Need Christmas Dinner Advice? Ask Here...

MurdyWurdy

I wish it were that size I could eat that in days!

Apparently 5kgs in one go is a lethal dose of chocolate for humans. I could easily eat that

The Hill Billy

I was propositioned by several members of the cabin crew on the plane when they saw the size of it.

Dizzyblonde

Ooh that's Toblerone heaven.......

That poor kid, what a horrible mum!

awec

Am I the only one who doesn't like toblerone?

It sticks to your teeth too much, and is too awkward to eat!

fussyonion

awec wrote: »

Am I the only one who doesn't like toblerone?

It sticks to your teeth too much, and is too awkward to eat!

I don't like it either.
The chocolate tastes weird and it's not a very chocolatey bar..like if you were craving choccy, you wouldn't think of Toblerone.
I don't like the honeycomb bits..in general the whole thing's just boring.

billie1b

MurdyWurdy wrote: »

I went to the cash and carry over the weekend to get booze for Christmas (great value!). While we were there I bought a big Toblerone to make cheesecake for Christmas Day and now it's calling me. I may have to eat it.

I'm getting a Ferrero Rocher cheesecake for my birthday tomorrow, it'll be our tester for Christmas

foodaholic

billie1b wrote: »

I'm getting a Ferrero Rocher cheesecake for my birthday tomorrow, it'll be our tester for Christmas

Recipe ???

Animord

foodaholic wrote: »

Recipe ???

This one looks good.

foodaholic

Animord wrote: »

This one looks good.

Looks amazing

keith16

Lads, any tips for making Irish coffee? I've never made them but I would like to!

2 questions - will the likes of Jack Daniels do for whiskey or does it have to be Jameson / other?

What kind of coffee do you use? I am not a coffee drinker, so am clueless when it comes to coffee!

MurdyWurdy

billie1b wrote: »

I'm getting a Ferrero Rocher cheesecake for my birthday tomorrow, it'll be our tester for Christmas

Yum! Let us know how it goes.

I wish I didn't have a sweet tooth but I'm just a chocolate fiend. This time last year I was pregnant and incredibly ill. I went off chocolate completely. We had a box of celebrations that lasted months and my brother ate all the chocolate from my advent calendar because I couldn't 't stomach it. It was so weird.

I think this year I'm eating twice as much chocolate to make up for it I think!

MurdyWurdy

keith16 wrote: »

Lads, any tips for making Irish coffee? I've never made them but I would like to!

2 questions - will the likes of Jack Daniels do for whiskey or does it have to be Jameson / other?

What kind of coffee do you use? I am not a coffee drinker, so am clueless when it comes to coffee!

We do French coffees. We brew filter coffee, add in the brandy and then whipped cream on top.

No idea about whiskey though, sorry!

billie1b

foodaholic wrote: »

Recipe ???

Sorry for the late reply,

This here is the recipe http://whatjessicabakednext.wordpress.com/2013/07/20/no-bake-ferrero-rocher-cheesecake/
As posted by another poster, I will for sure let ye know the outcome.
6 weeks on a diet, no cakes, sweets, sugar and so on, I will enjoy it no matter what

billie1b

MurdyWurdy wrote: »

Yum! Let us know how it goes.

I wish I didn't have a sweet tooth but I'm just a chocolate fiend. This time last year I was pregnant and incredibly ill. I went off chocolate completely. We had a box of celebrations that lasted months and my brother ate all the chocolate from my advent calendar because I couldn't 't stomach it. It was so weird.

I think this year I'm eating twice as much chocolate to make up for it I think!

I will indeed let you know how it is

saltyjack silverblade

This thread has upgraded my Xmas lunch list to include spiced red cabbage, sauteed brussels sprouts with chestnuts and ferrero rocher cheesecake. Beats stuffing a tin of roses by 12 and passing out on bucks fizz and vodka.

Markcheese

keith16 wrote: »

Lads, any tips for making Irish coffee? I've never made them but I would like to!

2 questions - will the likes of Jack Daniels do for whiskey or does it have to be Jameson / other?

What kind of coffee do you use? I am not a coffee drinker, so am clueless when it comes to coffee!

Probably easiest to use instant coffee (or strong filter) ,lightly whip yr cream , warm the glass , 1 spoon instant coffee,1 spoon brown sugar, leave spoon in glass then pour in nearly boiling water.... Add 1 shot whiskey (I
use paddy or powers but whatever
you've got... )
Now with the hot spoon slide the lightly whipped cream on top and hey presto

loveisdivine

I need a bit of advice/feedback on my dessert idea. I have a homemade pudding that we will be having with cups of tea at about 4ish. But we are having our main dinner earlier this year, hopefully about 1, so I want to do a small light and refreshing dessert just to finish off the meal.

Heres my idea, each plate will have,

1 small cranberry jelly (I already have mini jelly moulds)
1 quinelle of sorbet - flavour to be decided
1 small mousse - about the same size as the jelly - flavour to be decided

The jelly and mousse will be homemade, the sorbet I'm gonna buy. So what flavours would go? The husband desperately wants popping candy, for some reason, so I have proper popping candy which I will use. Not sure how to use it yet though.

I wanted to incorporate cranberry, as its christmassy and we wont be having it with the savoury stuff.

Does it need something small and crunchy? A little biscuit or something?

thegreatiam

loveisdivine wrote: »

Does it need something small and crunchy? A little biscuit or something?

If you have the popping candy then you could make heston blumenthals popping candy base and serve on that.

They also make popping candy flavour icecream, and probably sorbet if you look for it.

recipe for the base is here:
http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/heston-blumenthal/exploding-chocolate-gateau-recipe

You could cut into wafer sizes and serve with the cranberry jelly and a dark chocolate+chilli mouse. Maybe a lime sorbet with it?

Dizzyblonde

loveisdivine, there's a really easy Jamie Oliver recipe for lemon sorbet/sherbet, if you decide on lemon as a flavour. I've made it a few times. Popping candy would be really good in that.
http://makandmurph.blogspot.ie/2010/07/jamie-olivers-lemon-sherbet.html

billie1b

MurdyWurdy wrote: »

Yum! Let us know how it goes.

I wish I didn't have a sweet tooth but I'm just a chocolate fiend. This time last year I was pregnant and incredibly ill. I went off chocolate completely. We had a box of celebrations that lasted months and my brother ate all the chocolate from my advent calendar because I couldn't 't stomach it. It was so weird.

I think this year I'm eating twice as much chocolate to make up for it I think!

Here's the completed cake

loveisdivine

thegreatiam wrote: »

If you have the popping candy then you could make heston blumenthals popping candy base and serve on that.

They also make popping candy flavour icecream, and probably sorbet if you look for it.

recipe for the base is here:
http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/heston-blumenthal/exploding-chocolate-gateau-recipe

You could cut into wafer sizes and serve with the cranberry jelly and a dark chocolate+chilli mouse. Maybe a lime sorbet with it?

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

loveisdivine, there's a really easy Jamie Oliver recipe for lemon sorbet/sherbet, if you decide on lemon as a flavour. I've made it a few times. Popping candy would be really good in that.
http://makandmurph.blogspot.ie/2010/07/jamie-olivers-lemon-sherbet.html

I like the idea of lime sorbet, that would be very refreshing. I can't see why I couldnt follow the jamie recipe but use limes instead of lemons. Perhaps less lime juice though as its sharper.

If I add the popping candy to the sherbet, will it lose its pop?

We both prefer white chocolate to milk, so what about cranberry jelly, popping candy and lime sorbet and a small white chocolate mousse on a crushed shortbread base? Kinda cheesecake style but with a lighter filling.

I think that sounds really yum Thanks for the ideas!

Edit - Just thinking, if I can't put the candy in the sorbet, then I could serve the quinelle of sorbet on a little mound of candy, that way you still get both in one mouthful but it wont lose the pop!

Dizzyblonde

I'm sure lime would work just as well as lemon. You have to stir the sherbet a few times as it freezes and I'd imagine that if you add it during the last stir it would be fine.

thegreatiam

loveisdivine wrote: »

If I add the popping candy to the sherbet, will it lose its pop?

Thats what I was thinking, it may lose the fizz when it gets wet.
But they defo make popping candy icecream, i had it 2 months ago. but it wasnt "very poppy" just an occasional burst on the toungue, if you didnt know it was popping candy you wouldnt really notice tbh.

I wouldnt try to mix it with wet ingredients just incase it ruins it.

loveisdivine wrote: »

We both prefer white chocolate to milk, so what about cranberry jelly, popping candy and lime sorbet and a small white chocolate mousse on a crushed shortbread base? Kinda cheesecake style but with a lighter filling.

I think that sounds really yum Thanks for the ideas!

With white chocolate you could make a nice raspberry sorbet, or maybe the lemon, lime may be a bit to strong.
Raspberry and white chocolate defo go together.

I suggested lime cos i know it works with chocolate and chilli.
White chocolate, raspberry and cranberry may be tasty.

loveisdivine wrote: »

Edit - Just thinking, if I can't put the candy in the sorbet, then I could serve the quinelle of sorbet on a little mound of candy, that way you still get both in one mouthful but it wont lose the pop!

you can make wafers or cookies like a cheesecake base and layer them
wafer/jelly/wafer/chocolate/wafer/sorbet. youd have to press them thin or it will be too dry, they might break easily.
Maybe bake the base to crisp it up.

or serve 3 scoops in a bowl with a wafer stuck in.

or like a banana split, 3 scoops with the candy sprinkled over.

Ive made the base before in that recipe and its nice. You can easily press it directly into the cookie cutters to make shapes. then serve the rest on top.


Id make a mini cheesecake, popping base, white choc with cream cheese and raspberry pieces (freeze them smash to small pieces and stir in,) maybe mix in some candy and top with the cranberry jelly.

make them using an egg ring or stacking ring for individual portions.

Actually, im going to do that. I was thinking of an idea for desert, but ill use that as inspiration.

Ill do a mini toblerone cheesecake with popping candy base tho, so im not stealing your idea outright.

loveisdivine

Ooh I love a bit of toblerone

Ok, after a little more brainstorming I think I'm settled on the following,

Mini orange & cranberry jelly, topped with 2/3 frosted cranberries.
Mini basil infused white chocolate mousse on a crushed biscuit base (will decide about which biscuit nearer the time)
Quinelle of lemon sherbet (will go better with white choc than lime will) possibly served on popping candy.

I want to keep the elements seperate as I already have an idea in my head of how I would like it to look on the plate.
I know basil ins't exactly christmassy, but its one of our favourite herbs.

I'll fine tune it over the next week or so Thanks again for the ideas, very helpful!

the beer revolu

loveisdivine wrote: »

Ooh I love a bit of toblerone

Ok, after a little more brainstorming I think I'm settled on the following,

Mini orange & cranberry jelly, topped with 2/3 frosted cranberries.
Mini basil infused white chocolate mousse on a crushed biscuit base (will decide about which biscuit nearer the time)
Quinelle of lemon sherbet (will go better with white choc than lime will) possibly served on popping candy.

I want to keep the elements seperate as I already have an idea in my head of how I would like it to look on the plate.
I know basil ins't exactly christmassy, but its one of our favourite herbs.

I'll fine tune it over the next week or so Thanks again for the ideas, very helpful!

Sounds great. I'd go with a ginger biscuit base.

Mr. CooL ICE

Not a christmas day dinner, but I will be making a pre-christmas dinner as part of a mini college reunion for 8 people in total. I was chosen to cook as my place is the biggest in total, but trying to make something somewhat christmas themed.

I was thinking of making a modified version of Sparks' pulled pork, but not served in a bun and slow cooked in cider instead of coke. I was going to serve that with some stewed apple, BaZmO's stuffing balls, and a ton of roasties and carrots and parsnips. Perhaps some gravy too. But the more I think about it, the more I doubt it'll.

I was thinking of serving the pork just pulled, but perhaps have it mixed through with a little of the stewed apple. Any ideas if that would work, or should the two just be left separate?

I have actually never made roast potatoes before, so was thinking of parboiling them and then roasting in a dish with a little red wine, rosemary, sage and some pork lard I made last week. Does that sound ok?

The veg and stuffing balls should be great as they are, if a little too dry. The apple might not be the best choice here, hence me possibly making gravy. As the pork will be slow cooked, there will be little deglazed crispy bits for a classic gravy, so was thinking of using some of the liquid from the slow cooker. Would it be a good idea to heat butter and flour and add the slow cooker juices and stock to make the gravy, or is that a terrible idea? Might be too "appley"

foodaholic

billie1b wrote: »

Here's the completed cake

Was it as good as it looks ?

Animord

LordChessington wrote: »

I have actually never made roast potatoes before, so was thinking of parboiling them and then roasting in a dish with a little red wine, rosemary, sage and some pork lard I made last week. Does that sound ok?
"

If you put red wine in then the potatoes will steam rather then roast. If you want crispy roast potatoes then you need to use fat of some kind without other liquids.

dipdip

Yes, your potatoes will go mushy in the oven if you add any liquid that is not a fat. Lightly boil your potatoes and ruffle their edges by tossing them in a colander. This will give you great crispy edges. Toss the spuds in any hot melted fat you like and roast until crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Everything else is just a matter of taste.

However one more point to note - when I made Sparks' pulled pork, the cooking liquid was not fit for eating, it needed to be discarded.

Pulled pork with roast veg, roast potatoes, stuffing balls, apple sauce and gravy would be a fabulous meal.

Dubl07

@LordChessington

dipdip wrote: »

Yes, your potatoes will go mushy in the oven if you add any liquid that is not a fat. Lightly boil your potatoes and ruffle their edges by tossing them in a colander. This will give you great crispy edges. Toss the spuds in any hot melted fat you like and roast until crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
...
Pulled pork with roast veg, roast potatoes, stuffing balls, apple sauce and gravy would be a fabulous meal.

+1 - that's very good advice

I sometimes flavour my roasties by including aromatics in the parboiling liquid. I've successfully used garlic and/or woody herbs such as rosemary, thyme and bay as well as turmeric and cumin (not all at the same time) at that stage. The parboiling or steaming is important, as is drying them off (I sea-salt them as well) for a couple of minutes before introducing them to sizzling-hot oil. So perhaps include your sage etc in the steaming process.