Homemade Christmas food biggest hits

[nevertrustanyoneagain]

What homemade foods did you make this Christmas that were a big hits? Please share your recipes for us all to try next year.

Mine was cranberry sauce. I used the recipe on the fresh cranberries but added a lot more orange. It said half rind but used whole and the juice. And a slug of sherry. It was awesome.

It's not Christmas if I don't make my cheese dip - I do make it throughout the year but it's a necessary accompianment with Ritz/cheddars and playing Board games in our family.

This year I bought really good sausages from a butchers for pigs in blankets and sausage meat for sausage rolls , totally changed the taste . I also made this pavlova it was lush

I made a Gateau Breton for dessert and it was very delicious (warm with cream). Definitely a new favourite.

Not difficult but a pudding to make whilst doing other things as you need to keep freezing it between steps.

https://www.nancybirtwhistle.co.uk/blogs/recipes/gateau-breton

The pavlova is beautiful!

I always make mine pies with frangipane topping. And make my own pastry with half Lard, half butter. I don't like mince pies that much anymore but fresh out the oven these are fab.

My sherry trifle, always a hit every year. Dh doesn’t like desserts or any sweet things really, but he loves my trifle - probably because it’s so boozy 😂

My mum taught me to make pastry half and half too. It’s always crisp and melty.

DW made red cabbage that was very good. I made RoseElliot’s Mushrooms and Red Wine En Croute with chestnut purée. It was excellent.

We went to DD’s for Boxing Day and DSil served Sprout Gratin from M&S, absolutely delicious. I have just made it from scratch and it’s so, so good. My version is more saucy and I need to add whole grain mustard next time but ooh, definitely making it again.

DD made Amaretto Sours that were fabulous! Went straight to my head, I was drunk Nan for a little while 😉☺️😂

Masses of pigs in blankets (made with best Waitrose sausages and streaky bacon) a mountain of cheese straws, lots of mince pies with Delia’s homemade mincemeat, no actual ‘lids’, just a pastry star on top, homemade 🎄pudding from an old GH recipe (much nicer than shop ones) and brandy butter.

I made pear, apple and chocolate crumble - vegan version.
Gently stewed pieces of fresh pear and apple with a bit of sugar.
Put into a baking dish and added good quality plain chocolate, chopped into small pieces. For ease I sprinkled a packet of crumble mix on top and cooked for 40 mins.
The addition of chocolate really made a difference and so simple.

Shredded sprouts parboiled then pan fried in olive oil with onions, pancetta and chopped chestnuts with ridiculous amount of black pepper.

@nevertrustanyoneagain I make extra cranberry and orange and have it hot on Greek yogurt and my homemade granola. It’s delicious for breakfast.

That pavlova looks amazing!

DD made a Christmas Log from a children's cookbook she was given, it had whipped cream and raspberries in the middle. Will definitely try that again.
Also made a Delia Christmas cake with the Waitrose pre soaked fruit. I could have usefully added more cherries as the fruit wasn't quite up to the amount in the recipe. I just did almonds on top, hmm, could have a piece of that now!

My mince pies with tons of lemon and orange zest in the pastry went down really well (I only do the ones topped with a star/tree/snowman as well).

Homemade stollen was popular, along with my mini Bakewell tarts, stem ginger cookies, fruit scones, strawberry shortbread and cranberry/spiced orange muffins.

The turkey was amazing this year, really moist and flavourful, and DH’s roasties were the best I’ve ever had.

Spinach and artichoke dip - we had this on Boxing Day https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/spinach-artichoke-dip/ - so delicious with tortilla chips

-Cranberry/brie bites. I used puff pastry and have used walnuts or pecans. The cheap brie works best because it keeps its shape. Anything pricier like Brie De Meaux goes runny. https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a56610/cranberry-brie-bites-recipe/
-Great for using up 5p bags of veg. I just add a dollop of cream or sour cream to the soup, rather than mixing it in. I've also tried adding additional root veg and its still delicious. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/curriedroastparsnips_84173
-I add little cubes of stilton to this recipe. I also sprinkle both black and regular sesame seeds over the pastry. https://www.recipetineats.com/special-pork-fennel-sausage-rolls/
-These can be made with fruit cake, but also left over puddings. I use sultanas instead of cranberries. It should be 1-2 fruit cake (so 800g-1.6kg), but you can easily halve the recipe to use say a 400/500g cake/pudding. You can also roll them in cocoa/hot chocolate or crushed biscuits. Rum balls

Blackberry & apple gin. Made 15 months ago, the perfect tot after a cold walk.

And sloes from this year's gin, with the stones removed, and rolled in melted chocolate before being set in papers and chilled.

Waste not, want not 😋

I make extra too. We have grated cheese and cranberry sauce sandwiches. It is divine🙂

When you take the sloes out of the gin, add them to a bottle of red wine to make a port.

https://www.almostoffgrid.com/blogs/almost-off-grid/sloe-port-recipe-using-left-over-berries-from-sloe-gin?srsltid=AfmBOoqz9JkFE7eOnSiZboKaBhEoYOpdkJbYKuZXuceNjtGwHCB5G7r2