Imbolc Food Recipes

Imbolc Ritual bread

13/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbs. Poppy seeds
1 tbs. Grated lemon peel
1 tsp. Baking soda
2 tbs. Lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Salt
Powdered sugar

This is all done in one pan, so clean up is a breeze! Preheat oven to 350
degrees. Mix flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking soda, and salt with a fork in an un-greased 9"x9"x2" baking pan. Stir in the remaining ingredients, except the powdered sugar.

Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, and the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.


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Brig's Cross cookies

With hand mixer, cream 1/2 cup butter
3 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sugar
Add
1 egg, well beaten
2 tablespoons buttermilk or yogurt
1 cup flour, added slowly
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, beating on low speed

Add, using a strong spoon 1 more cup of flour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Divide dough in half, make into two 1/2 inch thick discs, wrap in
plastic, and chill until firm, 1-2 hours.

For filling, soften 3 ounces cream cheese
With a strong spoon again, add 3/4 cup sweetened coconut
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts or almonds

Use parchment paper or grease 3 baking sheets.
On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc into an 8 by 13 inch
rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Using a pizza cutter, pastry wheel, or a
plain old knife, cut into fifteen 2 1/2 inch squares, transfer to baking
sheets, about 1 1/2 inch apart. Place 1 teaspoon filling (flat not
heaping) in center of each. Cut 1 inch diagonals in from corners towards
filling. Fold every other corner in to centre end of opposite cut, over
filling, glue together with a drop of water if needed.

For glaze, use 2 tablespoons milk.
Using a pastry brush, lightly dampen tops of pinwheels.
Sprinkle with granulated sugar and coloured sugar, red (lightly!!)

Bake for about 12 minutes, until pastry is golden and puffed. While
first batch is baking, prepare second batch. Cool on baking sheets for 5
minutes before transferring the finished cookies to rack to cool. Bake
second batch. Makes 30 cookies

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Braided Brigid Bread

2 tblsp. yeast
1/2 cup warm water
pinch of sugar
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegatable oil
1 tsp. salt
1 clove garlic, passed throuh garlic press
1/2 tsp. each dried oregano, thyme, and basil
4 tblsp. tomato paste
water
5-6 cups unbleached flour
1 egg yolk, beaten

Dissolve the yeast in warm water sprinkled with the pinch of sugar.
Combine the milk, egg, sugar, oil, salt, garlic, and herbs in a large
bowl. In a measuring cup, place the tomato paste and add water until it
reaches the 1/2 cup point. Pour into the milk mixture and stir well. Add
the yeast mixture. Begin adding flour, 1 cup at a time, until the dough
can no longer be stirred. Turn out onto a floured boardand knead,
continuing to add flour the keep the dough barely dry. This is a loose
and soft dough, so be careful how much flour y ou add. Don't let it get
stiff! Place the dough in an oiled bowl and turn it over to coat both
sides. Let it rise until doubled, about 45 minutes to an hour. Then,
punch it down. cut the dough in half, divide each half into thirds, then
roll into thick coils. Braid three coils into a loaf and pinch the ends
together. Set on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Repeat with the other
three coils. When the loaves have doubled in size, paint all surfaces
with the egg yolk and bake for 35 minutes in a preheated 375 degrees oven, or
until the internal temperature of bread measures 200 degrees.

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Brides Brunch - Imbolc

2 [9-inch] pie shells
3 tbs. green onions/chives, finely chopped
1/2 pound Canadian style bacon/ thin sliced ham 1/2 tsp. salt
8 eggs
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tbs. milk

Line a quiche dish with 1 pie shell.
Arrange 1/2 of bacon or ham in bottom of shell.
Break 7 eggs into the dish. Pierce the egg yolks with a fork,
but do not mix the egg yolks with the egg whites.
Add the green onions/chives, salt, and pepper.
Arrange the remaining bacon or ham on top.
Cover with remaining pie shell.
Mix the remaining egg with the milk and lightly brush
the top crust with the mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes.
Serve hot or cold.

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Algot

Aligot isn’t so much a side dish as it is a work of art. Humble potatoes and cheese are beaten together with crème fraiche until they form silky, smooth ribbons of pureed potato. It’s a deliciously hearty recipe, and it’s tempting to eat it all by itself, in the dead of winter, for its sheer comfort value. Try to hold out, though, and accompany it with a rich steak for a luxurious meal. Once you do, it will be hard to go back to regular mashed potatoes.


2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
2 cups crème fraiche (substitute equal parts sour cream and heavy cream)
1 clove garlic, crushed but kept intact
3 cups grated Cantal cheese (substitute good-quality sharp cheddar)

Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes, until they turn tender and drain them. Mash them with a potato masher and vigorously mix in the salt, pepper, and butter for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the potatoes fluff up a bit. Set them aside in the pan for a moment.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the crème fraiche and garlic to just steaming. Remove the garlic and pour the steaming crème fraiche into the mashed potatoes and transfer the pan of potatoes to the stovetop over low heat. Using a sturdy wooden spoon, beat the crème fraiche into potatoes.

Raise the heat to medium and beat in the cheese, 1/2 cup at a time. Continue beating the mixture over the heat until it forms a smooth, velvety texture, about 10 minutes. Pour onto warm plates and serve immediately.

This aligot recipe makes 6 to 8 servings.

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Noodles Kuchen - imbolc
7 eggs
1 cup sugar
16 ounces cottage cheese
2 cups sour cream

Topping:

1/4 cup crushed cornflakes
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
sour cream to garnish
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup butter
1 pound broad egg noodles, cooked

Mix eggs and sugar. Add cottage cheese, sour cream, milk, vanilla, and
raisins. In separate bowl, add butter to warm noodles, stirring until
melted. Combine noodles with cottage cheese mixture. Pour into 9 x 13
glass pan. Refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350. To make topping,
combine cornflakes, cinnamon, and sugar. Sprinkle over top of kugel.
Bake 1 hour. Let dish set for about 5 minutes before serving. Cut into
squares and garnish with sour cream.

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Imbolc Feather Cake

(Candied or crystalized violets work beautifully for garnishes on this cake.)

First, rub to a cream 2 tablespoons soft butter
and a cup of sugar.
Next, add a beaten egg yolk,
half a cup of water and whole milk mixed,
1 and 1/2 cups of sifted flour,
and a teaspoon each of baking powder and vanilla.

Beat an egg white stiff as meringue and fold it gently into the mixed batter. Bake it at a low heat--325 degrees Farenheit--for 25 minutes. Don't jump up and down or jar the cake while it's baking or it'll fall and be full of holes. You can add chocolate glaze and/or candied violets when it comes out of the oven.

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Imbolc Party Punch

1-1/2 qts ginger ale, chilled
5 cups double-strength tea
2-1/4 cups sugar
2-1/2 cups orange juice
1=1/2 cups unsweetened grapefruit juice
2/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup lime juice

Prepare your tea and let chill. When cool, add to it the sugar,
orange juice, grapefruit juice, lemon juice and lime juice. Stir
until sugar is dissolved. Cover punch and chill in refrigerator.
When ready to serve, add the chilled ginger ale. Stir to blend
thoroughly.