Merry Christmas by Gooseberry Patch is full of homespun gift and decorating ideas and recipes. It includes home baked gifts such as Bon Bons and holiday decorating ideas like wreath ornaments from peppermint candies. The recipes included range from Appetizers to breakfast to main dishes to desserts. One of my favorite sections is a compilation of Christmas memories that people from all over have contributed. This is sure to be a treasured addition to your family! Select this link to view our Christmas Books.

Baking.
Baking is the technique of prolonged cooking of food by dry heat acting by conduction, normally in an oven, but also in hot ashes, or on hot stones. It is primarily used for the preparation of bread, cakes, pastries and pies, tarts, and quiches. Such items are sometimes referred to as "baked goods," and are sold at a bakery. A person who prepares baked goods as a profession is called a baker. It is also used for the preparation of baked potatoes, baked apples, baked beans, some pasta dishes, such as lasagna and various other foods, such as the pretzel. Select this link to view our Comfort and Joy Christmas Cookbooks.
Many domestic ovens are provided with two heating elements: one for baking, using convection and conduction to heat the food; and one for broiling or grilling, heating mainly by radiation. Meat may be baked, but is more often roasted, a similar process, using higher temperatures and shorter cooking times. Select this link to view our Cozy Country Christmas Cookbook.
Items other than foodstuffs can be baked, such as things made of clay. The baking process does not add any fat to the product, and producers of snack products such as potato chips are also beginning to substitute the process of deep frying by baking in order to reduce the fat content of their products. Select this link to view our Farmhouse Christmas Cookbook.

German Christmas Baking.
Germany is famous for Christmas baking and indeed a German Christmas is filled with many delectable treats. Christstollen, also called Chrisbrot, Stutenbrot or Striezl, constitutes Germany’s most famous Christmas cake or bread. To make it bakers enhance sweet yeast dough with dried fruits, various fruit peels, almonds and spices. After baking they apply a coating of sugar icing. Baumkuchen, or tree cake, serves as another special Christmas or Advent treat. The log shaped cake is prepared in such a way that each slice is imprinted with concentric circles resembling tree rings. Gingerbread is another German Christmas favorite. As well as being shaped into cookies it is also used for Gingerbread Houses. Other, well known, German Christmas cookies include Lebkuchen, Pfeffernusse and Springerle. German bakers also produce other Christmas treats from Germany’s storehouse of cookie recipes, including vanilla rings, cinnamon stars and various kinds of nut cookies, spice cookies, macaroons, marzipan and more. Select this link to view our Fun Recipes For Kids.