Maple plum crumble

The classic plum crumble recipe is given a sweet twist to make it

Butternut squash soup with chilli & crème fraîche

Come in from the cold to a warming bowlful of

Classic winter fruitcake

This festive icing is easy to use, looks amazing and makes a lighter end to a meal. The perfect centrepiece for Christmas tea

Ingredients

• 1 egg white
• 50g caster sugar
• small bunch black grapes
• holly or bay leaves
• 20cm/8 inch round fruitcake
• 1-2 clementines
• 1-2 just ripe figs
• a few kumquat
• a few physalis (Cape gooseberries)
• approx 65cm red or gold ribbon
• 2 egg whites
• 175g icing sugar

Tip

Know-how 
This type of frosting is essentially a meringue, with the egg being cooked by the heat of the water it’s whisked over. For a deep, swirled topping, dollop a few good spoonfuls of the frosting on top, then gently paddle the frosting out to the sides of the cake with a palette or a flat-edged knife. The frosting is more forgiving than other icings in case you make a mistake, although try to avoid moving it around more than 5 minutes after putting it on the cake. 

Watch the video 
Click here to see Jane demonstrate the technique. 

Jane says... 
OK, so the fruit probably won’t last more than a day but the point of this cake is that it looks fabulous and is a cinch to put together when time is short. You can also add fresh cranberries, pomegranate seeds or still-intheir skin lychees. If you’re really stuck for time this is also a great way to transform a plain bought fruitcake – but that can be your own little secret! 

Method

1. Lightly beat the egg white in a shallow bowl and spread out the caster sugar on a baking sheet or tray. Dip the grapes and the holly or bay leaves into the egg white, or use a paintbrush. Shake off the excess, then coat in the sugar. Set aside to dry for at least 10 mins, ideally about 30 mins.
2. When you’re ready to decorate, make the frosting. Put a large bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Put the egg whites and icing sugar into the bowl and whisk for 5-7 mins until you have a thick, very glossy frosting. Use a spatula to clean around the edges of the bowl every so often as you whisk. Scoop the frosting onto the top of the cake and spread it around with a flat-edged knife, swirling as you go to create a snowy effect (see Knowhow, below).
3. Halve the clementines, figs and kumquats, then arrange on top of the frosted cake with the physalis, frosted grapes and leaves. Fix a ribbon around the base and leave the cake somewhere cool – but not the fridge – until your guests arrive.

sources : www.bbcgoodfoodme.com

Winter root mash with buttery crumbs

A little bit of this winter root mash goes a long way - make it a day ahead and cut the stress on Christmas Day

• Prep: 1 hrs 
  Cook: 40 mins 
• Serves 10
• Easy

Nutrition per serving

• Calories 158
• Carbohydrates 17
• Saturated Fat 5
• Sugar 0
• Protein 4
• Fat 9
• Fibre 5
• Salt 0.57

Ingredients

• 650g parsnips, cut into even chunks
• 650g swedes, cut into same size chunks as the parsnips
• 142ml tub soured cream
• 1 rounded tbsp hot horseradish (English Provender is good)
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• butter, for greasing
• 50g butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 50g fresh white breadcrumbs (from about 4 slices)
• a small handful thyme leaves, plus extra for scattering
• 25g parmesan, coarsely grated

Method

1. In a large pan of boiling salted water, cook the parsnips and swede, covered, for about 20 minutes until tender. Drain well, then mash them together using a masher or food processor until reasonably smooth but still with a bit of texture. Stir in the soured cream, horseradish and thyme and season with salt and pepper.
2. Spoon into a buttered shallow ovenproof dish and put to one side.
3. Make the topping. Melt the butter in a frying pan and cook the onion for 5-6 minutes, until gorgeously golden. Mix in the breadcrumbs and stir to brown and crisp a little. Season with salt and pepper and add the thyme. Take the pan off the heat. Spoon the mixture casually over the top of the mash. Scatter over the parmesan. (Can be made ahead to this point and kept covered in the fridge for up to a day. Or can be frozen for up to a month.)
4. Bake with the turkey (190C/gas 5/ fan 170C) for 35-40 minutes if doing from cold, 25-30 minutes if not, or 11?2-13?4 hours from frozen (put foil on top, and remove it for the last 10 minutes) – until golden and crisp on top. Serve scattered with a few more thyme sprigs and leaves.

sources : www.bbcgoodfoodme.com

Spiced slow-roast duck & apple sauce

Follow Gordon's steps for a sensational roast duck dinner, perfect for entertaining

• Prep: 30 mins 
  Cook: 2 hrs 40 mins 
• Serves 2
• More effort

Nutrition per serving

• Calories 1159
• Carbohydrates 76
• Saturated Fat 24
• Sugar 36
• Protein 50
• Fat 75
• Fibre 8
• Salt 2.08

Ingredients

• 1 duck about 1½ kg
• 1 tsp sunflower oil
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 500g small potatoes, such as ratte
• a few watercress sprigs, to serve
• 5 Bramley apples
• 25g butter
• 1 star anise
• pinch of cinnamon, plus ½ cinnamon stick
• 150ml apple juice

Tip

Want gravy with it? 
Scoop the potatoes into a serving dish and pour all the fat out of the roasting tin (you can strain this then keep in a jar in the fridge and use to roast vegetables). Place the tin on the heat and simmer down 3 tbsp red wine vinegar. Add 200ml chicken stock, simmer, season to taste and strain into a sauce dish. 

Method

1. Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Remove any giblets and pull the excess fat from the duck’s cavity. Use a roasting fork or skewer to prick the skin of the duck all over – do this lightly as you don’t want to pierce the meat.
2. Season generously inside, rub the skin with a little oil and season with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, cinnamon, star anise and garlic. Sit the duck in a roomy roasting tin (you will be adding potatoes to the tin later). Roast the duck for 2 hrs, pricking again every now and then. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes for 10 mins until just cooked.
3. Remove the duck from the oven and increase the heat to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Place the duck on a board and pour off half the fat from the tin. Toss the potatoes in the tin so they are completely coated in the juices, then push them to the side of the tin. Sit the duck back in and give it a final 20-30 mins in the oven to crisp up.
4. Meanwhile, make the apple sauce. Peel and finely slice the apples, discarding the core. Melt the butter in a pan until sizzling, add the apples and spices, then stir to coat.
5. Pour in 100ml apple juice, cover and simmer for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. Add a splash more juice if the apples are becoming a bit dry. Cook until the apples have collapsed into a fluffy sauce.
6. Remove the duck from the oven to a board to rest, then place the potatoes back into the oven for 20 mins to crisp up. When the duck has rested and the potatoes are brown, you are ready to carve and plate up.

Roast beef with caramelised onion gravy

Rare roast topside is the ultimate centrepiece - make it extra special with Marmite and sweet onion gravy

• Prep: 30 mins 
  Cook: 1 hrs 30 mins 
  Plus overnight marinating (optional)
• Serves 6
• Easy

Nutrition per serving

• Calories 591
• Carbohydrates 13
• Saturated Fat 11
• Sugar 3
• Protein 72
• Fat 28
• Fibre 1
• Salt 1.2

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp black peppercorn
• 1 tbsp English mustard powder
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp celery seeds
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• about 2kg/4lb 8oz topside joint of beef
• 4 tbsp plain flour
• 2 beef stock cubes
• 3 tbsp caramelised onion chutney or marmalade
• 2-3 tsp Marmite

Method

1. Crush the peppercorns, mustard powder, thyme and celery seeds together with some salt, using a pestle and mortar. Stir in the oil, then rub it all over the beef. (If you have time, cover and chill the joint overnight to marinate. Bring the beef out of the fridge 1 hr before roasting.)
2. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and sit the joint in a snug-ish roasting tin. Roast for 12 mins per 450g/1lb (about 55 mins for a 2kg/4lb 8oz joint) for medium-rare, or 15 mins per 450g/1lb (about 1 hr 10 mins) for medium-well.
3. Remove from the oven, lift onto a platter, cover with foil and rest for 30 mins. If you’re making the Yorkies (p90), increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
4. For the gravy, pour any juices from the roasting tin into a jug. Let the juices separate, then spoon 2 tbsp of the fat back into the tin – if there is no fat, use 2 tbsp butter instead. Discard any other fat. Sit the roasting tin on the hob and stir in the flour, stock cubes, onion chutney or marmalade and Marmite. Cook for 1 min, stirring well to scrape up any beefy bits stuck to the tin, then gradually stir in 750ml hot water from the kettle. Bubble to thicken to a nice consistency, then gently keep warm until ready to serve with the beef, carved into slices.

sources : www.bbcgoodfoodme.com