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CHRISTMAS RECIPE IDEAS FOOD & COOKING ARTICLE

Celebrity chef Phil Vickery comes up with recipe ideas for Christmas

Here are some more great recipe ideas from Chef Phil Vickery. This time Phil has come up with some recipe ideas that you can make to enjoy this Christmas. If you've seen any of his Carnation Pudcasts you will know the sort of great recipes he comes up with . . . all of which are easy to make, so why not get the kids involved!

  • Christmas Cake and Brandy Parfait
  • Chocolate Gingerbread Biscuits
  • Ultimate Fudge
  • Chocolate Cranberry Slices

CHRISTMAS CAKE AND BRANDY PARFAIT RECIPE

Christmas Cake and Brandy ParfaitIngredients

397g can Carnation condensed milk
450 ml (3/4 pt) single cream
200 ml carton crème fraiche
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp brandy
450g (1 Ib) Christmas cake, crumbled
Cranberry compote to finish (optional)

Method

  • Line a 900g (2 Ib) pudding basin with a double layer of cling film.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, crème fraiche, cream, vanilla extract and brandy until smooth and creamy.
  • Pour the mixture into a shallow plastic box and freeze until slushy (2 - 3 hours).
  • Beat with a fork, and then stir in the crumbled Christmas cake.
  • Pour into the pudding basin, cover and freeze overnight.
  • When ready to serve, turn out the parfait onto a serving plate and remove the cling film.
  • Accompany with a spoonful of cranberry compote: fresh cranberries simmered until sticky in a syrup of sugar and water.

Serves 6 - 8

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD BISCUITS RECIPE

Chocolate Gingerbread BiscuitsIngredients

25g (5oz) margarine
100g (3½oz) dark soft brown sugar
4tbsp Carnation Condensed Milk Light
300g (10½oz) plain flour
25g (1oz) cocoa powder
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
3tsp ground ginger
1tsp mixed spice (optional)

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
  • Melt the margarine, brown sugar and condensed milk together.
  • Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
  • Sieve together the remaining dry ingredients in a bowl, then add the syrupy mixture.
  • Bring the dough together with a spoon first, then kneed gently with clean hands.
  • Roll out the dough on a floured surface to the thickness of a pound coin (or thicker if you like).
  • Cut shapes out.
  • Gently re-knead and roll the remaining dough to make about 10 - 12 biscuits (it makes less if the dough is thicker).
  • Bake for 10 - 15 minutes on parchment lined baking sheets.
  • Cool the biscuits on a rack.
  • Decorate as desired.

Tip:

  • Why not decorate with icing tubes or follow the icing sugar pack instructions. Stick Rowntrees Randoms onto the biscuits with icing and allow to dry before wrapping in celophane and hanging on the tree. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 12 biscuits

ULTIMATE FUDGE RECIPE

Ultimate FudgeIngredients

397g can Carnation Condensed Milk
150ml (¼pt) milk
450g (1lb) demerara sugar
115g (4oz) butter

Optional ingredients:
150g (5oz) glace cherries, halved and 55g (2oz) stem ginger, chopped
150g (5oz) dark chocolate chopped and 85g (3oz) toasted hazlenuts
150g (5oz) raisins soaked in 3tbsp rum (until they have absorbed the rum)

Method

  • Grease and base line a 20cm (8”) square tin with baking parchment.
  • Heat the milks, sugar and butter in a large, non-stick saucepan over a low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
  • Bring to the boil and simmer over a low heat for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring continuously and scraping the base of the pan, until a soft ball of fudge is formed when a little of the mixture is dropped into a jug of ice-cold water.
  • Remove from the heat and beat the fudge until thick and grainy (about 10 minutes).
  • Gently stir in the remaining ingredients. Pour into the prepared tin and leave to cool before cutting into squares.

Tip:

  • Box them up and give them to your friends at Christmas and everyone will be asking you for the recipe!

Makes aproximately 1kg

CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY SLICES RECIPE

Chocolate Cranberry SlicesIngredients

150g (6oz) butter, softened
125g (5oz) soft light brown sugar
175g (7oz) plain flour
75g (3oz) porridge oats
Grated rind of an orange
5ml (1tsp) ground cinnamon
175g (7oz) dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks
175g (7oz) sweetened dried cranberries
200g pack cream cheese, softened
397g can Carnation Condensed Milk

Method

  • Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar until creamy.
  • Gradually beat in flour, oats, orange and cinnamon until crumbly.
  • Stir in the chocolate and cranberries.
  • Press half of the mixture into a greased 23 x 23cm (9 x 9in) baking tin.
  • Bake for 15 minutes.
  • In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth then gradually beat in the condensed milk.
  • Pour over the hot base then sprinkle with the remaining oat mixture.
  • Bake for 35 - 45 minutes until the filling is set.
  • Cool in the tin then cut into 36 slices and serve.

Serves 12

Still looking for inspiration? Why not logon to www.carnation.co.uk where you can look through a variety of Phil's tasty recipes and download the pudcasts.

Email Hub-UK : info@hub-uk.com