Your favourite Christmas recipe.

[MrsWhites]

Is it too early? I want to try a few new recipes this year so share your favourites with me please!!

I’ll start with the pie I make with Christmas leftovers:

hairybikersrecipes.co.uk/hairy-bikers-turkey-ham-pie-recipe/

I had a quick scroll but can’t see if there’s a Christmas pudding recipe here? I made one last year but it was far too heavy for my liking. With stir up Sunday next weekend I’d love recipes that are tried and tested?

https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/occasions/christmas/christmas-100-recipes-to-freeze/light-christmas-pudding this might hit the spot. I have made it some while ago, I made my own candied orange and lemon and it wasn’t too taxing. It’s a very light but still festive pudding.

I make this every year, have done for so long, wouldn't be Christmas without it. Love it in my leftover sandwiches too on Boxing Day!

Nigel slater’s light Christmas pudding is the only one I make now. So delicious!

I always use the Delia Smith Christmas cake recipe but never know how many times to feed it? How often do you feed your cakes?

I feed it when I remember. Once a week probably. I don’t think it matters massively. The earlier you make it the more it needs feeding. Wrap it in grease or off and then really well in foil and it’ll be fine.

You will never regret trying any of the domestic gothess cake and dessert recipes. She is brilliant.

@FurForksSakeI think I have fed it 3 times and most likely just enough brandy to feed again. It’s wrapped in greaseproof and double foil and then in a plastic sweet container. They have shrunk since last year as the lid won’t fit!

I do Delia’s classic Christmas cake too, @Isabelle70, and I feed it several times - anything between 2 and 5, I’d guess, depending on how close to Christmas I end up making it. If I only feed it a couple of times, I am more liberal with the brandy. That may not be terribly helpful - sorry.

I second Nigella's gingerbread stuffing - it uses a McVities Jamaica Ginger loaf, so if you like those, you'll probably love her stuffing.

I also make a batch every year of Bailey's Tiffin - goes down a storm .

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/carrot-star-anise-puree

Love this carrot recipe, can make ahead and freeze and just heat up in microwave on Xmas day…just remember it’s there! It’s so tasty!

Thank you for this. I had a jar of whole star anise in the cupboard which I was struggling to find a use for so I've used them up making the carrot puree and it's in the freezer! Looking forward to serving it as one of the side dishes at Christmas

Thank you for this amazing recipe! Made and in the freezer.

I need to find a fool proof Florentines recipe if anyone has one?

I’ll also be making slow cooker fudge this year, always goes down a treat!

The one I've posted above is a good one

Thank you @keepincool, I’ll go back and have a look for yours!

posted on 05/10/2025 17:59

I wondered about making florentines with mixed peel, and bits of crystallised ginger, then putting dark chocolate on top.

Sadly I’m not going to get to do a lot of the extra baking bits I do other years - my FIL died about a fortnight ago, and the funeral is the week before Christmas x and we are having to travel over 600 miles to get there, so we won’t have much time or energy when we get back.

So sorry to hear that @SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius, I hope this year is just a pause in your usual celebrations and that you all get through as best you can.

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius Im sorry to hear this. Sometimes you just have to step back and decide low key Christmas is good enough. Be kind to yourselves and don't put extra.pressure on yourselves.

I’m very sorry to hear that, my FIL also passed and his funeral is also right on top of Christmas. Same situation as you, long journey for us too x

So sorry for your loss @MrsWhites. I lost my DF not long before my birthday (some years ago) and the funeral was the day after it. We were offered my actual birthday for the funeral and in a daze I would have accepted it but family members sensitively realised the anniversary would always be problematic. People die when they die, but when it’s around a significant date or holiday it’s all the more poignant.

My sympathies to anyone who has suffered loss around this time of year and for whom the holiday brings sadness as well as joy.

I am sorry for your loss too, @MrsWhites - I’ll be keeping you in my thoughts.

Can I ask a possibly stupid question wrt Nigellas Gingerbread Stuffing. I plan to make it today and freeze it. Looking at the recipe it says to make stuffing with the eggs and pepper and freeze. Does this mean it is cooked first and then frozen or frozen uncooked?

I would say don’t bother making it. I did it one year and it was horrible. No one liked it and they are not fussy eaters especially where a Christmas dinner is concerned. It sounded nice in theory, in reality very different.