Happy Holidays And Some Recipe Suggestions For Feasting!

Hi! I'm now working from Wordpress. I've edited all my recipes there, reformatted it so that it is much easier to read & follow. This link will take your directly to my newest and old recipes, click:

https://kitchenbaroness.wordpress.com/

Happy Holidays!

It's time to take a break from writing and start preparing year-end festive dinners, lunch, tea and cocktails for the expected larger number of family and friends who will be coming through my doors before the year is over. 

Lots of preparation and work involved but I have things pretty much organised. My Christmas tree is all dressed up and as you can see, the dog approves. 

The rest of the house still needs some kind of adornment but the mango tree has been attended to and it has been strung up with meteor shower rain lights. It is so pretty. They look like shooting stars. 

I completed my gift purchasing and wrapping in record time... 3 days. Yet, I believe I have done a better job this year with matching the gift to the person. 

I hope you have a slew of wonderful meals to look forward to and wouldn't it be even more wonderful if most of them were home cooked food prepared by someone else!

Happy Holidays and stay safe.

Try out some holiday recipes:

Braided Stollen With Three Logs Of Marzipan

Cheese Board And Antipasto Platter

Chinese Candied Sesame Walnuts

My 3 refreshing coolers!

I am always impressed when I step into someone's home and find that the host/hostess has gone through the effort to prepare a special cocktail or a drink for teetotallers. 

1. Osmanthus & Apricot Drink With Konjac Jelly (konnyaku)
2. Zingy Mint, Lime & Lemongrass Infused Cooler
3. Frozen Red Raspberry Fizzy (my favourite)

Gingerbread Cookies Made With Gula Melaka

I do bake these Checkerboard Cookies to give away. They are hugely popular and keep well.

Easier to bake would be my Buttery Butter Cookies

or my dark chocolate tasting crisp Chocolatey Chocolate Cookies

and for a cookie that would surprise your guests, try my Crisp Lemon Biscuits, it would make anyone's lips pucker.

There is nothing like Iced Lemon Tea With Oomph!

Osmanthus Apricot Drink With Konjac Jelly Strips

Hi! I'm now working from Wordpress. I've spent a great deal of time editing and reorganising this post on Wordpress and it is so much friendlier to read & follow my recipe from there. Click on this link to take you directly to the recipe:

Osmanthus Apricot Drink With Konjac Jelly Strips

Link to my newest and old recipes, click:

https://kitchenbaroness.wordpress.com/

If you like the smell of osmanthus - the sweetly perfumed flower, you will like this drink.

Not many people are familiar with osmanthus which is a shame. There isn't very much going for it in terms of taste. It's all in the scent, very much like that of jasmine. I think it is just a matter of time before someone enterprising decides to bottle it up into a food essence or a perfume. Some might find it overpoweringly perfumed but it does grow on you. Like the jasmine flower, a little goes a long way.

Read up more about the osmanthus flower by scrolling down to my 'Tips' section. I have a photograph of my current favourite cookie, Osmanthus and Jasmine Flavoured Cookie there too.

OSMANTHUS AND APRICOT DRINK WITH KONJAC JELLY STRIPS

Prep:	10 minutes
Cook:	10 minutes
Inactive:	2 hours or more for jelly to firm and chill completely.
Level:	Easy
Makes:	~ 1/2 gallon (~2 litres)
Oven Temperature:	-
Can recipe be doubled?	Yes
Make ahead?	Osmanthus Apricot Drink keeps well refrigerated for 1 week well bottled.  May also be frozen into blocks. Jelly can be made a day before serving.

Just the ingredients The jelly 1 packet konjac/konnyaku jelly powder 1 cup (200g) sugar To substitute 1 bag of ready made peach flavoured konjac/konnyaku jelly Everything else 5 cups (1.2 litres) water 4 Tablespoons dried osmanthus flowers 3/4 cup (150g) sugar   1 bottle (~ 0.89 quart) (~0.85 litre) apricot/peach/pear nectar or enough to match the volume of osmanthus tea you have brewed Bubble tea straws to suck up the jelly

Ready made individually packed, peach flavoured konjac/konnyaku jelly.

Ingredients

The jelly

1 packet konnyaku jelly powder

Konnyaku is made from seaweed and is also known as konjac. When the jelly has set, the texture is firmer than gelatine based jellies and it has a nice 'bouncy' bite to it. Purchase at Asian grocery stores and most supermarkets. 

A little sachet of malic acid is often included. Many fruit and vegetables contain malic acid. The tartness of a green apple? That's the malic acid. Choose to use it or not. It will add a tartness to the jelly. If you have not use it before and would like to try, use half the sachet to begin with. Taste and adjust accordingly.

200g sugar

To substitute

1 bag of ready made peach flavoured konjac jelly

Available at most supermarkets and Asian grocery stores. The brand that I use, featured above is made in Taiwan and there are 12 small tubs of jelly in the bag. This is convenient as not only do you not have to cook the jelly, the fact that it is individually packaged into single size portions means you simply pop out a jelly, sliced it into pieces (to a size that is small enough to suck up a straw) directly into your glass and top it with the Osmanthus Apricot Drink. Easy, easy.

Everything else

5 cups (1.2 litres) water

4 Tablespoons dried osmanthus flowers

May be purchased from Traditional Chinese Medicine stores, some tea shops and some Asian grocery stores. It is available online. Scroll down to 'Tips' for other ways to use osmanthus flowers and a bit of information on this very floral smelling flower.

3/4 cup (150g) sugar  

1 bottle (~ 0.89 quart) (~0.85 litre) apricot nectar or enough to match the volume of osmanthus tea you have brewed
Replace with peach or pear nectar. A fruit that is more floral would be more suitable. Apple, for instance, would be too tart.

Bubble tea straws to suck up the jelly

Method

The konjac jelly

Follow the directions on the packet.

The package instructions suggest the addition of 1/4 teaspoon essence and 1 drop of food colouring. I don't see the need for colouring. As for essence, osmanthus and peach are already a lovely flavour combination. I add konjac jelly pretty much for the textural contrast and that little pep of acidity from the malic acid.

When the jelly has set and is sufficiently chilled. Cut the jelly into strips, diced finely or easier still, grate through a large-holed grater. Return to the refrigerator and store covered until you are ready to use it.

Everything else

Boil the water in a pot. As soon as it comes to a boil, add the osmanthus. Cover the pot and turn off the burner. Let the tea steep for 20 minutes.

Strain the osmanthus tea. Discard the solids. 

Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Let the liquid cool.

Once cooled, add the peach nectar. Transfer into sterilised bottles and refrigerate or freeze.

Putting the drink together

Add as much jelly as you like into the bottom of the serving glasses. Top up 3/4 of the way up with the Osmanthus Apricot Drink. Stir and taste. Adjust to your liking. Top up with ice. Insert bubble tea straw and slurp away.

Tips

What do you do with the rest of the dried osmanthus flowers?

• I so like the smell of osmanthus, I developed a cookie recipe with osmanthus in it - a lovely crisp, floral tasting cookie, Osmanthus & Jasmine Flavoured Cookies. Everyone who has tried it, likes it.

• Store leftover osmanthus sealed in the refrigerator. It keeps well.
• Make yourself some osmanthus tea. One teaspoon per cup.
• Mix the osmanthus flowers with a tea of your choice to add a floral brew to your cup. 
• If you google 'osmanthus jelly recipe', there are recipes (all similar) for that jelly.  It is an easy jelly recipe and it taste even more perfumed than my cookies. Some might find it overpowering whilst others just cannot get enough of it.

What are osmanthus flowers?

It comes from a flowering plant/shrub bearing tiny cream coloured flowers. 

What do you know? There is an osmanthus shrub in my neighbourhood!

It is more often than not used in its dried form as fresh osmanthus flowers are highly perishable. When dried, they are a lovely golden yellow. Most of the dried osmanthus sold in shops are from China. It is appreciated for its distinctive floral aroma. It is most often used in sweet dishes but it can apparently be used in savoury dishes as well. Osmanthus wine is enjoyed in China. It must taste lovely.

I buy my osmanthus from a Traditional Chinese Medicine store that carefully sources what they put on their shelves. They cost more but I pay the price for the assurance of quality.
WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?                                                 

Happy Holidays!

It's time to take a break from writing and start preparing year-end festive dinners, lunch, tea and cocktails for the expected larger number of family and friends who will be coming through my doors before the year is over. 

Lots of preparation and work involved but I have things pretty much organised. My Christmas tree is all dressed up and as you can see, the dog approves. 

The rest of the house still needs some kind of adornment but the mango tree has been attended to and it has been strung up with meteor shower rain lights. It is so pretty. They look like shooting stars. 

I completed my gift purchasing and wrapping in record time... 3 days. Yet, I believe I have done a better job this year with matching the gift to the person. 

I hope you have a slew of wonderful meals to look forward to and wouldn't it be even more wonderful if most of them were home cooked food prepared by someone else!

I wish you happy holidays and stay safe.

Lime and Lemongrass Infused Mint Cooler

Hi! I'm now working from Wordpress. I've spent a great deal of time editing and reorganising this post on Wordpress and it is so much friendlier to read & follow my recipe from there. Click on this link to take you directly to the recipe:

Lime And Lemongrass Infused Cooler

Link to my newest and old recipes, click:

https://kitchenbaroness.wordpress.com/

The combination of mint, lime and lemongrass can only mean this drink is going to be ever so refreshing.

No, the dog did not touch the drink. It thought it smelled wonderful though.

Serve it as a non alcoholic pre-dinner drink, as a thirst quencher on hot days and it is especially refreshing after a heavy meal. Any which way, this drink will please everyone.

LIME AND LEMONGRASS INFUSED MINT COOLER        

Prep:	15 minutes
Cook:	20 minutes (largely unattended)
Inactive:	10 minutes
Level:	Easy
Makes:	1.58 US quart (1.5 litres)
Oven Temperature:	-
Can recipe be doubled?	Yes
Make ahead?	Yes. Keeps well in sterilised bottles in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. It can also be frozen in ice cube trays.

Just the ingredients 5 cups water   4  fat lemongrass  1 cup lime juice 4 cups mint (any kind, stalks and leaves) 3 and 1/2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons citric acid Soda Stream/seltzer/soda water/sparkling mineral water

Ingredients

5 cups water  

4  fat lemongrass 

1 cup lime juice

4 cups mint (any kind, stalks and leaves)

3 and 1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons citric acid

Gives a nice tart flavour. Available at baking supply stores and some supermarkets. Find out more about this natural ingredient. Refer to the post Crisp Lemon Cookies.

Soda Stream/seltzer/soda water/sparkling mineral water

Method

Over high heat, bring 5 cups water to boil in a pot.

As soon as the water comes to a boil, smash the 4 lemongrass, add to boiling water and boil on high 5 minutes. 

Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add mint (stalks and leaves), turn off the heat and let it steep for 10 minutes.

Transfer, the lemongrass, mint and 1/2 cup of the liquid into a food processor and let it cool sufficiently before you start the food processor to puree.  Keep the rest of the liquid in the pot aside for the moment.

When the lemongrass, mint and 1/2 cup liquid has cooled enough (so that it will be save for you to start the machine), use the 'PULSE' function of your food processor to get the grinding started and then progress to grinding it for a full minute. 

Remember the liquid in the pot that was set aside earlier?  Pour that into the food processor. Do not turn on the machine as the liquid will still be very hot.

Just use a fine-holed strainer to strain the green liquid into a clean vessel.  Discard the solids.

Add the sugar, lime juice and citric acid and stir to dissolve. The acids will turn the liquid a less vibrant colour.

Transfer into sterilised bottles and cap. 

To serve, pour required amount into glasses and top with Soda Stream/seltzer/soda water/sparkling mineral water. 

Add ice cubes and garnish with sprigs of mint and lime slices.

Tips

There is a lot of cookie and cake giving during the festive period and not enough of other homemade goodies. 

Bottled cordials are very well received as it is "not another jar of cookie" and hardly enough people think of giving them. Expect nothing less than much appreciated delight and surprise when you present it to your family and friends. 

I save up pretty bottles to bottle cordials. It is a good way to reuse what you already have and reduce our carbon footprints. 

Any advertising on the bottle that bothers you (usually found on the cap) can be covered with festive themed stickers or just cut some paper up, doodle a christmas design on it and glue them on the cap.

WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?                                                

Another drink option for your year-end festive celebrations that I had concocted especially for guests who are not into alcohol, my Osmanthus And Apricot Drink With Konjac Jelly.

Frozen Red Raspberry Fizzy

Hi! I'm now working from Wordpress. I've spent a great deal of time editing and reorganising this post on Wordpress and it is so much friendlier to read & follow my recipe from there. Click on this link to take you directly to the recipe:

Frozen Red Raspberry Fizzy

Link to my newest and old recipes, click:

https://kitchenbaroness.wordpress.com/

Fizzy and raspberry sweet. It's almost like drinking the raspberry swirls in those vanilla raspberry ice cream!

This fantastically red fizzy is my official year-end festive beverage. There is no cooking involved and not even a syrup to make. Just a food processor to blitz all the ingredients and double sieved to get rid of all seeds. 

Choose to top it up with sparkling grape juice and/or seltzer. For adults who must have something with an alcohol count, top with prosecco or something similar. Any which way, it is very good. I pour the cordial over pancakes, waffles, ice cream and when no one is looking, sip spoonfuls of it. 
FROZEN RED RASPBERRY FIZZY                            

Prep:	10 minutes
Cook:	-
Inactive:	-
Level:	Easy
Makes:	1 (32oz) (1 US quart) (945ml) bottle of raspberry cordial.
Oven Temperature:	-
Can recipe be doubled?	Yes
Make ahead?	Yes. Keeps well in sterilised bottles in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. It can also be frozen in ice cube trays.

Just the ingredients 1 lb (450g) frozen raspberries 1 cup unsweetened beetroot juice 1 and 1/2 cups sugar Sparkling grape juice/Soda Stream/seltzer/soda water/sparkling mineral water

1 lb (450g) frozen raspberries

1 cup unsweetened beetroot juice
Buy ready bottled ones. There won't be any wastage as it is delicious and it can be turned into a mad pink soup (scroll down to 'Tips'), a refreshing beetroot seltzer, used to bake maroon coloured bread or to colour home made pasta a fantastic shade of dark pink.

1 and 1/2 cup sugar

Sparkling grape juice/Soda Stream/seltzer/soda water/sparkling mineral water

Sparkling grape juice have so much carbonation in them, they are perfect for this festive looking drink. They can be very sweet so you might want to use half of that and half soda water. Alternatively, top with just soda water, sparkling mineral water, etcetera.

My soda making machine, the Soda Stream, is one of my favourite kitchen equipment. It makes the most bubbly sparkling water. As good and sometimes better than bottled/canned soda water/seltzers.

Method

Combine first 3 ingredients in a food processor and grind until smooth. There is no need to defrost the raspberries.

Strain the puree twice through a fine-hole strainer to remove all seeds

Transfer into sterilised jars/bottles, cover and refrigerate. Alternatively, freeze in ice cube trays and then transfer them into freezer bags.

To make yourself a drink, pour enough cordial into a glass cup and then top only 3/4 full with fizzy water of your choice. Alternatively, top with prosecco, moscato, champagne, etcetera. Stir gently to mix. 

Do not fill more than 3/4 full as the bubbles will likely spill over.

Tips

How else can I use the cordial/syrup?

The raspberry cordial is wonderful over pancakes, waffles, vanilla ice cream, yogurt lassi and on a spoon, sipped slowly.

What to do with the remaining bottled beetroot juice?

Here is a link to possibly one of the easiest beetroot soups, Cold & Crazy Pink Beetroot Soup. Since bottled beetroot is ready to drink, it is so easy to serve this soup and because of its mad festive colour, it will look great on your year-end dinner party table.

WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?                                               

It's a recipe for either one of my other two festive party drinks. 

Zingy Mint, Lime and Lemongrass Infused Cooler or

another drink that your guests would be pleasantly surprised to have served to them. It is... 

my Floral Osmanthus And Apricot Drink With Konjac Jelly. You don't need to head to the bubble tea store for your next Konjac jelly drink fix!