12 Days of Yule: Day Five

Today is a little different. Instead of giving you a brief history of Yuletide food, I’m going to give you some recipes!
Feel free to share your Yule recipes, and to try these ones out.

DRINKS

The Candy Cane
- ¾ ounces of berry flavoured vodka. Smirnoff makes a really good raspberry flavoured one
- ¾ ounces of peppermint schnapps
- ¾ ounces of white Crème de Cacao
- ¼ ounces of grenadine
- Soda water
The original recipe calls for half and half, but it tasted better without it

1. Pour the vodka, peppermint schnapps, white crème de cacao and grenadine into a cocktail shaker with ice
2. Shake well
3. Pour into a martini glass rimmed with crushed peppermint candy (to rim a glass, crush the candy in a bag and pour onto a small plate. Then wet the rim of the glass in water, or one of the liquors. We used the soda water. Then, while the rim is wet, plate it in the plate of crushed candies. Twirl it a bit, then carefully turn it over. The glass will be rimmed!)
4. Top off with soda water

This should make 2-3 drinks, depending on your tastes.

Wassail
Wassail is the traditional drink of Yule. We had seen a wassail recipe on a TV special on the Food Network, but it sounded disgusting. This is a recipe that is less like egg nog, and more like warmed, spiced apple cider. This drink has no alcohol, so the little ones can enjoy it as well.
This batch makes ten cups of wassail.

- 1 quart apply juice
- 1 quart apple cider
- 8 oranges
- 4 lemons
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 16 cinnamon sticks. Ten will be for garnish
- 10 whole cloves
- 10 whole allspice betties
- ½ teaspoon of mace

In a large pot, combine apple juice and cider. Wash and slice the oranges and lemons and add them to the pot. Create a spice pouch by wrapping 6 cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice and mace in a piece of cheesecloth or muslin and add that to the pot as well. Simmer for at least 30 minutes. Ladle into mugs and garnish with a cinnamon stick.


FOOD

Chocolate Peppermint Yule Log
This will show you how to make the cake itself and the peppermint icing. The icing can, of course, be substituted for whatever you like.

The cake:
Makes one 12 by 17 inch cake. The cake can be rolled, wrapped in plastic and kept at room temperature up to a day. After the one day, you may unroll the cake and put the icing on it, then roll it up again to make it easier.

- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
- 1/3 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
- 2/3 cup sifted cake flour (Not self rising)
- Pinch of baking soda
- 7 large eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a 12-by-17 inch rimmed baking sheet. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper, and dust with cocoa; tap out excess. Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, and baking soda.
2. Combine eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a missing bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water; whist until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. With an electric mixer on high speed, whisk until mixture is thick, pale, and tripled in volume. This should take about six minutes.
3. In three batches, sift flour mixture over egg mixture, folding it in after each addition. While folding in last addition, pout in melted butter; fold in thoroughly.
4. Gently spread batter evenly in prepared pan, smoothing top with an offset spatula. Tap pan against counter to remove ait bubbles. Bake until cake is springy to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes
5. Run a sharp knife around the sides of cake, and invert onto a kitchen towel dusted with cocoa. Starting at the long side, roll cake into a log, incorporating towel. Let cool completely seam-side down.

Peppermint Icing
Makes about 8 cups. You will need a candy thermometer

- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons of light corn syrup
- 6 large egg whites
- ½ teaspoon pure peppermint extract

1. Combine 1 ½ cups of sugar with the water and corn syrup in a small heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar has dissolved and mixture is clear, about 4 minutes. Without stiffing, bring to a boil over high heat, occasionally washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Continue to boil until syrup registers 230 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, with an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form With mixer running, gradually add remaining ¼ cup sugar. Reduce speed to low: carefully pour hot syrup down side of bowl. Raise speed to medium-high, and mix until cool, thick and shiny, 12 to 15 minutes. Mix in peppermint extract. Use immediately.

Caraway Breadsticks
Makes 3 dozen
- 1 ¼ ounce package of active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
- 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening
- 3 ¼ cups flour

Blend the year and ¼ cup of the warm water. Let stand for 5-10 minutes, until foaming. Mix in the remaining water, sugar, nutmeg, sage, caraway seeds, and salt. Add the egg and the shortening, beating vigorously with a spoon. Sift the flour, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Divide the child dough into three dozen small pieces. Roll into eight 1-inch pencil-like strips and place them 1 inch apart on a greased baking sheet. Let rise for about 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the breadsticks for 12 to 15 minutes.

Caraway seeds are used to help fertility, health, strength, intellect, protection, and anti-theft

For Santa’s Reindeer
Everyone leaves out milk and cookies, but what about the reindeer? We used to leave out carrots and celery, but there are many recipes for magic reindeer food. Most of these recipes are harmful to any birds or small animals that happen to eat some too. This is a nature-friendly version you and your kids can throw out on Christmas Eve so the reindeer aren’t forgotten.

- ½ cup oatmeal
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup red or green sugar crystals (you can find these in the cake decorating section of your local supermarket)

In a small zipper food storage bad or empty shaker container, mix the ingredients above. Sprinkle it outside for the reindeer to eat on Christmas Eve.