Cook up a tasty and different Christmas with our great recipes! (From Barry And District News)

Cook up a tasty and different Christmas with our great recipes!

Baked Stuffed Cranberry Apples Serves 4 4 large crisp apples;

Filling: 75gf(30z) semi-dried cranberries; 4 tbsp runny honey; 1 quarter tsp ground cinnamon. Suet crust pastry: 225g (8oz) self raising flour, sifted; pinch salt; 100g (4oz) Atora Original Suet; A little cold water to mix. Glazing One egg, beaten. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas mark 5 Peel and core the apples. In a bowl mix together the cranberries, honey and cinammon and spoon into the centre of each apple. Mix together the flour, salt and suet.

Gradually add enough water to give a soft, rolling consistency dough, but not sticky. Knead before dividing the dough into four even pieces.

Roll out the dough on a lightly-floured surface, large enough to wrap around the complete apple. Tuck the edges underneath the base of the apple, trimming off any excess dough. Seal well with the beaten egg.

Place on a baking tray, glaze over the top with the beaten egg and sprinkle with a little extra sugar. If any trimmings are left over, make decorative leaves and place on the top of the apples.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve with cinammon-flavour icecream, cream or custard.

LAMB with Red Wine and Cranberry Jelly Pudding Serves four A rich and filling pudding ideal as an antidote to all the turkey. 100g (4oz) Atora Original Suet or Atora light Vegetable Suet; 225g (8oz) selfraising flour, sifted; 450g (1lb) lean fillet of lamb, diced; 100g (4oz) shallots, peeled; 100g (4oz) button mushrooms, wiped; 2tbsp seasoned plain flour; 1tbsp raspberry vinegar; 5 tbsp lam stock; 5tbsp red wine; 2tbsp mixed herbs, finely chopped; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; A little cold water, to mix; sprigs of fresh rosemary.

In a bowl toss the lamb, shallots and mushrooms in the seasoned flour. Add the vinegar, lamb stock and wine.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, suet, herbs and seasoning.

Add enough cold water to make a firm but not sticky dough. Roll out two-thirds of the pastry, large enough to line the base and sides of a lightly-greased 2pt pudding basin, on a lightly-floured surface. Spoon in the meat mixture. Press down lightly with the back of a spoon. Roll out the remaining pastry into a circle large enough to cover the top of the basin. Dampen the edges with the water and seal the lid down well. Cover the top with a layer of pleated greaseproof paper and foil and secure well onto the basin with string. Steam for three to four hours. Serve the lamb pudding with rowan or cranberry jelly, sprigs of fresh rosemary and seasonal vegetables.

WARMING Peach and Apricot Sponge Pudding Fruit puddings are a staple at Christmas; here's one with a difference. Serves 6 30ml (2tbsp) golden syrup; 55g (2oz) ready-to-eat dried peaches, chopped; 55g (2oz) ready- to-eat dried apricots, chopped; 115g (4oz) St Ivel Gold; 115g (4oz) caster sugar; 2 medium eggs, beaten; 175g (6oz) self-raising flour, sifted; 30ml (2tbsp) semi-skimmed milk; few drops of vanilla essence.

Place the syrup in the base of a lightly greased 2pt pudding basin. Mix together the dried peaches and apricots and place them over the syrup. Set aside.

Place the St Ivel Gold, sugar, eggs, flour, milk and vanilla essence in a bowl and beat together until thoroughly mixed. Spoon the mixture over the fruit in the basin and level the surface. Cover with a double layer of pleated, greased greaseproof or non-stick baking paper and secure with string. Place the basin in the top half of a steamer over a saucepan of boiling water. Cover with the lid and steam for about one-and-a-half hours or until the pudding is risen and cooked, topping up the boiling water regularly.

Turn the pudding out onto a serving plate and serve immediately with custard, cream or icecream.

APPLE and mincemeat one-crust pies Serves 6-8 500g frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed; 1 egg, separated; 12oz/325g mincemeat; 1lb/450g cooking apples, peled, cored and thinly sliced; 2tbsp demerara sugar. Heat oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5. Cut the pastry into six pieces. On a lightly floured surface roll out each piece or pastry to a 6in/15cm circle.

With the egg yolk paint a 10in/25cm inner circle on the pastry to form a waterproof coating.

Mix together the mincemeat and apples and pile them in the centre of the each pastry circle.

Bring the edges of the pastry over the filling, neatly pressing the edges together at the top. Make a hole in the centre.

Brush the pastry surface with the egg white and sprinkle with the demarara sugar. Decorate with cut-out pastry leaves and a dusting of icing sugar.

Bake the parcels for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with ice-cream or brandy butter.