I really don’t want to worry anyone, but I had to let all you bakers know that Stir Up Sunday is only a week away…I think that means there are only five Christmas baking weeks left!  So, it seems like a good time to remind you about the Christmas baking recipes on the blog, which are all linked in the list at the bottom of the page, as well as a few of my favourites from elsewhere on the web.

I also wanted to let you know a bit about my baking plans, so for those who are into a bit of baking nerdery, read on! This post is duplicating a process I did as an experiment in 2014.  I had started a list here of my Christmas baking (I usually write one on paper) – what I was planning on making, and when, and noting stages as they were complete.  I thought that it would be a useful record, particularly as I could add links to the recipes that I posted.

The experimental part was that I decided to publish it while in progress, rather than as a completed record after Christmas.  Basically to combine the roles of running sheet and some form of commitment, to try for a bit of accountability  🙂

This year you’ll get to see again how over-ambitious I am – though I’m going to try and learn from previous years!  And I’ll update this as I go – every time I bake something at least.

I’ll be interested to hear any feedback along the way…like which recipes (not already recorded) you’d like to see first, and any thoughts on baking order.  I’m never very confident about how long beforehand to bake things to maximise both taste and baking efficiency, so any comments welcome.  My general rule is fruit cakes, followed by confectionary, followed by biscuits and bars, but I’m planning on trying some German biscuits this year (from the inspiring German Classic Baking), so that may change things – some of them need the dough aged for months!

PS If you think you might be going to be the recipient of some Christmas goodies this year, and you want them to be a surprise, then look away now 🙂

Cakes and Tarts

Robyn’s Christmas cake – baked 29/10

Dark fruit cake – baked 6/11

Stained glass window cake – baked 16/12

Tea soaked fruit loaf – baked 17/12

Mince pies -fruit mince made Nov (2015!) – (Bake 20 Dec)

Bars and Slices

Pecan-apricot squares – Baked 26/11 (stored in freezer)

Basler leckerli (Swiss spice squares) – baked 26/11

Cherry Ripe bars – Baked 4/12 (stored in freezer)

Nussstangen (Hazelnut almond batons) – baked 15/12

Lindor Ball bars – Baked 19/12

Biscuits

Scottish shortbread (this batch with orange zest and lavender) – Baked 4/12

Pecan powder puffs – Baked 10/12

Caraway seed shortbread – Baked 10/12

Lebkuchen-powidltatschkerln (plum filled gingerbread) – Baked 10/12

Coffee and almond shortbread – Baked 11/12

Almond cardamom circlets – Baked 11/12

Bethmännchen (Almond domes) (GF) – baked 16/12

Lebkuchen (German gingerbread) – baked 18/12 (after a marathon 3 1/2 week ageing of the dough!)

Cheddar biscuits – (Bake 18 Dec)

Confectionary

Choc-espresso fudge – made 26/11 (stored in fridge)

Eggnog fudge – made 4/12 (stored in fridge)

Fruit-nut balls – finished 10/12 (stored in fridge)

Chocolate rum truffles – finished 13/12 (stored in freezer)

Cashew brittle – made 13/12

Coffee-walnut toffee –

Candied peanuts – made 17/12

Chocolate caramel almonds –