Poinsettia
This is probably the most serviceable, all-round cocktail-party drink: eminently refreshing; satisfyingly quaffable. It started off as a Christmas cocktail, a juicily seasonal Buck’s Fizz (a drink I n…
View recipeChristmas Party
Whether you are inviting the neighbours over for a pre-Christmas drink, hosting your annual Christmas Party or looking for a Christmas punch recipe we have some simple recipes that will make your festivities go off with a bang!
Mulled Cider
This mulled cider is mellow and fruity and, despite the rum sploshed in as well, mild to the taste and all too drinkable. Just make sure you don’t swig while it’s still mouth-burningly hot.
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Hot Schnocolate
Well, how could I resist? A friend gave me this gorgeously named concoction — hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps in it, of course — a Christmas or so ago, and I have had to appropriate it. She cou…
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Christmas Cup
For parties or any type of seasonal entertaining, I like a cocktail that gets poured together in a jug rather than mixed up by the glass. And this is the perfect drink for Christmas: the fizzy white w…
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Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
To make this hot chocolate you will need to have prepared my Salted Caramel Sauce.
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Cheese Stars
This is a new variant of an old and easy party favourite. The dough is mixed up in the processor and rolls out easily. It may crack a bit for the first roll-out, but just resquidge together and roll o…
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Cocktail Sausages
If you want to have something hot to pass around on a tray, then cocktail sausages are what you're after. There's nothing fiddly to make, nothing to go right or wrong, and everyone loves them. These a…
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Cosmo Cocktail Sausages
I couldn’t help myself. I can’t have a party without some cocktail sausages and wanted to make them just a little bit differently from usual. The inspiration comes from a Cosmopolitan cocktail: in pla…
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Panettone Stuffing Squares
I have written a recipe for panettone stuffing before: the sweet seasonal fruit bread was cubed, toasted and mixed with Italian sausage; this is very different, not least because I see it not as an ac…
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Parmesan Shortbreads
This is an Italian-inspired recipe that comes to me from Australia via Brazil. To explain: a Brazilian friend, and the best cook I know, Helio Fenerich made it for me, and I had to keep (rudely) askin…
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Devilled Eggs
I cannot begin to tell you how good these are. There’s not much that can get me squeezing a fancy-nozzled icing bag, but I can’t get enough of these — and nor can those I make them for. Yes, they are…
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Roquamole
Although I have called this incredible blue cheese and avocado dip roquamole, I actually make it with St Agur rather than Roquefort. But do feel free to use any blue cheese you want, of course, bearin…
View recipeThis is the best dip ever! Try it and you’ll be hooked for life.
Peanut Butter Hummus
Peanut butter hummus doesn't have an elegant ring to it, but elegant is exactly what this is. Rather than using tahini, which is in effect sesame butter, I use peanut butter. Although I think this ver…
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Christmas Chocolate Cookies
I love these dark, fat patties of chocolate shortbread exuberantly topped with festive sprinkles. There’s something so cheering about the sight of them, but they have more in their favour than looks:…
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Christmas Cupcakes
These beauties also make a very good alternative to mince pies. I buy the icing ready made and dyed (which is why it isn’t a very convincing colour for holly, let’s be frank) and use cranberries as th…
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Christmas Rocky Road
It’s not that I felt my usual Rocky Road Crunch Bars needed any improvement (though fiddling with recipes is one of life’s pleasures) but I thought they would benefit from some seasonal adjustment. So…
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Edible Christmas Tree Decorations
I couldn’t have Christmas without these, or at least, not happily. Rituals are essential to give us meaning, a sense of ceremony, and making these peppery, gingerbready edible decorations is how I hav…
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Christmas Puddini Bonbons
These are delectable little bonbons made by mixing up cooked and cooled Christmas pudding (see Additional Information below), liquor, syrup and melted chocolate, rolling them into small balls, then dr…
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Marshmallow Crispy Squares
You'd think this was designed to keep the children happy, and while that's OK with me, it is the adults who seem to find this particuarly irresistible. If I can find a tub of edible disco glitter in o…
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Chocolate Salame
I’ve encountered quite a few versions of chocolate salame in Italy — coming to the conclusion that it’s really an Italian version of our chocolate refrigerator cake — and although I am not normally a…
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Forgotten Cookies
These little cookies — described by one friend as tasting like a cookie within a cookie — are really a mixture between a meringue and a cookie. Hence they've become known at home, where they're immens…
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Star-Topped Mince Pies
This is the way I make my mince pies, and there is no changing me or them: they are small, to be popped straight into the mouth in one go; the pastry is plain, the better to contrast with the rich, fr…
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Linzer Cookies
In its wildest dreams, a jammy dodger could never aspire to the melting tenderness and celestial lightness of the Linzer cookie. The idea is the same: two biscuits, sandwiched together with jam, a hol…
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Mini Pavlovas
These may be mini pavlovas, but there's a big old batch of them, as this recipe comes from a time when my children were little and I would make these for the school summer bake sale. Obviously, you ca…
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Rocky Road Crunch Bars
If ever there were questions raised about the need for Rich Tea biscuits, then Rocky Road would be all the answer required. A doddle to make, and easily transportable, a batch of these has saved me of…
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Snowball In Heaven
If Christmas isn’t the time for a kitsch cocktail, I don’t know when is. And while I have nothing against a straightforward Snowball (and I make mine with one part advocaat to about 3 parts lemonade,…
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Vanilla Fudge
For some reason this is known in the Antipodes (and I got this recipe from a Kiwi) as Russian Fudge and, although I like this name better, I feel that it perhaps leads the rest of us to expect somethi…
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Vanilla Shortbread
Even if you have never baked anything in your life, you will be able to make these with untroubled ease. And I hate to say this — as someone with a once-serious Bahlsen habit — but they are so much be…
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No-Knead Black Bread
I love proper Eastern European black bread, but I must confess that this loaf, although it tastes the part, is hardly traditional, let alone authentic. For one thing, it’s made following the no-knead…
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Bacon Cheddar Biscuits
We make these mini-biscuits as a snack in the Tavern, but I'll make them anywhere, anytime. Try them for breakfast, split in half and topped with a spoonful of scrambled eggs and melted Cabot Clothbou…
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Festive Sausage Rolls
What's a party without a sausage roll? Especially when it comes to feeding the family at Christmas. Everyone loves these, warm from the oven and smelling of good times... Here I've customized a tradit…
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Gluten-Free Deep-Filled Mince Pies
What would Christmas be without mince pies? Fortunately, I never struggle to find gluten-free mince pies in the supermarket, but trust me — you absolutely can’t beat making your own, especially when i…
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Latvia Celebration Cake
Not only rich with its cuisine, Latvia hosts many fascinating pagan traditions, particularly around Christmas. Such as a yuletide log being lumbered through Old Riga, followed by dancing and burning i…
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Salted Caramel Truffles
Sea salt milk chocolate is one of Rococo's signature Artisan bars, and we have built on the collection by introducing this truffle. It is extremely popular, and this is the sought-after recipe. Stir a…
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Apple Marzipan Tart
Marzipan has always been a favourite of mine, and this cake uses it to give a humble apple tart a rich almond flavour and a beautiful creamy texture. German Baking by Jürgen Krauss is published by Kyl…
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Black Forest Log
Damn, this is a fine Yule log, the sharpness of the sour cherries cutting through any chocolate excess. A subtle hint of kirsch works wonders too. It looks lovely plain, but feel free to add your own…
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Caramel Potatoes
Some people think this is a really is a weird way to eat potatoes! In my family, they are an essential part of Christmas Eve dinner. The secret to the perfect caramel potato is time; let them simmer s…
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Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies
These cookies will look nearly raw in the center when you pull them out of the oven, but they will continue to set as they cool. The key to the soft and chewy texture of these cookies is, simply, unde…
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Christbrot - Christmas Bread with Dried Fruit
Christbrot is very similar to a Weihnachtsstollen, but lighter in texture, and is best eaten freshly baked without needing time to mature. This is one of the reasons why a Christbrot is more popular t…
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Christmas Stollen, Dresden-Style
The most famous and celebrated Stollen is Dresdner Stollen, now trademarked, from the city of Dresden in Saxony. It is laden with fruit and is made with double cream and lots of butter. For me, it is…
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Coffee Baklava With Dried Figs
We know what you’re thinking, this isn’t your traditional baklava, but who doesn’t love dried figs? The figs give this baklava a natural sweetness, but if you don’t have any, simply replace them with…
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Ginger Pig Venison Bourguignon Pie
This is a beautiful and hearty option for a Christmas Eve supper. You can make one large pie (about 21cm/8¼ inches across and 9cm/3½ inches deep), which will serve four; you can make two smaller pies…
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Gingerbread Eggnog Cocktail
Eggnog is synonymous with Christmas in America. Apparently, George Washington used to make his own and was adamant that you should let it rest for a few days to intensify its flavour. I personally lov…
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Gingerbread Present Brownies
Brownies always seem like an untouchable recipe for me — not only are they a staple of American baking, they’re also a very difficult bake to decorate. I’ve faced my fears and done both, altering the…
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Gluten Free Cheesy Garlic Dough Ball Wreath
Nothing says Christmas like a wreath of garlic bread dough balls that are crisp on the outside, cheesy, chewy and bready in the middle, dipped in hot cheese with sweet cranberry sauce. This is the fes…
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Gluten Free Mini Christmas Puddings
Two of the most common questions I get asked about my Christmas pudding recipe (in my second book) are: how do I make multiple smaller Christmas puddings in a 1-pint tin? And how long do I steam them…
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Hot Brussels Sprouts Slaw
I didn't know about slaw until I moved to the U.S. - I hadn't even heard the word. But I soon found out about the crunch it adds to a plate and the tang that reminds me of the pickles that I've loved…
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Pinza di Pane
This is an ancient recipe — possibly the most ancient of the Venetian dessert repertoire — that has a special role for the Epiphany, on 6th January, and the start of Venice’s Carnival season. As old t…
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Pistachio-Cherry Danish
New Year’s Eve is a holiday I have little patience for and barely celebrate. I have two methods of coping: either leaving the country for someplace that isn’t teeming with tourists and Best Night Ever…
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Proper Black Forest Gateau
I know this cake has got a bit of a kitsch reputation but when done properly it is extremely delicious and light, and will take you on a trip down memory lane.
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Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Pine Nuts and Lemon
Don’t like brussels sprouts? Let me change your mind with this zesty raw salad. Most people can’t believe what they’re eating and enjoying so much. If you prefer, substitute feta cheese for the Pecori…
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Stanley Tucci's Sausage Rolls
This is an English classic from Felicity’s childhood. The combination of herby, juicy meat and crisp, buttery puff pastry is irresistible. It’s really easy to make and it’s great to have out for the k…
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Vegan Christmas Cake
A classic made vegan, you can bake the cake up to 2 weeks in advance and store undecorated and well wrapped in an airtight container for up to 1 week, during which time you can feed it with extra rum…
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Vegan Mincemeat Pancakes
If you have leftover mincemeat or just a jar hanging around, this is a nice way to jazz up pancakes — a perfect Christmas Day breakfast treat. They can be served with maple syrup or a squeeze of lemon…
View recipeFor even more Christmas inspiration try our Christmas ham recipes.