Epiphany Cake

For many years people have baked cakes for the feast of the Epiphany or Twelfth Night on January 6. One component of the feast was the choosing of a king. A bean (or coin) was hidden in cake and whoever found it became king for the day.

Serves 15

Ingredients:
1 lb plain flour
1 oz. fresh yeast, or 1/2 oz. dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm milk
1 stick (4 oz.) butter
3 oz. castor sugar
1 tsp. salt
zest of 1 lemon
pinch of ground nutmeg
2 eggs
4 oz. of raisins
2 oz. of blanched almonds, chopped
1 Tbs. rum
1 egg yolk, for the glaze

~Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the center. Combine the yeast and milk in another small bowl, leave for 10 minutes or until frothy, then pour into the flour well. Sprinkle the mixture with flour, cover the bowl with a damp cloth, and leave for 15 minutes.
Melt the butter and beat with the sugar, salt, lemon zest, nutmeg and eggs. Add the butter mixture (while still warm) to the flour mixture and work all the ingredients together to make a smooth dough. Knead for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl and leave to rise for 1- 1 1/2 hours.
Meanwhile, put the raisins, almonds and rum together and leave to soak. After the dough has risen, immediately knead rum mixture into the dough. Divide the dough into two and shape one half into a flattened ball. Place the half-flattened piece of dough on a greased baking sheet. Divide the remaining dough into seven pieces, and shape into balls.
Dilute the egg yolk with a little water. Brush the mixture over the large piece of  dough, then place the small pieces around it and glaze them too. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and leave to rise for 45 minutes, or until dough has doubled in size. Brush once more with egg yolk. Heat oven to 400 F.  Bake cake for 35 minutes, or until cooked through and slightly browned.  

Cranberry Shortbread

10 servings.

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
10 oz of fresh or frozen cranberries (if frozen, thawed)
1/4 cup fresh grapefruit juice
1 tsp. grated grapefruit zest (use a five hole zester to form ribbons of grapefruit zest)

~ Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8x8x2 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2 inch overhang. Whisk flour , 1/4 cup sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Using your hands, massage the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer to prepared pan, and press evenly into the bottom if the pan (using something flat, like the bottom of a measuring cup, works well). Prick dough all over with a fork.
Bake until cooked through and a pale golden color, 25-30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely in pan.
Bring remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 1/2 cups cranberries, and grapefruit juice to a simmer in a small saucepan and cook, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst and mixture is syrupy (about 8 minutes).  Stir in remaining cranberries and cook until the skins begin to break, about 3 minutes. Let cool.
Spread cooled cranberry topping over cooled shortbread. Scatter zest over the top. Using the paper overhang, lift the shortbread out of the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut shortbread.

Pumpkin Pie

A Thanksgiving and Christmas classic. Makes one 9-inch pie.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of pureed pumpkin
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup pure maple syrup (preferably Grade B)
1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
9-inch baked pie shell

~ Preheat oven to 350 F.
Whisk the pumpkin and eggs together in a medium bowl. Add milk, maple syrup, flour, cinnamon, ginger and salt, whisk to blend well. Pour into pie shell. Bake pie until center is just set, 55-60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool. Serve with whipped cream. Serves 8.