Christmas is a time to relax with family and friends, but it's easy to get stuck in the kitchen! Check out these quick but delicious festive recipes to free up more fun time...
Night Before Xmas Cheats Cake
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring...until you realised that you forgot to make the pudding! No stress - this one takes just 3 hours!
INGREDIENTS
125g each boysenberries & redcurrants
100g dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup (60ml) maple syrup
150ml pure (thin) cream
CHRISTMAS PUDDING
4 cups (725g) mixed dried fruit (we used a mix of sultanas, peel, cranberries, chopped dates and glace cherries)
400g store-bought madeira or sponge cake, crumbled
100g dark chocolate, melted, cooled
1 tbs cocoa
50g unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1/2 cup (125ml) sherry or brandy
1 tsp each ground cinnamon & freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp each allspice & ground cloves
METHOD
1. Line a 1.5L (6 cup) bowl with plastic wrap, leaving plenty overhanging. Place the boysenberries and redcurrants in a ziplock bag and freeze until ready to serve. 2. For the Christmas pudding, place all ingredients in a bowl and stir well to combine. Spoon into the lined bowl and press down to compress mixture. Cover with overhanging plastic wrap, then chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
3. For the glaze, place the chocolate, maple syrup and cream in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let bowl touch water), stirring until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool. Drizzle over pudding and top with frozen berries to serve.
Italian Style Prawn Gratin
A simple recipe for a showstopper of a dish!
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (70g) fresh breadcrumbs
1-2 handfuls of flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 long red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
1/2 garlic clove, peeled
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
12 green tiger prawns peeled (tails intact), deveined, split lengthways
Lemon wedges, to serve
METHOD
1. Turn on the grill function in your oven. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
2. Place the breadcrumbs, parsley, chilli, garlic, lemon zest, olive oil and a pinch of salt in a food processor and whiz for 6-10 seconds until combined.
3. Top each prawn with a little of the breadcrumb mixture. Press gently with your hands to ensure the coating adheres to the prawn halves. Place the prawns on the prepared tray and drizzle a little more olive oil on top, then grill for 3-4 minutes or until cooked through and golden. Serve hot with lemon wedges.
Recipe by Silvia Colloca
Roasted Strawberry & Cream Pie
A classic combination of strawberries and cream - even better than the lollies!
INGREDIENTS
435g frozen Careme vanilla bean pastry, thawed, or other store-bought sweet shortcrust rolled to a thickness of 3mm
750g strawberries, hulled, halved if large
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
2 tbs maple syrup
1 thyme sprig, plus extra to decorate
500g mascarpone cheese
11/2 cups (375ml) thickened cream
1/3 cup (40g) pure icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line base and side of a 22cm × 5cm-deep pie dish with pastry and trim away the excess. Line pastry case with baking paper and fill with baking beads (or uncooked rice or dried beans).
2. Place on a baking tray. Cook for 20 minutes or until golden, then remove baking beads and paper. Cook for a further 5 minutes or until base is dry to the touch. Set aside and leave to cool completely. Keep oven on.
3. Toss together strawberries, vanilla pod and seeds, maple syrup and thyme on a baking tray lined with baking paper, and roast for 16 minutes or until softened and slightly syrupy. Cool to room temperature.
4. Whisk mascarpone, cream, icing sugar and vanilla bean paste in a bowl until thick.
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Recipes sourced from delicious.com.au
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