It’s Beginning To Look A lot Like Christmas!

It’s Beginning To Look A lot Like Christmas!

We made it, folks!

We’re in the home stretch of an extremely challenging year, and all eyes are now firmly positioned on tinsel, turkey, and an overweight man breaking into our houses to leave gifts for our children – let’s hope he’s isolated for 2 weeks beforehand!

And whether you like them or not, Christmas songs are everywhere.

In keeping with this custom, here are some yummy recipes based on lyrics from traditional and modern Christmas jingles which you can use to impress your guests!

Brenda Lee – Rocking Around The Christmas Tree

‘Later We’ll Have Some Pumpkin Pie’

Usually found around American tables for Thanksgiving, the pumpkin pie is a tradition that hasn’t quite taken off in the UK, but maybe you can change that.

Ingredients:

750g Pumpkin                                                           

1 tsp Cinnamon

350g Sweet Shortcrust Pastry                                   

2 Eggs

140g Caster Sugar                                                     

25g Butter

½ tsp Salt                                                                   

175ml Milk

1 tsp Nutmeg                                                             

1 tbsp Icing Sugar

Step 1

• Bring pumpkin to the boil and leave to simmer until tender.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4.

Step 2

• Roll out the pastry and line a 22cm loose bottom tart tin.
• Chill pastry for 15 mins.
• Line pastry with baking paper and baking beans then bake for 15 mins.
• Remove beans and paper then cook for a further 10 mins.
• Remove from the oven and let cool.
• Increase oven to 220C/200C fan/Gas 7

Step 3

• Sieve the cooled pumpkin.
• In a separate bowl add sugar, slat, nutmeg and ½ the cinnamon.
• Add eggs and beat
• Add melted butter and milk then add to pumpkin puree.
• Add to the pastry case and cook for 10 mins.
• Reduce temperature to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4, cook for 35-40 mins

Step 4

• Leave to cool then remove pie from tin
• Mix the remaining cinnamon and icing sugar and dust over pie.
• Serve chilled.

Vaughn Monroe – Let It Snow

‘And I’ve Bought Some Corn For Popping’

Popcorn is a wonderfully versatile ingredient. Forget your sweet, salty and toffee and instead, create your own toppings to bring in that Christmas spirit! Perfect for watching all those Christmas movies!

Cooking The Popcorn

Heat 1tsp of vegetable oil for 20-30 seconds in a lidded pan. Add popcorn, close the lid and cook until it has all popped – give it a shake halfway.

Transfer to a big sharing bowl and sprinkle with your homemade toppings. Here are just two ideas to get you started:

Chocolate Orange

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Cocoa  

1 tsp Ground Ginger  

3 Oranges – Zest Only                   

3 tbsp Runny Honey  

Method

• In a saucepan, melt the butter and golden syrup.
• Take off heat and add cocoa, syrup, orange zest, ginger, and cinnamon.
• Pour mixture over popcorn and stir well.

Candy Land

Ingredients:

240g White Chocolate                   

Red and Green M&Ms

Mini Pretzels

Christmas Sprinkles

Method

• Melt chocolate and pour half over the popcorn.
• Add pretzels and M&M’s, mix well.
• Stir in the rest of the chocolate mixture.
• Pour the entire mixture onto baking paper.
• Evenly cover with sprinkles and allow to harden.
• Gently break into pieces and serve.                             

Thurl Ravenscroft – You’re A Mean One, Mr Grinch

‘You’re A Bad Banana With A Greasy Black Peel’

One option is to take a banana, pop it in the oven till it is burnt to a crisp and enjoy! Luckily, there’s a much better option to indulge yourselves on those cold and windy December evenings.

Ingredients (To Serve 4):

120g Brown Sugar                                         

160g Unsalted Butter

125ml Single Cream                                      

4 Firm Ripe Bananas

½ tsp Salt                                                     

Juice of ½ A Lemon   

75g Pecans (change the pecans for pistachios or peanuts if you wish)                                                 

Vanilla Ice Cream

Step 1

• Put 4 bowls into the freezer.
• Place 10g of butter, and 10g sugar into a pan. Heat until mixture begins to bubble.
• Add pecans and cook for 3-4 minutes and place to one side.

Step 2

• Place sugar and 100g of butter in a saucepan and cook until sugar dissolves.
• Add cream, whisking constantly and carefully as the mixture may spit.
• Remove from heat and add salt, stir to dissolve.
• Set aside and keep warm.

Step 3

• Melt the remaining 25g of butter until foaming.
• Peel the bananas and slice lengthways.
• Add the lemon and bananas to the pan.
• Cook on each side for 1-2 minutes until soft and golden.
• Put to one side and keep warm.

Step 4

• Remove your bowls from the freezer.
• Place 2 scoop of ice cream on each
• Add 2 slices of banana to each bowl and top with warm butter sauce.
• Break up your pecan mixture and add.

Andy Williams – Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

‘Marshmallows For Toasting’

Who doesn’t love roasting marshmallows over an open fire? From camping and bonfires to desperately trying to achieve the perfect ‘squidge’ over a tea-light. But this is Christmas, which leads to another American classic – S’mores. Below is a recipe for one – but how many you make is completely at your discretion

Ingredients:

4 Squares Of Milk Chocolate             

2 Marshmallows

2 Digestive Biscuits

(Digestive biscuits are the closest UK equivalent of Graham Crackers)

• Place one digestive biscuit on a baking tray.
• Stack the chocolate and the marshmallows on top of it.
• Grill under a high heat until marshmallow begins to toast and the chocolate begins to melt.
• Place the second digestive biscuit on top and eat!

Enjoy playing around with our Christmas themed menus, and all of us at Caterquip wish you a very Merry Christmas!