The Goderich Signal-Star, 1974-12-12, Page 29iyy
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SIGNAL -STAR
1 27 YEAR -50 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1974 THIRD SECTION
For your Christmas baking files
Shortbread -the symbol of Yuletide
For centuries, shortbread has
been associated with the .-
Christmas and the New Year
seasons. A search through
history reveals,,the interesting --
story about this delicacy. ' ,4
. Like tartans and whiskeys
short bread is-,--ptcrt of the -pride ---
of Scotland. It is eaten year
- -round but- especially at Christ-
mas and Hogmanay, the Scot-
tish New Year's Day. The rich,
slightly sweet, biscuit -type cake
is an essential parC of the
welcome. to those who come to
visit on the first day of the New
Year.
Shortbread is probably a
descendant • of the Yule Ban-
nock an oatmeal cake) which
used to be baked on Christmas
eve in honor of the new-born
° Child. The round cake bore the
sign of the cross. This explains
why so many rounds of short-
bread made today, are marked
into quarters.
'As the festive season ap-
proaches, bakeries and
specialty stores across the coun-
try are offering different types
of shortbread! Many are
decorated with nostalgic
'designs .such •as 'heather,
"hands -across -the sea" or
"Frae Bonny Scotland".
Fine;thin cakes, cut in strips,
with caraway, are, sold as Pet-
ticoat Tails. The name comes
from "petits gastels" meaning
small cakes in old French,
Ayrshire Shortbread contains
egg yolk and cream; and
Queen's Tea Cakes, egg, grated
lemon rind and .rosewater.
Decorated shortbread make pretty, delicio.us eating
Ginger Torte is made of two
ginger -flavored . cakes, sand-
wiched and iced with ginger
icing and decorated with,green
sugar. - • - .
If you're on a tihortbrea.d
treasure -hunt this year,,' try the
following variations from Food
Advisory Services.
SHORTBREAD
1 cup. butter
tlt cup fruit sugar
21/4 caps sifted all.-purp'we
flour
Cream Nutter well until light
Gifts from your kitchen cupboard
tt
Chutne
There was a time, and not so
long .„ago, when 'jam and jelly
making was strictly a summer-
time operation.' It called . to
mind visions of baskets of fresh
fruit'coming into a steamy farm
kitchen and being turned into
row upon row of glass jars
lining a pantry..
That was , back in .the days
when home preservation was
one' -of the few ways that a
homemaker could , provide her
family with a variety of fruits
during .the winter months. Now
that. fresh, canned and frozen
'fruits are available year round,
preserving is no longer the
summertime • necessity - it used
to be. ..
The holiday season is,a good
time , to pl n a jam and jelly
making session, since
homemade, Christmas gifts
from "the kitchen are a good
way to economize and offer an
unique way'ofsending;very per-
sonal holiday wishes.'
Jams, jellies, relishes or chut-
neys...these can be attractively
packaged ..tits a variety of con-
' tainers, decorated with gay rib-
bons, velvet rbi 'ds and winter
greens. Use glass jars such as
the ones that held baby food,
instant coffee or applesauce;
jelly tumblers, and even mini -
crocks that contained mar-
malades or condiments. You
may also, of course, use jars
with vacuum seals specially in-
tended for home preserving.
It's important to scald the
containers to eliminate any
bacteria or molds present and
thus help prevent spoilage of
the jam ot jelly. If you have an
automatic dishwasher with 'a
very hot rinse cycle, use it to
wash jars and covers. Other-
wise, wash them in soapy
water, rinse, scald and drain.
yellow. Add sugar gradually
and beat until fluffy. Reserve
t,+`Tup fluor for flot.iring hoard,
Add '2 cups flour to 'creamed.
mixt-ore tl' cup at a time. Mix
11'.•e,11 after each addition. Turn
dough , onto, board . and
gradually knead .in remaining
.P+
4 cup flour. Divide dough in
half and knead each half 5
minutes. Chill 30 -minutes. Roll
to 1/" -inch thickness. Cut in
1112 -inch rounds and prick with
fork. Bake about 20 minutes at
.3011° F. Cool. Makes about '4
dozen.
jam, marmalade in
The holiday season is a good time to plan a jam and jelly making session since homemade
Christmas gifts from the kitchen are a good way to econopnizd and offer very personal holiday
wishes.
From Food Advisory Ser-
vices, Agriculture Canada,
cofne three suggestions for
Christmas gifts from the- kit-
chen.
"Pear Chutney" is a delight-
fully spicy canned pear, raisin
and crystallized ginger concoc-
tion to accompany cold meats
or chicken.
"Strawberry Cherry .Jam" is
made from frozen strawberries_
and canned cherries and is the
ideal accompaniment for muf-
fins or ,tea biscuits.
And what can brighten up .0
cold winter :_morning better
than —Carrot Pineapple Mar-
malade", a tart golden Mend of
crushed pineapple, orange and
lemon peel and grated carrot.
Make them now for Christ-
mas. They'll express your warm
holiday wishes better than any
words ever could.
QUICK PEAR CHUTNEY
3 l9,oz. cans pears, drained
and chopped
I r2 cup :syrup from pears
1 4. cup chopped onion
1 lemon, peeled and sliced thin
1 teaspoon finely grated orange
rind
cup raisins
1I 2 teaApoon chopped
crystallized ginger
j t cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ginger
I ' cup cider vinegar
Combine all ingredients.
Bring to boil and. cook until
FRUIT AND NUT
SHORTBREAD
Make as shortbread but com-
bine 1/4 cup chopped candied
Heel or cherries and 1/4 cup
chopped almonds with flour
before adding to cremed mix-
ture.
GINGER SHORTBREAD
'Make as shortbread but com-
bine 1/4 cup finely chopped can-
died ginger with flour before
adding to creamed mixture.
When cool, sandwich two
cookies together with small
amount of butter. icing.
CHOCOLATE SHORTBREAD
Make as shortbread 'bit add
1l4 cup cocoa to butter with
sugar and reduce flour to 2
-cups. Reduce baking• time to 15 -
minutes.
OATMEAL SHORTBREAD
l cup butter
1l2 cup brown sugar
21/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
Cream butter until light
yellow: Add sugar gradually
and beat until fluffy. Combine
rolled oats and flour. Add to
creamed mixture 1/2 cup at a
time. Mix well after each ad-
dition. Roll on lightly floured
board to 118 -inch thickness. Cut
in 0/2 -inch rounds and prick
with fork. .Bake- X12 to 1°5
minutes 'at 350°F. Makes about
5 dozen.
bows
thick (about 1(1 'Minutes)
stirring frequently. Pour into
hot sterilized jars and seal.
Makes about 4 cups: . -
Note: To make chutney,
dessert' pears or pears of
Canada Choice . or Canada
Standard grades may be used.
STRAWBERRY CHERRY JAM
1 14 -oz. can sour .cherries,
drained
1 15 -oz. package
strawberries, thawed
1/4 cup' lemon •juice,
21/2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons liquid pectin
Combine cherries and
strawberries. Add lemon juice
and sugar and mix well. Bring
to. boil and boil 1 minute,
stirring constantly.. Remove
from heat and add pectin. Skim
and stir_ 5,„,m.inutes. Pour into
hot sterilized jars and seal.
Makes about' 4 cups.
CARROT PINEAPPLE
. MARMALADE
2 medium oranges.
1 -lemon •
2 cups cooked shredded carrot
1 14=oz, can crushed pineapple,
drained
1 cup syrup from, pineapple
1 teaspoon ginger .
7 cups sugar
1 6 -oz. bottle liquid pectin
Peelioranges and lemon and
cut peel in thin strips 1 -inch
long. Cook in.,smal.l amount of
boiling water until tender (15
minutes); drain. Combine with
diced pulp from fruit and
remaining ingredients except
sugar and pectin. Add sugar
and'mix well. Bring to hail and
boil 1 minute stirring constan-
tly. Remove from heat and add
pectin, skim and stir 7 minutes.
Pour in•o hot sterilized jars
and seal. Makes about 8 cups.
frozen '
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