvia. The bread is baked round, but the bacon rolls are baked like a crescent, thus paying tribute to these celestial objects. 1. Add yeast into a bowl, then add sugar and add half of warm milk (not hot or cold, but warm), mix For the dough: and leave aside for 10 – 15 min to activate.

* 1 cup of warm milk 2. Melt your butter and set aside. In a bowl, add your egg, melted butter, and rest of the milk, * 1 tbsp of dry active yeast fl our, pinch of salt, yeast mixture, and sour cream. Mix it all together until it’s blended. * 1 tbsp of sour cream 3. Knead the dough by hand for 7 – 10 min or in * 50g or 4 tbsp of butter a kitchen aid mixer until it’s nice and so .

* 3 tbsp or 25g sugar 4. Place a little bit of oil into a large bowl, coat your dough around so it can raise freely. * 1 egg 5. Cover the dough with damp towel and * pinch of salt leave to prove for 1 – 1.30 hours.

* 2.5 cup or 350 gr of plain fl our 6. Cut the onion fi nely and fry it with the bacon. Season well, but check before how salty your bacon is.

7. When your dough has doubled in size, roll out the For the fi lling: dough and cut same sized circles, add 1 tsp of the meat fi lling into the pastry. Pinch from the top and fold * 300 – 400 gr of bacon it in and shape into a half moon shape. Place a damp towel on top of them and let them raise again. * 1 onion 8. Brush them with some egg mixed with a little * salt and pepper bit of water and bake them at 180 C/ 350 F for 10 – 12 min until golden. Enjoy! Lithuania

Christmas Eve Biscuits White Salad (Potato Salad)

Ingredients Ingredients

* 450 fl our * 4/5 boiled potatoes not peeled

* 180-200 ml warm water, not hot * 2/3 boiled carrots not peeled

* 2 tablespoons poppy seeds * 3 4 hard-boiled eggs

* 6 tablespoons sugar * 1 can green peas about 400 grs

* 10 gr fresh yeast * 5 6 small gherkins

* 2 tablespoons oil * Mayonnaise

* Pinch of salt * Salt to taste

Directions Directions

1. In a large bowl cream fresh yeast with sugar. 1. Peel boiled potatoes and carrots. Chop potatoes into Add warm water and half of the si ed fl our. Dust cubes, chop carrots, gherkins and eggs into smaller cubes. the batter surface with some fl our and leave to rise until doubled in size in a warm place. 2. Place potatoes, carrots, eggs and gherkins in a big bowl. Add canned peas, mayonnaise and 2. Add salt, the rest of the fl our, oil and poppy seeds. Mix mix well. Season with salt if needed. everything. Knead the dough until it stops to stick to your hands. Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Leave in a warm place until it has doubled in size.

3. Roll the dough into 1 cm thick rolls and cut into small pieces. Preheat the oven to 180 C.

4. Place the biscuits on the baking sheet lined with baking paper and bake for 10 12 minutes until golden brown.

5. Serve them soaked in milk made from water, sugar and poppy seeds on Christmas Eve. Montenegro

Pringanice

They are usually served with honey during the Christmas Eve. Ingredients: Preparation:

1. Mix sugar with 2 tablespoons warm water (110°F-115°F). Sprinkle one package of dry yeast over the top. Let the Dough: yeast absorb the water for about 1-2 minutes, then gently stir. Set aside for 5 minutes until foam or small bubbles * 2 Tbsp. sugar appear on the surface. If bubbles do not appear, start over: either your yeast is not fresh or your water is too hot. * I cup fl our 2. Stir 1/2 cup warm water and 1cup fl our into the yeast * 2 Tbsp. warm water mixture. Mix well and let rise until double in volume.

* 1/2 cup warm water 3. When dough is risen, heat oil in a pot for frying. While the oil is heating, cut the apple into small pieces (about ½” x ¾ * 1 package of yeast (2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast) “). Drop a piece of apple into the dough. Use two good- sized soup spoons to cover the apple piece with dough and * Oil for frying shape into a large “ hole.” Then drop the priganica into hot oil. Use one piece of apple in each priganica. * Finishing Touches: 4. Deep fry in hot oil, turning to brown all sides (a few * I apple (Granny Smith or similar) minutes at most). Let the priganice rest on a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Roll in sugar and eat when * Granulated sugar to coat warm priganice warm or the same day the priganice are cooked.

5. Note: One of my favorite cooking tips of the day came from Veronica when she said, “I learned most of the nutrients in an apple are in its skin. So, I don‘t peel the apple for priganice anymore.“

6. The priganice pot used by Veronica and Georgia at “The Serbian Cooking Show” and featured in the article “One Family’s Story” is cast iron and measures 8″ across and 4″ deep. It has a capacity of about 2 quarts. It is very thick, very heavy, and very well seasoned.

The Netherlands Norway

Kale with kielbasa Almond tuiles (Bestemors mandelfl arn)

Ingredients Ingredients

* 3 bunches of kale (or 1 lb) * 100 g chopped almonds

* 6 large potatoes * 100 g sugar

* 3 tablespoons of butter * 100 g butter

* ½ cup of milk,warmed * 1 tbsp wheat fl our

* 1 smoked kielbasa sausage * 2 tbsp milk or cream

* Salt Directions

* Black pepper 1. Preheat the oven to 175ºC (350ºF, gas 5, fan 160ºC) and line a large baking tray with Directions baking parchment or silicone paper.

1. Cut the leaves off the stems and slice the leaves into 2. Mix all the ingredients in a casserole, narrow strips, then chop them into small pieces. Peel stir and heat until boiling. the potatoes, quarter them and place them in a Dutch oven. Add water to barely cover the potatoes, then 3. Using about 1½ teaspoons per , spoon the mixture put the kale on top, and add the kielbasa whole, but on to the prepared baking tray, allowing maximum 9 without the packaging. The amount of kale will look tuiles per sheet with plenty of space between each one. enormous compared to the potates, but the heat will Bake for 6–8 minutes, until the tuiles are golden brown. wilt the leaves and reduce the volume signifi cantly.

2. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil. Boild on a low fl ame for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are done.

3. Remove the kielbasa, pour off any cooking liquid that may remain and mash the vegetables with a fork or potato masher. Add the butter and the milk (or for a less caloric version, add the cooking liquid back in) and stir the whole into a creamy consistency. Taste, and adjust with salt and black pepper.

4. Slice the kilebasa into even sized slices, and place it on top of the stamppot. Serve with if desired. Poland

Polish beetroot soup with dumplings (Barszcz z uszkami)

Ingredients Method dough into 5cm squares. Do one square at a time: place a teaspoonful of the fi lling in the center, fold the square up * 4 beetroots 1. For the soup: soak the dried mushrooms in a cup of hot and over it, to make a triangle and then crimp the edges water to so en for about half an hour. Take out and chop together. You should be looking at a large triangle now. The * 1 carrot fi ne (keep the liquid). Put the beetroot into a saucepan with next step is to take the two corners of the longest inwards the carrot, celery, onion, cabbage, fi nely chopped mushroom so that they overlap, and crimp them together too. Set * 2 sticks celery pieces, and sprig of dill, and water to cover. Bring it to each one aside on a fl oured board while you make the rest. the boil and turn the heat off , leaving the lid on (do not * 1 large onion li the lid up to peek inside!) and leave for an hour. While 5. Take a large pan of salted water and bring to the boil. this is happening you can start making the dumplings. Gently add the dumplings, Turn the heat down to simmer, * 3 leaves cabbage stirring gently (this is to stop them sticking). Bring the 2. Dumplings: si the fl our into a bowl season with salt water back to the boil and simmer for about 3 minutes * 4 large dried mushrooms and pepper to taste. Make a well in the center and add – the dumplings are ready when they fl oat to the top. the egg and water. Mix thoroughly, and then knead * Dill to taste the dough until smooth. (Do this by hand so you can 6. Strain the soup (discard the vegetables). Reheat the keep an eye on the texture; when you start to knead soup until hot, adding a tiny bit of vinegar to taste * Splash of cider vinegar it can be sticky but this goes away. If your dough (taste the soup fi rst: you may decide not to add any). gets sticky again you have over kneaded!) Wrap it in If you do add vinegar, the soup will have a sharp edge For the dumplings cling fi lm and set aside while you make the fi lling: to it, without losing the sweetness of the beetroot and will keep that rich red color (lemon juice works as well). * 2 dried mushrooms, soaked in a little hot water 3. Soak the mushrooms in a little water for half an hour. Serve into your bowls. Use a slotted spoon to remove Take out and chop as fi nely as you can (again keep the the dumplings from the hot water, add them and enjoy! * 100g plain fl our, plus extra for dusting liquid). Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the fresh mushrooms and onion and fry for * 1 egg, beaten about 3 minutes, stirring, until the onion begins to color. Add the rehydrated mushrooms and liquid; heat and * 1 tbsp water cook, stirring until most of the liquid evaporates. Then stir in the dill and the breadcrumbs. Take off the heat and * 1 tbsp butter leave to cool. (At this point you can have a cup of tea!)

* 4 fresh brown button mushrooms, chopped 4. Divide the dough into eight pieces; roll out each one thinly on a lightly fl oured board/surface. Cut the sheet of * 1 large onion, chopped

* 1 tbsp chopped dill

* 1 tbsp dried breadcrumbs Poppy seed roll (Makowiec)

Ingredients

* Poppy seed fi lling Poppy seed fi lling 10. Divide the dough in two.

* 330g poppy seeds 1. Place poppy seeds in a medium bowl and 11. Roll each part of the dough on a fl oured surface. You pour boiling water over it (you just want want to have rectangular dough around 3mm thick. * 112g light brown sugar it to be covered). Leave it to cool. 12. Spread the fi lling on each of the rectangles, * 65g raisins or sultanas 2. Remove the access of water and ground leaving around 2-cm edge. it in a meat grinder twice. * 33g walnuts, chopped 13. Starting at the long edge, roll the dough like a jelly roll. 3. Add sugar, raisins, walnuts, honey, almond * 2 Tbsp honey extract, cinnamon, butter, candied orange 14. Turn ends under so fi lling will not leak out. zest and stir until well combined. * 1 tsp almond extract 15. Place the rolls on a parchment-lined pan. 4. In a separate bowl whip egg whites until stiff , add * 1/2 tsp cinnamon it into poppy seed mixture and gently fold it in. 16. Bake in a preheated oven to 190ºC/170ºC fan for 30- 40 minutes. (The dough get golden very quickly, so * 1/2 Tbsp butter, so ened Dough cover it with a parchment paper so it doesn’t burn).

* 1/3 cup candied orange zest 5. If you are using fresh yeast - mix yeast with 1 tablespoon 17. Leave it to cool. of sugar (it will turn into liquid). Add 2 tablespoons of * 4 egg whites fl our and all milk, stir and leave aside for 20-30 minutes 18. You may decorate it with icing and candied orange zest. until you see bubbles on the surface. Follow the steps Dough below, adding the yeast mixture in place of the milk.

* 30g fresh yeast or 14g instant yeast 6. If you are using dry yeast - in a big bowl mix together yeast, fl our and sugar. * 320g plain fl our + extra for sprinkling 7. Add alcohol, vanilla paste, egg yolks and milk and * 4 Tbsp sugar knead until well combined (around 5-10 minutes).

* 1/4 tsp salt 8. Pour slowly butter and knead until incorporated.

* 1 Tbsp strong alcohol like vodka or rum 9. Cover the dough with a tea towel and leave it to rise in a warm place for an hour or longer until it doubles in size. * 3/4 tsp vanilla paste Assembling * 4 egg yolks

* 120ml milk, lukewarm

* 100g butter, melted and cooled down Portugal

RABANADAS

Ingredients (25 slices approx.)

* An old baguette (at least 2 day old) The Rabanadas:

* 350g caster sugar 4. Start by cutting the baguette into slices (not too thin);

* 6 fresh free range eggs, whipped 5. Drop 125g of sugar into a medium size pan, add the milk, 2/3 of the lemon skin and a * ½ litre milk cinnamon stick. Finally, add ½ litre of water, stir well and turn up the heat to bring to a boil; * 1 lemon, zest only 6. When it starts boiling turn down the heat * 2 small cinnamon sticks to the lowest and give it a stir. We are now ready to start frying the Rabanadas: * 1tbsp ground cinnamon 7. Dunk each bread slice in the milk and * 750ml water straight a er in the whipped eggs;

* 1 shot Porto wine 8. Then deep fry in vegetable oil making sure you fry on both sides. Just fry them enough to give them a crispy * 650ml vegetable oil golden look. Repeat the same process for all the bread slices (I usually fry 3 or 4 slices at the same time but * 100g of walnuts this depends on the size of the pan you’ll be using);

Preparation 9. A er frying all the bread slices drop the remaining sugar (75g) and cinnamon (10g) into a wide bowl or Syrup: small plate and mix them both well. Then coat each slice of fried bread in the sugar and cinnamon mix; 1. Drop 150g of sugar into a medium size pan, add 250ml of water, the shot of port wine, 1/3 E pronto! It’s done! Serve the Rabanadas with crushed lemon skin and a small cinnamon stick. Stir well walnuts and topped with the Port wine syrup. and turn on the heating to bring to a boil;

2. Let it boil on medium low heat for about 15 minutes. The syrup should be ready when it starts producing a lot of bubbles;

3. At this point, turn off the heating and put it aside to cool down. Romania

Cozonaceala

Ingredients Instructions 9. Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees.

Makes 36 slices 10. Place the loaves in the oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the loaves are golden brown. To test if * Produce For Dough they are done inside, insert a toothpick into the center and if it comes out clean the loaves are done. * 3 tbsp Lemon, zest 1. Add the raisins to a small bowl and pour the rum over them. Let the raisins soak up the rum and 11. Let the loaves cool for about 10 minutes in the loaf * 1/2 cup Raisins plump up while preparing everything else. pans. Run a knife around the edges of the loaves, to make sure they didn't stick, then remove the loaves from * Refrigerated 2. In another bowl add the yeast and warm water, the loaf pans, transfer them to a wire rack and let them stir it a bit and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes to cool completely before slicing into them and serving. * 6 Egg activate. The yeast should bubble up. If you don't see it bubble up, then the yeast is old. Do not For Filling * Baking & Spices proceed because your bread will not rise. 12. While the dough is rising add the walnuts or pecans * 2 tbsp Active dry yeast 3. In a sauce pan add the milk, butter, lemon zest and to a food processor and pulse a few times until the sugar. Heat it over medium-low heat just until the butter nuts are fi nely ground. Add the sugar and cocoa * 8 cups All-purpose fl our melts and the sugar is dissolved. Do not boil it, it just powder to the processor and pulse a few more needs to be hot. If it gets too hot it can kill the yeast. times until everything is well incorporated. * 2 tbsp Cocoa powder 4. Drain the raisins. To the bowl of your mixer add the 13. In the bowl of your mixer add the egg whites and * 1 11/16 cups Granulated sugar fl our, the 5 egg yolks, vanilla extract, the milk mixture, mix until stiff peaks form. Fold in the nut mixture. yeast mixture and raisins. Using the dough hook mix Place this in the fridge until ready to use. * 5 tbsp Sugar everything for about 5 minutes until everything is well blended together and the dough should come Recipe Notes * 2 tsp Vanilla extract off the sides of the bowl. The dough will be a so er dough and somewhat sticky to your hands. The 14. To make the dough rise faster and create that warm, * Oils & Vinegars more you mix the dough the fl uffi er it will be. dra free environment for the dough to rise in, I usually turn the oven on to 200 F degrees, turn it off , then * 2 tbsp Vegetable 5. Take a large bowl and oil it with about 1 tbsp of place the dough in the oven with the door closed. the vegetable oil. Place the dough in the bowl and * Oils & Vinegars use the other tbsp of vegetable oil to rub over the 15. Once the loaves have cooled completely, I usually dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in wrap them in plastic wrap and store them just on * 2 tbsp Vegetable oil a warm, dra free environment. Let the dough rise the counter for up to 4 days. You can also place until it doubles in size, could take 1 to 2 hours. them in the refrigerator. You can also freeze them, * Nuts & Seeds just make sure they are tightly wrapped in plastic 6. Great 3 loaf pans with oil or butter. My loaf wrap and you can freeze them for up to a month. * 8 oz Walnuts or pecans pans are 12 x 4.5 x 3 inches, but the regular smaller loaf pans work just as well. 16. This recipe will yield 3 loaves. * Dairy 7. Once the dough has doubled in size, divide it in 3 equal 17. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough * 1 cup Butter, unsalted pieces. On a big surface where you can work the dough, estimate and can vary greatly based on products used. oil the surface, we will not use fl our here, I fi nd that * 2 cups Milk oil works better. Take one piece and roll it out using a rolling pin, into a rectangle that's about 1/2 inch in * , Wine & Liquor thickness and the width of your loaf pans. Spread about 1/3 of the nut mixture over the dough. then * 1/4 cup Rum roll it up jelly style. Place the roll in the prepared loaf pan. Repeat with remaining dough pieces. * Liquids 8. Cover the loaf pans with a clean damp kitchen * 1/4 cup Water towel, place in a warm, dra free environment and let the loaves rest until doubled in size. Slovenia

Walnut Potica

Recipe for walnut potica (orehova potica) Directions Rolling and Baking:

* Yeast: 1. Scald milk; 11. Grease well the four 12" x 4" or fi ve 9" x 5" loaf pans.

* 1 large cake compressed yeast (2 oz.) 2. Add butter. Cool to lukewarm. 12. Roll out dough on table covered with cloth, sprinkled well with fl our (this amount of * 1/2 cup lukewarm milk 3. In small electric mixer bowl, beat egg yolks, dough can be rolled to about 50" x 32"). sugar, salt and vanilla until lemon-colored. * 1 tablespoon sugar 13. Spread cooled fi lling evenly over entire dough, 4. In large bowl, si 3 cups fl our. sprinkling generously with cinnamon. (If desired, * Dissolve yeast in milk; add sugar and combine. Cover raisins may be added at this point.) and let rise in warm place, about 10 minutes. 5. Pour mixture of yeast, milk, butter, eggs and sugar into mixing bowl with 3 cups of fl our; 14. Start rolling up dough by hand (jelly-roll fashion) from * Dough: the wide side, stretching the dough slightly with each 6. Beat with electric mixer until smooth and elastic. roll. Keep the side edges as even as possible. * 1-1/2 cups milk 7. Then keep adding fl our and mixing with a 15. Prick roll about every several turns with a thin knitting * 3/4 cup butter (1-1/2 sticks) wooden spoon until of consistency that needle or cake tester to help eliminate air pockets. dough can be handled without sticking. Continue rolling by hand to opposite edge. * 5 egg yolks 8. Place on fl oured board and knead for about 15 minutes, 16. With edge of fl at plate, cut desired lengths. * 3/4 cup sugar adding fl our as needed, to make a non-sticking dough. 17. Seal ends more securely by gently pulling dough down to * 2 teaspoons salt 9. Place dough in well-greased bowl; turn to grease top. cover ends and tucking underneath when placing in pan.

* 1 tablespoon vanilla 10. Cover and let rise in warm place for about 18. Cover and let rise in warm place until 2 hours until double in bulk. double, about one hour. * 7 to 7-1/2 cups all-purpose fl our (si ed) Walnut Filling: 19. Bake in preheated 325-degree oven for 1 hour until medium brown. If a glossy top is desired, * 2 pounds walnuts (ground fi ne) brush each loaf with 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon milk 15 minutes before potica is done. * 1 stick butter (1/4 pound) Yield: * 1-1/2 cups milk or half and half cream Four 12" x 4" loaves, or fi ve 9" x 5" loaves.

* 2 cups sugar

* 1/2 cup honey

* 1 tablespoon vanilla

* Grated peel from 1 orange or 1 lemon

* 5 egg whites

* Cinnamon

Grind walnuts in food chopper with fi nest blade. Melt butter in large saucepan. Add milk, sugar and honey; cook to rolling boil, taking care not to let it boil over. Pour hot mixture over walnuts. Add vanilla and grated peel. Mix thoroughly and allow to cool. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the cooled nut mixture. Sweden

POPRTNIK Swedish Saff ron Buns

Ingredients Ingredients

Sour dough starter * 2 1/ 8 cups of milk

* 5 dag yeast * 1/ 2 cup of butter

* 1 tablespoons milk * 3 0.6 ounce compressed fresh yeast

* 4 tablespooons white fl our * 8 ounces quark or sour cream

Dough * 2 0.5 gram packets powedered saff ron

* 1 kg white wheat fl our * 2/3 cup of sugar

* 12 dag sugar * ½ taspoon salt

* 15 dag raw butter * 7 ½ cups of all purpose fl our

* 5 dl milk * 1 cup raising (optional)

* 1 tablespoon salt * 1 egg (beaten)

* 3 eggs Directions

* Lemon zest 1. Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan until the butter has melted and the temperature Directions has reached 100 degrees F (38 degrees C). Crumble the yeast into a bowl, then pour in the 1. So en and mix all ingredients to make sourdough. warm milk. Stir well until the yeast dissolves.

2. Si fl our, add salt, lemon zest, butter, suggar, eggs, 2. Stir in the quark, saff ron, sugar, salt and 7 cups of sourdough and milk. Kneed dough an let rise. fl our. Nix the dough in the bowl until it becomes shiny and silky, adding more fl our as needed 3. Put aside a small pisece of dough for ornaments. Roll it out. until it begings to come away from the sides of the bowl. Cover and let rise for 40 minutes. 4. Form a loaf from the rest and lay ornaments from rolled dough on top. Hints for ornaments: plaits, 3. Prepare 2 or 3 baking sheets by covering each with a birds, rhombes, date od Christmas and New Year sheet of parchment paper. Lightly fl our a work surface, celebration, , Star of punch down then divide into 35 pieces. Roll each etc. To prevent ornaments from falling off , brush piece into a rope, 5 to 6 inches long. With the rope top with lukewarm water anf they will stick. lying fl at on the work surface, roll each end towards the centre, in opposite directions, creating a curled 5. Let decorated loaf rise. Brush with beaten egg, then put S shaped. Place the buns on the prepared baking into oven. Bake approximately one hour at 180 °C. sheets and garnish with raisins. Cover with a towel and allow to rise for an aditional 30 minutes while you 6. When done, take bread from oven anf preheat the over to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). cover with tablecloth until cool. 4. Gently brush each bun with beaten egg, then bake in 7. Bread may be baked in round or rectangular the oven until puff ed and golden, 5 to 10 minutes. earthen or metal mould. Turkey

Swedish Gingerbread Cookies Pogaca (milk buns)

Ingredients Ingredients:

* 1 cup butter, so ened Dough: * 1 cup sugar * 20 gr fresh yeast or 1 ½ dried * ½ cup molasses * 125 ml lukewarm water * 1 large egg * 500gr strong fl our * 3 ¼ cups of all- purpose fl our * 1 teaspoon salt * 1 tablespoon ground * 1 teaspoon caster sugar * 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon * 120 ml lukewarm milk * 2 teaspoons ground cloves * 60 ml olive oil * 1 teaspoon baking soda * 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten * Frosting * Sesame seeds (optional) * 3 cups confectioner’s sugar Cheese fi lling * ¾ cup shortening * 200 gr cheese crumbled * 1 tablespoon vanilla extract * 1 egg yolk beaten * 3-5 tablespoons water Red hots, optional

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until ight and fl uff y. Beat in molasses and egg. In another bowl, whisk fl our, ginger, cinamon, cloves and baking soda;grdually beat into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or until fi rm enough to roll.

2. Preheat oven to 350°. On a lighlty fl oured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/4-in thickness. Cut with a fl oured 3 -1/2 in cookie cutter. Place 1 in apart on greased baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are fi rm. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

3. For the frosting, in a bowl beat confectioners’ sugar, shortening, vanilla and enough water to reach spreading consistency. Decorate cookies with frosting and, if desired, Red Hots.

4. Freeze option:Transfer wrapped disks to a resealable plastic freezer bag; freeze. To use, thaw dough in refrigerator overnight or until so enough to roll. Prepare, bake and decorate cookies as directed. Yield: about 3 dozen. United Kingdom

Gingerbread Christmas tree recipe

Directions Recipe by Tesco Ingredients for the gingerbread dough

1. Dissolve yeast in the water - leave * 845g (28oz) plain fl our to stand for a few minutes. * 4 tsp ground ginger 2. Mix fl our, salt and sugar in a large bowl and add in the yeast, milk and olive oil. * 1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

3. Turn out and kneed on a fl oured surface for a * 340g (12oz) unsalted butter, so ened few minutes until smooth and elastic. * 300g (10oz) granulated sugar 4. Shape in to a ball and transfer to clean bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave for 2 hours * 3 medium eggs in the warm place until doubled in size. * 250g (8oz) black treacle 5. Preheat oven to 180 C Plus for the tree 6. Make the fi lling by mixing the cheese with the egg yolk Royal icing and decorative pearls, some icing sugar 7. Quickly kneed to dough again. Preparation of the dough 8. Take a portion of dough (about 100 gr), fl atten to a (best done the day before making the tree) circle and place a tablespoon of the fi lling in the middle and then folder over pressing the edges together. 1. Si the fl our, ginger, and bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl and set aside. 9. Brush the tops with egg and decorate with sesame seeds (optional) 2. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar using an electric mixer, until light and fl uff y. 10. Bake on a baking tray for 20 minutes until golden. 3. Add the eggs, one at time, beating well a er each addition. Pour in the treacle and continue beating until combined and smooth.

4. Gradually fold in the fl our mixture to form a dough (don’t worry if it’s a little sticky to start with). Once the dough starts to come together, knead with your hands for 1-2 mins, until smooth and combined, ensuring there is no fl our le in the bowl.

5. Divide your dough into 5 or 6 pieces. On a lightly fl oured surface, roll out the dough into squares about 1in (2.5cm) thick – this will make it easier to work with. Wrap the squares securely in clingfi lm and chill for at least 2 hrs, or overnight.

6. The dough can now be used to make individual biscuits, houses or any other design. Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180˚C, fan 160˚C. Roll out each piece between two pieces of nonstick baking paper to the thickness of a £1 coin. Stamp or cut out your shapes and transfer to a lined baking tray. Cooking times will vary depending on the size of each shape, from 3-4 mins for small biscuits to 12-14 mins for large structural pieces. The biscuits are ready when golden brown and fi rm to touch. Leave to cool completely before adding any icing or decoration. Making the tree

1. When you're ready to make your gingerbread Christmas tree, remove the dough from the fridge. Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180˚C, fan 160˚C. Print and cut out the Gingerbread Christmas tree template (see next page).

2. Roll out the gingerbread dough between two pieces of nonstick baking paper to a thickness of 5mm. Remove the top piece of paper and cut out 19 star shapes as follows: 3 x 19 cm (7.5 in) across tip to tip; 3 x 14.5 cm (5.75 in); 3 x 11 cm (4.25 in); 3 x 7.5 cm (3 in); 3 x 5.5 cm (2.25 in); and 4 x 4.5 cm (1.75 in).

3. Sort the larger stars into one batch and the smaller stars into a separate batch as they have slightly diff erent cooking times. Bake the stars until golden brown and fi rm to touch, removing the smaller batch from the oven as soon as they are done and leaving the larger stars for a few minutes longer. Leave the pieces to cool.

4. Make up the royal icing to pack Directions. To assemble the tree, take one of the 4.5 cm (1.75 in) stars and outline and fi ll it with royal icing so you have a white star. This is the star for the top of the tree. Set aside to harden.

5. Take the board you are going to display the tree on and place a little icing on the surface to fi x the base cookie in place. Place one of the 19 cm (7.5 in) stars in the centre of the board. Repeat this process until all three of the 19 cm stars are stacked, positioning the stars at alternating angles so the points are not all directly above each other. Leave to set.

6. Next you will need three of the 14.5 cm (5.75 in) stars. Place a small amount of icing on the underside of one of the stars and position in the middle of the top star already stacked on the board. Repeat this process until all of the 14.5 cm stars are stacked, again positioning the points at alternating angles so they are not directly above each other. Leave to set.

7. Carry on with the same process and layer the 11 cm (4.25 in), 7.5 cm (3 in), 5.5 cm (2.25 in) and 4.5 cm (1.75 in) stars on top of each other until all the pieces are done.

8. Pipe a small amount of icing onto two of the points of the white star you made earlier and position it on top of the tree with the icing. Hold it in place until it sets.

9. Pipe small dots of icing onto the tips of each stacked star and place a chocolate gold pearl into the centre of the icing dot. Finally, dust the stacked stars very lightly with icing sugar.