As Christmas rapidly approaches us I thought I would give you a taste of some traditional recipes. These recipes date back as far as the early eighteen hundreds. The only difference is they have been modernized for your convenience.

BROWN BETTY

Serves 4 to 6

2-½ lbs. tart apples (about 6 large apples
½ cup of brown sugar
1 cup of breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
½ cup of apple cider

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking dish 3 inches deep and 8 inches in diameter.

Peel, core, and slice the apples and cover the bottom of the baking dish with a thin layer. Sprinkle breadcrumbs and small bits of butter. Repeat with another layer in the same order. Keep doing this until the dish is full. If you need more apples it is ok. The top layer should consist of breadcrumbs and the remaining butter. Pour the apple cider over top in a zigzag pattern so it is evenly distributed. Bake for 1 hour uncovered. It is good served hot or cold.

LADYFINGERS

Yields 80 ladyfingers

6 eggs separated
1-cup sugar
12 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons of water
4 drops oil of bitter almond, or mixed spices (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375. Cream the yolks until lemon color and very thick, then beat in the sugar. Beat this until it begins to lighten. Gradually sift in the flour, alternating with a little water, to keep the batter moist and light. Beat the whites until stiff peaks form and gently fold them into the batter. Add flavoring, such as the oil or powdered spices, if desired. Fill as many lady finger forms as possible or use a pastry bag and form them onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool before removing from the pan.

GINGERBREAD

Yield: approximately 8 dozen 2-inch cookies.

1 lb-unsalted butter
½ cup brown sugar
1-cup molasses
1 egg
6 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup rye flour if possible or just use an additional ¾ cup of all-purpose flour
2-table spoon of ground ginger
1-½ teaspoons of ground cloves
1-½ teaspoons of ground mace
1-½ teaspoons of grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon of ground coriander

Heat the butter, sugar and molasses in a saucepan until the butter is melted and the sugar is completely dissolved. Let cool slightly.

Beat the eggs. Sift the flour and spices together twice and make a whole in the center of the flour on the table. Add the beaten egg, the molasses mixture and stir to form stiff dough. Cover and set in the refrigerator at least three days.

Preheat the oven to 350. Roll out the dough ¼ inch thick and cut into 2-inch rounds or whatever shapes you choose. Set the cookies on a greased baking sheets and bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes.

CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Makes 2 ½ dozen to 3 dozen cookies

½ cup of sugar
¼ cup boiling water
2-½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon cream of tatar
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 350. Dissolve the sugar in the water. Cool, but do not recrystallize. Sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and the coriander together twice. Rub the butter into the mix thoroughly. Make a hole in the center of the flour and add the cooled syrup. Work this up into a stiff dough and knead it until it becomes elastic and snaps when pulled.

Roll out the dough ¼ inch thick and cut into 2-inch rounds. Bake in the preheated oven on lightly greased baking sheets 15 to 20 minutes, or until pale golden around the edges.

PLUM PUDDING

Yield 8 to 10 servings

½ cup of fine cracker crumbs
7 cups of milk
8 eggs
¾ cup of lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated nutmeg
2 cups of raisins
1-tablespoon flour

Mix the cracker crumbs and 1 cup of milk. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Add the remaining milk to the crumbs and beat vigorously to make a thin batter. Beat the eggs to a froth and combine with the milk mixture. Add the lemon juice and nutmeg. Dust the raisins with 1 tablespoon of flour. Either fold them into the batter or scatter them evenly over the bottom of the two well-greased baking dishes measuring 9 by 12. Add the batter, distributing it evenly in both dishes. Set the puddings on the lowest rack in your oven and bake for 1hr and 35min. test the center with a toothpick to make sure it has set before you take it out.

CHOCOLATE KISSES

Makes 2 dozen kisses

3 egg whites
8 tablespoons superfine sugar
1-tablespoon all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
¼ cup of cocoa
24 baking wafers or a cookie of your choice

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Beat the whites until stiff and slightly dry. Mix the sugar and flour and add to the olive oil and vanilla. Fold in the cocoa.

Place 24 baking wafers on an ungreased baking sheet. Take scoops or distribute the batter from a pastry bag and make spiral kisses putting one on each wafer. Dry in the oven for 1 hr and 15 minutes. Cool down and store in airtight container.

Happy Holidays