Cranberry sauce is one of the staples of the modern British Christmas dinner. I made some cranberry jelly a few weeks ago which, preserved, keeps well. Now Christmas is only a few days away, it’s time to make the cranberry sauce, as an alternative.
Posts Tagged Christmas
Cranberry Sauce
Posted 23 December 2012 by DebbieTagged As: Christmas, Cranberry, Cranberry sauce | Categories: Condiments, Recipes | Leave a Comment
Jamie Oliver’s Chocolate Yule Log
Posted 22 December 2012 by DebbieTagged As: Chestnut, Chocolate, Chocolate log, Christmas, Jamie Oliver, Yule log | Categories: Baking, Dessert, Recipes, Treats | Leave a Comment
This seasonal recipe for chocolate and chestnut yule log is from Jamie Oliver. A chocolate yule log is really an essential for me at Christmas. Having tried recipes from Nigella Lawson and Delia Smith, I thought I’d give Jamie’s a go this year.
I like chocolate logs because of their chocolate-y goodness, but also because they evoke the ancient European yule tradition of bringing a log into the house in the depths of winter. That’s bound to make you feel all warm and cosy at this time of year.
Making your own yule log from scratch means making a swiss roll, which can be a bit scary if you haven’t attempted this before. Never fear though, it’s actually very easy.
Cranberry Jelly
Posted 7 December 2012 by DebbieTagged As: Christmas, Cranberry, Cranberry jelly, Jelly | Categories: Condiments, Preserves, Recipes | Leave a Comment
This recipe for cranberry jelly comes from The Complete Book of Preserves and Pickles by Catherine Atkinson and Maggie Mahew. Cranberry jelly, or its relation cranberry sauce, has become a staple of the Christmas table.
Squidgy Chocolate Log (Delia)
Posted 4 December 2012 by DebbieTagged As: Chocolate, Chocolate log, Christmas, Delia, Yule log | Categories: Baking, Dessert, Recipes | Leave a Comment
Christmas just ain’t Christmas without a chocolate yule log. Two years ago, I made Nigella Lawson’s Bûche de Noël. That was a huge success, absolutely delicious, but last year I decided to try a different one and made a squidgy chocolate log with this recipe from Delia Smith’s Complete Cookery Course. Again, this recipe is flourless, giving a light sponge.
Now, you may notice that Delia’s version is not smothered with lashings of chocolate ganache or buttercream, but the cream and chocolate mousse filling means that this log is still extremely indulgent, and well worth a try.
Chocolate Alternative Christmas Pudding
Posted 26 December 2010 by DebbieTagged As: Chocolate, Chocolate pudding, Christmas, Microwave, Pudding | Categories: Baking, Dessert, Recipes | 4 Comments
Christmas pudding is one of the iconic dishes for Christmas dinner, but lots of people aren’t that keen. Obviously, there are countless alternative dessert out there, and many people would prefer a lighter option. However, if you’re looking for something that’s as dense and rich as traditional Christmas pudding, just without all the dried fruit, this chocolate alternative Christmas pudding might be just the thing. It really is rich, (you only need a small portion at a time, and it might be worth saving it for a few hours after the turkey has been eaten) and has the kind of intense chocolatey decadence that’s only right for Christmas.
This recipe is adapted from one by Safeway (remember them?) and BBC GoodFood and is a microwave recipe. You can do it in a conventional oven though, details below. The pudding contains breadcrumbs, cocoa and lots and lots of chocolate. It’s also very quick & easy to whip up while you’re waiting for the turkey to digest, especially if you prepare a few bits the day before.
5 Essential Dishes for Christmas Dinner
Posted 26 December 2010 by DebbieTagged As: Christmas, Christmas dinner, Lists | Categories: Recipes | Leave a Comment
Well, Christmas Day is upon us, and it’s a white Christmas here. The presents have been opened, and the turkey eaten. This guy turned up on our doorstep this morning and narrowly avoided getting in on the Christmas dinner action:
A Christmas pheasant
Across the nation, people are snoring in front of Poirot. I thought I’d share what I consider some of the essential dishes for Christmas dinner. It has been said that Christmas dinner is nothing more than a jumped up Sunday roast. These dishes can elevate the humble roast to something special. I’m not going to mention the obvious; let’s assume there’s some kind of poultry, roast potatoes and veggies. These are just the Christmas essentials.
Christmas Sausage-meat Stuffing
Posted 25 December 2010 by DebbieTagged As: Christmas, Forcemeat, Forcemeat stuffing, Pork, Sausage | Categories: Recipes, Side dishes | Leave a Comment
For me, pork forcemeat stuffing is the one and only “ultimate” stuffing for Christmas dinner. Keep your sage & onion for ordinary Sunday roast dinners, this is the good stuff. Now, I have seen recipes for forcemeat stuffing that includes dried fruit, chestnuts, celery etc, but I prefer to keep it simple. You can make your own pork forcemeat from pork and added fat, buy it as it is, or even just use the insides of sausages. I must admit, this stuffing may not be the prettiest dish on the table, but my goodness it is tasty!
Bread Sauce
Posted 25 December 2010 by DebbieTagged As: Bread, Bread sauce, Christmas, Cloves, English, Medieval, Onion, Sauce | Categories: Recipes, Side dishes | Leave a Comment
Bread sauce is a white sauce that dates back to medieval times and is traditionally served with Christmas dinner. It’s easy to make; you can start infusing the milk in between preparing vegetables and other trimmings and then finish the sauce off while the turkey is resting. If you’re just concentrating on the sauce, it takes about half an hour in total. 
Continue reading “Bread Sauce”…
Brandy (or Rum) Butter
Posted 24 December 2010 by DebbieTagged As: Brandy, Brandy butter, Butter, Buttercream, Christmas | Categories: Recipes | Leave a Comment
Well, there’s just one day left until Christmas and I thought I’d share what I consider one of the essentials for Christmas Day. It is also one of the easiest things you can make! I’m talking about brandy butter, essential for dolloping onto Christmas pudding, mince pies, chocolate yule log… ice cream, er… anything! It’s so easy to make, consisting of buttercream, with added brandy. This recipe is so easy to tweak to make it a different flavour, like rum butter. Just swap the added alcohol and use brown sugar instead of white if you prefer.
Nigella’s Chocolate Yule Log
Posted 23 December 2010 by DebbieTagged As: Buttercream, Chocolate, Chocolate buttercream, Christmas, Nigella, Yule log | Categories: Baking, Recipes | Leave a Comment
Every year at Christmas, I ice a chocolate swiss roll, as a yule log. This year is the first time I have made the whole thing. Actually, that’s not strictly true. There was that one time in home economics when I was about 12, when I attempted to make a chocolate yule log. The sponge turned out like rubber, and the “icing” was liquid. It was one big, chocolatey mess. Happily, this one turned out much better. This recipe for a flourless chocolate yule log, or Bûche de Noël, comes from Nigella Lawson’s Nigella Christmas.
