CWA women pass on their knowledge for a tasty home-cooked Christmas
NEVER made a Christmas cake or a batch of cookies because it's too expensive or takes too long?
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NEVER made a Christmas cake or a batch of cookies because it's too expensive or takes too long?
Well the women at the Queensland Country Women's Association at Mermaid Beach have you covered with a four ingredient Christmas cake that only costs about $10 and can be done while you wrap your presents. Check out the recipe below.
Branch president Kerrol Blackett said generation Y was becoming the "take away" generation, a trend her and her fellow QCWA members would like to quash.
Many of the members make Christmas goodies for the whole month of December and have passed the recipes to their children who now do the same.
In fact the Mermaid Beach QCWA is crawling with women who could make a Victoria Secret model forego their strict diet with just a whiff of their home-baked goodies and the ladies want to make sure the tradition lives on.
Di Morris said once December 1 rolled around the baking began in her home.
"I have always made shortbread biscuits, mince pies and Christmas cakes for us to enjoy all month," she said.
"No my children are older I leave the responsibility of baking to them and I put my feet up, but I'm sure if I didn't instil the tradition in them it would be a different story.
"Many young families think it is easier or cheaper to buy everything at the supermarket, but homemade goodies can be done just as easily."
Meanwhile Mrs Blackett said her four ingredient Christmas cake was the perfect example of how easy home cooking could be.
"It really isn't hard to make your own food for Christmas, my recipe is simple and anything can be added the cook likes," she said.
"It is what the chefs on television do and they often find their best recipes that way."
The women of the QCWA also insist there is nothing better than a glazed ham, home baked chicken or turkey on the table for the family at Christmas lunch.
"It might take a bit longer than buying it at the store, but it will be worth it," Mrs Blackett said.
Kerrol's Christmas cake:
1kg mixed fruit
Bottle ice coffee
Teaspoon mixed spices
2 cups of s/r flour
Method:
Soak the mixed fruit in the ice coffee overnight
The next morning mix the flour and spices with the fruit and ice coffee.
Bake at 160C for three to four hours and ice to serve.
(Ice coffee can be replaced with fruit juice or ice chocolate to taste.)
Di's Mince tarts with crumble topping:
1 packet of Pampas frozen sweet tart cases (12pack)
1 jar Robinson fruit mince.
1 small apple - peeled and finely diced.
½ cup plain flour
2 large tablespoons of brown sugar.
55gm of melted butter.
1/3 cups slivered almonds.
Method:
Preheat oven to 180C, bake the pastry shells as instructed on the packet and allow to cool.
Combine the flour, sugar, almonds and the melted butter into a bowl, mixture should be crumbly but hold together.
Mix the diced apple and fruit mince together, spoon into pastry cases.
Top with the almond mixture and bake for 15-20 minutes at 160C.
Lightly dust with icing sugar.
Di's almond shortbread biscuits:
250gm butter
1 cup caster sugar
2 ¼ cup plain flour (shifted)
1 cup raw crushed almonds
dash of vanilla essence
Method:
Beat butter, sugar and vanilla until it is light and creamy
Add 1 cup flour, beat in well and then add the rest of the flour and the almonds.
Mixture can be quite stiff, may have to use a wooden spoon and knead until all the dough is smooth.
Roll into a large ball, cut in half. Roll those halves into a log shape, wrap in plastic and pop in fridge for half an hour.
Roll dough into a long thinner roll, about ¾ of an inch.
Cut into rounds, roll each into cigar shape and curve into a crescent.
Place on a tray, on baking paper and bake in a moderate oven at 160C for about 20 minutes.
When cool dust with icing sugar, will last in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks.
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