Gluten-free Christmas food (supermarkets)

[Ktay]

We are hosting Christmas for the first time this year. I plan to focus on getting the main course right and keeping life as simple as possible with everything else (ie buying it in.)

My dad is coeliac - can anyone recommend good gluten-free mince pies and Christmas puddings that are readily available? I know you can get them at M&S but are they my best bet?

If I'm feeling ambitious, I might try and make some pastry. Anyone know where I could find GF mincemeat?

Thanks!

Sainsburys has a good range of gluten free products. You can try searching online for costs

I'm a coeliac and afer trying just about every mince pie going I prefer m&s's. Their pudding is good too.

most mincemeat should be gf. I've tried making them and they usually are a bit duff, if anyone hAs a good recipe pass it on!

waitrose do great gf bread rolls (not by waitrose but they sell them)

I think GF pastry is tricky. If you want to make a cake that works great GF go for Nigella's Choc Fruit cake here just substitute flour for GF flour.

Or her clementine cake is good and Christmassy and has no flour. gorgeous!

Asda have Trufree mince pies. DH has already eaten about three boxes, so I take it they're ok! I did see some GF Christmas puds in sainsburys the other day. They were just next to the normal ones not in the free from section. I have tried unsuccessfully to make GF pastry, so I'd recommend Dietary Specials frozen pastry (sainsburys again, maybe Asda) if you are going to make them. Don't know about mincemeat. It might be GF anyway. I'd just check the label.

Our local Tesco have a good range of gluten free stuff. Last year I did the bacon wrapped sausages with Black Farmer sausages so DBrother could have some and we got GF gravy for him too - that stuff os foul though so really need to find an alternative for this year.

Thanks everyone. Sounds like I am better off buying mince pies rather than making my own then - I don't need telling twice! (BTW Waitrose mincemeat isn't suitable for coeliacs apparently - didn't inspect the label too closely beyond that.)

Whoknows are those rolls by Dietary Specials? Have bought those for him in the past and they went down well.

Good idea about GF pigs in blankets - he's not that keen on turkey so I'm sure they will be a welcome addition.

I am liking the Sainsburys iced gf mince pies rather too much this year, although the Trufree ones are v nice. Thought the M&S ones were a bit dry. Their pudding is usually the best imo.

M&S do gf chipolatas, and a stuffing/bacon wrapped sausages and stuff garnish collection that is gf - their labels are v clear.

Bisto Best (not any others) gravy is gf and v nice

Apparently some of the M and S regular choc desserts - one that was on the Dine in for Tenner offer last weekend - are GF. Good to know. I find GF desserts tricky and can only ever think of pavlova.

CMOT Thank you!! DB hates the gloopy, gelatinous GF gravy so he'll be so pleased there is a 'proper' alternative.

I found this on the Coeliac website which clarifies which of the Bisto Best varieties are safe.

Some Sainsburys stores stock Black Farmers Daughter Chipolatas for making pigs in blankets if you're doing it yourself. Might have to check out the M&S stuff for BD though. He's going to be so pleased

Just been in M&S to stock up on stuffing and things - 3 varieties of gf stuffing, gf chipolatas, gf sausages wrapped in bacon, gf stuffing balls, and variety trays. All with a clear crossed grain on the front.

Oh, I love you all! I will head down to M&S and stock up for my GF mum and ds. I had no idea they did gf sausages in bacon. Dh is very proud of his new gf stuffing recipe, so I'll leave that.

Obviously any sane person would buy mince pies rather than make them, but gf pastry isn't as hard as you'd think. Here's my almost never fail recipe, Mine has to be dairy and soya-free too so for the fat I use Sainsburys block marg or block Stork.

Put 8oz of white mix, pastry mix or gluten free flour in a bowl.
Add 4oz fat (for best results use half lard and half margarine). Fats need to be as cold and hard as possible, so keep in the fridge until ready to use.
Cut the fats into small pieces and rub into the mix using your fingertips until you have a mixture which is like coarse breadcrumbs.
Don't over rub the fat, any big pieces will be incorporated later.
Lightly stir in a beaten medium egg and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of cold water gradually, about 1 tablespoon at a time.
With your hands, move the mixture around the bowl until it forms a dough, but don't force it. When it starts to clean the bottom of the bowl you have added enough water.
The dough will still be quite crumbly, so it's time to knead it.
Do this on a surface with more mix, and roll with short, smooth strokes. Keep the pastry moving around the surface but don't turn it over. Once it starts to get bigger, use the rolling pin rather than your hands to pick it up.

Gluten free pastry likes being handled!
It handles more easily if you pop it in the fridge for about 20 mins.
It will keep in the fridge for about three days and it can be frozen for later use.

***
Cutting the pastry is a proper faff with gf, so I make mini ones in my Pampered Chef mini muffin pan and shape the tarts with the tart-shaper thingy.

Some more ace tips - thanks again!

SAinsburys do a frozen pastry in the freezer section. Just done gf Cornish psties. Also good is mrs crimbles pastry mix from sainos or tescos