Mini Hippo family Christmas recipes

‘Tis the season for family and food. So, we here at Mini Hippo are diving head first into our family archives and digging up treasured Christmas recipes to share with you. Give them a read, and let us know if you try them yourself this silly season.

Megan: Mum’s Plum Pudding

Ingredients

• 340g (2 cups) sultanas
• 170g (1 cup) flame raisins
• 155g (1 cup) currants
• 150g (1 cup) finely chopped pitted dates
• 1 x 100g pkt red glace cherries, finely chopped
• 95g (1/2 cup) mixed peel
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind
• 250ml (1 cup) brandy
• Melted butter, to grease
• 250g butter, at room temperature
• 100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 245g (3 1/2 cups) fresh breadcrumbs (made from day-old bread)
• 75g (1/2 cup) plain flour
• 1 tablespoon mixed spice

Method

1. Combine sultanas, raisins, currants, dates, cherries, mixed peel and orange rind in a heatproof bowl. Place brandy in a saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Pour the hot brandy over the dried-fruit mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour to soak.
2. Brush Weanmeister freezer pods with melted butter to grease.
3. Use an electric beater to beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, until combined. Add to the dried-fruit mixture and stir to combine. Add breadcrumbs, flour and mixed spice and stir to combine. Spoon into Weanmeister freezer pods and smooth surface.
4. Place an upside-down saucer into a pot with some water and sit the pods on top to steam.

Anny: Mum’s trifle recipe

Ingredients

• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 6 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp butter
• Custard (2 tsp vanilla, 1 cup heavy cream)
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• Liquor (amaretto, peach schnapps or crème de cassis) – optional
• Fruit (frozen raspberries & blackberries or choose your own)
• Jam of your choice (raspberry)

Method

1. Bake box cake mix in a 2” x 9” pan two days early
2. Blend first six ingredients. Cook over low heat – be very patient; stirring constantly until THICK. Add 1 cup cream to regulate temperature and add vanilla. CHILL OVERNIGHT. MAKE x 2.
3. Cut each cake in half through the middle
4. Place one layer of cake in a trifle bowl, blush with liquor, smear with jam. Place fruit as you with or around edges. Cover with custard. Add another layer of cake. Repeat.
5. Decorate with whipped cream. Add a little sugar and vanilla.

Belinda: Grandma Glindemann’s famous Christmas punch

Ingredients

• 1lb sugar
• 1/2 pint water
• 1/2 pint freshly-made tea
• 1 pint Fruit Cup cordial
• 1/2 pint lemon juice
• 1 pint orange juice
• 1 pint canned pineapple juice
• 3 bottles soda water
• 6 pints iced water

Method

1. Boil sugar and water together for 5 minutes. Add cooled tea, cordial and all juices. This forms the punch base and can be made ahead of time.
2. When required (to serve), add iced water and soda water. Pour all into a punch bowl. Garnish with glaze cherries, fresh fruit and/or mint.