WELL, if you are anything like me, you will be appreciating the calm after the storm that was Christmas and New Year.

Like many, the unrealistic expectations of what to eat, dress, say or socialise with can be a royal pain the the bahookey. But this year, thankfully, I was let off the hook by having to work my fair share of shifts.

As a nurse, you will appreciate that folk don’t conveniently get well for the festive season so we can all go home and be merry. And because of this, I had another, more important job to focus on - being at work and continuing to do what we do the other 364 days of the year.

And to be honest, with the brilliant crowd I work with, this was a better option than the impending, inevitable family/friends dramas which paled into insignificance the moment I walked through the door at work.

For so many of our patients (who may not have any family) food has taken on a new meaning and significance. So the traditional roast is tweaked accordingly. Suffice to say, when I do eventually sit down to my own dinner, I am so humbled and grateful that I am able to enjoy it and every single morsel tastes absolutely wonderful.

I continue to savour those tastes during the whole Christmas period.

One tradition my family always continue with is making Stollen Christmas Bread that continues to this day.

The recipe comes from my German granny, Omi, who lived till a ripe old age (and no, there was no rum in it).

I’ll have it toasted for breakfast, or later on with a cuppa and it is always offered to anyone popping in. For me it’s a symbol of family and health and I encourage you to try and make it this year, even if you don’t have an opportunity to share it, (all the more for you).

Good luck! It freezes well too.

Omi’s Stollen Bread

Ingredients:

Dried active baking yeast 2 teaspoons

7oz warm milk

2 eggs

4oz soft butter

15oz strong white bread flour

4oz caster sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2oz currants

2oz sultanas

4oz mixed peel

1 lemon rind grated

Marzipan you wish - can be too sweet so this is personal, but if you like it then no more than 7oz

4oz spliced almonds

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, mixed spice, nutmeg, vanilla essence, half teaspoon cloves

Icing sugar to sprinkle over the top

Method:

Mix the yeast into the warm milk, leave for 5 minutes. Add some of the flour to mix in, cover it and leave to stand for an hour in a warm place.

Cream the butter and sugar together, then add the eggs, salt and lemon rind. Add the yeast mixture and then the remaining flour. Knead and when light and springy, let it rise in a bowl which has been greased, for about an hour, until it has at least doubled in size, making sure you cover it.

Get your tray ready by greasing it. Knead the dried fruit and almonds into your dough.

Divide it into two small loaves, brush with melted butter.

Let them rise again for about 45 minutes then bake for about 40 minutes.

Cool them on a wire rack, sprinkle icing sugar over the top once cooled.

Guten appetit!