For so many people who have had to deal with lockdown, most of the last few months has been a blur. A single day can drag on forever, then suddenly a month - or three - has passed. And whammo, almost in a blink, the year is all but over, without any real sense of how or when.
Which is why, regardless of your religious inclinations, the season of Christmas provides such a wonderful anchor. In those annual rituals of decorating trees, wrapping presents, and baking cakes and special cookies, there's a comforting sense of time and place and belonging.
With the absence of Christmas parties and prizegivings this year, you may not feel the slightest inch of Christmas spirit, but I promise, once you put on some carols, get out the decorations and start baking, you'll fast track to the festive zone. Just the whiff of all those fragrant spices floating through the house is guaranteed to wrap you in a warm hug of glad tidings.
When it comes to presents, thanks to all those lockdown cupboard clearouts, second-hand shops and hospice shops are filled to overflowing with all kinds of good stuff. One man's rags is another man's riches and recycling/upcycling is on trend. Think old-fashioned ballon Champagne coupes or crystal whisky glasses, silver cutlery, teapots, teacups and other crockery, ginger gem moulds and classic balloon egg whisks (nothing beats an egg white or cream like a handheld whisk).
Foodie gifts are always appreciated. A bottle of artisan olive oil or vinegar, some fiery hot sauce or mustard, a package of special tea, saffron, chocolates, bubbles or a seriously bougie jar of truffles – there's something for everyone.
A gift of homemade foodie treats is such a simple way to say "I care". It might be a jar of jam or pickle or your signature chilli sauce. Perhaps some cookies or fudge or those little dried fruit balls your nana always made. I can't think of a better or more delicious way to keep the fires of tradition burning.
The following Christmas treats are long-time favourites in our family kitchen. All are gluten-free as one of our whānau is coeliac.
Eliza's fruit cake
This is my go-to Christmas cake recipe. The prunes deliver a wonderfully moist texture without overpowering the taste. You can vary the fruit and nuts you use – just make sure to use the same total volume.
Ready in 2½ hours + soaking
Makes 1 cake
250g butter
1 cup sugar
5 eggs
2 cups gluten-free flour or plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp mixed spice
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp nutmeg
2½ cups mixed dried fruit
⅔ cup finely chopped dried apricots
1 cup raisins or sultanas
¼ cup citrus peel, chopped
3 cups pitted prunes, halved and soaked overnight in 4 Tbsp brandy or whiskey
60 whole blanched almonds, to decorate
ALMOND PASTE
1½ cups ground almonds
½ cup caster sugar
1 beaten egg
Preheat oven to 150C fan bake. Grease a deep 21cm-diameter cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.
Beat butter and sugar until light and creamy then beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in flour, baking powder and spices and stir until smooth, then add mixed dried fruit, apricots, raisins or sultanas, citrus peel and soaked prunes and mix until evenly combined.
Transfer to prepared cake tin. Bake for 2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
While cake is baking, make the almond paste by mixing all ingredients. Remove cooked cake from oven and cover with paste while still in the tin. Decorate with almonds and return to oven until almonds are lightly browned (about 15 minutes).
Italian nougat
Traditionally nougat is made with a layer of edible rice paper on each side to stop it sticking, but I just use baking paper. You will need a candy thermometer for this recipe. Use the lower temperature if you like soft nougat and the higher one for hard nougat. Cutting the nougat before it has fully set makes the job much easier – once it's set, hard nougat becomes very brittle. Vary the nuts and add dried fruit as desired – hazelnuts and dried apricots are delicious, as are dried cranberries and pistachios. This nougat is dairy and gluten-free, so suitable for coeliacs
Ready in 1 hour
Makes about 30 pieces
2 cups sugar
1 cup corn syrup or glucose syrup
½ cup honey
¼ cup water
A pinch of salt
2 egg whites (size 6 eggs)
2 cups mixed nuts, such as almonds, pistachios and hazelnuts, roasted and hazelnut
skins rubbed off, or a mix of chopped dried fruit and nuts
1 tsp vanilla extract
Line base and sides of a 33cm x 22cm slice tin with baking paper. Half fill a sink with cold water.
Place sugar, corn or glucose syrup, honey, water and salt in a deep pot and stir over a low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase temperature and heat to 140°C for soft nougat or 145C for hard nougat, then remove from heat. For hard nougat, don't let it go over 145C – if it does dunk the base of the pot in a sink of cold water to prevent the mixture from overheating.
While the sugar mixture boils and just before it is ready, beat egg whites until stiff. Slowly add the hot syrup into the egg whites, beating constantly. Beat for 2 minutes then add nuts, fruit and vanilla and beat until the mixture is very thick (a further 3-4 minutes).
Working quickly, spoon mixture into prepared tin and use lightly oiled hands to press the mixture out evenly (you may wish to wear lightly oiled clean rubber gloves as it will be very thick and will set quickly).
Leave for about 30 minutes then turn out and cut into small pieces. Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to a month.
Chocolate liqueur truffles
Once you're on a roll making these you'll want to make truffles again and again. They make such a pretty gift packed in a cellophane bag or nestled into a little box. You can leave the liqueur out if preferred.
Ready in 1½ hours
Makes about 40
250g cream
250g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp orange liqueur or other liqueur
TO COAT
¾ cup dark cocoa or chocolate hail or 250g melted chocolate or white chocolate
Garnishes of your choice, such as crumbled freeze-dried fruit, finely chopped nuts,
chilli flakes, desiccated coconut or goji berries
Heat the cream in a medium pot until it is almost but not quite boiling (you'll know it's ready when bubbles start to form around the edge of the pot).
Remove pot from the heat and add the chocolate. Allow to stand for 2 minutes, then stir until the chocolate is fully melted into the cream. Whisk until smooth and glossy (when you start to stir it, you think it won't come together, but it will).
Add liqueur to chocolate mixture and stir until evenly combined. Chill for 1 hour or until firm enough to mould. If not using liqueur just chill for 1 hour or until firm enough to mould.
To shape truffles, use two teaspoons to scoop out balls of chilled mixture. Roll each ball between your hands to get an even shape. If the mixture softens as you go, return to the fridge until it sets enough to be workable.
To decorate, sieve cocoa into a bowl and then roll in cocoa to coat, or roll in chocolate hail. Alternatively, use a toothpick or bamboo skewer to dip each truffle into melted chocolate or white chocolate then into nuts or other garnishes as desired.
Use a skewer to stab holes in the bottom of a cardboard box and stand truffles upright until chocolate is set before removing the toothpick or skewer. Store in the fridge.
Drinks matches
by Yvonne Lorkin
(Fruit cake)
Boneface Number of the Beast Vanilla Coffee Imperial Stout 440ml 9.99%
($48 x 4pk)
It's slightly ironic that the absolute most glorious thing to pair with the cake that one eats to celebrate the birth of Christ is actually a nod to the leader of the house of hell.
Who knew? But there's no denying the evil genius of pairing the rich espresso, vanilla, and malty magic of this strong, smooth, slightly sweet stout, with the intensely indulgent citrus, prune and clove-laden characters of this Christmas cake.
boneface-brewing.com
(Nougat)
TeePee Cider The Earl's Drop Methode Albion Cider 2017 6.7% ($28)
Created by retired radiologist Dr Trevor FitzJohn ONZM, TeePee is an artisan cider crafted from a tiny, organic, cider apple orchard in Wairarapa, where the grass around the trees is kept manicured by the nibbling of ever-present sheep. Replicating traditional West Country cider Down Under, Trevor uses mainly Kingston Black apples crushed and pressed in the traditional rack and cloth manner. They're naturally fermented, then re-fermented in the bottle with a Champagne yeast and a "nutmeg" of sugar before it's aged on yeast lees for four years in the ancient, methode albion style. Copper-gold, scented with subtle, spiced apple notes, and boasting super-fine bubbles and a supremely elegant, delicately dry mouthfeel, it's super-nice with nougat. I love the ye-olde-worlde label too. Only teensy amounts are produced, so be quick.
teepeecider.co.nz
(Truffles)
Taylors Estate Limestone Coast
& Clare Valley Shiraz 2020 ($17)
There are two truths out there when you're adulting in the city. One is you'll buy a home composter for your apartment and it will reek so much that people practically pass out when they enter your kitchen. The other is that one day you'll choose to pair the homemade chocolate truffles you got for Secret Santa, with this ripe, rumpty, peppery, spiced blackcurrant and cocoa-crammed shiraz that's got "seriously sippable" all over it.
In supermarkets everywhere.