Christmas Brunch ideas - really special

[Alexasashes]

I am hosting a Christmas brunch (6 adults) and want to serve some real showstopping dishes - it needs to be easy to help yourself and brunchy and Christmassy and not have anything that may be repeated at Christmas dinner later...

My ideas so far
Crabcakes with hollandaise sauce
Devilled eggs with caviar
Smoked salmon of some kind in a creative way
Breakfast pastries of some kind involving bacon

Open to easy good stuff too from supermarkets that anyone can recommend but don't want too many finger foods like sausage rolls.or anything

Any ideas really welcome please 🙏

What would be on your ultimate Christmas brunch?

I’m pathetic at breakfast and this would be way too rich for me.

coffee, thick Greek yoghurt and delicious Muesli and raspberries would be my perfect brunch

Crabcakes with hollandaise sauce
Devilled eggs with caviar

would you want this for breakfast?

Well its brunch not breakfast- it will be served at 1pm

Each to their own but I can't invite people round and serve yoghurt and berries on Christmas day but I hear you on the richness- I'll make sure there is fresh fruit and plainer items

It's brunch not breakfast.

I would eat that for brunch even though it's rich. Perhaps blinis with the salmon.

Lovely, definitely

and some nice granola!!

Sorry op no ideas to contribute (i has a mcmuffin this morning) but just wanted to say what you have so far sounds amazing!

I wouldn’t touch granola and yoghurt

Mini crustless quiches/cheese soufles
My mum used to wrap asparagus in parma ham or smoked salmon

Mini crustless quiches/cheese soufles
My mum used to wrap asparagus in parma ham or smoked salmon

It’s very “fishy” - do all of your guests like that sort of thing?

What about a savoury bread pudding that you put together the night before and bake that morning?

I do this and have sometimes replaced the bacon with crumbled sausage to make it more filling

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/savory-bread-pudding

1pm is lunch, not brunch.

Do people actually want to eat at that time on Christmas Day? They’ll be saving themselves for Christmas Dinner.

I wouldn’t touch any of the fish or eggs so I’d maybe nibble on a pastry but honestly, I’d take a glass of something and avoid the food.

I think of brunch circa 10.30/11

what will they eat before 1?

They are all big fish fans and I'm trying to avoid a lot of meat as there will be turkey and gammon (and beef even) potentially later in the day buy yes more balance is needed you are right

Maybe choose either the crabcakes or the salmon not both

I like the idea of a savoury bread pudding how lovely

I also want bacon involved in some way....

And almost like a brunxy dessert dish....

I don't host often so want to go all out!

Oooooh this sounds epic.

I saw on YouTube a lady who took a sheet off puff pastry, layered it with a generous slap of pesto, layered some extra cheese, then put on top another sheet of puff pastry.

She cut it into long strips and then pushed a skewer through it (imagine folding the strip into an s shape and then putting a wooden skewer through) once it was cooked, it puffed up slightly and looked like a Christmas tree, then she put a tiny cheese star on top. Looked delicious and christmassy.

It is. There’s nothing breakfasty about 1pm!

This sounds amazing 👏

I would do some canapes
Halloumi wrapped in bacon
Vol au vents- filled with garlic mushrooms and cream cheese
Smoked salmon bellini
Some brushetta- with various toppings
Brie and cranberry filo parcels
Maybe some savory scones- bacon cheese and chive
I would keep it small bites (almost like starters)....

For a sweet pastry I sandwich two layers of ready made puff pastry with Nutella and cut a rough triangle shape. Then slice at and inch or so intervals down the sides before twisting each ‘branch’. You should have a tree shape.
cut a star from one of the remaining corners and put at top.
Bake in the oven and then dust with icing sugar.
looks fairly impressive.
you could also buy round puff pastry sheets and make a wreath.

OK it’s lunch because it’s at lunchtime. Nothing wrong with brunch food at that point but it’s not brunch. Is it on Christmas Day and will people be then going to their own houses to eat Christmas Dinner?

I’d be dead on my feet if I hadn’t eaten before 1!

what’s on offer before brunch lunch?

Also I would do a Christmas tree- either filled with cheese and pesto or even chocolate spread
Fill a rectangle of prerolled puff pastry (basically fold it in half- cut it into a big triangle- cut a few stars out of the left overs- then literally cut some branches and twist them, add a star to the top and a couple to the trunk, wash it in egg and bake!!!

They won't be having Christmas dinner until 6 ish.

They seemed keen. Its not supposed to be in place of breakfast and they can always have something light in the morning (before 12pm is classed as morning) if they want?

We have agreed this will.mean they probably skip the starters at dinner which they seemed happy about, hence the fish dishes. I wouldn't serve fish unless people liked it and its my MIL favourite food and my BIL actually requested salmon.

Thanks for the ideas so far!

Whatever they want at their own house 😂

If you want more fishy ideas, how about kedgeree?

So this is lunch?

maybe tell them the timings of the day.

otherwise they may have brunch at their own home. Thinking brunch is… 10.30/11 and not classic lunchtime! 😆