For those of you who bake a lot for the holidays: when do you start?

I like to make shortbread. It usually start a couple of weeks before Christmas.

I do fruitcakes, and I start early because there is so much booze infusing that every step takes days. They will knock you over if you’re not careful. The good news is that they then have a shelf life of 40 or 50 years.

We made four dozen cookies the other night (snowballs, thumbprint cookies with two types of jam, and gingerbread.) It took us forever because we’re not really used to doing such a huge quantity (they were gifts for five friends.) I’m going to bake some more later when I get home later this week (possibly some fudgey brownies.) There haven’t been storage issues since they fly off the plates pretty quickly, but I would probably find a nice tin for them if needed.

I love when kitchens smell like baking.

I don’t bake but I remember my mum making the christmas cake in the summer/early autumn sometime.

@JilltheTooth: So you’re the perpetrator of the fruitcakes with an infinite half-life?

I believed for years that there was only one Ur-fruit cake that kept on being regifted as it worked its way around the world.

That was a commercial fruitcake with those plutonium green cherries on it. The homemade ones are of an entirely different species. Much superior. My fruitcakes have thumbs…

I have never eaten fruitcake.

@ANef_is_Enuf: Make sure you taste it at least once before you die. Once may be enough (but I know that there are fruit-cake lovers out there.)

Exhibit A

Exhibits B, C, and D

I can’t. Those look so unappealing to me, I don’t think I’d have the courage to put it in my mouth. :\

My apologies, in advance, if by some strange twist of fate the creator of one of those cakes is reading my message.

I don’t decorate mine, they are dark and rich and if you stand too close the alcohol fumes will fall you down. If you like Grand Marnier you would like mine.

@JilltheTooth That sounds so good.
@ANef_is_Enuf A good one is worth the try.

I start after Thanksgiving – do a few batches a week and store them in tins in the freezer. Works great.

Well… I don’t eat fruit.

@ANef_is_Enuf You don’t eat fruit?

@ANef_is_Enuf: Never? Ever?

@ANef_is_Enuf : I may have to make you a nut cake, then, so you can sort-of have the experience. <poof> you’re a nut cake!

Yeah, yeah. I know it is strange.
I like granny smith apples. I might eat an orange once a year, or a slice of watermelon every other summer, if the mood strikes. I can eat a couple of raisins before I never want to see one again. That’s about it. Most people are so passionate about fruit, I really want to find it appealing, but I just don’t. Every time I try to eat it, I just can’t figure out why people like it so much.

I love nuts. Clearly, that is why I spend so much time here. ;)

One of my friends is allergic to nuts so I make her a special no nut cake. Maybe I’ll just do one for you with the nuts I didn’t use in hers…macademias, pecans, hazelnuts…mmmmmmm

Wow, that sounds really good. Is there such a thing?

I love nuts too. That’s why I love it here too.

@ANef_is_Enuf Ever tried dried fruit?

@ANef_is_Enuf You should get together with my son – he never eats fruits or vegetables.

I likevdried fruit. I’m a veggie fanatic, though. I love vegetables.

@ANef_is_Enuf I love veggies too. As long as you do one of them it’s good.

@ANef_is_Enuf Sorry Side tracking your thread with nutrition stuff.

I don’t do it every year, but when I do I do it a couple days before I am going to celebrate Chanukah (I only do a Chanukah dinner one day during the 8, and it is usually on a weekend day) or a week before Christmas, whichever is first. I make about 4–5 dozen. I am going to do mine Monday, an assortment of cookies. This year is almond cookies, coconut macaroons, and I need to choose one more.