HOME MAKERS CORNER

White Ribbon, Volume 19, Issue 11, 1 December 1947, Page 8

HOME MAKERS CORNER

By "Lynetfe" LESSENING THE CHRISTMAS RUSH

Towards the end of the year we often hear the housewives counting off the weeks to Christinas with more than a hint of dread* in their voices. Jt is unfortunate that the Christmas message of peace and goodwill is lost for some in a flurry of cooking, shopping and summer holidays. Invariably the weather is hot and this adds to the trial of the many preparations. The wisdom of doing the Christmas shopping early is well known, and yet few realise that the baking can be lightened by doing much of it in advance, and also by planning for simpler methods. In addition to baking the Christinas cake early, it is a good plan to stock up with biscuits at the same time Such things as Afghans, peanut brownies, Anzac biscuits, chocolate biscuits, and gingernuts, take none of die precious dried fruits and keep indefinitely in airtight tins. If you feel you can’t spare your tins for so long, use mason jars instead. Mince pies are one of the most delightful traditional delicacies and do not necessarily mean much work at the last minute. Dried apples are quite suitable for the mince, and when prepared, it can be stored in jars for weeks beforehand. Place on the shelf alongside the mince a packet or two of bought pastry (which only requires the addition of water) and the pies arc as good as made!

Have you ever tried a jellied Christmas pudding? It has all the flavour but none of the heaviness of the hot pudding and is much better suited to our climate. Here is a recipe:— Cold Christmas Pudding: 1 level teaspoon gelatine; i cup cold water; 1 cup milk, $ cup raisins, i cup dates. i cup chopped walnuts, 2 tablespoons cocoa, J cup sugar, pinch salt, \ teaspoon vanilla, whites of 2 eggs. Soak gelatine in water. Warm milk and cook in it the fruit, nuts, sugar, salt and cocoa. When the mixture boils remove from heat and stir in the gelatine and vanilla. Beat and add the egg whites and set in a mould. Threepences and sixpences always add to the fun of eating the pudding, and can be cleaned quite easily by boiling in an old aluminium saucepan, or a saucepan containing a piece of alumin um such as an old lid. When the water is boiling add for each quart of water 1 tablespoon each of baking soda and cooking salt. This easy method can also save you time in cleaning your table silver, the tarnish being transferred from the silver to the aluminium by a reaction similar to electro-plating. Finally, here is a quick way of icing a sponge or other light cake. Place a paper d'oyley over the cake and sift icing sugar on to it. Press the icing sugar through the holes on to the cake with a spoon. Remove the d’oyley very carefully and the remaining pattern looks very effective, especially on a chocolate cake.