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The Official Downton Abbey Christmas Cookbook

mixture dry. In the past,baking powder was single

acting, and a batter had to be baked quickly once

liquid was introduced. But nowadays nearly all

baking powder is double acting (made possible by

the two acids), which gives the baker a little more

time to get the batter in the oven. Store baking

powder in a cool, dry place and make sure it has

not sat on the shelf too long, as it loses its leaven-

ing power when old.

Flours: When I call for flour, I am using all-

purpose (UK plain) flour, which has a protein

content of 9 to 11 percent and is generally ideal

for cakes, pastries,sauces, and the like. Bread (UK

strong white) flour has a higher protein content

of 11 to 13 percent, which yields a more elastic

dough with a better rise. I also call for semolina

flour, made from durum wheat, for the spinach

balls on page 144 and for rice flour, finely milled

from white rice,for both savory and sweet recipes.

Yeast: Although Mrs. Patmore would have used

fresh yeast, active dry yeast is of great quality

these days, so I use it. If you prefer fresh yeast,

you will need to use about two and a half times

more fresh yeast by weight than active dry yeast

(1 teaspoon active dry yeast is 4 g).

MEAT AND POULTRY

If your budget permits, purchase meat and poul-

try that have been sustainably raised and with

the animals’ welfare topmost in mind. This varies

from species to species and can mean everything

from cage-free chickens to pasture-raised beef

and lamb to free-range pork. It is both the most

responsible way to shop and what would have

been available to the kitchen staff at Downton.

Remember, too, it’s Christmas, so you may want

to fast from meat and poultry for a month and

then splurge on the very best bird or beef roast

you can find!

If you are vegetarian or vegan, I apologize

for the paucity of options in the following pages,

but the mission of this book is to reflect the food

on the table of the Crawleys. Although cookery

books about vegetarian food and vegetables were

available at the time, that type of cooking would

not have reached an aristocratic household like

Downton, especially one where the surrounding

countryside offered so much game.

EQUIPMENT

The average outfitted kitchen will have the

cookware, bakeware, and tools needed for mak-

ing nearly every recipe in this book. The notable

exception is the game meat mold for the Yorkshire

Christmas Pie on page 113. In other cases, if you

lack a specific cooking vessel, an easy fix is almost

always possible. For example, you can substitute

heatproof bowls of roughly equal size for pudding

molds (basins).

For the ice cream recipes, I’ve provided meth-

ods that require no machine, and for most of the

batters and doughs, I have given hand methods,

making them just as Mrs. Patmore would have

made them. But you are welcome to use an ice

cream maker, stand or handheld mixer, and food

processor for ease. Two inexpensive kitchen tools

I consider essential are an oven thermometer and

an instant-read thermometer. Too often ovens

do not heat to the set temperature, so using the

thermometer will allow you to adjust the setting

mechanism to ensure the oven is at the correct

temperature. (If you have a convection oven,

never turn the fan on when using the recipes in

this book.) An instant-read thermometer is indis-

pensable for checking doneness for everything

from your holiday turkey to a meat pie.

Official Downton Abbey Christmas Cookbook

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