Although I am always up for Christmas and in the past started planning, making lists, hosting parties, and decorating fairly early in December....this year, Christmas almost caught me unprepared. Plans to get together with friends and gather greens for wreath-making fell through twice...and usually, by the time our annual Christmas party comes around, I already have the gifts for friends prepared... Not this year!
It wasn't until the week before Christmas that I started baking...and ended putting gifts together almost at the last minute. It wasn't until 2 days before Christmas that we got in the car and drove the backroads looking for greenery to use in a project I had thought of doing last year, but time got away from me...
There are not that many 'greens' that can be associated with Christmas growing in Hawai'i...but there is a place not too far from us, where we can find some conifers and other long-lasting greens after being cut. Not sure what they are, but I got something cedar-like and another that resembles (or could be) Sequoia sempervirens and the ever present long-lasting Uluhe fern...so that's what I brought home.
The light fixture over our back lanai 'dining table' was decorated with something 'resembling a wreath' by using a thin wire coat hanger I opened up and 'threaded' through the arms holding the candle-like light bulbs, then weaving the greens through, all around it, after first stringing the red ball ornaments from the arms and the wire by tying them with different lengths of gossamer red ribbon. Last, I added some tiny, battery operated star-shaped lights.. and Voilà...this is what passes for our Christmas tree this year!
I also dusted off some old, used candles, put them on a green lacquer charger serving as a tray, spread some of the greens and a few ornaments all around them, and Voilà...we have a table centerpiece...
I also had two sizes of grape vine wreath frames and decided to join them to make one wider one...added some of the leftover greens I picked earlier.,..some red ornaments and Voilà....done!
We celebrate Christmas Eve, and that is when we have our main Christmas dinner.. I kept it simple...a baked spiral ham, roasted mini potatoes cut in half, drizzled with avocado oil, sprinkled with salt & pepper and later added a dollop of sour cream, to which I added fresh chopped parsley from our garden; I also served steamed asparagus drizzled in our delicious Meyer lemon juice. It was not fancy, except for the dessert, which turned out delicious...(I played around with ingredients to come up with my own 'take' on a dessert made by a friend during Thanksgiving)
Heavenly Pear & Cranberry 'Pie'
Marzipan crust in bottom (I didn't have enough to go up the sides), a thin layer of Crema Catalana filling, fresh pears, fresh cranberries, and a streusel topping made with ground up candied ginger, macadamia nuts, sugar, cinnamon, and dotted with butter...
I did not peel the pears. I cut them in 1/2, then 1/4 and cut out the core and seeds and cut again in smaller pieces.
Juiced a Meyer lemon and placed the pear pieces in it so the pear wouldn't brown.
Meantime, I rolled out the marzipan into a thin layer and lined the bottom of the dish.
I made the Crema Catalana...did not use as much milk as I normally would, as I just wanted a thin layer of the custard. Ladled it over the marzipan layer.
Added the pear and cranberries.
For the streusel topping: I had some candied ginger in the freezer, left from a project of a couple of years ago...processed them in the food processor along with macadamia nuts, sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkled on top and dotted with Kerrygold unsalted butter. Baked at 350 until bubbly and golden...the smells emanating from the oven were heavenly!
Amazingly, all of the components worked...although there were several sweet ingredients, the end result was not overly sweet. It was light, and fragrant, and absolutely heavenly! Wonderful hot but also delicious cold...
Merry Merry and Happy Happy, everyone!
