PRIMA’S LIFE-SAVING CHRISTMAS HACKS
Here are our handy tips and tricks to help take the stress out of hosting Christmas
GET AHEAD
Try to prepare as much as possible before guests arrive, so you can enjoy your day and spend less time in the kitchen. There are lots of things that can be made weeks ahead and frozen, such as cranberry sauce, braised red cabbage, gravy and mince pies.
FAKE IT
Make shop-bought mince pies taste home-made by popping them on a baking tray and warming them in the oven at 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5 for 5min, then dust with a little caster sugar or icing sugar. Stir some freshly grated orange zest into shop-bought cranberry sauce for a home-made touch. For easy canapés, wrap shop-bought cheese straws in Parma ham and bake in an oven preheated to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6 for 3-5min until crispy.
RESCUE REMEDIES
If your gravy lacks flavour, a little Marmite will liven it up. If it just looks insipid, add a couple of pinches of instant coffee to deepen the colour. Burnt flavours in your gravy? Add 1tbsp redcurrant jelly to disguise them. Too much salt? Add a splash of cream. If you discover the turkey is still pink when you’re about to carve it, don’t panic. Return it to the oven and check it every 10min. Cover the vegetables with foil, and when the turkey is ready, microwave any veg that’s been boiled or steamed, and put roasted veg in a high oven for 5min to reheat. Is your over-whipped cream looking more like butter? Add a splash of milk and stir gently to soften it. Need to warm plates quickly? Place in a sink of very hot water for 5min.
LEFTOVER IDEAS
Crumble leftover Christmas pudding into a bowl and stir in a little whisky or brandy. Use your hands to squish the mixture into truffles. Dip in melted chocolate and leave on a lined baking sheet to harden. Perfect with a coffee! If you’ve got lots of leftovers from Christmas dinner, add to a thick white sauce and tip into an ovenproof dish. Top with ready-rolled puff pastry and bake in an oven preheated to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6 for 30min, or until the filling is hot and the pastry golden. For an easy coronation sauce for leftover turkey, mix together 75g (3oz) sultanas, 75g (3oz) chopped dried apricots, 5tbsp Greek yoghurt, zest of ½ lemon, 1tsp curry powder and a little water. Perfect for sandwiches or salad.