the last christmas supper

i made the christmas plaited ring. if there's one thing i learnt, it's that raisins aren't always the answer when you need dried fruit.
this is the dough before butter was added. i was aiming for the gluten window, and got it after quite some while kneading in the mixer.
as always, when butter is added to the dough, it breaks down into mush, and after a while the butter gets absorbed, and the side of the bowl gets cleaned again, and the dough comes together smooth and silky. and look at the gluten window again!
this is when i discovered that raisins were totally wrong for this dough. the recipe called for chopped apricots, but i didn't want to buy them just for 10g, so i used leftover raisins. but the big lumps of raisins seeped so much liquid into the dough, and were so big they interfered with the gluten strands in the dough, which made rolling the dough into long ropes very difficult.
the ring still rose quite nicely, though i was so afraid that my hand-chopped walnuts were cutting through the dough and making it lose precious air. so after an egg wash, i sprinkled almond slices all over, and studded the ring with the glace cherries.
once out of the oven, i brushed melted butter all over, and it was perfectly pretty.

and for supper, cream of mushroom soup from mastering the art of french cooking.
minced onions were braised gently in butter, then flour was added to form a roux, after which broth was beaten in with mushroom stems. then everything was simmered for some time to form the mushroom soup base, and then strained.
the sliced mushroom caps were pan-fried separately in butter and lemon juice until soft and juice-releasing, then added to the strained soup base for another simmer.
egg yolks and cream served as the final enrichment to the soup. the soup base was heated to a simmer, then ladled slowly into the cream and yolks to temper, and finally everything came together. and it was a 'fine, rich, mushroom soup either for grand occasions or as the main course for a sunday supper'.