It’s almost that time of year, which is why Irish Country Living has teamed up with Gill & McMillan for a three-part series from one of their latest releases, The Irish Countrywomen’s Association Book of Christmas.
Described as the “perfect Irish Christmas in a book”, ICA members share their tried-and-tested recipes for festive feasts, secret short-cuts, home-made gift ideas and much more, while also celebrating the traditions, blessings and customs of Christmas past. This week, it’s all about edible gifts.
Apricot And Almond Chutney
Recipe by Anne Harrington, Blackrock Guild, Dublin
Makes 1 litre
My husband’s Aunt Nancy first introduced me to the Munster tradition of serving spiced beef at Christmas. This tasty chutney is my addition to the tradition. I picked up the idea from the Bord Bia website. Chutney makes a nice gift too.
500ml (18fl oz) wine vinegar
450g (1lb) dried apricots, chopped
225g (8oz) brown sugar
75g (3½oz) almonds, blanched and roughly chopped
1 cooking apple, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons grated fresh root ginger
½ tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted and crushed
dash of tabasco
1–2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 Combine all the ingredients in a large non-aluminium saucepan. Heat gently, stirring all the time, until the sugar has dissolved.
2 Simmer for about an hour, but don’t overcook. Meanwhile, to sterilise your jars, wash well in hot soapy water, rinse thoroughly and place, still slightly wet, in a microwave on full heat for 60 seconds. Alternatively, boil top-down in a large pot of boiling water for five minutes.
3 Remove chutney from the heat, allow to cool slightly and check the seasoning.
4 Spoon into warmed, sterilised jars. Seal immediately with waxed discs, cover and label. (If you do not have waxed discs, cut your own from baking parchment.)
5. Label with the date and store in a cool dark place. The chutney will keep for several months and will improve with time.
ICA Tip: Coriander seeds can be toasted in an oven or in a dry pan. Either way, the key is to watch them like a hawk and to use your nose too: you want them somewhere between becoming fragrant and burning.
Speculoos Biscuit Tree Decorations
Recipe by Miriam Murphy, Blanchardstown Guild, Dublin
Makes 10–15 biscuits
These Dutch spiced shortbread biscuits are traditionally served on St Nicholas’s feast day on 6 December. They also make lovely tree decorations, if they last that long. Children love making (and eating!) them and the baking aromas evoke everything that is warm and festive about Christmas.
200g (7oz) plain flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
100g (3½oz) soft brown sugar
1 tablespoon milk
150g (5½oz) butter, at room temperature
To finish:
10–15 pieces of ribbon, about 35cm (14in) long
You’ll also need:
baking tray
baking parchment
1 Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Line the baking tray with baking parchment.
2 Sieve the flour, spices, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add the brown sugar, breaking up any lumps with your hands. Add the milk and butter to bring the mixture together into a dough. Transfer to the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
3 Turn out the dough onto a lightly-floured work surface and roll to about 5mm thickness. Cut out the biscuits with a cookie cutter of your choice, or into whatever shape you like. If you wish to hang them on the tree, use a piping tip nozzle with a 3-4mm opening to cut out a hole at one end of each biscuit. These holes will be used to thread the ribbon through when the biscuits have been baked and cooled.
4 Place the biscuits on the lined baking tray with a gap of at least 2-3cm (1in) between them. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
5 Thread the ribbons, if using, through the holes in the biscuits and tie the ends together before hanging on your Christmas tree.
6 These biscuits will keep well for up to a week in an airtight container.
ICA Tip: In the Netherlands, a textured or patterned rolling pin is traditionally used to imprint patterns on the dough when it is rolled out.
Irish Cream Truffles
Recipe by Mary Sherry, Ballinode Guild, Monaghan
Makes approximately 24–30
These little truffles are delicious served with after dinner coffee on Christmas day, or they make a lovely homemade gift.
110g (4oz) chocolate, dark or milk
2 dessertspoons strong black coffee, hot
50g (2oz) butter, flaked
1 dessertspoon Irish cream liqueur
1 dessertspoon double cream
50g (2oz) ground almonds
To finish
unsweetened cocoa powder, sieved
1 Break up the chocolate into pieces and, in a small pan, melt it to a thick cream with the hot coffee.
2 Remove the pan from the heat and blend in the butter, spoonful by spoonful. Stir in the Irish cream liqueur, double cream and ground almonds. Mix thoroughly, allow to cool and chill until firm.
3 Roll teaspoonfuls of the mixture into small balls and toss in the cocoa to coat them, coating twice if necessary.
4 Shake off any excess cocoa and place in small paper cases.
ICA Tip: If stored in the fridge, these fresh truffles have a relatively short shelf life of about three days from being made, but that can be extended by freezing them on the day you make them. They will take about four hours to defrost. CL
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