Any christmas goodies made yet?

GD asked me to knit a stocking for her boyfriend to match the one she's had since infancy.
I have 2 more to knit for 2 DiLs. My knitting is better than my baking!
Do they count or do you want to know only about foodie goodies?

mince meat made , maturing , pudding mixed will steam tomorrow

Christmas cake made last week.

I made a Christmas cake on Thursday, the first one I've made for over 30 years !!!
It looks good, the proof will be in the tasting.

Yup, cake made, Port and orange. Gave it it's first "drink" yesterday.

Mincemeat and puddings made, cake next week.

Christmas chutney (Mary Berry) - I always give my son & daughter a jar as a gift, my SIL loves it. Christmas cake - have made one for the last 3 years with a friend and we half it. Going to marzipan it next week and then ice it, it's a fun thing to do together

Two cakes, about all I make other than sausage rolls

I have made 3 fruitcakes today. One for DH & me, one for my brother who avoids gluten and one which I give to my DDs partner for his birthday later this month.

I’ve made the cake and some chutney, and on Stir up Sunday in a few weeks, I’ll be making the pudding. Nearer the time, I’ll make some mince pies and a stollen.

Oh, almost forgot, I’ll also be making Delias cranberry sauce soon, too. It freezes beautifully.

It's lovely to get ahead isn't it?......last month we foraged chestnuts from the woods so prepared those and made a chestnut stuffing and that's in freezer....
Mcem ....that's lovely to knit a stocking, ......nice to know what anyone is making for Christmas, not just food.

I've enjoyed this thread Shirleyw, have looked up the recipe for Delia's pickled pears and will be making this week, thank you

Christmas pudding made last year and in freezer (the recipe I use makes two puddings, so one to eat and one to freeze). Making sausage rolls this week, then mince pies, and will attempt a loaf tin Christmas cake at some time. Everything will be going with me to DD's, as I am staying there this year. She also wants me to cook a ham!

mcem, can you recommend a pattern for a good sized stocking that's not too fiddly? Won't get around to it this year now, but would like to make for Gdcs for next year.

When dds were little I made them nice stretchy ones out of an old red jersey dress that had got a bit faded and too stretchy. They used them for many years.

No food goodies yet - freezer is too small. Will make first batch of mince pies on 1st December. I always make Chr. puds but usually leave it quite late. Might wait until Dec. so I can have carols on while making - won't have them on before.
No chutney this year though I've often made a lot from a dd's windfalls. Dh has taken to having stewed apple on his muesli every morning instead.

That's great guys,
Chickygran.....the pickled pears are lovely, great to go with cold cuts, make these every year.

Made cake, mincemeat and bread sauce so far. Pudding on Stir up Sunday once everyone has stirred. Mince pies, sausage rolls and lemon curd tarts to come, have to make gluten free everything for relatives as well so doubling up. Currently making dressed peg dolls to sell for the hospice, I was inspired by the wonderful ones on here made by happysexagenarian!

I've made the pickled pears Shirleyw, they smell delicious. Look forward to enjoying them this Christmas, thank you

I am lost guys since I am from the USA. What is Christmas Cake? I have heard of Mincemeat but honestlnow what it is

A Christmas cake is a rich fruit cake, preferably 'dosed' with lots of brandy to keep it moist and then covered with marzipan and iced (frosted?) and decorated with appropriate Christmas motifs. It is usually round but can come square.

Oh, mincemeat, is a rich fruit mix, rather like a fruit cake mix, but instead of adding eggs, butter and flour, it is mixed with suet (a grated fat), sugar and spices - and lots of brandy - then stored in a jar. It is used to make mince pies.

Mince pies are made in what, in the USA, would be shallow muffin pans. The pan is lined with pastry then 2/3 filled with mincemeat and a pastry cover is put over it and the join sealed. These will be baked in the oven for around 20/30 minutes and be served warm. Usually with a scattering of icing sugar over them.

We also have Christmas pudding, made from - guess what - dried fruit, spices, eggs, flour, suet and - plenty of brandy- The puddings are put on pudding basins and steamed on the hob for hours or put in a microwave for minutes.

Yes, we go big on dried fruit - and brandy - at Christmas, but fewer and fewer people eat all these delicacies these days as they are very rich and there are so many alternatives, like panettone from Italy, stollen from Germany and Bouche du Noel (Yule log) from France instead of the cake, any light sweet instead of the pudding.

But everyone (well, nearly everyone) loves mince pies.

Brilliant descriptions MOnica. Don’t these traditional foods sound a bit odd when explained??
Haven’t made it yet, but last year I used Mary Berry’s Christmas cake bites. It’s a traybake version of a traditional Christmas cake complete with marzipan and icing. Very useful for Christmas Bazaar refreshments. It is more flexible than a whole cake for drop in visitors too.

Brill chickygran

I've just put the fruit to soak in alcohol for making the pudding tomorrow and I've made loads of mincemeat using some of the mountain of dried fruit I discovered in my baking cupboard. I think we'll be eating mince pies until next July.

I have two cakes left from last year so will feed them up for this Christmas.