Indholdsfortegnelse for Christmas 2025 i Easy Cook

Every Christmas is special, of course, but this year feels momentous for my family. With our youngest off to uni in September, his brother deep into his third year and their big sister busy travelling with work, it’s been rare to have all five of us under one roof. So, this Big Day truly will be a reunion – and I’m determined to make it magnificent with inspiration from our superb team of recipe writers. With a centrepiece turkey feast in our family celebration (p24), ham we’ll carve and serve again and again (p44), indulgent retro puds (p46) and clever ways to use up every festive favourite (p29), I’ve got our celebrations covered. And, I hope they will inspire you, too. Have a very merry Christmas. IN THIS ISSUE ✹…

10 budget -friendly options £1.67 per serving Tzatziki Coarsely grate ½ cucumber, peeled and deseeded, sprinkle over a pinch of salt and squeeze out all the liquid. Combine with 170g Greek-style yogurt, 1 small garlic clove, crushed, and a handful of chopped mint leaves. Cheat's spinach gözleme Go meat-free with this cheat’s version of Turkish gözleme (stuffed flatbread). It works as a light dinner. ■ Serves 2 ■ Prep 20 mins ■ Cook 15 mins 1 tbsp olive oil 1 red onion, finely sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 200g spinach 1 lemon, zested and juiced small handful of dill, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve 1 egg, beaten 4 medium wholemeal tortillas 50g reduced-fat Greek salad cheese, crumbled 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced into half-moons 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds tzatziki, to serve (see recipe, left) 1 Heat half the oil…

Cucumber, smoked salmon & avo stacks ■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 15 mins ■ No cook 1 cucumber, halved, seeded and finely diced 35ml extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp chopped dill 2 ripe but firm avocados, peeled, stoned and finely diced 1 lemon, zested and juiced 2 tbsp chopped chives 2 tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped 2 tbsp capers, rinsed 200g smoked salmon salad cress or micro coriander leaves, to serve 1 Toss the cucumber with 1 tsp oil and 1 tbsp of the dill, then season. Mix the avocado with half the lemon juice and 1 tbsp of the chives in a separate bowl, then season. For the dressing, whisk the rest of the oil, the tomatoes, capers, remaining lemon juice and all the lemon zest together with some seasoning. 2 Spoon about a sixth of the…

Blue cheese, leek & grain stuffed butternut squash ■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 15 mins ■ Cook 2 hrs 1 large butternut squash, halved lengthways and deseeded 75g unsalted butter 2 leeks, finely chopped  2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 50g soft white breadcrumbs 250g cooked mixed grains 75g blue cheese, crumbled (ensure vegetarian) small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped  ½ lemon, juiced olive oil, for drizzling 1 Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/ gas 5. Scoop out some of the flesh from the neck of the squash, leaving a roughly 2cm thickness. Finely chop the scooped-out flesh and put in a frying pan with the butter, leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook for 15 mins until the leeks are soft, then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the breadcrumbs…

Pull-apart Santa cupcakes Hosting a kids’ Christmas party? These are perfect for sharing, and you can save time by using shop-bought cupcakes that you simply decorate. ■ Serves 24 ■ Prep 45 mins ■ No cook 24 cupcakes (shop-bought, or find a recipe at goodfood.com) FOR THE ICING 400g butter, softened 800g icing sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 1-2 tbsp milk food colouring gels 2 chocolate buttons 1 For the icing, mash the butter, sugar, vanilla and milk together in a large bowl using a spatula (this will prevent a cloud of icing sugar when you beat it together). Beat using an electric whisk until smooth and fluffy, about 2 mins. 2 Spoon half the icing into a second bowl, then half of what remains into a third (so you have two small bowls…

■ Makes 12 ■ Prep 1 hr plus chilling ■ Cook 20 mins 500g mincemeat (vegetarian, if needed) 4 clementines, zested, 2 juiced 3 tbsp triple sec FOR THE PASTRY 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 175g cold unsalted butter, cubed 1 egg yolk (freeze the white to use in another recipe) 2 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra to serve 1 For the pastry, pulse the flour and butter together in a food processor to a breadcrumb-like texture. Add the egg yolk and sugar, then pulse again until the mixture starts to clump together. If it’s not clumping, add ice-cold water, 1 tsp at a time, and pulse again until a dough forms. Cut away a third of the dough, wrap both pieces and chill for 30 mins. 2 Combine the mincemeat, clementine zest…

Bring the sparkle Hosting a party? Prosecco is slightly sweeter than champagne and more affordable, so you can create a feeling of luxury while sticking to a budget. It also balances sharp citrus, rounds off harsher spirits and makes fruit liqueurs more exciting HEDGEROW ROYALE Fill a coupe glass with crushed ice and pour over 50ml prosecco. Hold 1 rosemary sprig in the palm of your hand and clap the other hand sharply over it to bruise the leaves before adding it into the glass. Slowly pour 25ml sloe gin and 25ml cherry brandy into the glass so they sink to the bottom. Serve immediately. Serves 1 ICY KIR Pour 25ml vodka into a coupe glass. Chill for 30 mins, then top with a scoop of blackcurrant or raspberry sorbet,…

Red cabbage ■ Serves 10 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 1 hr 45 mins 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp butter 2 red onions, grated  2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tbsp grated ginger 1 red cabbage, tough stalk discarded and finely sliced  1 cooking apple, peeled, cored and grated  100ml balsamic vinegar 1 cinnamon stick, snapped in half 2 star anise ½ tsp mixed spice 4 tbsp redcurrant jelly 1 Heat the oil and butter in a large flameproof casserole over a medium heat and fry the onion, garlic, and ginger for 5 mins until soft. Add the cabbage, apple and vinegar, and mix well. Add the spices and jelly, and mix until the jelly melts into the sauce. 2 Season well, cover with a lid and simmer for 1 hr-1 hr 30 mins over a low…

Sherry trifle cheesecake ■ Serves 10 ■ Prep 30 mins plus setting and overnight chilling ■ Cook 15 mins 4 tbsp custard powder 2 tbsp caster sugar 500ml double cream 2 raspberry swiss rolls, cut into 2cm-thick slices 200g fresh or frozen raspberries (defrosted if frozen) 4 tbsp sweet sherry 5 tbsp icing sugar 500g soft cheese 2 tsp vanilla extract FOR THE TOPPING 2 x 135g packs of raspberry jelly (vegetarian, if needed) 200g fresh or frozen raspberries (defrosted if frozen) 3 tbsp icing sugar 500ml double cream 2 tbsp sweet sherry 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 Make the jelly following pack instructions, using 300ml water in total. Pour into a shallow 20 x 15cm container, then chill until set. 2 Put the custard powder in a non-stick pan and stir in the sugar and 150ml cream until smooth. Gradually stir in…

White chocolate & ginger fudge This is a classic and fairly simple fudge that has made an appearance on our Christmas gift baking list for the past seven years. The ginger works well to cut through the sweetness of the white chocolate but, if you like, you can also add a wee pinch of salt to the mix. Crystallised ginger works best for this as I find stem ginger in syrup results in a much softer fudge, but if you want to do a mix of the two, feel free. Makes 16 bars ■ Prep 5 mins plus cooling and overnight setting ■ Cook 10 mins 125g cold unsalted butter, cubed, plus extra for the tin  750g caster sugar  250g liquid glucose  425g double cream  500g white chocolate, roughly chopped 300g…

Tip If you’ve had enough of turkey for a while, chop and freeze it so it’s ready to use in recipes like these in a month or so! Ultimate turkey sandwich ■ Serves 1 ■ Prep 10 mins ■ Cook 15 mins 50g leftover stuffing 2 leftover pigs in blankets, halved lengthways 2 thick slices leftover roast turkey (about 100g) 50ml leftover gravy 3 thick slices bloomer bread 1 tsp sunflower oil 25g mayonnaise 15g salted butter, softened 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 2 tbsp cranberry sauce 2 tbsp leftover boiled or braised red cabbage, drained if needed (or use pickled red cabbage) 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Put the stuffing, pigs in blankets and turkey in a lidded ovenproof dish, cover and reheat in the oven for 10 mins. Stir the gravy to loosen, then pour…

Lángos (fried bread) Lángos is a street food, the Hungarian version of fried dough. It’s sold across the country, usually from a little stand, fried to order, coming out like big barren pizza discs. I’ve been to Hungary in the winter when it was so bitterly cold, and getting a piping hot lángos wrapped in oil-soaked parchment was the best thing. This version is pretty faithful to the original, except for the garnishes. ■ Makes 12 small lángos ■ Prep 10 mins plus 1 hr 30 mins proving ■ Cook 25 min 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into 2.5cm pieces  240ml whole milk, at room temperature  3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil  1 tbsp fast-action dried yeast  2 tsp sugar  720g ‘00’ flour (you can use plain, but the…

Chocolate cherry jewelled Christmas cake ■ Makes 2 cakes (serves 16) ■ Prep 30 mins plus overnight soaking and cooling ■ Cook 1 hr 20 mins 200g dried sour cherries 200g raisins 150g sultanas 100g mixed peel 300ml cherry brandy 250g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for the tin 250g light brown soft sugar 4 eggs 200g self-raising flour 50g cocoa powder ¾ tsp ground cinnamon 100g dark chocolate, chopped 100g ground almonds TO DECORATE 200g marzipan 3 tbsp apricot jam 125g blanched almonds 125g dark glacé cherries, halved 125g shelled pistachios 1 The night before you want to make the cake, combine the dried fruit and mixed peel in a bowl, and pour over the brandy. Leave overnight to soak. 2 Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/ gas 2. Butter a deep 20cm square cake tin or two loaf tins. If using a square tin,…

Quick peanut brittle ■ Makes 300g ■ Prep 2 mins plus cooling ■ Cook 5 min 200g caster sugar 100g roasted peanuts 1 Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Melt the sugar in a medium frying pan over a medium heat and cook without stirring for 4-5 mins until caramelised – it should be a dark amber colour. It’s important not to stir the sugar, as this causes it to crystallise. Instead, tilt the pan slowly so the sugar melts evenly. 2 Stir in the peanuts using a wooden spoon, then quickly and carefully tip the mixture onto the tray. Immediately sprinkle over 1 tsp sea salt flakes and leave to cool until set. Will keep in an airtight container for several weeks. PER 20G SERVING 96 kcals, fat 4g,…

Dill & sugar-cured roast salmon This is a light cure, unlike gravadlax, which takes a couple of days. You can marinate the salmon overnight, but rinse off the cure in the morning. ■ Serves 8 ■ Prep 25 mins plus 6 hrs curing ■ Cook 20 mins 1 whole side of salmon, skin-on 50g coarse sea salt 150g demerera sugar 1 lemon, zested, plus wedges to serve small bunch of dill, chopped, plus extra to serve 1 Put the salmon on a tray, skin-side down. Combine the salt, sugar, lemon zest and dill, then use it to cover the salmon flesh. Chill to cure for 6-8 hrs. 2 Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7. Scrape off the cure, then rinse the fish under cold water and pat dry. It should feel slightly…

Sausage & cranberry breakfast muffin rolls This is one of my favourite festive breakfasts – and great for hungry teenagers! ■ Serves 6 ■ Prep 15 mins ■ Cook 35 mins 6 sausages 6 eggs ½ tsp dried sage 6 breakfast muffins, cut in half 6 tsp cranberry sauce 140g grated cheddar 1 Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/ gas 5 and put the sausages on a baking tray. 2 Line a 20cm square baking dish with baking parchment. Put the eggs and sage in a bowl, season and whisk. Pour this into the dish and cook alongside the sausages for 15 mins. 3 Once cooked, slice the sausages in half and cut the egg into six pieces. 4 Layer up the bottom half of each muffin with a piece of egg, two sausage halves,…

Finger food for drinks, p72 Little prawn poppadoms Fig & goat’s cheese puffs Crab crostini Mini pancetta filo pies Spicy spinach cakes with mint yogurt Duck & mango rice paper rolls Feed a crowd, p75 Pizza rustica Winter greens with pine nuts, chilli & garlic Cannellini bean & roast squash salad with basil dressing Little olive oil roasties with rosemary Entertaining on a budget, p76 Moroccan kofte & chorizo stew Fragrant basmati & almond pilaf Carrot salad with chickpeas & lemon Spiced warm flatbreads Finger food for drinks Little prawn poppadoms ■ Makes 20 ■ Prep 5 mins ■ No cook Combine 2 tbsp lime pickle, finely chopped, 1 tbsp mango chutney, finely chopped, a 3cm piece of cucumber, deseeded and diced, and 2 tbsp Greek-style yogurt. Season, then divide…

Pressure-cooked citrus Christmas pudding ■ Serves 8-10 ■ Prep 30 mins ■ Cook 2 hrs 15 mins 175g each raisins, currants and sultanas 140g whole glacé cherries 50g mixed peel 50g whole blanched almonds 1 orange, zested  1 lemon, zested 1 carrot, peeled and finely grated 150ml brandy or dark rum 50ml orange liqueur (optional) 175g light muscovado sugar 175g fresh white breadcrumbs 125g self-raising flour 1 tsp mixed spice ¼ tsp grated nutmeg 175g butter, frozen, plus extra at room temperature for the tin 2 eggs, beaten brandy butter, double cream, ice cream or custard, to serve 1 Mix the fruit, almonds, zests and carrots with the brandy or rum and liqueur, if using (if not using, top up with extra brandy or rum) in a large bowl. Cover. Leave to soak overnight. 2 Mix all the dry ingredients together, then add to…