Deck the halls with boughs of holly Tra la la la la la la la la la - Week 1

Well it’s that time of the year again when the shops start to sparkle with tinsel and baubles and stars start magically appearing in shop windows. Yes, it is the lead up to Christmas; my favourite time of the year. I love celebrating Christmas for so many reasons (spending time with my little family, cooking, cooking and more cooking, catching up with friends, and carols at church ). But of course the main reason is celebrating the birth of our saviour Jesus. It is a joy to celebrate the day my Lord was born and it is so incredibly humbling knowing that God gave us the most precious gift that day.

Come December 1, we will be decorating and putting the Christmas tree up and playing carols. I had discovered a few years ago there is a station called Elf radio and it is non-stop Christmas carols 24/7 and I love it. I always have it on and love listening to it when I start my Christmas baking. There is nothing better than the smells of Christmas baking filling the home along with Christmas carols, I am smiling now, thinking about it.

This year, I will be making my first ever Christmas pudding and I am so excited. I will also make as usual my delicious dark Christmas cake, buttery shortbread and also will be making my own cranberry sauce and apple sauce, as there really is nothing better than homemade.

As promised, I will be posting Christmas recipes in the lead up to Christmas so I hope you all enjoy making them and hope it helps you get in the spirit.

Also spare a thought and say a prayer for those amongst our community who may be doing it a little tougher than others.

Lisa’s buttery citrusy shortbread-Gluten free

Ingredients:

250 grams of low salt butter (soft- room temperature)

4 teaspoons of fine grated orange rind*

½ cup castor sugar

1/3 cup rice flour

1 ¾ cups gluten free plain flour

1 teaspoon of juice from the orange *

Method:

Pre heat oven to 150oC for a regular oven and 130oC for fan forced oven.

Grease and line a regular slice tin or baking/biscuit tray depending on the shape you want.

Cream butter and sugar in a bowl and add rind and juice and mix until light and fluffy with electric mixer.

Stir through the flours and make sure they are mixed well.

When mixed well divide dough in to two sections and place on floured surface. Knead lightly on floured bench/table and then you can decide how you want your shortbread to look for baking. I press mine in to a slice tin and make sure it is level and smooth all over. With a knife I lightly mark straight lines up and down and across resembling a quilted look, make sure you do not cut through as this will not be good for the shortbread. I then use a fork and lightly prick each square once or twice with the fork as I like the look of this when it is cooked. Alternatively you can do the round traditional shape and you just shape this with your hands and place on a lined and greased baking/biscuit tray.

If you decide to make rounds you may like to pinch the edges together and then prick with a fork.

Bake in the oven for around 40 mins (check after 30 mins and if still to light and soft keep in for additional time checking every 5 minutes)

When cooked let stand in the tin/tray for 5-10 minutes and cut in to fingers (slice tin) or triangles (rounds)

Note: *You can also substitute with lemon rind. If making with lemon rind try adding ½ cup of chopped dried cranberries as these go beautifully with lemon. If you have substituted for lemon rind please use the juice from a lemon.

 Enjoy