COSMIC colada (NOT pina) reminds our designer Sian of being on holiday in Bali over Christmas. When she discovered this delectable drink, it was so delicious it made her miss her flight home! So try your luck making these beauties while we are all tucked up at home. We don’t have to worry about missing any flights this year!

balimoon.co.id/products/cosmic-colada-creamy-cocktail

Here you go

• Mix vodka, coconut liqueur and pineapple liqueur into a cocktail shaker
• Add coconut cream and pineapple juice, and top-up with crushed ice
• Mix and shake until smooth
• Pour over ice into a tall glass
• Garnish with a wedge of pineapple and a sprig of holly (or whatever festive decorations you fancy!)

 

Roast Potatoes
The good old classic ‘roasty’ becomes a primary feature in Will’s Christmas dinner. His family have honed a rather fluffy and fabulous tasting take on the roast potato, with honey and rosemary to make it extra special. Do you have a family secret roast.

https://www.kitchensanctuary.com/best-crispy-roast-potatoes/

• Boil the potatoes for 8 mins.
• Cover in goose fat and honey, and sprinkle over crushed garlic.
• Bake for 10 mins.
• Sprinkle over more rosemary and toss in some full garlic cloves.
• Continue to bake until golden brown.

 

For those of you who aren’t into the traditional Xmas pud, this brown-bread ice cream is a wonderful alternative and very simple to make. Sweet, crunchy and creamy, Em finds this recipe the perfect Christmas dessert!

Check link below / in bio for full method.

www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/desserts/brown-bread-ice-cream

• Mix the brown breadcrumbs with sugar, spread out on a tray, bake until crispy and golden.
• Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold in the yolks.
• Whisk the cream and icing sugar until ‘peaky’ then fold in the toasted crumbs and the fluffy egg mix.
• Pour into a container and freeze for a minimum of 4hrs.
• Remove 20 minutes before serving, and sprinkle with the left over crumbs. Enjoy!

 

For this recipe we travel to Poland where our designer Alicja shares her beetroot soup with Mushroom dumplings - "Barszcz z uszkami". This is a light vegetarian dish, with a perfect combination of delicious flavours. What other countries will your tastebuds travel too?

Soup

• Create broth in large pot (1 day ahead)
• Leave to cool then fridge overnight

• Strain and discard vegetables & spices (next day)

https://www.everyday-delicious.com/polish-christmas-eve-beet-soup-recipe/



Dumplings


• Cook mushrooms with bayleaves and all spice with water to cover (low heat for 30mins)
• Add butter and fine chopped onions (don’t cry) cook a little longer
• Blitz into a paste and scoop into pastry bag
• Roll your dough, cut into square and squeeze on your mushroom filling
• Shape your dumplings and build in salt water for 1-2 mins


https://www.everyday-delicious.com/uszka-little-ears-porcini-filled-polish-dumplings/

Combine

• Bring the soup to boil adding some apple cider vinegar
• Serve the Soup and add in the mushroom dumplings

 

All the trimmings are essential components to the Christmas dinner but pigs in blankets are a favourite for our designer James. However, he takes it a step further with triple sausages. Do you have a special twist for yours?

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/triple-pigs-blankets

• Pile the sausages in groups of three (chipolatas are the best choice)
• Wrap each trio with a rasher of bacon
• Arrange on a baking tray and drizzle a little oil on top
• Roast in the oven until the sausages are golden and the bacon is crisp

 

Feeling the chill on these cold evenings? Warm yourselves up with one of Nnamdi’s favourite winter drinks, mulled wine. It’s a classic but too good to miss out on!

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/mulled-wine

• Put red wine, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, lemon zest and sugar in a large pan
• Cook on a low heat for 10 mins
• Remove from the heat and leave to cool
• Allow the wine to infuse for about 30 minutes
• To serve, heat without boiling and pour into mugs

 

Little parcels filled with wedges of melted Camembert cheese and sweet cranberry sauce, encased in crispy filo pastry. Perfect for unwrapping your guests taste buds. This delight is a family favourite for our Studio manager Stephanie.

Check link below for full method.
https://www.ilovecooking.ie/recipe-items/camembert-cranberry-parcels/

• Slice a wheel of camembert in 18 segments. (Keep them equal!)
• Lay 3 pastry squares on top of each other to form a 12 pointed star.
• Brush the top square with melted butter and place 1 piece of camembert in the centre 
• Top with a dollop of cranberry sauce.
• Wrap the pastry and pinch at the top to form the parcel. (Repeat 18 times)
• Bake for 10 mins. (Until crisp and golden brown)

This cranberry gin fizz recipe is Christmas in a glass and bound to delight all of your guests and tickle those tastebuds. This is a must for our Senior designer Karen for that pre-dinner drink.

Check link below for full method.
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/175499716719322151/

• Make cranberry syrup by simmering cranberries, sugar and water in a saucepan (10-12 mins/until sugar dissolves)
• Stir in 4 sprigs of fresh thyme to the syrup then cool to room temperature
• Mix in to a cocktail shaker: Gin, lemon juice, elderflower liquor, your cranberry syrup (strained) over ice and shake
• Strain and Pour into a glass, top with ice and club soda
• Garnish with fresh cranberries and a sprig of thyme

Christmas dinner under the belt but finding yourself too full for Christmas pud?… Boozy trifle’s the answer. (You can take your teeth out now Nan!)

• Soak your sponge in marsala or sherry and layer in a glass bowl
• Top with Jelly – red’s the best
• Layer your fruit into the jelly while it’s partially set and allow the jelly to set fully
• Make your custard with egg yolks, vanilla pods, cream, cornflour and sugar (https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/realpropercustard_65614)
• Let the custard cool before topping onto the jelly and allow to set.
• Finally, top with fresh whipped cream and fruit, sprinkles or chocolate flakes.