5 minute read
Zena’s Cocoa Dusted Chocolate Truffles
With Christmas coming I’m thinking Chocolate - that rare time of the year where calories don’t count, because there is always the new year.
Ingredients
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125 g good dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
30 g butter – soft and diced 80 g double cream 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 1 shot (30 ml) coffee or try your favourite liqueur 1 tablespoon cocoa powder to dust and roll
Method
Break the chocolate in to small pieces. Melt in a bain-marie: Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Do not allowing the water to touch the bottom of the bowl –You want to steam heat). Stir in the butter and remove from the heat. Stir in the cream, vanilla and coffee or liqueur. Spoon in to a suitable container and leave in the fridge to set soft but not hard. (Approx. 30 minutes) Remove the truffle mix and with clean damp hands roll small amounts in to bite sized balls.
Tip – rolling in the palm of your hands. Put the cocoa powder on a plate and roll the truffles until well coated in cocoa. Enjoy.
Tips for a smooth Yummy Christmas
If using a fresh turkey, pick up 1 or 2 days before and store in the fridge.
If using frozen allow 24 hours before Xmas eve to defrost. Leave out-covered with a clean t-towel. If defrosting in the fridge allow 48 hour plus store at the bottom of the fridge away from other foods.
If for some reason your Turkey is still frozen on Xmas morning. Don’t cook, defrost by placing in the sink and running over COLD water, turning ever now and then.
DON’T do what they did in the Royal Family and have a bath with it.
Allow the Turkey 30 minutes or so to rest after cooking, cover with tin foil to keep the heat. (That gives you enough time to blast everything on the top shelf or cook of your Yorkshire puddings.
We all cook off far too much on Christmas day and are left with tons of leftovers, here are some ideas:
Slice the Turkey , then wrap in batches and freeze or dice and freeze.
Cold Turkey, pickles and homemade chips are my favourite on Boxing Day.
Turkey pie, make up a short crust pastry or use store bought puff pastry. Mix the turkey cubes with cooked vegetables or mushrooms or even sweet corn. Bind with a thick white sauce, top with pastry, glaze and bake for 40-50 minutes.
Turkey Fritters – mince some Turkey. bind with egg white, flavour with garlic, cumin, spring onions and season. Then flour, egg and breadcrumb.
Use up the vegetables and potatoes by making Bubble and Squeak.
Soup – boil left over vegetables with stock or milk.
Add a little spice, garlic and seasoning – blend till smooth. (It sounds crazy but sprouts make a fantastic soup)
Vegetable Gratin: mix vegetables with a creamy white cheese sauce. Add a little grated cheese. Spoon in to an ovenproof dish and top with grated cheese. Or cheese and crumbs, try herbs as well. Bake in a medium oven for 20-30 minutes till warm, melted and golden.
Use up Christmas pudding by making Xmas pudding ice cream, chop and churn with a vanilla icecream mix.
Christmas pudding spring rolls. wrap leftover Christmas Pudding in filo pastry finger sized Seal with butter and deep fry.
Turkey Leftovers Pie
Ingredients:
1 batch of stuffing can be store bought or homemade (this will form the crust) Leftover turkey 50g of cheddar cheese (you may use any kind of cheese 25g dried cranberries 150-250g mashed potato (depending on the size of the pie A knob of butter Paprika to season 1 portion of cooked green beans 1 portion of cooked carrots
Method:
Pre-heat the oven 180C Grease your pie dish then line with the stuffing mix Bake in the oven for 10 minutes unit the stuffing starts to form a crust Add leftover Turkey, cheddar cheese, cranberries, Green beans and carrots Top with mashed potato and knob of butter, sprinkle paprika on the top to season Return to the oven and bake for 20 mins at 180C
Three Fish Wellington
This indulgent fish alternative to Beef Wellington. Halibut, mushrooms, smoked salmon, and tuna pate wrapped in puff pastry is very filling. I don't recommend side dishes but if you want to serve with new potatoes and salad. Serves 4
Ingredients:
• 1 pound thinly sliced fillet Halibut (you may use any white fish like cod) • • 1 pound of sliced salmon • • ¼ cup butter • • 2 tablespoons chopped onion • • 2 ¾ cups fresh mushrooms, chopped • • salt and black pepper to taste • • 4 ½ ounces tuna pate • • 2 tablespoons heavy cream • • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed and 1 egg, beaten
• Preheat oven to 220 degrees C.
• In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in onion and mushrooms, and cook until softened, 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; set aside to cool slightly.
• In a medium bowl, blend the pate and cream. Mix in onions and mushrooms.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to make 12x14 inch rectangle. Place the halibut fillet in the center of the rectangle. Spread with 1/2 the pate mixture and layer with the other piece of salmon. Spread remaining pate mixture on top. Fold pastry edges over the filling towards the center, and seal with egg. Brush pastry on all sides with egg.
• Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.
• Serve warm. Tip: Slice Halibut fillet in half horizontally to yield 2 thin slices; set aside.
Tuna Pate
Ingredients:
• 8oz cream cheese, softened • 2 tablespoons chili sauce • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley • 1 teaspoon dry minced onion • 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce • 2 cans tuna, drained
Method:
• Stir together the cream cheese, chili sauce, parsley, onion, and hot sauce until well combined. •
Stir in the tuna. Place the tuna pate in a dish cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight.
