What the Heck IS Figgy Pudding Anyway?!
We sing about it at Christmas every year, but who has actually ever eaten figgy pudding?! With that thought in mind, EIL decided to delve into our cookbooks to assemble some recipes inspired by foods mentioned in familiar Christmas tunes.
Partridge in a Pear Tree
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Now bring us some figgy pudding.
Now bring us some figgy pudding.
Now bring us some figgy pudding.
And a cup of good cheer.
These butter cookies borrow the same flavors as the traditional British Christmas pudding and can be left with a glass of milk for Santa on Christmas Eve too!
Figgy Pudding Butter Cookies (makes 3 dozen small cookies)
Cookie ingredients:
1 Tbs. orange zest (from one orange)
8-10 lg. dried Turkish or Caliymirna Figs (the light brown ones)
1 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. whole milk
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 c. (or 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c. confectioner’s sugar
1 lg. egg
Directions:
Sift together flour, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon in bowl and set aside. Dice figs into small chunks and put in saucepan with milk. Heat on low, stirring occasionally for about 15 min. In mixing bowl, use mixer with flat paddles on med-high to beat softened butter until fluffy, about two minutes. Sift confectioner’s sugar into fluffy butter and mix until smooth. Add egg and reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Strain figs from milk and fold into dough with orange zest until ingredients are evenly distributed. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate 2 hours. When time to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough on well-floured surface until 1/8 in. thick. Using 2” round cookie cutter, cut out cookies and place on parchment-lined cookie sheet, spaced 1” apart. Bake for 10-12 min. or until edges are golden brown. While cookies are baking, make Brandy-Sugar Glaze.
Brandy-Sugar Glaze ingredients:
1 1/2 c. confectioner’s sugar
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbs. brandy
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in saucepan on med-low heat, and stir often, until sauce comes together. After cookies have cooled, use fork to drizzle warm glaze over them.
The 12 Days of Christmas
On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me,
A partridge in a pear tree…
Partridge and pear--what a nice holiday dinner pairing!
Roasted Partridge with Pear Stuffing
Ingredients:
4 whole partridge
Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
4 whole pears
1 clove garlic, finely chopped or grated
1 c. diced onion
2 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 c. red wine
Directions:
Peel, core and cut pear into 1/2 in. cubes. Toss with onion, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil and season with salt. Season partridge inside and out with salt & pepper and then stuff each bird with pear mixture, tying legs of each bird tightly together. Pre-heat roasting pan or baking sheet to 350 F and roast birds for 25 minutes or until outside is golden and crisp. To serve elegantly: split each bird in half, along keel or breast and remove spine. Place both halves on plate leaning against each other. Deglaze pan with red wine and put liquid in small saucepot. Reduce jus to coat a spoon and season with salt. Reserve to drizzle around finished plates.
Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
She'd been drinking too much eggnog,
And we begged her not to go.
But she forgot her medication, and she
Staggered out the door into the snow.
This simple eggnog recipe uses cooked eggs for safety and you make it the night before the festivities, so make sure grandma stays out of the rum before the nog is served!.
Amazingly Good Eggnog
Ingredients:
4 c. milk
5 whole cloves
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
12 egg yolks
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 1/2 c. light rum
4 c. light cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
Directions:
Combine milk, cloves, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, and cinnamon in saucepan, and heat over lowest setting for 5 min. Slowly bring milk mixture to a boil. In large bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar. Whisk together until fluffy. Whisk hot milk mixture slowly into eggs and pour into a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 3 min., or until thick. Do not allow to boil. Strain to remove cloves, and let cool for about an hour. Stir in rum, cream, 2 tsp. vanilla, and nutmeg. Refrigerate overnight and serve.
You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch
You really are a heel,
You're as cuddly as a cactus, you're as charming as an eel, Mr. Grinch,
You're a bad banana with a greasy black peel!
A banana with a black peel? That’s the best kind for making banana bread!
Banana Bread (makes 1 full-sized loaf or 2 small loaves)
Ingredients:
1/2 stick (4-5 Tbs.) butter, softened
2 eggs
2 or 3 very ripe bananas
2/3 c. sugar 1 1/3 c. all-purpose unbleached flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In one bowl, mash bananas until only small chunks remain, and mix in butter, eggs, and sugar until combined. In another bowl, combine salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Mix together wet and dry ingredients until blended. If desired, stir in a handful (about a 1/2 c.) of any optional additional ingredients such as chopped walnuts or pecans, or chocolate chips. Pour dough into greased baking pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Small loaves take approx. 30 min., normal-sized loaf takes approx. 50 min. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 5-10 min. Remove loaves from pan to finish cooling. Loaves can be individually wrapped and frozen.
