Sherry Log for Christmas

This dessert is a family tradition for all types of occasions and get-togethers. My Grandmother, Mother and Aunties always made it when we were children. My siblings, cousins and I always called it Grog-log, a nickname we were always scalded for using. Over time this nickname took over, and now without our Grandmother to clarify, no one is now quite sure what it was originally called. A kind friend recalls a similar recipe from the '60s called Sherry Log; over the years it has had many incarnations using whichever spirit or liqueur happened to be on hand. I always make a non-alcoholic version using orange juice, for the children and those that prefer it. Given the Christmas season, I've combined the two versions in a cross; vertical for sherry, horizontal for orange juice; but if crosses aren't your thing, a log is the most usual interpretation, or you can get creative and make whatever shape you fancy. 

It's so simple to make, it feels like cheating: more of an assembly than actual cooking, but the outcome is universally well received. The quantities are more or less approximate depending on how much you want to make, how long the biscuits are dunked for, and how much cream is used between each biscuits. I've made a gluten free version before using store bought GF Ginger biscuits. Just make sure your liqueur isn't grain based. 

Sherry Log

one and a half packets of store bought ginger biscuits
2 cups cream
2 to 4 tablespoons of icing sugar according to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
about one cup of sherry or orange juice

Beat the cream until it holds firm peaks. Fold in the icing sugar and vanilla. 











Find a suitable serving tray or platter for the dessert. Place the sherry or orange juice into a small bowl or tray. One at a time, dunk the biscuits into the liquid. 
The alcoholic liquid will quickly soak into the biscuits so don't leave them too long, but the orange juice isn't so absorbent and requires more of a dunking to soften the biscuits.  

I usually make two versions, one alcoholic, one not. Making a cross allows you to combine the two sections and easily be able to determine which is which! 



Place a blob of cream on the plate, and a blob on the first biscuit.













Now stand the biscuits up on the plate using the blobs of cream to hold them. 










Continue to place a blog of cream onto each biscuit before lining it up on the plate.

Keep going until you have the quantity required. 

I put all the sherry biscuits on the upright of the cross.  

Then five orange juice biscuits across the horizontals on each side. 

Now without overworking the cream (or it will curdle) cover the log completely, smoothing out the sides and top. 

Decorate with whatever fruit and nuts you have at hand. I used raspberries and chopped walnuts, but in winter, glace ginger or cherries and slivered almonds works well. Finely grated chocolate is also a good option when fruit is not seasonal. 

Belated Season's Greetings everyone. Maybe I'll make this one again at Easter. 

Happy Holidays Everyone - Christmas Dessert Selection

 Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all! 

Here is the dessert selection from our extended family lunch. Chocolate Mousse, Pavlova decorated by Little Miss, Steamed Christmas Pudding, Citrus cheesecake, Strawberry Cheesecake made by my sister-in-law, the cream and brandy and ginger biscuit creation referred to in our family as Grog log, and fresh raspberries picked by us yesterday. And we were all happiness filled.... 

Hope you have all had a lovely, happy family day.

Auntie Lois' Pineapple Cheesecake

This recipe has been a feature of our family gatherings for many years. No one really knows where it came from, but is was usually made by Auntie Lois and so has become known as Lois' cheesecake. There is quite a long and involved story around the acquisition of the recipe; lets just say that some people are more willing to share than others, and its taken a good 10 years for me to get my hands on this one. The original was written in ounces, so I have modified it into metric measures.

Auntie Lois' Pineapple Cheesecake

250g wine biscuits
125g butter 

a 425g can of crushed pineapple divided into 1 cup of drained crushed pineapple and 1/2 cup of pineapple juice
1 x 85g packet of lemon jelly crystals
1 1/4 cups boiling water
250g cream cheese
rind of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup cream

Crush the biscuits in a food processor and combine with the melted butter. 

Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of a couple of loose bottomed dishes.











Dissolve the jelly in the boiling water, add the pineapple juice and leave to cool.













Once the jelly is nearly set, beat together the cream cheese, rind and vanilla until it is light and fluffy. 

Combine half a cup of the jelly with the drained crushed pineapple and set aside. 

Blend the remainder of the jelly mixture with the beaten cream cheese until well mixed. 

Beat the cream then fold it into the cheesecake mixture. 

Pour the mixture over the chilled biscuit base and refrigerate until firm. 

Now gently spoon the reserved crushed pineapple and jelly mixture over the set cheesecake filling and return it to the fridge. 

The cheesecake is best left to set overnight before serving. 

When your ready to serve it, release the cheesecake from the mould by placing the base on an inverted mug and pulling the dish sides down. Place the whole thing base and all onto your serving plate and your ready to serve.

The recipe makes enough for a couple of shallow cheesecakes or one deeper version. This is a lovely light cheesecake that is perfect for serving as part of a more substantial meal. 

Dessert is a big deal for our family at Christmas time. We all contribute to the spread.
Merry Christmas !

Recovering from Christmas Desserts

Oh I do love a good Christmas Dessert selection. Chocolate mousse, meringues, almond and spice meringues, raspberries, the ginger biscuit and cream dessert informally referred to by our family as 'Grog Log', red (and festive Christmas green) velvet cake, chocolate cheesecake and traditional steamed fruit pudding: all at our lovely informal family gathering at the farm. It's no wonder it has taken me until now to blog this photo. The weather was amazingly hot. We all lay around like fat lizards in the afternoon. 
Mum and Dad had a huge and amazing pine Christmas tree searched out by my brother after Mum threatened to bring out the topiary buxus if her didn't get his act together soon and find a tree.  
I trust you have all had a lovely family Christmas and are now enjoying a well deserved post Christmas rest. We've been quietly pottering around the house; having a bit of a tidy up here and there; evicting some weeds from the garden; reading books; catching up with friends and having a generally laid back time recharging the batteries.