Nigella Christmas: Food, Family, Friends, Festivities

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Though her latest book is big, beautiful, and expensive, it’s also one of those wonderful heirlooms that you could keep and refer to year after year. Still, there’s room for innovation too, so you will also find my Christmas Morning Muffins, Salted Caramel Brandy Butter, Gorgeously Golden Fruit Cake (which happens to be gluten-free), Spruced-Up Vanilla Cake, Christmas-Spiced Chocolate Cake (another gluten-free treat), Christmas Chocolate Cookies, and even a luxuriously chocolatey Christmas Pudding for Christmas Pudding Haters. This is particularly fab for a party, when you can cook it and slice it (easily) into generous slabs. Favourite Things About the Book: Cookbooks that are dedicated to Christmas are always a joy to read and cook from, even if our hot Australian Christmas doesn’t lend itself to all the recipes. The book begins with Christmassy cocktails, canapés and how to cater for lots of people without getting crazy (the later applies throughout the book – Nigella is a practical goddess), and moves through soups, salads, and sauces to suppers, big main dinners, sweet stuff and baking, edible presents, a full scale brunch menu, hot drinks, and two serious cures for overindulgence (as you might expect, they aren’t pristine – “I will never be a nil by mouth kind of person”).

Following slots as a culinary sidekick on Nigel Slater's 'Real Food Show' on Channel 4, she has fronted three eponymous TV cookery series broadcast in the UK on the channel. My first cooking of rib and it was perfect- followed Nigella's timings to the letter and got delicious rare beef, that was melt on the mouth tender. Nigella Christmas will surely be a perennial favourite, the book we will all reach for - for inspiration and reassurance - as soon as the Christmas lights start going up.This is an exquisite book, which manages to combine the most outrageous frivolity (it’s kind of like the Manolo Blahnik of cookbooks with its green ribbon, sumptuous pictures, and the big hardcover red and greenness of it) with absolute practicality in terms of the useability of its recipes, the practicality of its suggestions, and the tempting nature of the items chosen. The chapter on desserts (titled “Joy to the World”–if I wasn’t hooked already, this would have done it) includes recipes for a yule log, fruitcakes, and mini minced pies. Personally I couldn't taste the chocolate from the inclusion of cocoa in the recipe but, overall, I did like it as an alternative to a more trad Christmas cake. CookbookCorner, as you know, usually features just one book and one recipe, but — to celebrate seasonal abundance — I bring you a special Christmas CookbookCorner, with a pick of 6 books and 11 recipes!

Nigella Christmas' comprises reliable, practical, easy-to-follow recipes and reassuring advice about planning and cooking ahead, which will make this a great gift to yourself and for family and friends. Made these last week, substituted almonds for the pecans and dark choc chips for the white as those were what I had; also chopped my cranberries as they seemed disproportionately large. From the Queen of Gluten-Free cooking, Becky Excell, comes Gluten-Free Christmas and her Cheesy Garlic Gluten-Free Dough Ball Wreath and Mini Gluten-Free Christmas Puddings. This was indeed quite easy to make in advance of the big day and it kept well wrapped in baking parchment and tin foil in a baking tin, as instructed by Nigella.However, I'm not sure if I did something wrong, perhaps when I doubled the recipe, as they looked nothing like the picture in the book. The book at the moment doesn't mention dusting with icing sugar, and it certainly isn't obligatory but we just thought it might help. But I do want to draw your attention, as well, to the Turkey Breast Stuffed with Italian Sausage and Marsala-Steeped Cranberries. Teachers receiving a mason jar of “Steeped Christmas Fruits,” or a box of “Christmas Puddini Bonbons” would have cause for celebration (that’s a heads-up if any of my kids’ teachers are reading this).

Her cakes, as always, gladden the heart, and her 'At-a-Glance Christmas Dinner Countdown' helps take the stress and strain out of the Big Day itself. Throughout all, there is a true sense of the author's own belief that festive indulgence is not a bad thing, but a celebration of being alive and an affirmation of what is important in life. Rich rich chocolate pudding and sauce- would benefit from creme fraiche or ice cream to cut through . It's always nice to receive a nice jar of vanilla sugar or a chutney wrapped up beautifully as a gift. There is also a green ribbon marker to bookmark your place which I think is another really special touch.The flavours combined beautifully and the end result was a wonderful combination of textures - soft and fluffy cake with a slightly crispy top.

With treats like Sticky Gingerbread, Panettone Pudding, and Christmas Chocolate Cookies, you may be tempted to dive right into the sweets and ignore the other side of Christmas dinner. There’s more than enough significant data and information to convince the reader that our state lotteries are definitely being manipulated and controlled, illegally. Coupled with the AMAZING port and Stilton gravy (best gravy I’ve ever made) this did not disappoint.This is an essential purchase for all cookery collections in communities where Christmas is celebrated. For instance, she makes a pitch for inviting new friends to Christmas dinner because of “the stabilizing effect of the stranger factor: someone with whom your family doesn’t quite feel at home enough to behave badly. If you dust this piece of parchment with a little icing sugar it may help prevent stickage, but don't worry too much as any tears or dents will be covered by icing later.