finefood Christmas November 2014
Time to get excited for the big day! ✴✴ Christmas Showstopper ✴✴ Festive desserts ✴✴ Timesaving ideas for the Boxing day Lunch ✴✴ Christmas Canape’s
Quick & Easy miniture desserts to satisfy any sweet-tooth t Yule Log
s Black Fore
Food gifts for the people who have everything
Stylish food without all the stress...
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Hamper Give the gift of choice ....For the people who have everything Hampers can be filled with anything from jams to chutneys to nuts and five star Michelin made Christmas pudding. This traditional gift is well received by everyone, especially the people who are hard to buy for.
Contents
Packed with seasonal favourites such as fruitcake, boxes of chocolates, jams and
Get ready for Christmas in style
First Place
7 Croqu-em-bouch Centre piece of the year for more occasions than christmas
17 Taste-tested mince pies, puddings and more...
On the Cover
8 Cake of the month
19 Loose-ends how to use leftover ingredients
D is for Dessert
Gifts from your kitchen
4 Two ways with Rapberries and Cream - a modern twist on a classic.
3 Food hamper - For the people who have everythingy
Festive Baking
12 Brittle Brittle - Honeycomb and peanut butter pieces
Vegetarian Delights
15 Chutneys trending...
27 Pasta Fritters - Small... but pack a big flavourful punch
Black forest yule log pg 9
6 Get the children involved Nothing like getting the whole
family into the christmas spirit.
22 Crash course in homemade pastry
cheeses; but the beauty of giving a hamper is the fact that you can personalise them. Homemade gifts such as jam and scones are brilliant for the grandparents as they can
indulge in their favourite
ly comes with a high end price tag,
afternoon tea treats. Alternatively, but it’s worth it. if you’ve got a relative who likes the modern touch, then luxury hampers can be bought from any good high end retailer, such as BHS, M&S and even online. Luxury hampers contain only high quality products, so obvious-
However, not all hampers have to contain food, if you know someone who favours homemade gifts such as knitted items, hand sewn items, then a hamper is the perfect way to present them.
25 Cheeseboard pieces
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2 Ways With Raspberries & Cream Mini Pavlovas
FOR THE MERINGUE • 4 large free-range egg whites • 250g caster sugar
FOR THE TOPPING • 300ml Double Cream, whipped • 5 Raspberries per mini Pavlova (1 punnet) • 1tsp Vanilla extract (added to cream)
METHOD 1.Preheat the oven to 150C/Gas 2 and line a baking tray with non-stick greaseproof paper. It is important to make sure the meringues don’t stick
to the tray as they will become ruined quickly when coming to decorate them later on.
2.Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl and whisk until they form soft peaks when the whisk is removed. 3.Add the caster sugar, a spoonful at a time, constantly whisking. Don’t add the sugar all at once as this will cause the meringue to weep after cooking. When the sugar is absorbed, the meringue should look shiny, glossy and stiff. 4.Using a tablespoon, spoon the
These recipes are just a few ways of many to combine these harmonious ingredients.
mixture onto non-stick baking tray to make little mounds. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. This will allow them to turn golden brown. 5.Lower the oven temperature to 110C/Gas ¼ and cook for a further 1-1½ hours until crisp on the outside and gooey in the middle. Leave to cool. 6. Add the vanilla essence ro the double cream and whip together until stiff. 7. Place cream and rasbperries onto the meringue and serve.
Mini White Chocolate & Raspberry Cheesecake FOR CHEESECAKE • 200g digestive biscuits • 75g butter • 50g Demerara Sugar • 300g white chocolate • 284 ml double cream • 250g soft cheese • 250g mascarpone cheese • 200g raspberries (fresh or frozen)
Top Tip: Cold eggs seperate more easily than those at room temperature as the whites hold together better.
METHOD
melted white chocolate.
1.In a pan, add the butter and melt, then add the biscuit crumbs and demerara sugar. Mix well. Tip mixture into a lined 20cm spring form cake tin and use a metal spoon to press the biscuit crumbs down firmly and evenly.
5.Scatter a third of the raspberries onto the biscuit base and cover with a third of the creamy topping, repeat twice more finishing with the remaining raspberries on the top.
2.Chill in the refrigerator until set.
6.Chill for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight
3.Melt the white chocolate in a bowl over some gently simmering water being careful not to overheat. 4.Beat the cream, soft cheese and mascarpone in a bowl until combined and then stir in the
7.Remove from the cake tin and using a small cookie cutter, cut out ndividual portions and serve. TOPPING: Add melted white choloate to the top of the cheesecake when set for a nice finish.
What a great way to indulge on the big day!
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Don Lavange Flickr
Croqu-em-Bouche At this festive time of year we all know how important it is to get a head start in making the Christmas day dinner as spectacular as possible. With all of the desserts available from supermarkets and individual retailers it can be hard to decide which one is right for your table. We believe a simple yet elegant Croqu-embouche would be the perfect addition to any Christmas feast.
Lets get cooking with the kids! Cooking with the kids is a
GINGERBREAD DOUGH
precious bonding moment that
• 350g Plain flour • 1-2 Teaspoon ground ginger • 1 Teaspoon bicarbonate of soda • 100g Butter or margarine • 175g Soft light brown sugar • 1 Egg • 4 Tablespoons golden syrup
shouldn’t be missed, and what a better way to share that moment than creating a tasty treat that can be enjoyed all year round.
DECORATIONS
• 1 Tube of smarties (or what you prefer) • 200g Icing sugar Refigerate the cut biscuit for about 15 • 100ml water minutes in the fridge is long enough METHOD to ensure your gingerbread biscuits retain their shape during baking and 1.Put the flour, ginger and soda into don't spread out too much. a bowl and rub in the butter.
Top Tip
AndyHay Flickr
Gingerbread Men
2.Add sugar and stir in the syrup and egg to make a firm dough.
Recipe PROFITEROLES • 375ml Water • 150g Butter • 175g Plain Flour • 5 Large Eggs, Beaten
CREME ANGLAISE
3.Roll out the dough to about 5mm thick and cut out the gingerbread men. If you don't have a gingerbread man cutter then use any cutter- stars and hearts are just as tasty.
• 600ml Full Fat Milk • 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract • 6 Large Egg Yolks • 75g Caster Sugar • 65g Plain Flour
CARAMEL • 300g Caster Sugar • 225ml of cold water
4.Bake at 190'C/Gas 5 on greased baking trays (spaced out, as they will spread) for 10-15 mins until golden brown.
METHOD 1.Preheat the oven to 200°C / Gas mark 4. Line 3 baking trays with baking parchment.
5.Leave to firm up for a couple of minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool. 6.Once cooled, decorate with icing.
2.Pour the water into a large saucepan and add the butter. When the butter is melted add all the flour quickly in one go. 3.Beat the mixture vigorously to a firm paste, stirring continuously. Beat in the eggs a little at a time, stirring vigorously until the paste is smooth and glossy. 4.Spoon the mixture into a large piping bag. Pipe the profiteroles onto the baking sheets. 5.Bake for 20 minutes until risen and golden. Remove from the oven and pierce the base of each bun with a skewer to allow the steam to escape. 6.Return to the oven and cook for a further 3 minutes to dry out. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on wire racks.
THE FILLING 1.Pour the milk into a pan with the vanilla extract. Bring the milk slowly to a simmer over a low heat.
3.Remove from the heat and pass through a fine sieve into a bowl. Spoon the chilled custard into a piping bag and fill the profiteroles.
TO BUILD 1.Place the sugar and water in a clean pan and dissolve by stirring gently on a low heat. Once dissolved, raise the temperature to boiling. Whilst boiling do not stir. 2.When the bubbling sugar begins to turn a dark amber like colour, remove the pan quickly from the heat to prevent the temperature rising further. 3.Holding each profiterole on its side, dip into the caramel (which will be very HOT) and arrange the buns around the base of the mould. 4.Continue step 3 until you reach the top. Once assembled, leave the caramel to set for at least 30 minutes.
2.In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and flour until pale and creamy. Pour the warm milk over the egg mixture, stirring. Pour the mixture back into the pan and cook over a low heat until the mixture starts to thicken.
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Pillsbury Flickr
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Recipe SPONGE MIX (LOG BASE) • 4 egg yolks • 125g caster sugar • 60g butter, melted and cooled • 100g plain flour, divided • 4 egg whites • 1 pinch salt FILLING • Double Cream • 1/2 (454g) jar orange marmalade ICING
Cake Of The Month Yule Log This indulgent chocolate cake is one for the chocoholics at Christmas. A Yule Log consists of a rich and creamy centre which is encased in a dark chocolate sponge, delicately smothered in a moreish chocolate icing. The yule log is a divine addition to the end of any Christmas meal; it is a cake that would make a brilliant alternative to the Croqu-em-bouche centrepiece. The upside to this cake is that it is easier to make than it looks, however it is guaranteed to look professional due to the way it is made. You can cook the yule log in the oven or in the aga. However if you were to use an aga you must place the grid shelf on the floor
of the roasting oven with the cold plain shelf on the second set of runners. Bake the sponge for about 20 minutes, turning after 12 minutes. The best part about creating a yule log is the the fact that you can hide any mistakes you make under the icing! PREPARING AHEAD Complete the roulade but without the final dusting of icing sugar up to 24 hours ahead, cover and keep in the fridge. Alternatively you can make the Yule Log up to 1 week ahead and store in an air tight container. This cake can be eaten by vegetarians however the ingredients would need to be replaced by vegan alternatives such as egg replacer and cane sugar to create a vegan version.
• 150g cooking chocolate • 60g butter • Christmas cake decorations (alternatively shop bought icing) METHOD
DURING BAKING
1.Preheat the oven to 250 C / Gas 9. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
When folding the flour and cocoa into the whisked egg mixture, try to retain as much air as possible. Use a large metal spoon or a spatula and gently cut through the mixture, rotating the bowl as you do so.
2.In a large bowl, beat the sugar and yolks until light and creamy. Add melted butter and stir in 1/2 the flour. 3.In another bowl, beat egg whites with 1 pinch of salt until stiff. Gently fold 1/2 of this mixture into the yolk mixture. Fold in remaining flour and remaining egg whites.
Remember that the sponge will cook in minutes so keep an eye on it!
4.Pour batter into prepared tray and smooth out to create a 1cm thick layer. Bake in preheated oven for about 7 minutes or until firm to the touch. 5.Remove cake from oven and immediately turn out onto a damp tea towel. Let it cool. 6. Whip the double cream until stiff. 7.Spread the double cream and marmalade on the cake, then gently roll the cake like a swiss roll. Be careful and do this slowly as cracks may appear if the cake is rolled too tightly. Make sure the cake is warm when doing this to also prevent cracks forming, do not do when cold as it will not roll properly. Let it cool once it is completely rolled. 8.Cut a small slice (about 2cm thick) off the end of the cake. Arrange on the side of the log, to represent a branch. Set aside. 9.In a small saucepan, melt chocolate and butter. Let cool. 10.Spread the icing on the cake. Draw veins of the bark with a fork and arrange decorations on top.
Flavour Variations: • Black forest - Black berry jam in the filling with cream and lots of winter berries to decorate.
• Chocolate and Orange Place a layer of maramalade on the sponge before the cream then roll. • Original - Vanilla flavoured sponge, with a strawberry jam layer before the cream, cover in buttercream icing and strawberries.
• Meringue Yule Log - If your feeling daring why not try attempting a meringue base, filled with a white chocolate icing and a layer of cream. • Chesnut and Amaretto Sweet and packed full of protien! • Lemon Yule Log - Uniquely unconventional but definitly just as delicious.
Serve chilled.
Top Tip: You can make the sponge for the yule log in advance and freeze it for up to 1 month.
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The sweet treats?
The warmth?
The Drink?
The Decorations? The Decorations?
The Tradition?
What do you love about Christmas?
The Food?
The Gifts?
Whatever drives you this christmas, do it in style...