There’s something rather special about cooking and baking during the festive season. Those first scents of cinnamon, cloves and mulled wine bring a warming joy unlike any other time of year. Everything is a little more indulgent: cakes get a welcome extra dollop of cream and the brandy for the custard flows more freely. Now, I love a classic Christmas bake – homemade mince pies and chocolatey yule logs are a staple. But it’s also a great time to introduce something new or incorporate little twists. The recipes I love making the most are the ones that are a show-stopping centrepiece while still providing those comforting and familiar Christmas flavours.
I’m not the most organised baker or cook and tend to leave things to the very last minute. But when Christmas rolls around, I really appreciate recipes that have elements I can make in advance. No one wants to be stressed in the kitchen juggling multiple different dishes, oven temperatures and cooking times, so the recipes I’ve created here all benefit from having parts that can be made earlier, then assembled and decorated when you are ready to serve.
Christmas this year may look quite different but it’s definitely not cancelled, so I’ll be throwing on my favourite festive tunes and finding some solace in the creativity and joy that baking brings.
Chocolate orange and praline pavlova
In my house, there’s no Christmas without a pavlova. Chocolate orange is a classic festive flavour, and the nutty praline brings a welcome crunch. Make the pavlova shell the day before serving if you can, and let it dry out in the oven overnight.
Serves 6-8
For the meringues
egg whites 180g
caster sugar 320g
cornflour 2 tsp
cocoa powder ½ tbsp
For the praline
caster sugar 100g
hazelnuts 75g, roasted and roughly chopped
For the filling
oranges 2
Grand Marnier 3 tbsp
double cream 500ml
vanilla bean paste 1 tsp
dark chocolate 50g, grated, to decorate
Line a baking tray with parchment paper, drawing a 20cm circle on the back to act as a template. Preheat the oven to 100C fan/gas mark ½.
To make the meringues, use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or an electric whisk and whisk the egg whites on low speed until frothy. Increase the speed to high and whisk the eggs until they reach soft peaks.
With the mixer still running, add in the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Once all the sugar has been added the meringue should be thick and glossy with stiff peaks. Continue to whisk for a further minute before adding the cornflour and briefly combining. Add half the cocoa powder and fold it in gently so it appears rippled and not fully incorporated. Repeat with the remaining cocoa powder.
Spoon the meringue onto the baking tray, using the drawn circle as a guide, and pile it into a large mound. Use a palette knife to gently spread the meringue to the edges of the circle template, then smooth the edges. Make a little dip in the middle where the filling will go and bake for 70-75 minutes or until firm. Turn off the oven and allow the pavlova to cool fully while inside. You can leave this in the oven overnight if you have time.
To make the praline, line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside. Heat the caster sugar gently in a small saucepan, swirling the pan every now and again, until it melts and turns a deep amber colour. Add the nuts to the pan and stir carefully and quickly to coat. Pour the hazelnuts onto the baking tray and leave to cool. Once hardened, smash the praline into small chunks and set aside.
For the filling, peel one of the oranges and slice the flesh into rounds about ½cm thick. Toss with the Grand Marnier and set aside to macerate. Zest the second orange, place the zest in a bowl with the cream and vanilla paste, and whip until the cream has thickened, but just before it reaches stiff peaks. Be careful not to over whip.
Fill the pavlova with the orange cream, top with the praline, orange slices and grated chocolate. Serve immediately.
Sage and onion twists
Fresh sage is one of my favourite herbs, but it often gets relegated to the Christmas stuffing. These bread twists are incredibly moreish and make for a perfect pre-party snack.
Makes 12-15
olive oil 50ml
red onion 1, finely chopped
bread flour 400g
fresh sage 2½ tbsp, finely chopped
black pepper ½ tsp
fast action dried yeast 1 sachet (7g)
salt 1 tsp
lukewarm water 200ml
sesame seeds 1 tbsp
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan and fry the onion over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes until softened. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, fresh sage, black pepper, yeast and salt. Make a well in the centre, pour in the water and the remaining olive oil and stir to make a shaggy dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover and let the dough rise for 1½-2 hours or until doubled in size.
Once risen, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and use your fingertips to flatten into a rough rectangle. Pour the cooled onions onto the surface and press them into the dough. Give the dough a brief knead to incorporate all the onions – this part will be a little messy and if any onions fall out just knead them back in.
Heat the oven to 180C fan/gas mark 6. Let the dough rest on the work surface for 10 minutes before dusting a rolling pin with flour and rolling the dough out into a large rectangle, about 25cm x 35cm. Slice the dough into thin strips about 1cm wide, take two at a time and twist them around each other. Place each twist on a baking tray, brush with a little more olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and sesame seeds. Bake for 18-22 minutes until golden. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Ricotta doughnuts with gingerbread custard
These are probably the quickest doughnuts you’ll ever make. While they’re best eaten fresh and still a little warm, the gingerbread custard can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge. Just give it a good whisk before serving.
Makes 15-20 doughnuts
For the gingerbread custard
milk 150ml
cream 60ml
cinnamon 3 sticks
whole cloves 2
fresh ginger 20g, grated
grated nutmeg a pinch
vanilla extract 1 tsp
egg yolks 2
caster sugar 2 tbsp
cornflour 1 tbsp
biscoff spread 50g
For the doughnuts
caster sugar 50g, plus 2 tbsp to coat
orange zest of 1
plain flour 100g
baking powder 2 tsp
salt ¼ tsp
eggs 2 medium
ricotta 200g
oil to fry
To make the custard place the milk, cream, cinnamon sticks, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and vanilla in a small saucepan and heat gently until hot to the touch. Remove from the heat, cover and let the spices infuse for 20-30 minutes before straining the milk and returning it back to the pan.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour until smooth. Reheat the milk until just before boiling and pour a quarter of it onto the egg yolks and whisk until combined. Continue pouring in the hot milk a little at a time while continuing to whisk. Once you’ve added all the milk, pour the mixture back into the saucepan and heat gently, stirring continuously until the custard thickens and begins to bubble. Remove from the heat and stir in the biscoff spread. Transfer the custard to a clean bowl and press a layer of clingfilm on the surface. Let the custard cool to room temperature before chilling in the fridge.
To make the ricotta doughnuts, place the 2 tablespoons of caster sugar in a shallow dish and rub in the orange zest with your fingertips. Set aside for later.
Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, the 50g of sugar and the ricotta until combined. Pour the egg mixture into the flour and stir gently until you have a thick batter.
Fill a medium-sized saucepan pan with oil to about 8-10cm deep and place over a medium heat. Test the oil is hot enough by adding a small drop of batter – it should sizzle and float to the top.
Drop teaspoons of the batter into the hot oil a few at a time. Flip them over after about 30-45 seconds and cook for another 30 seconds or until they are golden and puffy.
Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels to soak up any extra oil. Toss them in the orange sugar while they’re still warm and serve with the gingerbread custard.
Almond cinnamon cake with Irish cream
If the thought of layering cakes and piping buttercream scares you a little, then opt for a bundt. The intricate tins do all the decorating work for you, so all you need to do is add a little dusting of icing sugar and you have a stunning showstopper.
Serves 10-12
unsalted butter 175g, softened, plus extra for greasing the tin
plain flour 225g, plus extra for dusting the tin
whole milk 110ml
cinnamon 3 sticks
ground almonds 60g
baking powder 2 tsp
salt ¼ tsp
ground cinnamon ½ tsp
caster sugar 225g
almond extract ¼ tsp
eggs 3 medium
double cream 300ml
Irish cream 50ml
icing sugar for dusting
Preheat the oven to 160C fan/gas mark 4. Grease the insides of a large bundt tin (about 2 litres) and dust lightly with flour making sure to get into every crevice.
Gently heat the milk and cinnamon sticks in a small saucepan until just before boiling. Remove from the heat, cover and let the milk steep and cool for an hour. Once cool, strain out the cinnamon and set aside.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, salt and ground cinnamon. Set aside. Beat the butter, sugar and almond extract together for 3-5 minutes until very pale and creamy. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in half of the flour mixture and stir until combined. Mix in the cinnamon milk followed by the remaining flour and stir until smooth.
Pour the batter into the bundt tin and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning it upside down to release the cake.
To serve, whip the double cream with the Irish cream until you have thick soft peaks. Dust the cooled cake lightly with icing sugar and serve each slice with a dollop of cream.
Mulled wine pear tarte tatin
For more flavourful and deeply coloured pears, let them sit in the poaching liquid once cooked for up to two days before starting the tart.
Serves 8
red wine 650ml
caster sugar 220g
lemon peel of 1
cinnamon 4 sticks
star anise 2
cardamom 8 pods, crushed
conference or williams pears 4, ripe but firm
unsalted butter 20g
salt a pinch
ready-to-roll puff pastry 1 sheet (375g)
Heat the red wine, sugar, lemon peel and spices in a large saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring every now again until the sugar has dissolved.
Meanwhile, peel the pears, cut them in half lengthways and scoop out the cores. Add the pears to the wine, place a sheet of scrunched baking paper on the surface and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the pears poach for 10-15 minutes, or until fork soft, turning them occasionally. Be careful not to overcook them.
Spoon out the pears and set them aside. Preheat the oven to 200C fan/gas mark 7.
Strain the liquid and pour it into a saucepan on a medium heat. Bring to the boil and let the syrup reduce until you have about 200ml left. Whisk in the butter and a pinch of salt and remove from the heat. Pour half of this liquid into a 23cm round baking dish or nonstick ovenproof pan. Arrange the pears snugly inside, cut side up.
Unroll the puff pastry and trim it into a disc that’s about 5cm larger than the diameter of the baking dish. Tuck in the edges down the sides of the dish and bake the tart for 30-40 minutes or until the pastry is a deep golden brown.
Once baked, let it sit for 5 minutes before running a knife around the edge. Place a large plate or serving board over the top and carefully but quickly turn the tart onto the plate. Serve warm with the remaining syrup and ice-cream.
Benjamina Ebuehi is the author of The New Way to Cake (Page Street)
