Gingerbread Jars With Cranberry Curd Recipes

GINGERBREAD GIFT JARS

Steps:

• Mix sugar with ginger, allspice and cinnamon. Spoon into a jar and pack down tightly. Add a layer of crystallised ginger. Mix flour with baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and spoon on top of the ginger. Put on the lid, decorate with ribbons and a cookie cutter.
• Label with cooking instructions: Mix 150g melted butter with 1 tbsp golden syrup and 1 egg yolk. Add to the dry ingredients, mix well, then knead to a dough. Chill for 15 mins then roll out. Cut into biscuits and bake at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 8-10 mins. Cool on a wire rack.

CRANBERRY CURD

Steps:

• Place cranberries in a medium saucepan. Add water and sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have burst, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Pour cranberry mixture into a food processor or blender; blend until smooth, 10 to 20 seconds. Reserve 1/3 cup and return remaining cranberry mixture to the saucepan over low heat.
• Whisk egg yolks together in a small bowl. Slowly add reserved cranberry mixture, whisking constantly. Slowly whisk egg-cranberry mixture back into the saucepan and continue whisking until thickened and the curd coats the back of a metal spoon, about 5 minutes. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until melted and fully incorporated.
• Pour into a sterile jar and allow to cool. Curd keeps in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

CRANBERRY CURD PIE WITH MERINGUE TOPPING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven according to the pie-dough package instructions for "Baked Shell." Unroll the pie dough, fit it into a 9-inch pie plate and crimp or decorate the edges as desired. Prick the bottom and sides of the dough with a fork and bake as directed. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Separate 4 of the eggs, reserving the egg whites for the meringue. Add the egg yolks, remaining 2 whole eggs, orange zest and juice, salt, 1/3 cup of the sugar and the jellied cranberry sauce to a medium pot. Add the butter, set the pot over medium heat and cook, whisking continuously, until the butter is melted and the curd has thickened and reached a temperature of 170 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes. Strain the mixture into a large bowl, then pour into the cooled pie crust. Bake until the curd is just starting to set but still jiggly in the center, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Let the pie cool to room temperature, about 1 hour, then refrigerate until the curd is chilled and completely set, at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
• When ready to serve, make the meringue. Beat the reserved 4 egg whites in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the cream of tartar and then gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar, a spoonful at a time. Whisk on medium-high speed until the meringue is glossy and holds a stiff peak when the whisk is lifted, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Dollop the meringue over the pie in an even layer. Use a kitchen torch if desired to brulee the top.