5 tasty Christmas recipes to impress your guests

Christmas is the perfect time to bring people together with great food, and there are plenty of recipes that let you serve dishes that look impressive and taste delicious.

Here are five tasty recipes that are sure to delight everyone at your table.

1. Christmas dinner traybake

Less than 30 mins (prep) and 1 to 2 hrs (cook), serves 4 people

Ingredients

Turkey breast fillets
Chipolata sausages
Streaky bacon
Roast potatoes
Carrots
Parsnips
Brussels sprouts
Herbs and olive oil

Method

Preheat the oven and line a large flat roasting tray.

Mix turkey with honey, orange zest and spices, then wrap with bacon.
Parboil veg, toss with oil and herbs, and spread on the tray.
Add turkey and sausages, then roast until everything is golden and cooked through.

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2. Perfect roast turkey

30 mins to 1 hour (prep) and 1 to 2 hrs (cook), serves 8-10 people

Ingredients

20ml/¾fl oz rapeseed oil
1 x 5kg/11lb good-quality free-range turkey , preferably organically reared, wishbone removed (ask your butcher to remove the wings and neck and chop them into 2.5cm/1in pieces to use in the dish)
40g/1½oz unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
2 pinches sea salt flakes
2 pinches freshly ground white pepper
200ml/7fl oz water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-2 tsp ground arrowroot (depending on how thick you like your gravy), dissolved in 1 tbsp cold water
roast potatoes and steamed seasonal vegetables, to serve

Method

Take the turkey out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking. Preheat the oven to 230°C (220°C fan/Gas 8).
Brown the chopped wings and neck in oil in a large roasting tray on the hob.
Mix butter with salt and white pepper, rub it all over the turkey, and add any extra butter to the tray.
Reduce oven to 160°C (150°C fan/Gas 3), add water to the tray, and cook for 1 more hour, basting every 20 minutes. Check it’s cooked (clear juices or thermometer).
Remove the turkey and rest for at least 30 minutes (up to 1½ hours). Keep the roasting tray and juices.
Boil the tray juices on the hob, scraping up bits. Add resting juices, season, thicken with arrowroot, strain, and keep warm.
Carve the turkey and serve with gravy, potatoes, and vegetables.

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3. Pigs in blankets

Less than 30 mins (prep) and 10 to 30 mins (cook), serves 8 people

Ingredients

8 thin slices streaky bacon
16 chipolata sausages
cocktail sticks, to secure the bacon

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Place the bacon on a chopping board, then using the side of the knife, stretch and flatten the bacon until about half as long again.
Cut each strip of bacon in half across, then wrap each piece around a chipolata, securing with cocktail sticks.
Place in a roasting tray and roast for 15 minutes until golden-brown and cooked through.

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4. Honey roast parsnips

Less than 30 mins (prep) and 10 to 30 mins (cook), serves 8 people

Ingredients

500g/1lb 2oz parsnips, peeled and cut into quarters lengthways
4 tbsp sherry
4 tbsp clear honey
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Place the parsnips, sherry and honey into a baking tray and mix to coat the parsnips. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, turning half way through, until the parsnips are tender and golden-brown.

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5. Chocolate and chestnut Christmas log

Less than 30 mins (prep) and 10 to 30 mins (cook), serves 6-8 people

Ingredients

225g/8oz plain chocolate , roughly chopped
1 tsp strong instant coffee powder
5 free-range eggs , separated
140g/5oz caster sugar
icing sugar , for dusting
holly leaves and berries, to decorate (optional)
150ml/5fl oz double cream
3 tbsp sweetened chestnut purée

Method

Line a 33 × 23cm baking tray with two sheets of baking paper hanging over the edges. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.
Gently melt the chocolate and coffee with 85ml/3fl oz water in a saucepan over low heat.
Beat the egg yolks with sugar until pale and mousse-like, then stir in the melted chocolate.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Stir a small amount into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the rest gently.
Spread the mixture evenly in the tray and bake for about 12 minutes until set. Slide onto a rack and cool completely.
Whip the cream and mix with chestnut purée. Turn out the sponge onto greaseproof paper, remove the lining, spread the filling evenly, roll up from a short end using the paper, place seam-side down, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Dust with icing sugar and decorate before serving.

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