THE GOURMET BOYS

FESTIVE FAVOURITES AT HOME

THE GOURMET BOYS

WITH CHRISTMAS JUST AROUND THE CORNER, WE ALL HAVE TO ADMIT THAT 2020 HAS BEEN QUITE THE YEAR. REGARDLESS OF WHAT RESTRICTIONS ARE IN PLACE, OUR YULETIDE FESTIVITIES ARE LIKELY TO BE VERY DIFFERENT FOR MANY OF US. SO, WHAT BETTER WAY OF INSTILLING SOME CHRISTMAS CHEER THAN TO SPOIL OURSELVES WITH A FEW FOODIE TREATS.

WE WERE VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE LIDL DELUXE CHRISTMAS RANGE, WHICH ARRIVED IN STORE AT THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER, AND DECIDED TO TRY A COUPLE OF THEIR FESTIVE RECIPES. ALL THE INGREDIENTS ARE EASILY SOURCED, THE RECIPES ARE SIMPLE TO PREPARE, AND THE DELICIOUS RESULTS ARE SURE TO IMPRESS: WE KNOW THAT SANTA WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO ARRIVE AT YOUR HOUSE AND BE GREETED BY THESE INDULGENT SURPRISES ON CHRISTMAS EVE.

THE EXTENSIVE LIDL DELUXE RANGE MAKES IT REALLY EASY TO CATER FOR FAMILY GET TOGETHERS, OFFERING HIGH QUALITY FESTIVE TREATS AT VERY REASONABLE PRICES. THERE ARE SOME WONDERFUL FROZEN OPTIONS, FROM THE UBIQUITOUS TURKEY TO STUNNING VEGAN CENTERPIECES, READY TO COOK DISHES INCLUDING MAIN COURSES, SIDES, DESSERTS AND PARTY SNACKS, AND DELICIOUS ACCOMPANIMENTS SUCH AS CHUTNEYS, STUFFINGS, AND CHEESES.

IT IS MORE THAN LIKELY THAT SOME RESTRICTIONS WILL STILL BE IN PLACE, SO WITH THAT IN MIND, LIDL OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY OF A “ONE STOP SHOP” TO GET BOTH YOUR CHRISTMAS ESSENTIALS AND LUXURY ITEMS FOR ANY FESTIVE CELEBRATION. SALTED CARAMEL ESPRESSO MARTINI

SALTED CARAMEL ESPRESSO MARTINI

Here’s a decadently luxurious spin on a cocktail favourite - a Salted Caramel Espresso Martini. All ingredients can be purchased in Lidl.

Ingredients • 70ml Deluxe Salted Caramel

Irish Cream Liqueur • 35ml Korol Vodka • 60ml hot espresso • White chocolate shavings to serve

Method Place all ingredients into a cocktail shaker along with some ice. You want the ice to smash up while chilling the liquid down as this is what creates the frothy top. Once shaken, tap the side to break the vacuum seal and using a strainer, pour into chilled glasses. Garnish with white chocolate shavings, or coffee beans.

IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING

Who can resist a sumptuously warm and comforting dessert? Try making this bread and butter pudding, again using Lidl Salted Caramel Irish Cream. It’s incredibly easy to make, tastes fabulous with hints of orange, caramel and white chocolate, and is sure to impress your guests.

Serves: 4 Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients • 1 X 250g panettone • 500ml custard • 100g butter • 100g white chocolate, roughly chopped • 100ml Deluxe Salted Caramel Irish

Cream Liqueur • 50g demerara sugar

Method Pour the custard into a small saucepan and warm through over a gentle heat until the mixture has slightly thickened. It should lightly coat the back of a spoon. Once it has reached this point, stir through the cream liqueur.

Butter a baking dish and arrange the sliced panettone in it. Evenly disperse the

BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING

white chocolate across the dish. Pour over the custard mixture and leave to soak for at least 2 hours. When ready to bake, sprinkle over the demerara sugar. Preheat the oven to 180C and pop the baking dish on the middle rack. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.

And as if that wasn’t enough gooey sweetness, watch out from 21 December, as Lidl plans to stock Irish-made Fresh Artisan Cakes (£9.99). These indulgent cakes come in two delicious flavours, Belgian

Chocolate Fudge and Vanilla Sponge, so be sure to snap up one of these from 21st December while stocks last.

CHRISTMAS CHEESEBOARD

Finally, no Christmas celebration would be complete without a selection of cheese accompanied by a glass of port. If you find it difficult to decide, Lidl are launching a Deluxe Cheeseboard selection on 10 December (£17.99).

However, part of the fun is choosing an interesting variety of different strengths and textures, and remember, there are no rules! As a guideline, you can’t go wrong with one hard cheese (we went for crumbly mature Irish cheddar), one blue (Stilton perhaps, or we chose Gorgonzola), one soft rinded cheese,

CHRISTMAS CHEESEBOARD

(we were tempted by the heart-shaped Neufchâtel, but Brie or Camembert are also popular choices), and perhaps a goats’ cheese, or Manchego for variety.

Served with Rosemary Crackers, Christmas Spiced Chutney, dried fruit and nuts, olives, and cracked pepper butter, all that is required is a glass of port or a rich red wine to complement the cheese.

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