Press staff and friends share favorite holiday recipes

Chocolate Bread Pudding

Serve this warm and top it with hot fudge sauce and a dollop of whipped cream.

• 2 cups stale bread squares, crusts removed (firmly packed)
• 1 quart scalded whole milk
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate (Ghirardelli preferred, but Hershey’s or Baker’s is OK)
• 1½ cups sugar
• ¼ cup melted, unsalted butter
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325° F. Generously butter an oven-proof bowl or casserole.

In a saucepan, on low-medium heat, combine the unsweetened chocolate (in little pieces), butter, sugar, and milk. Stir frequently so the chocolate doesn’t burn. Continue cooking until milk is scalded and chocolate is blended in. Remove from heat. Soak bread squares in the mixture until cool, stirring occasionally. Add beaten eggs, salt, and vanilla. Mix well.

Bake in the buttered casserole for 1¼ hours. The pudding will be puffy when first removed from the oven and will fall a bit as it cools.

Serve with whipped cream or spiced whipped cream. To make spiced whipped cream, whip a quart of heavy cream with ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg.

—Valerie Hurley
Candleberry Lane

Bob Browning’s Eggnog

• 6 eggs, separated
• 1 pint whipping cream
• 1 quart blended whiskey
• 1½ quarts milk
• 2 cups sugar
• grated nutmeg

Beat egg yolks into milk in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar and mix until dissolved. Add whiskey and mix well. In a separate bowl beat egg whites and fold in. Whip cream and fold in. Sprinkle with grated nutmeg. Refrigerate or store outside in a snowbank.

—Lucy Wallace 

Orchard Hill
(Bob Browning’s daughter)

[Does this explain how Lucy has survived for so long on Harvard’s Board of Selectmen?]

Pennsylvania Dutch Potato Filling

Potato filling is one of the staples at holiday dinners in Berks County, Pennsylvania, where I grew up. My grandmother was in charge of “the filling,” and she tripled the recipe. No matter how many people were at the table, there was rarely any filling left at the end of the meal.

• 3 pounds potatoes
• 2 cups diced celery
• 2 cups diced onions
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 3 cups cubed stale bread (dry overnight or toast in oven if not stale)
• ½ to ¾ cup milk
• ¼ pound butter
• 1 egg
• salt and pepper to taste

Pare potatoes, cut into pieces, and cover with salted water. Boil until tender. Meanwhile, sauté celery and onions in 3 tablespoons butter until light brown. Remove from skillet. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in skillet and add the bread cubes. Lower heat and stir often until brown.

Drain liquid from potatoes and mash. Add 3 tablespoons butter, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper and beat. Add milk until consistency is to your liking. Mix in the sautéed onions, celery, and bread cubes. Put it the oven at 300º F. for about half an hour, until brown on top. “Kum essa!” (Come and eat!)

—Joan Eliyesil 

Westcott Road

Ginger Cookies

Beat together until creamy:

• ¾ cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup molasses
• salt and pepper to taste

Then add:

• 2 cups sifted flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon ginger

Mix well and shape into 2-inch balls. Roll each ball in white sugar. Bake on greased cookie sheet at 375º F. for about 8 minutes.

—Connie Larrabee 

Under Pin Hill Road

Kourambiedes (Greek Sugar Cookies)

This is a favorite family recipe passed down from my husband’s side of the family. These are light, delicious, melt-in-your-mouth cookies that are a beautiful addition to a holiday dessert table. Makes about three dozen.

• ½ lb. unsalted butter
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar, plus additional for sifting on top
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ⅛ teaspoon salt

Beat butter at high speed until creamy, light, and fluffy, about 10 to 15 minutes. This is what makes these cookies extra special.

Add egg yolk, brandy, and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Whisk together flour with ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar, baking powder, cloves, and salt. Add to butter mixture in three batches, beating at low speed just until incorporated.

Transfer dough to plastic wrap and roll into a two-inch log. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm (at least one hour).

Preheat oven to 325º F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap the dough and roll into smooth cylinder. Slice crosswise into approximately three dozen cookies and arrange on prepared sheets.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until slightly golden on bottom. Let cool on the sheets for about 10-15 minutes.

Sift liberal amount confectioners’ sugar on top of cookies.

Can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks. Do not refrigerate or freeze.

—Sue George
West Bare Hill Road

Cream Cheese, Garlic, and Herb Spread

Ann Levison, the longtime editor of the old Harvard Post and a great cook, gave this recipe to me years ago. Serve with crackers, or scoop it into a ramekin for a nice hostess gift at holiday time. It’s very similar to Boursin® spread.

• 8 ounces butter, softened
• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• ¼ t. each dried dill weed, thyme, basil, and marjoram
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate.

Recipe is very forgiving. I made this recently using only 4 ounces of butter (by mistake) and twice the amount of garlic (on purpose), and it was still great.

—Sue Robbins
Massachusetts Ave

Dried Cranberry and White Chocolate Biscotti

These are great anytime, but for the holidays, sprinkle the white chocolate with colored sugar or other seasonal decorations.

• 2½ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1½ cups sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1½ cups dried cranberries
• 1 egg white
• 6 ounces good-quality white chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Line a heavy, large baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, eggs, and extract in a large bowl until well blended. Mix in flour mixture, then cranberries.

Divide dough in half and, using floured hands, shape each piece into a log 2½ inches wide, 9½ inches long, and 1 inch high. Transfer both logs to baking sheet, spacing evenly. Whisk egg white in small bowl until foamy and brush egg white glaze on top and sides of each log.

Bake logs until golden brown (logs will spread), about 35 minutes. Cool completely on sheet on rack. Maintain oven temperature. Transfer logs to work surface and, using serrated knife, cut on diagonal into half-inch-wide slices. Arrange slices, cut side down, on same sheet. Bake 10 minutes; turn biscotti over. Bake until just beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Transfer biscotti to rack.

Stir white chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water until smooth. Remove from over water. Using fork, drizzle chocolate over biscotti or spread on one cut side with knife. Let stand until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes. Makes about 28.

Can be made one week ahead. Freeze in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature.

—Barbara Kemp
Blanchard Road

Swedish Ruby Drops

Why these are “Swedish” and what makes them “ruby drops,” I can’t say. But they’re the must-have cookie for Christmas in my family.

• 1 cup butter
• 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 to 1½ teaspoons almond extract
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• For decoration: Colored sugars, almonds, cinnamon candies, maraschino cherries, Hershey’s kisses, etc.

Preheat oven to 375º F.

Cream together butter, sugar, egg, and extract. Add flour and mix well.

Shape by teaspoonsful. Roll into balls, and if desired, dip one side in colored sugars. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Make a depression in the center using the knuckle of your forefinger. Fill the center with the topping of your choice. (Or, after cooking, fill center with your favorite jelly.)

Bake at 375° F. for 10 to 12 minutes, until set, but not brown. Makes 4 to 6 dozen, depending on the size.

—Lynda King
Bolton

Roasted Pork Loin

My mom would make a pork roast with garlic that would fill the house with such an amazing aroma. She would roast it until it was dry as a bone, but we loved it just the same. This recipe is for a moister and more tender roast, but with the same general spice palette. It’s adapted from epicurious.com. This is what we’ll have for Christmas dinner this year.

• 4 large garlic cloves, pressed
• 4 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced (2 teaspoons if using dried)*
• 1½ teaspoons coarse salt (only 1 teaspoon if using table salt)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 boneless pork loin, center cut (about 2.25 pounds), trim fat to ⅛ inch

Preheat oven to 400º F. Line a 13″x9″x2″ inch roasting pan with foil. Mix garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Rub spice mixture all over pork. Place roast, fat side down, in the roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes. Turn the roast so that the fat side is up and roast another 25 minutes or until probe thermometer inserted to the center of the roast reads 155 degrees. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes.

Reserve pan drippings to serve over sliced pork.

*Thyme can be substituted for rosemary if preferred.

—Cindy Glade
East Bare Hill Road

Chocolate Mint Sticks

These are one of our family’s favorite Christmas treats. They freeze very well and can be taken out in small batches and served to company as if fresh.

Preheat oven to 350º F.

For cake:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1¼ cups flour
• 1½ teaspoons peppermint extract
• 2 cups chopped blanched almonds
• Melt butter and chocolate together and allow to cool.

Beat eggs and sugar together until well blended. Gradually add the chocolate mixture. Add the flour, extract, and nuts. Spread batter in a greased 13″x9″ cake pan. Bake 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely then spread with mint frosting and chocolate glaze.

For mint frosting:

• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• pinch salt

Cream butter with 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar until fluffy. Add ¼ cup milk, pinch salt, and extract. Beat until smooth. Add remaining sugar and beat until consistency is thick and spreadable. Spread on completely cooled cake, then let rest.

For chocolate glaze:

• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter

Melt chocolate and butter together. Cool, then spread in a very thin layer over the frosting. Chill until the glaze is set. Cut into small bars. Makes 5 dozen.

—Lucinda Bowen
Littleton County Road