Festive Butter Food

CHRISTMAS BUTTER

Steps:

• Put your butter into a bowl. Really finely chop the cranberries and add to the bowl.
• Pick the thyme, rosemary and sage leaves, then chop, sweep and run your knife through the herb leaves until really finely chopped. Add to the butter with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
• Grate in the zest of your clementine and mix so the butter softens and everything is combined. Divide the butter roughly in half.
• Get your turkey and use a spoon to work your way between the skin and the meat. Start at the side of the cavity just above the leg and work gently up toward the breastbone and towards the back so you create a large cavity.
• Pick up half of your butter and push it into the cavity you've created. Use your hands to push it through the skin right to the back so it coats the breast meat as evenly as possible. Do the same on the other side, then rub any leftover butter all over the outside of the bird to use it up.
• If you've got any herb stalks left over, put them in the cavity of the turkey for added flavour as it cooks.
• Cover the turkey in clingfilm and put in the fridge until you're ready to cook it the next day.

CANADIAN BUTTER TARTS

Steps:

• Prepare and refrigerate the pie dough.
• Roll the dough as you would for most pies, about ⅛-inch thick or a tad thinner. Don't worry about keeping it nice and round like you normally would.
• Using a 4-inch-diameter cookie or biscuit cutter, cut the dough into as many circles as possible. Line each cup of a standard 12-cup muffin pan with one of the circles, gently nudging it down into the bottom creases of the pan. Try not to stretch the dough as you work; it can help to use something blunt, like a narrow jar, to nudge the dough. The top edge of the dough circle should come to about the middle of the cup. Gather the scraps and reroll the dough if you need additional ­circles. Chill the pan in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Adjust one oven rack so it is in the lower position, and preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Combine the sugar, maple syrup, and butter in a mixing bowl. Whisk briefly. Add the egg, vinegar, vanilla, and salt, and whisk again.
• Set the muffin pan on your work surface. If you're using the fruit or nuts, put a few pieces in as many of the shells as you wish, but don't crowd them. Use a ladle or ¼-cup measuring cup with a handle to divide the filling evenly between the shells.
• Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the filling bubbles and darkens somewhat.
• Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes, then carefully run a butter knife around the edge to loosen each tart. Let the tarts cool in the pan, then remove. Store, refrigerated, in a single layer in a covered tin or container, but let them come to room temperature before serving.

FESTIVE BUTTER

Steps:

• Mix together the butter, parsley and red pepper strips.
• Wrap the red pepper butter up in foil, forming a cylinder shape. Chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Cut the butter in half cm thick slices and serve.

FESTIVE BUTTER ALMOND LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Grease two medium loaf pans.
• In large bowl, mix first six ingredients, and beat on high speed for 5 minutes.
• Fold in flour, baking powder and salt, alternately with the milk.
• Pour into pans, and sprinkle almonds on top of each loaf.
• Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until lightly browned and done.
• When loaves have cooled slightly, loosen edges, and turn out onto wire rack.
• Drizzle glaze over loaves.
• To make glaze, beat powdered sugar, water and extract together in a small bowl until smooth.
• If glaze is too thick, add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of water.
• Decorate with cherries.