The House Husband

The weather today ranged from blue skies to grey clouds to sleet to…I think it’s raining now but not sure.  I guess there’ll be no snow for Christmas then.

Well, never let it be said I don’t know what I’m good at.  Forget the stupid stollen!  Today, among other things, I made batches of shortbread and mince pies (all my own work…with a little help from Delia) and they were pronounced as perfect.  A pity I forgot the Christmas cake but these will have to do.

I also bought the turkey today.  Normally I leave it till the last minute and buy it Chrissy eve but today at Waitrose, there were fights breaking out for the final birds so I ducked underneath the flailing arms and grabbed the closest to hand.  It’s enough to feed 8-10 people, apparently.  It’s presently filling the fridge.

I’ve had a rather busy day, all round, and am looking forward to bed.  I just finished watching Spooks (the last in the present series and my favourite show) and they did it again!  A big bomb, an agent in jeopardy, possibly dead, no way out…and no answers till the next series!  AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

So, a short entry for a change.

So, today we’re back to grey skies and mud. And while the temperature is hovering around the 3 mark, the icy wind makes it feel more like -10! Although, I should admit, it’s all warm and toasty in the house.

I don’t easily admit defeat when it comes to cooking but stollen has me flummoxed! Because I forgot to make my usual Christmas cake in September, I decided to try this Austrian festive delight instead.

The first time I had stollen was many years ago at Dural, of all places. Bob & Claire had an exchange student from Germany, Ina, and she prepared a stollen as per her mum’s (or grandmum’s) recipe. I was hooked! It was delicious!

For those that don’t know what it is…it is a thick, bready type cake full of currants and sultanas, almonds and marzipan with a subtle lemon icing. It can be eaten fresh or toasted like fruit loaf. A little is a lot, if you know what I mean. It is both rich and more-ish, if such a thing is possible.

I have since eaten stollen many times and it’s appeal has never diminished. So I figured it would be a good alternative to my usual Christmas cake. It was also an advantage that you made and ate it straight away, rather than let it sit and soak up alcohol for three months!

So yesterday I attempted my first stollen. My first attempt, with very old yeast, can now be used as an anchor for one of those huge container ships. I tasted it and a very small amount was enough to fill my stomach. The taste wasn’t bad but the density certainly was. It had the thickness of lead. To say I was devastated is not gilding any lily!

Today I will try again (this time with some slightly younger yeast) and see how that goes. If it doesn’t work, I may just follow Mirinda’s advice: To buy one and say it’s mine!

I should add that I didn’t feed any of the first attempt to the birds for fear they’d not be able to take off again after eating it.