Cooking recipes

Its beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

My Christmas decorations went up yesterday, the earliest Ive ever put them up, and today I made Uma Wyldes Spiced Cranberry Relish it was really easy to make, I made four times the recipe using 600g of fresh cranberries. Of course I had to have a little taste and it is delicious, not too sweet and lovely spicy flavours.

I also made some Shortbread Biscuits. My mum makes these every Christmas, she used to make up a box full for my Grandpa who really loved them. I usually make them too as they are easy to make and melt in your mouth.

Here is the recipe I use, you must use butter its what makes the shortbread so delicious.


300g (10oz) plain flour
100g ( 4oz) caster sugar
200g (8oz) butter
caster (superfine) sugar for dredging

1. Sift the flour into a bowl and add the sugar. Work in the butter with your fingertips - keep it in one piece and gradually work in the dry ingredients. Knead well.
2. Pat down on a work surface and use a rolling pin to roll the dough to about 1/2 cm (1/8 in) and cut out with a cookie cutter. You will probably have to keep pushing the dough back together again as it is very crumbly.
3. Slide the cut biscuits off the work surface with a knife and onto a baking sheet.
4. Bake in the oven at 170C (325F) Mark 3 for about 8 minutes until firm and pale golden brown.
5. Lift onto a cooling tray with a spatula and dredge with caster (superfine) sugar.