Countdown to Christmas - Week 4

Tipsy Prawn Cocktail Recipe

Makes 12 canapés | Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• 12 small new potatoes
• 5 tbsp olive oil

For the Bloody Mary sauce:

• 80ml ketchup
• 40ml mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 60ml chilli sauce
• 3 tsp horseradish
• 1 tbsp vodka
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp Worcester sauce
• 6 drops Tabasco

To finish:

• 150g cooked & peeled king prawns
• 1 pack of Worcester sauce crisps, finely crushed
• 1 celery stick, peeled into thin ribbons (optional to decorate)
• Pea shoots (optional to decorate)
• Balsamic glaze (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Pierce each potato a couple of times with a fork, pop in a mixing bowl, add olive oil, salt and pepper and stir.

2. Place the potatoes on a baking tray and roast for 40-45 mins.

3. Whilst the potatoes are cooking, combine all of the ingredients for the Bloody Mary sauce plus a pinch of salt and pepper together in a bowl and set aside.

4. Once the potatoes are cooked, remove from the oven. Using the back of a spoon gently push each potato down to create a flat surface.

5. Place a teaspoon of the Bloody Mary sauce on top of each potato, followed by a curled ribbon of celery and a king prawn or two.

6. Sprinkle with your Worcester sauce crumb and garnish with a pea shoot and a little balsamic for the perfect bite-sized tastebud tickler to kick start the festivities.

Smoked Mackerel Pâté with Cranberry Puffs

Serves: 6 | Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 375g smoked mackerel fillet, flaked into small pieces with skin and bones removed
• 1 tbsp capers
• Small handful of parsley, finely chopped
• Small handful of chives, finely chopped
• 1 & 1/2 lemons, juiced and zested
• 150g cream cheese
• 2 tbsp horseradish
• 375g pre-rolled puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten
• 150g cranberry sauce

Method

1. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
2. Mix the mackerel, capers, half the parsley, half the chives, lemon juice, half of the lemon zest, cream cheese and horseradish in a bowl. Season with pepper and taste.
3. Spoon into individual ramekins and pop in the fridge covered until ready to serve.
4. When ready to serve, preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C.
5. Unroll the puff pastry and cut in half horizontally and then cut each half into 12 even strips. You should have a total of 24 strips.
6. Place 12 strips onto each lined baking tray. Brush each strip with the beaten egg and then spoon a couple of teaspoons of cranberry sauce on top of each (ensure to leave a rim around the edge of the pastry so that the cranberry sauce does not spill over when cooked).
7. Pop in the oven for 15 mins until golden. Remove your pâté from the fridge and sprinkle with the remaining herbs and lemon zest and serve with your golden, cranberry puffs.

Teddy and Penelope's Cupcakes

Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcake mix:

• 200g unsalted butter, softened
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 3 medium free range eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 200g self-raising flour
• 1-2 tbsp milk

Reindeer cupcake topping:

• Pretzels
• Edible eyes
• Glazed cherries 
• Chocolate icing tube 

Santa cupcake topping:

• White icing tube 
• Red, white and black ready to roll icing 
• Cake glitter spray 

Traditional Christmas tree coloured topping:

• Buttercream flavour frosting 
• Green food colouring/ gel 
• Bright sprinkle mix
• White chocolate drops 

Method

1. Start with your cupcake mix and preheat oven to 180C / 160C fan / gas 4 and place cases into a 12-piece cupcake tray.
2. Whisk together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Then add your eggs, whisking one at a time to combine the mixture together followed by the milk.
3. Add vanilla extract, followed by self-raising flour and whisk until combined and spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases.
4. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. To check when cooked, insert a skewer to the middle of each cupcake and if this comes out clean, they are ready. leave to cool completely before decorating your cupcakes.

To decorate:

1. For the reindeer - add a chocolate icing base for the fur, followed by the pretzel ears, cherry nose and edible eyes.
2. For the santa topping, shape the red icing into Santa’s legs, add a white trim for his furry trousers and also black boots. Pipe the white icing onto the cake, followed by the glitter spray and add the Santa legs - Like he’s fallen in the snow!
3. For the Christmas tree, add green food colouring to the buttercream frosting and pipe on to the cupcakes. Add any sprinkles or decorations you like, just like decorating your own Christmas tree.

Beef & Stilton Scones

Thanks to @fowlmouthsfood for another delicious recipe. 

Makes 8 scones | Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

For the scones: 

• 250g self-raising flour
• 60g cold butter, cubed
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1tbsp smoked paprika
• Pinch of salt
• 50ml milk + additional splash for egg wash
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 75g stilton, finely chopped
• 1 egg, beaten

For the beef:

• 750g beef topside joint (you can buy bigger and keep for leftovers)
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tbsp mustard powder
• 1 tbsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 3 tbsp horseradish cream
• 1 tsp salt

For the topping:

• 2 tbsp horseradish cream
• 4 tbsp cream cheese
• 1 jar cranberry sauce

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Sieve flour, baking powder, paprika and salt into a bowl and rub salt in until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add milk bit-by-bit until it starts to come together, and then add spring onions and stilton and mix all together.
3. Dust a work surface with flour and roll the dough to about 2cm thick.
4. Using a 6/7cm scone cutter, cut the dough into scone shapes. Re-roll leftover dough and keep going until it’s all used up. 
5. Mix egg and splash of milk to make egg wash. Place scones on a lined baking tray and brush with egg wash. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and risen. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Christmas Tree Calzone Recipe

Makes 2 calzones (to feed 4) | Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• 2 x 400g packs pre-made pizza dough
• 20g plain flour, for dusting

For the filling:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 400g pack Mediterranean veg
• 1 mozzarella ball, drained

For the sauce:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 white onion, finely chopped
• 400g chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 4 tbsp Italian mixed herbs (2 for sauce and 2 for sprinkling on top)
• Seasoning, to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C.
2. Place the Med veg on a baking tray, drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil and cook for 30 mins, stirring halfway through cooking.
3. Meanwhile make the pizza sauce by adding 2 tbsp olive oil to a large pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and fry for 1 min. Add the onion and fry for a further 3 mins until translucent. Add all other sauce ingredients, season and simmer for 10 mins until thickened and set aside.
4. Once the veg is ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 mins.
5. On a lightly floured surface, unroll one pack of pizza dough and cut in half. Roll each half a little thinner, ensuring each piece is the same size.
6. Cut each half into identical tree shapes.
7. Spoon a few tablespoons of pizza sauce onto one of the trees ensuring to leave an inch gap around the edges. Top with 1/4-1/2 the Med veg (cut into smaller chunks if too large) and then tear half a mozzarella ball into chunks and nestle amongst the veg.
8. Top with the other tree and seal the edges using your fingers or a fork to crimp together. Brush with egg and sprinkle over half of the remaining mixed Italian herbs and a little salt to taste.
9. Cut a small hole into the top of the calzone to let any steam escape during cooking. Repeat steps 5-8 for the second pizza.
10. Place in the oven and cook for 15-20 mins until golden brown.