Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2020 i Woman's Weekly Living Series

PINK LADY MINCE PIES It wouldn’t be Christmas without a mince pie, or two or three! MAKES 12 ✴ 375g (13oz) pack ready-rolled sweet shortcrust pastry ✴ 200g (7oz) mincemeat ✴ 1 Pink Lady® apple, cored and finely diced ✴ 25g (1oz) dried cranberries ✴ 1tbsp icing sugar to dust YOU WILL NEED: 1 Preheat the oven to 200C/ Gas 6. Unroll the pastry and use the cutter to stamp out 12 circles. Press each into the bun tray. Put in the fridge for 20 mins. Reserve the pastry trimmings. 2 Meanwhile, in a bowl mix together the mincemeat, diced apple and dried cranberries. Spoon a little of the apple mincemeat into each pastry case. Using the pastry trimmings stamp out 12 star shapes. Put one onto the…

Difficulty level MAKE IN AN EVENING This special gift holder is finished in stem stitch and blanket stitch, and decorated with pompoms and tassels. YOU WILL NEED NOTE: Use 1.5cm seam allowances throughout. 1 Using our photograph as a guide, cut out two stocking shapes from the cream cotton fabric, measuring about 30x40cm each. For the cuff, cut out two 10cm-long rectangles with the same width as the stocking from the white wool fabric. 2 Trace the name of the person you’re giving the stocking to in the centre of one of the cuffs with a pencil. Place inside the embroidery hoop and stitch along the letters with six strands of the yellow embroidery thread in stem…

THE TEST KITCHEN ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS CAKE SERVES 16 ✴ 450g (1lb) raisins ✴ 250g (9oz) sultanas ✴ 90g (3oz) chopped dried figs ✴ 150g (5oz) flaked almonds ✴ 150g (5oz) chopped dried dates ✴ 175g (6oz) peeled and grated Granny Smith apple ✴ 450ml (15fl oz) sherry ✴ 300g (10oz) unsalted butter, chopped and softened ✴ 220g (8oz) brown sugar ✴ 2tsp vanilla bean paste ✴ 4 eggs ✴ 375g (13oz) plain flour, sifted ✴ ¼tsp bicarbonate of soda, sifted ✴ 1½tsp ground cinnamon ✴ 1tsp ground allspice 1 Put the raisins, sultanas, figs, almonds, dates, apple and 300ml (10fl oz) of the sherry into a large bowl and stir together well to combine. Cover and allow to soak in a cool, dark place for 24 hours, stirring occasionally. 2…

FESTIVE JUMPER This classic jumper is sure to be a welcome addition to your winter wardrobe, with or without a brooch MEASUREMENTS To fit bust 82 (86) (92) (97) (102) (107) (112) (117) cm/32 (34) (36) (38) (40) (42) (44) (46) in. Actual measurements 94 (100) (106) (113) (120) (126) (133) (140) cm/37 (39½) (41¾) (44½) (47¼) (49½) (52½) (55) in. Side seam All sizes 44cm/17¼in. Length to shoulder 65 (66) (67) (68½) (69½) (71) (72) (73½) cm/25½ (26) (26½) (27) (27½) (28) (28½) (29) in. Sleeve length All sizes 45cm/17¾in. MATERIALS 5 (5) (5) (6) (6) (6) (7) (7) 100g (198m) balls of Stylecraft Life Aran (75% acrylic, 25% wool) in Grey (2419) and 1(1)(2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (3) ball(s) in Cream (2305)*. Small amounts of Stylecraft special…

A canape fit for royalty! Lobster and king prawns in a creamy white wine sauce laced with Cognac. Roll out the red carpet. Lobster Thermidor Vol-au-vents, pack of 10, 145g, £9, Waitrose This soft and creamy French Brie is made even more delicious with a generous layer of white Italian truffle. Tesco Finest French Brie with Truffle, 135g, £2.50, Tesco Part table decoration, part dessert. We love these novelty edible candles, filled with a warming mandarin Buck’s Fizz milk chocolate ganache. Heston From Waitrose Chocolate Candles, pack of 5, 150g, £9, Waitrose A real treat for truffle fans. We will be sprinkling our new choice of seasoning over everything this year! Truffle Hunter Truffle Dust, 50g, £9.95, Ocado Add a splash of colour to the table with these special, ready-to-pop-in-the-oven…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED: PREPARING THE FOLIAGE 1 Fill the buckets up with water and add a little cut-flower food if needed. Strip any leaves from the bottom half of the stems, so that no foliage sits in the water. Place the foliage in the water and leave it to acclimatise. 2 So long as the pine and cypress cuttings are kept cool and dry, you don’t need to put them into water. 3 Take some of the foliage and spray it with gold or copper paint in a well-ventilated area. Allow to dry completely before creating the wreath. TIP If you can’t find the foliage we’ve used, have a hunt in your garden. Privet hedge…

GRAPEFRUIT APEROL SPRITZ MARMALADE Give the gift of everyone’s favourite cocktail, on toast! MAKES 1.5 LITRES (2½ PINTS) ✴ 2 red grapefruits ✴ 1kg (2¼ lb) oranges ✴ 1kg (2¼ lb) jam sugar ✴ 500ml (16fl oz) Aperol apéritif YOU WILL ALSO NEED: 1 Cut the skin and pith from the grapefruits and discard. Wash the oranges then cut off and discard the very top and bottom ‘peaks’ and cut in half. Put the grapefruits, oranges and sugar into a large, tall-sided pan. Pour over the Aperol and 500ml water. 2 Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer, then mix. Gently boil the mixture for 2 hrs, stirring occasionally. After 2 hrs, use the thermometer to check the mixture’s temperature – it should be at 150C.…

WOODEN PALLET TREE This project can be used to display Christmas cards too, simply pin up in place of the decorations. Upcycle an unwanted pallet into a quirky focal point. YOU WILL NEED: 1 Using a vertical strut of the pallet as the central point, draw diagonal lines down the pallet to form the sides of the tree. Cut along these lines using an electric jigsaw (or hand saw) and remove the excess wood. Sand down any rough edges with sandpaper. 2 Draw a star shape onto a piece of paper and use this as a template to cut it from a piece of wood. Nail the star to the top of the tree. 3 Attach picture pins to the wooden…

TURKEY COUNTDOWN... (To serve your starter at 2pm and turkey at 2.30pm) 10AM Remove turkey from the fridge. Make the tarte tatin up until the pastry is placed on top, then put in the fridge. 11AM Prep the salsa for the green beans. 11.15AM Make the cranberry sauce. Cool, then cover. 11.30AM Prep the squash and sweet potato and place on a roasting tray. 11.45AM Heat the oven to 190C/Gas 5. 11.55AM Make the clementine oil for the turkey, pat the turkey dry and place with herbs in the roasting tray. Cover with foil. 12PM Put the turkey in the oven. 1.15PM Place the butternut squash and sweet potato in the oven. 1.30PM Remove foil from the turkey. 1.40PM Make the prawn platter from start to finish. 2PM Serve the…

BOBBLE-TRIM SANTA SACKS Upcycle an old pillowcase for this fun idea. YOU WILL NEED: 1 Begin by turning a housewife pillowcase inside out. Open up a side hem by about 4cm from the top. Fold both raw edges back in on themselves and stitch in place. 2 To create a drawstring channel, fold down the top of the pillowcase all the way around, pin in place and stitch all around. Turn right sides out. 3 Pin the bobble trim around the top, with the braid on the top of the channel, bobbles facing upwards. Sew in place, then fold down the channel to hide the braid and allow the bobbles to dangle below. 4 Thread a ribbon through the channel –…

MINI REDCURRANT BUNDT CAKES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE GLAZE These adorable mini bundt cakes are laced with redcurrants and doused in a rich glossy mascarpone glaze. MAKES 6 MINI OR 1 LARGE BUNDT ✴ 175g (6oz) unsalted butter, softened ✴ 225g (8oz) golden caster sugar ✴ Zest of 1 lemon ✴ 2 large eggs ✴ 270g (9½oz) self-raising flour ✴ 1tsp vanilla extract ✴ 150g (5oz) sour cream ✴ 250g (9oz) frozen or fresh redcurrants FOR THE GLAZE: ✴ 100g (3½oz) mascarpone ✴ 50g (1½oz) white chocolate, chopped ✴ 3-4tbsp milk ✴ Fresh redcurrants, to serve (optional) YOU WILL NEED: 1 Pre-heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and pale. Beat in the lemon zest, then add the eggs, one at a time,…

A selection of festive-tipple-flavoured popcorn – can’t wait to try the Prosecco! Joe & Seph’s ‘Tipsy’ Popcorn Advent Calendar, 175g, £25, Ocado and Boots A 30g mini jar of jam or marmalade for each day – and an extra treat on the 24th. Bonne Maman Advent Calendar, £23.99 bonnemaman.co.uk and Costco Delicious! 24 individually-wrapped chunks of Wholenut, Dairy Milk and Caramel. Cadbury Dairy Milk Advent Calendar, 258g, £5.99, Ocado and Sainsburys…

LLAMA Stitched from and embellished with gorgeous, tactile fabrics, little ones will love to play with this toy. YOU WILL NEED: MAKING PAPER PATTERNS On a photocopier, enlarge the patterns to 270%. Trace the patterns on to tracing paper, placing the face on folded tracing paper, matching the broken lines to the fold and making separate patterns for the ear, body, head, front leg, back leg, hoof, tail and tummy. Mark the arrows, notches, crosses, dots and mouth. Cut out the patterns and open the face out flat. CUTTING OUT Cut the fur fabric with the pile laying in the direction of the arrows. For accuracy, cut the pieces singly. To avoid snipping the curls, cut through…

PRETTY BAUBLES YOU WILL NEED: 1 Prepare the baubles by wiping away any dust. If using ceramic baubles, remove any rough patches with fine sandpaper. 2 Attach a piece of string to the top of the bauble to hang it from while spraying and drying. 3 In a well-ventilated area and, following the manufacturer’s instructions, spray the primer over the baubles. Make sure to wear the disposable gloves and to hold the bauble by the string, to avoid getting the paint on your hands. Allow the paint to dry completely. 4 Fill the plastic box with water. In a well-ventilated area, first spray both blue paints, then the white and finally the copper onto the top of the water. Continue spraying in…

Difficulty level TIED WITH A RIBBON If you’re worried about lighting these, why not create the same design on an LED pillar candle? YOU WILL NEED: 1 Cut the foliage into short sections of stem and leaf or use a twig of leaves left whole. 2 Tie the ribbon around the centre of each pillar candle and knot into a bow. 3 Thread the foliage underneath the ribbon to secure in place. Spread out the leaves to create a fan effect. Top the arrangement with some red berries. 4 Place each pillar candle on top of a marble coaster to avoid spoiling surfaces when candles are lit. BOTTLED UP If you’re using the bottles for a dinner-party table setting, a shorter candlestick will allow…

RED-NOSED RUDY A perfect reindeer with a scarf to keep him snug. MEASUREMENTS 24cm/9½in tall from tip of antler to foot. MATERIALS 1 x 100g (196m) ball of Stylecraft Special DK (100% acrylic) in each of Grey (Silver 1203), Cream (1005)*. Oddments of double knitting yarn in Green and Red. Size 4.00 crochet hook; toy filling; pair of 6mm toy safety eyes;stitch marker. Yarn is available from theknittingnetwork.co.uk. TENSION Tension is not critical for this project. Use a smaller hook than recommended for your yarn so that toy filling is not visible through the stitches. ABBREVIATIONS St(s) , stitch(es); ch , chain; dc , double crochet; dc2tog , [insert hook in next st, yrh and pull through] twice, yrh and pull through all 3 loops on hook; htr , half…

STICKY SALTED CARAMEL AND GINGER BOMBE Our sweet version of the classic Christmas pudding will keep everyone happy. SERVES 8 FOR THE SPONGE: ✴ 175g (6oz) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing ✴ 175g (6oz) muscovado sugar ✴ 90g (3oz) stem ginger, drained and chopped ✴ 100ml (3½fl oz) milk ✴ 100g (3½oz) dates, chopped ✴ 175g (6oz) plain flour ✴ ½tsp bicarbonate of soda ✴ 2tsp ground ginger ✴ 30g (1oz) walnuts, chopped ✴ 2 medium eggs, beaten FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE: ✴ 75g (2½oz) unsalted butter ✴ 60g (2oz) light muscovado sugar ✴ 150ml (¼pint) double cream ✴ ¼tsp sea salt ✴ 2tbsp rum YOU WILL NEED: 1 Put the butter and sugar in a large non-stick pan with the stem ginger, milk and dates.…

SPLASH OUT Christmas is the time to crack open the good stuff. These are the drinks to sip, savour and enjoy. In this stylish, minimal bottle resides a beautiful gin with just as much class as its packaging. Heady bright citrus and pine aroma. A classic-tasting gin with a strong juniper nose. Salcombe Gin Rosé Sainte Marie, 70cl, £39.95, Amazon This very special rum has wonderful aromas of honey and vanilla. It’s smooth and sweet and comes in a spectacular canister ideal for gifting. This one was universally loved by our team. Don Papa Rum, 70cl, £32, Sainsbury’s Clementine and Rhubarb Light Globe Gin Liqueurs, 70cl, £18, M&S, aren’t just lovely floral gin liqueurs – their light-up bottle is a seasonal masterpiece! Shake it up and watch the specks of…

FONDUE WITH MINI ROASTIES Is there anything better than a crispy roast potato? Yes – the addition of melted cheese! SERVES 6-8 ✴ 750g (1½lb) baby new potatoes ✴ 2tbsp olive oil ✴ 3 sprigs of thyme ✴ 100g (3½oz) Comté, grated ✴ 100g (3½oz) Gruyère, grated ✴ 100g (3½oz) Emmental, grated ✴ 2tsp cornflour ✴ 1 garlic clove ✴ 350ml (12floz) dry white wine ✴ Small glass Calvados or kirsch 1 Heat the oven to 200C/ Gas 6. Tip the potatoes into a large roasting tin, drizzle over the oil, and toss with the thyme and a pinch of sea salt. Roast for 20-25 mins until cooked through and golden. 2 Meanwhile, mix together the cheese and cornflour. Rub the base of a pan with the garlic then discard.…

FESTIVE GARLAND YOU WILL NEED: 1 Begin by creating the braided cord from which the advent envelopes hang. Plait together the contrasting string or twine. We’ve kept our colours simple with a white and brown combination. 2 Continue plaiting until you have a 240cm-long braid and cut into four equal lengths. Tie knots at the ends of each braid. 3 On the mini envelopes, write out the numbers one to 24. Arrange the envelopes in order along the lengths of braid, six envelopes to each piece. 4 Use the mini wooden pegs to attach the numbered envelopes to the braided twine. 5 Fix the garlands to the wall with push pins, or temporary hooks if you prefer. Fill the envelopes with sweet treats for family…

CHERRY BOMB The base for this super-elegant cocktail can be made in advance and shaken with ice when your guests arrive – that way, you’ll get froth on each cocktail…it’s well worth it! SERVES 1 ✴ 50ml (1¾fl oz/3tbsp) gin ✴ 20ml (1½tbsp) cherry syrup ✴ 30ml (2¼tbsp) grapefruit juice ✴ 30ml (2¼tbsp) lemon juice ✴ 30ml (2¼tbsp) aquafaba (liquid from a can of cooked chickpeas) TO SERVE: ✴ Sprig of fresh thyme Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with a few ice cubes. Put the lid on and shake well for about 30-40 seconds until super-frothy. Strain into a glass and garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme. TIP Oggs makes a version of the exotic-sounding aquafaba without the chickpeas. Buy from Waitrose, Asda and Sainsbury’s DESSERT…