My Christmas Bakes

Hi! Christmas is around the corner, and this year I've baked some cookies and cakes that my family requested to celebrate with. What's more....the most delicious homemade Chocolate Bars and my not-to-miss Brandy Fruit Cakes!! These 2 recipes are the MUST in the menu. With only 2 recipes are not enough to serve my wonderful guess this year so I've added a cut-out Icing Cookies from Nigella Lawson and a simple yet yummy cooling Beer look alike Apple Juice Jelly from Anncoo Journal. Thanks Ann for sharing this simple and yummy dessert..:))

First, the cut-out Cookies (Recipe by Nigella Lawson) Here I've posted for my own reference.

 Ingredients for cookies dough:
90g butter
100g castor sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
200g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine salt

 Ingredients for icing:
150g icing sugar
food colouring
1-2 tbsps warm water

Method:
~ Cream butter and sugar together until light and pale
~ Add in egg and vanilla and beat well.
~ Add in flour, baking powder and salt and form into a soft dough.
(If dough is too sticky, may add alittle more flour but take note that too much flour may cause the dough tough)
~ Wrap with clingfilm and fridge for at least 1 hour.
~ Sprinkle some flour on surface and roll out dough to a thickness about 0.5cm
~ Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter and place them on to the prepared tin lined with parchment paper.
~ Bake at 180'C for 8-12 mins or until the edge of the cookies turn alittle brown.
~ Cool the cookies completely on a wire rack.
~ Add 1 -2 tbsps water slowly (may not need all) to the icing sugar and mix well until gets a thick paste.
~ Add in desire colour and mix well. Pipe onto cooled cookies and let it set.

I've used colour paste instead of liquid for the icing, for it has mentioned that paste colours don't dilute the icing as they tint.

Secondly, the Brandy Fruit Cake that I've always baked for the Chinese New Year. Please find the recipe here.

It has been my must-bake recipe every year. You can always ignore the brandy if you don't take alchohol.

It's such a wonderful gift for friends and relatives during any festive. And it can be kept in the fridge for few months if wrap properly with aluminium foil and store in an airtight container.

Third, the Chocolate and Nuts Bars. It has been quite some time since I made this. This is 1 of the top recipes in my list. Want it, get it here.

This bars can be kept in the fridge for many months but I'm sure they cannot stay long in your fridge..haha!

Last but not least, the bear look alike Apple Juice Jelly (recipe from Anncoo Journal)
please refer to her blog for recipes.
Thank you again, Ann, for this wonderful recipe!

They do look like beer and I've fooled my sister when she came visit just now..LOL!!
They are so tasty and my daughter has requested it again on Christmas day..:))

Cheers!