Hampers At Christmas And Gourmet Food

If you decide to make things at home to put in to gourmet food gift baskets and Christmas hampers you should make sure that the ingredients are fresh and prepared in the best possible way

If you are preparing that perfect Christmas cake try adding one dessert spoon of sherry or rum for every pound of fruit you are going to use and soak the fruit overnight, before heating the oven place a container in the bottom of the oven containing water, this helps to create a warm moist place which will lead to the perfect moist Christmas cake. When you remove the cake, do so in a room without a draught and leave to cool before first wrapping the cake in greaseproof paper then wrapping in tinfoil and store in a cool dry place

If you are going with tradition and baking your own Christmas pudding then dont forget to add coins to the Christmas pudding, of course, care should be taken especially if children are going to be eating it and you should always tell your guests you put them in there. Coins can be added to bought puddings and these can be inserted gently once the pudding is cooked and turned onto a plate, dont forget to boil the coins for at least 3 minutes before using them and spread them to ensure everyone gets one to avoid disappointment.

The central part of any Christmas dinner is the turkey. You would like it to be cooked to perfection with a chrispy golden skin. After many hours of cooking the last thing you need is a disappointment. It is a good idea to let your turkey stand for fifteen minutes before carving and to cut the dark meat before the light. I was informed that the easiest way to remove the wings, legs and thighs is to cut between the joints with a sharp knife where the bones meet.

There are some basic guidelines to cook the perfect Christmas turkey

Always prepare your turkey stuffing well in advance and allow to cool

Make sure that you stuff the neck cavity of your turkey

Be sure to rest your turkey on a bed of chopped onions in the dish to add some extra flavor. It also helps to stop your bird from becoming watery and you can use the onions in your gravy

It’s a good idea to use sliced oranges or lemons to your turkey before you add the stuffing as this will add subtle flavor. Be sure to place these in the cavity.

You can season turkey skin with spices, salt and pepper mixed with butter of a light cooking oil to really absorb the flavors in to the meat.

Place strips of streaky smoked bacon over the turkey about half way through the cooking time.

Eggnog is always a winner at Christmas and is very popular with the traditionalists. Many people add brandy to their mix, although you can have it without alcohol and even without eggs for th dairly and egg intolerants among us. Eggnog is a quick way to warm any new visitors to the house and is best in small doses as can be very potent.

This is a great non alcoholic eggnog recipe. Separate the yolks from the whites of a dozen eggs and beat the whites. It then best to add a half cup of sugar while beating the eggs until the whites start to peak. You’ll need to beat the yolks in a separate bowl until they are creamed and then slowly add 1 cup of sugar as you mix. Finally, take one quart of cream, beat until stiff and mix the eggs, cream and add a touch of vanilla flavoring. Pour the mix in to containers and leave it to set for at least 24hrs. Finally, serve in a large bowl and add a touch of nutmeg.

Tagged with: Wine

Filed under: Wine

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