Monthly Archives: December 2017

Red Cabbage with Apples and Cranberries

We always have this on Christmas Eve with Ham and Stuffed Potato Skins.  Many people have it as part of their Christmas Lunch and very tasty it is too.  It’s just such a versatile dish.  The sweet/sour tang cuts through any rich foods such as turkey, ham or goose, and it’s jewel ruby-red colour it seems made for for the festive table.  If you add to that the fact it can be made in advance and sit either in your fridge or freezer quite happily until it is reheated it’s a winner of a dish.  It feels really good to get ahead and this dish enables you to do just that.

This recipe is a classic one so there is nothing very new here.  I have just tweaked it a little with some red currant jelly and a few dried cranberries but that’s just my personal preference. Continue reading →

Chocolate Chestnut Roulade

I always make this for my birthday – I love it that much.  The very chocolately sponge is filled with softly whipped cream,  luscious chestnut spread and studded with crumbled Maron glacé is a real indulgence.  It freezes so, if you don’t have a Birthday so close to Christmas as I do, you can make it in advance and whip it out on Christmas Eve as a Buche de Noel – perhaps covering it in yet more cream and chocolate to make it more log like like the French do.

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Apricot Soufflés with Vanilla Rum Creme Anglaise

Souffles have a reputation of being risky and difficult and needing a lot of last minute attention.  Hah!  I prepare mine in advance and freeze them, so all that’s left to do when you want to serve them is transfer the souffles from freezer to hot oven.  That’s it.  Maybe when they are cooked dust the tops with icing sugar and wait for the oohs and aahs from your guests as you put them on the table – though it may be I just had nice guests when I served mine!  You can make the vanilla rum creme anglaise up to 2 days in advance if you want to get ahead so there is absolutely no stress on the day at all.

This soufflé has a real flavour punch but is incredibly light to eat.  The apricots, being soft dried, really pack a flavour punch.  They zing in your mouth and if, as suggested here, you part the soufflé and pour in some cold, creamy rum scented custard you get a wonderful mix of hot and cold, sharp and sweet as well as fluffy and smooth.  It’s definitely one of my favourite puddings of all time.

All I ask you to do, is to trust me and give this recipe a go.  You won’t be sorry and the look on your guests faces will make you really pleased you did.

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