Traditional Christmas Recipes

• 125 g ground Hazelnuts (4 oz.)
• 250 g Flour
• Dark chocolate, crushed into small pieces
• 200 g Brown granulated Sugar
• 2 Eggs (separated)
• 1tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground Cardamom
• 1 tsp ground Cloves
• 200 g softened Butter
• 1 tbsp Vanilla
• 1 tsp Baking powder 
• 2 tbsp Rum
• 3 tsp instant Coffee
• 3 tbsp Hot Water to dissolve the coffee 
• 200 g Icing Sugar

• With the electric blender beat together butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time.
• Mix together the spices, vanilla, flour, baking powder and rum until the batter is smooth and thoroughly combined. At the end, mix in the hazelnuts and chocolate chips.
• Butter a 12 x 16" baking dish. Pour the batter into the dish.
• Bake in a preheated 175° C (350° F) oven for approximately 20 minutes.
• If the knife point inserted into the center comes out clean the cake is done. Remove from the oven.

• Make the glaze by dissolving the instant coffee in the hot water. Mix the coffee with the icing sugar. Brush the glaze over the squares while still warm.
• Cut into squares after the glaze has dried and the squares have cooled.

• 3 Eggs
• 130 G Golden Granulated Sugar
• 2-3 Tbsp Flour
• 1/2 Tsp Nutmeg
• 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
• 3 Tbsp Glazing Chocolate
• 150 G Powdered Hazelnuts
• 150 G Powdered Almonds
• 150 G Flaked Almonds For Decoration

• Beat the eggs and sugar till thick and foamy.
• Mix together the spices, flour and ground nuts. Add it slowly to the egg mixture.
• .Make small mounds of the batter and place it on parchment paper and let rest one hour at room temperature. Bake in a preheated 220° C (425 ° F) oven for approximately 5 minutes.
• Glaze each cooled macaroon with melted chocolate and decorate using flaked almonds.

• 1 tsp Almond extract
• 225 g softened Butter   
• 225 g Pastry Flour, sifted
• 225 g Currants
• 225 g Sultanas
• 225 g dark Raisins
• 100 g candied Cherries, chopped
• 225 g brown Sugar, light, or dark
• 1/2 glass blend of Brandy and Port
• 4 large Eggs (separated)
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 tsp  Baking powder
• 1 tsp Allspice 

• 550 g Almond paste
• 225 g apricot jam
• 30-45 ml water

• 3 Egg whites
• 675 g sifted icing Sugar
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1 tsp glycerin

• Soak the dried fruit, cherries, brandy, port and the vanilla and almond extracts overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 150° C (300° F). Grease an 8" square or 9" round cake pan and line with parchment paper.
• Mix together the butter or margarine and the brown sugar. Beat the egg yolks well and add them to the butter mixture. Add the dried fruit mixture and combine well.
• In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and allspice. Add to the batter and mix well.
• Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold them into the batter. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and wait 30 minutes before removing the cake from the pan. Place the cake on a rack and let cool.

• Heat the jam and the water together to dissolve the jam. Let simmer until the liquid is smooth and thickened. Brush the jam mixture over the cake.
• On a work surface sprinkled with sugar, roll out two-thirds of the almond paste into a rectangle the rectangle. Cover the sides of the cake with this band of almond paste, pressing the ends together to seal.
• Roll out the remaining almond paste into a circle or square the same size as the top of the cake. Place onto the cake, and make a nice clean seal with the almond paste around the sides of the cake.
• Let dry for 5 to 6 days in a warm room.

• Beat the egg whites till very foamy.
• Mix in half of the icing sugar with a wooden spoon. As you stir, add in the lemon juice, glycerin and the rest of the sugar; beat until soft peaks form. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let rest for a few hours, so that a little air can escape from the mixture. Add a little more sugar to thicken the icing, if necessary. Ice the cake.
• Garnish with a few cranberries frosted with egg white and sugar.