Garlic mash potato bake

Ingredients

• 1kg potatoes, quartered
• butter, for frying
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 140ml pot single cream or milk
• 25g dried white bread crumbs
• 25g Gruyère, grated
• 2 thyme sprigs, leaves stripped

METHOD

1. Cook the potatoes in a large pan of water for 15 mins or until soft. Drain well. Place the pan back on the heat. Melt a little butter and cook the garlic for 1 min to soften, then stir in the cream or milk and heat through. Return the potatoes to the pan and mash until smooth.
2. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Spoon the mixture into a 20 x 30cm baking dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs, cheese and thyme over the top. Can be made up to this point the day before and stored in the fridge or frozen for up to 1 month. Cook for 15 mins until the crumbs are crisp and the cheese has melted. To cook from frozen, simply cook for 1 hr 10 mins. 

Bacon, sausage & prune rolls

Ingredients

• 12 cocktail sausages
• 1 tbsp clear honey
• 12 prunes
• 24 rashers streaky bacon

METHOD

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the sausages in a bowl with the honey until all are well coated. Wrap each sausage and prune in a piece of bacon, then skewer with a cocktail stick. Put on a baking sheet and cook for 30 mins.

Snowball truffles

Ingredients

• 200ml double cream
• 200g good-quality dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids)
• 200g desiccated coconut

METHOD

1. Pour the cream into a saucepan and bring just up to the boil. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Pour over the boiling cream, then stir until the chocolate and cream are well blended and smooth. Cool, then set aside in the fridge until the mixture is solid, about 2 hrs.
2. Scoop out teaspoons of the mixture and roll into small walnut-size balls with your hands. Sprinkle the coconut onto a plate and roll the truffle in the coconut until evenly covered. Will keep in a cool place for 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. 

Jammy coconut mallows

For the biscuits

• 250g butter, softened
• 140g golden caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 300g plain flour
• 100g desiccated coconut

For the middles and coating

• about 175g raspberry jam
• 18 large pink and white marshmallows, cut in half across the middle
• 25g desiccated coconut

METHOD

1.  Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Beat butter, sugar, egg and vanilla together with a pinch of salt until smooth. Fold in the flour and coconut to form a dough.
2. On a floured surface, shape the dough into a round, then roll to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut into rounds using a 6cm cutter. Lift onto baking sheets, then bake for 14 mins until light golden. Cool for a few mins, then transfer to a cooling rack.
3. To sandwich the biscuits, lay half out on a baking sheet, under-side up. Put ½ tsp jam onto each one, top with a piece of marshmallow, then bake for 2½ mins or until just melted. Remove from oven, then quickly top with the other biscuits, pressing down so that the marshmallow sticks them together and just oozes out. Cool for 10 mins. Put the coconut and remaining jam onto plates, dip the edges in the jam, then roll in the coconut. Will keep in an airtight tin for up to 3 days. 

Chocolate chunk pecan cookies

Ingredients

• 200g dark chocolate, broken into squares (we like Green & Black's)
• 100g butter, chopped
• 50g light muscovado sugar
• 85g golden caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg, beaten
• 100g whole pecans
• 100g plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

METHOD

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Melt 85g chocolate in the microwave on High for 1 min or over a pan of simmering water.
2. Beat in the butter, sugars, vanilla and egg until smooth, then stir in three-quarters of both the nuts and remaining chocolate, then the flour and bicarbonate of soda.
3. Heap 12 spoonfuls, spaced apart, on 2 baking sheets (don’t spread the mixture), then poke in the reserved nuts and chocolate. Bake for 12 mins until firm, then leave to cool on the sheets. Can be stored in a tin for up to 3 days.  

Sparkling vanilla Christmas cookies

Ingredients

• 140g icing sugar, sieved
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk
• 250g butter, cut into small cubes
• 375g plain flour, sieved

To decorate

• 200g icing sugar, sieved
• edible food colouring, optional
• edible gold and silver balls
• approx 2m thin ribbon cut into 10cm lengths

METHOD 

1. Tip the icing sugar, vanilla extract, egg yolk and butter into a mixing bowl, then stir together with a wooden spoon (or pulse in a food processor until well combined). Add the flour and mix to a firm dough. Shape the dough into two flat discs and wrap in clingfilm. Chill for 20-30 mins. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and line two baking sheets with non-stick baking paper.
2. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about the thickness of two £1 coins. Cut out Christmassy shapes (use a cutter if you like) and place on the baking sheets. Using the tip of a skewer, cut a small hole in the top of each cookie. Bake for 10-12 mins until lightly golden.
3. Lift the biscuits onto a wire rack to cool. Meanwhile, mix the icing sugar with a few drops of cold water to make a thick, but still runny icing. Colour with edible food colouring, if you like. Spread it over the cooled biscuits, decorate with edible balls and thread with ribbon when dry. 

Orange & ginger stained glass biscuits

Ingredients

• sunflower oil, for greasing
• 175g plain flour, plus extra
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• zest 1 orange
• 100g butter, cold, cut into chunks
• 50g golden caster sugar
• 1 tbsp milk
• 12 fruit-flavoured boiled sweets
• icing sugar, to dust
• about 120cm thin ribbon, to decorate

METHOD

1.  Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Grease 2 large non-stick baking sheets with oil. Whizz the flour, ginger, zest and butter with 1⁄2 tsp salt to fine crumbs in a food processor. Pulse in the sugar and milk, then turn out and knead briefly on a floured surface until smooth. Wrap in cling film, then chill for about 30 mins.
2. Flour the work surface again, then roll out the dough to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use 7cm cutters to cut out shapes, then use 4cm cutters to cut out the middles. Re-roll leftover pieces. Make a hole in the top of each biscuit, then carefully lift onto the baking sheets.  
3. Crush the sweets in their wrappers with a rolling pin, then put the pieces into the middles of the biscuits – the sweets should be level with the top of the dough. Bake for 15-20 mins or until the biscuits are golden brown and the middles have melted. 
4. Leave to harden, then transfer to a rack to cool. Thread with ribbon, then dust with icing sugar. Will keep for a month, but best eaten within 3 days.  

Double ginger gingerbread men

Ingredients

• 140g unsalted butter
• 100g dark muscovado sugar
• 3 tbsp golden syrup
• 350g plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger and 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 balls stem ginger from a jar, chopped

To decorate

• 50g icing sugar
• a few glacé cherries (we used undyed)
• 2 balls stem ginger

METHOD

1.  Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. Melt butter, sugar and syrup in a pan. Mix flour, soda, spices and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Stir in the butter mix and chopped ginger to make a stiff-ish dough.
2. Wait until cool enough to handle, then roll out dough to about 5mm thick. Stamp out gingerbread men, re-rolling and pressing the trimmings back together and rolling again. Lift onto baking sheets. Bake for 12 mins until golden. Cool 10 mins on the sheets, then lift onto cooling racks.
3. To decorate, mix icing sugar with a few drops of water until thick and smooth. Halve then slice cherries thinly to make smiles, and cut ginger into small squares. Spoon icing into a food bag, snip off the tiniest bit from one corner, then squeeze eyes and buttons, and a tiny smile onto 1 man at a time. Stick on a cherry smile and ginger buttons. Repeat; leave to set. Will keep up to 1 week in an airtight tin. 

Pancetta-wrapped turkey breast with herby lemon & pine nut stuffing

Ingredients

• butter, for greasing
• 20 rashers pancetta (2 x 70g/2oz packs) or thinly sliced streaky bacon
• 3kg 6lbs 8oz butterflied turkeys breast 

For the stuffing

• 25g butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large onions, halved and sliced
• 140g pack pancetta cubes or bacon lardons
• 50g pine nuts
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 25g pack sage, leaves only, roughly chopped
• zest 2 lemons
• 2 x 20g/1oz packs flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 100g coarse white breadcrumbs
• 1 egg, beaten

For the gravy

• 300ml dry white wine
• 300ml chicken stock
• 142ml pot double cream
• handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Method

1. First prepare the stuffing. Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan, then soften the onion without colouring for 10 mins. Tip into a bowl. Add the pancetta or bacon to the pan, fry for 5 mins until golden, then add the pine nuts, garlic, sage and lemon zest. Fry for 1 min more until fragrant and the pine nuts are starting to brown. Stir in the chopped parsley. Tip into the bowl with the onions, then bind with the crumbs, egg and seasoning. 
2. Butter and season a sheet of turkey foil or use 2 sheets of foil crimped together to make a sheet about 50 x 60cm. Lay five long pieces of string over the foil like rungs of a ladder, ready to tie the breast together. Arrange the pancetta or bacon in a lattice over the middle of the foil, on top of the string.
3. Open out the butterflied breast, skin-side down, and slash each side several times. Cover with cling film and bash with a rolling pin until the meat is about 5cm thick all over. Trim the sides so that you have a roughly rectangular shape (but be careful not to cut the skin). Lift onto the pancetta, then fill any gaps with the trimmings. Season, then press the stuffing along the middle of the joint. Pull up the sides at one end, tucking in the short end, then tie the string tightly so that the stuffing is encased. Repeat with all the strings. Wrap up tightly in the foil, then turn the roll over so that the pancetta is on the top. Can be left in the fridge for up to 2 days.  
4. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Sit the joint in a roasting tin and roast for 40 mins per kg or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out very hot and the juices run clear. Unwrap for the last 10 mins of cooking. 
5. Lift the joint onto a board and leave to rest, covered, for at least 10 mins. For the gravy, heat the tin on the hob, then splash in the wine and any juices. Reduce by half, then add the stock and repeat. Pour in the cream and bubble to a slightly reduced sauce. Season to taste, then stir in the parsley.  

Christmas spiced red cabbage

 

Ingredients

• 1 large red cabbage (about 1kg/2lb 4oz)
• 25g butter
• 2 red onions, finely chopped
• finely grated zest and juice 1 orange
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 150ml port
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

  Method

  1. Peel off the outer leaves of the cabbage, then cut into quarters and slice out the core. Use a sharp knife or the slicing attachment of a food processor to thinly slice the cabbage.
  2. Heat the butter in a large saucepan, then tip in the onions and gently fry until softened, about 5 mins. Add the orange zest to the pan along with the cinnamon stick, then cook for 1 min more. Add the shredded cabbage, then pour over the port, red wine vinegar, orange juice and 150ml water. Bring up to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for 45 mins-1 hr until the cabbage is softened.

Christmas ice cream Sundae

Ingredients:

• 75 g dried blueberries
• 75 g dried cranberries
• 100 ml limoncello, plus extra to serve
• 411 g mincemeat
• 284 ml double cream
• 3 tablespoons chopped candied peel
• 1 pinch ground ginger
• zest of 2 limes
• zest and juice of 2 clementines
• 1 litre good-quality vanilla ice cream
• 8 meringue nests
• 1 sprig of fresh mint, leaves picked
   Method:
  Place the first three ingredients in a bowl and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Spoon the mincemeat into a small saucepan and warm it up – keep stirring while it melts and smooths out a little. Take off the heat, add the soaked berries and limoncello and leave to cool.
  
  In a mixing bowl, whip the double cream until it forms soft peaks. Fold in the candied peel, ginger, lime and clementine zest. Spike the cream with a few drops of the clementine juice.
  
  Scoop balls of ice cream into small bowls and top each one with a spoonful of the mincemeat mixture. Put dollops of spiked cream on top and crumble over some pieces of meringue. Keep layering the dessert like this until all the bowls are full or you've used up all the ingredients.
  
  
  

  Nutritional Information Amount per serving:

  • Calories 637 32%
  • Carbs 75.0g 33%
  • Sugar 73.0g 81%
  • Fat 32.5g 46%
  • Saturates 18.5g 93%
  • Protein 6.8g 15%

  Of an adult woman's guideline daily amount

   
  

Roast duck with spicy Christmas rub & Marsala gravy

  Ingredients:

• 1 duck (roughly 1.6kg)
• sea salt
• reshly ground black pepper
• 2 heaped teaspoons of five-spice
• 1 clementine
• 6 fresh bay leaves

• For the gravy

• 1 bulb of garlic, halved across the middle
• 2 carrots, trimmed and sliced
• 2 red onions, peeled and sliced
• 3 tablespoons plain flour
• 100 ml Marsala
• 1 litre organic chicken stock
  
   Remove any excess fat from inside the cavity of the duck, then using a sharp knife carefully score the breast and legs all over in crisscross fashion, roughly 1cm apart. Season the duck with salt, pepper and the five-spice, rubbing all over so the flavour catches in all the nooks and crannies. Halve the clementine and place it into the cavity along with the bay leaves. Place the duck in a medium-sized roasting tray, cook at 180°C/350°F/gas 4 for around 1 hour 20 minutes. 
  When the time's up, remove the duck from the oven and drizzle your par-boiled veg (see Gorgeous roast vegetables) with some of the fat from the tray then toss to coat (save the remaining fat for another day). Lift up the duck, scatter the garlic, carrots and onions into the tray and sit the duck back on top. Cook for a further 40 minutes, or until the duck is beautifully crisp and the meat falls easily away from the bone.
  Remove the duck to the tray of roast veg while you finish your gravy. Add the flour to the broken-down veg, then mash everything together with a potato masher, scraping up all the sticky goodness from the bottom. Place over a medium-high heat. Pour in the Marsala, stir well and let the alcohol cook off for a minute or two. Add the stock, then bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer for around 15 minutes, or until thickened and reduced. Strain through a coarse sieve, skim away any fat from the surface, then season to taste. Shred or carve up the duck, then serve with a jug of gravy, apple and cranberry sauce, crispy roast veg and all the trimmings.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Nutritional Information Amount per serving:

  • Calories 430 22%
  • Carbs 23g 10%
  • Sugar 9g 10%
  • Fat 28g 40%
  • Saturates 7g 35%
  • Protein 20g 44%

  Of an adult woman's guideline daily amount