I’ve always been massively into Christmas. When I was growing up, it was one big feast, with breakfast rolling into a huge lunch and then glorious leftovers on Boxing Day. Brandy butter was my favourite treat – I remember eating it cold from the fridge – but I loved Christmas pudding, too. My mum would start making it in January and it was a lovely thing to be part of: we all took turns stirring and putting the money in.
At Bread Ahead, where I’m head baker, the festive season kicks off on 1 December: the music goes on, the elf hats come out and away we go. My wife Louise and I do the Christmas Day shift – we don’t have a massive family and it gives all the other bakers a chance to take the day off. Once things calm down on the 27th or 28th, Louise and I go home and have our proper Christmas.
It’s definitely worth putting some effort into Christmas baking. It’s a great time for the family to get together, crack open a bag of flour and go to town on brioches and biscuits and cakes. You don’t have to put entire Christmas trees in the oven and infuse them in vats of milk, as we did at Bread Ahead to make singed pine custard, but you can if you want. Even if you aren’t an experienced baker, whatever you bake at home, however misshapen, is going to be better than what you buy.
Singed pine custard tart
Make sure you bake the pastry enough as no one likes a soggy bottom, and also be sure to take the tart out of the oven while the filling still has a lovely wobble to it, as the residual heat will finish the cooking process.
Make sure the pine twigs you use are from an edible variety of pine, and don’t confuse pine with yew, which is toxic.
Serves 12-16
For the pastry
soft light brown sugar 20g
caster sugar 160g
unsalted butter 250g
egg yolks 4, plus 1 extra to seal
strong white bread flour 450g
fine sea salt a pinch
For the filling
pine twigs 8 x 10cm
double cream 900ml
egg yolks 9
caster sugar 100g
salt a pinch
whole nutmeg 1, for grating
pine pollen 2 tsp, for dusting
For the pastry, place the light brown sugar, caster sugar and butter in a bowl and cream together till white and fluffy.
Add the 4 egg yolks one at a time, incorporating slowly to prevent curdling, then add the sifted flour and salt and mix until combined together.
Roll the dough into a ball and flatten a little. Wrap in baking paper or clingfilm and place in the fridge for 5-6 hours, but ideally overnight.
Take the dough out of the fridge and allow to soften. Butter and flour a 30cm tart case that’s at least 3-4cm deep.
Roll out your dough on a floured surface to 3mm thickness. Line your case with the dough, being sure to press it right into the edges. Chill for 2-3 hours in the fridge (again, ideally overnight), or 45 minutes in the freezer.
Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.
Take the tart case straight from the fridge or freezer, cover it with baking paper, then fill with baking beans and place into the oven. Bake for 18 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 10-12 minutes or until golden brown all over. (Do not under-bake the tart case as you will miss out on the moment when your spoon goes through the tart and you get to the pastry and then ... crunch!)
Remove the tart case from the oven and brush with a beaten egg yolk (this is to seal any holes or cracks in the case). Still in its tin, place on a cooling rack and leave the pastry to cool completely. Turn the oven down to 120C/gas mark ½.
While your pastry is cooling, make the filling. Place the pine twigs on a metal tray and use a blowtorch to singe the twigs (or do this under a grill). Place them in a saucepan with the double cream and bring slowly to the boil to infuse the cream with the pine.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together for just a minute. Pour the boiling pine cream over the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Pass through a fine sieve, and really push down on the pine to extract as much flavour as possible.
Pour the warm custard mix into the blind-baked tart case, then grate half of the nutmeg on top (do not use ready-ground nutmeg) and dust the pine pollen evenly over the nutmeg.
Place carefully in the oven – don’t spill any filling down the sides of the pastry (or you will have soggy pastry).
Bake for about 20 minutes, and then carefully turn the tart around and bake for a further 6-8 minutes, or until there is only a small wobble in the centre.
Take out of the oven and place on a rack to cool. Leave in the tin until cooled completely.
This is best eaten the day it’s made, and at its absolute finest eaten within 2 hours of cooling. But it’s also lovely cold, for breakfast on Boxing Day.
Note: Pine pollen can be bought online from health food shops.
Piparkakut
These Finnish spiced biscuits have a lovely sharp and warming flavour, and are normally baked for a Christmas treat. This recipe makes enough to fill your biscuit tin to overflowing, perfect for presents over the festive holidays.
Makes about 50
pure honey 100g
black treacle 120g
unsalted butter 270g
soft dark brown sugar 180g
plain flour 680g, plus extra for dusting
bicarbonate of soda 2 tsp
ground cinnamon 20g
ground cloves 10g
ground cardamom 10g
ground ginger 24g
ground mace 6g
eggs 2
orange zest grated from 2 oranges
Put the honey, black treacle, butter and sugar into a saucepan, then place on a low heat and melt all the ingredients together. Once melted, leave to cool for 20 minutes (make sure the butter is completely cool – don’t use it warm).
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and all the spices into a large mixing bowl and give them a mix.
Pour the treacle mix into the flour mix. Crack in the eggs and add the orange zest, then, with a heavy hand (as this mix is fairly stiff), stir all the ingredients together and mix well until all is evenly combined and a smooth dark paste is formed.
Shape the dough into a ball, pop it back into the bowl, then cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours to rest and firm up.
Take out of the fridge and leave to soften for about 1 hour. Preheat your oven to 160C/gas mark 3 and line a baking tray with baking paper.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll your dough out nice and thin, to just a couple of millimetres thick. Cut your biscuits out to any shape you like, then place them on the lined baking tray and bake for 14 minutes. Once baked, let them cool on the tray.
From Baking School, the Bread Ahead Cookbook by Matthew Jones, Justin Gellatly & Louise Gellatly (Fig Tree, £25)
Cheese, mustard and cayenne straws, and dried shrimp and sesame straws
These cheese straws are perfect for any soirée – make both varieties and serve in glasses for the full effect.
Makes 24 straws for each topping
plain flour for dusting
puff pastry 1kg (see below)
egg 1 beaten, for the eggwash
For the puff pastry (makes a mighty 2.5kg but it freezes really well)
strong white bread flour 1kg, plus extra for dusting
fine sea salt 15g
cold unsalted butter 250g, diced
cold water 450g
white wine vinegar 25g
unsalted butter 750g, softened
For the cheese filling
dijon mustard 2 tbsp
grated cheese 200g
cayenne pepper a good sprinkle
For the dried shrimp filling
dried shrimps 2 tsp
egg white 1, beaten
grated cheese 150g
dried chilli flakes 10g
sesame seeds for sprinkling
Don’t be put off by the length of time it takes to make puff pastry – once you have mastered it and made it a few times you will wonder why you’ve never made it before.
To make the puff pastry, place the flour, salt and diced butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the beater attachment, and mix on slow speed until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
Change the attachment to the dough hook. Add the cold water and vinegar to the flour mix, and mix on a medium speed for about 2 minutes. The dough should feel nice and pliable.
Alternatively, place the flour, salted and diced butter in a bowl and rub the butter into the flour, using your fingertips, until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Add the cold water and vinegar and mix together until a dough is formed.
Take the dough out of the bowl, wrap it in clingfilm and put it into the fridge to rest for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
When your dough has chilled enough, take the second quantity of butter out of the fridge to soften. When it’s been out for 30-40 minutes or so, take out the dough. The dough and butter need to be the same softness (this is very important).
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into the shape of a cross measuring about 45cm, leaving the centre thicker than the flaps which make the arms of the cross. Dot the softened butter evenly over the centre of the dough and fold over the flaps or “arms” to enclose it. Fold over the top and bottom flaps first, then cover with the side flaps to make sure no butter is showing. If the flaps are not long enough to cover the butter just roll them out a little longer.
Start rolling lengthways until you have a strip about 70cm long and 25cm wide, brushing off any excess flour. Make sure all the sides are straight. With one of the shorter sides nearest you, fold it into thirds, first bottom to middle, then top to bottom. This finishes the first turn.
Turn the pastry so that the seam or join is always on its right and roll it out again before folding just as before. This is the second turn. Wrap the pastry in clingfilm and put it into the fridge for 3 hours.
Repeat another 2 turns as above, and again rest for 3 hours. Finally, do another 2 turns so that you have done 6 turns in total.
Rest the pastry again, then, when ready to use, take 2 x 500g pieces and on a lightly floured work surface, roll out each piece to 90cm x 35cm. (You can freeze the leftover pastry for another time.)
To make the cheese, mustard and cayenne straws: with the longest edge nearest to you, spread the mustard evenly over one piece of the pastry, right to the edges. Sprinkle the left-hand half of the pastry with cheese and cayenne (depending on how hot you want them). Fold over the half without cheese and press down to seal, then place on a baking tray lined with baking paper and chill in the fridge until firm.
To make the dried shrimp and sesame straws: soak the dried shrimps in just-boiled water for 15 minutes, to rehydrate them. Strain and give them a squeeze to get rid of any excess water. Chop the shrimps (not too small, just run a knife through them once). With the longest edge nearest to you, brush the whole of the second piece of pastry with the beaten egg white. Sprinkle the left-hand half of the pastry with the grated cheese, along with the shrimps and a few chilli flakes, then fold over the half without filling and press down to seal. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper and chill in the fridge until firm.
Once firm, place each pastry on a board. Brush with eggwash and sprinkle the sesame seeds over the dried shrimp and sesame straws. Slice each pastry into long straws, twist them gently, and lay them on a baking tray lined with baking paper (you can use the same ones as before), leaving a little space between them.
Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Bake the straws until golden brown, which should take 16-18 minutes for the cheese, mustard and cayenne version and 18-20 minutes for the dried shrimp and sesame one.
Remember to have some chilled bubbles in the fridge, ready to go.
From Baking School, the Bread Ahead Cookbook by Matthew Jones, Justin Gellatly & Louise Gellatly (Fig Tree, £25)
Christmas brioche
This is sure to be the highlight of any breakfast table. The recipe uses rum-soaked raisins, so do that first: just cover raisins in rum and leave to soak, the longer the better. We always have a jar in the cupboard that has been going for at least for three months.
Serves 8-12
strong white bread flour 500g
fine sea salt 12g
orange zest grated from 1 orange
caster sugar 30g
fresh yeast 15g (or 8g dried yeast)
eggs 6
unsalted butter 125g, softened
lard 125g
dried cranberries 150g
mixed peel 50g
rum-soaked raisins 80g
beaten egg 1, for glazing
To finish
unsalted butter 50g
rum 20ml
icing sugar for dusting
Put the flour, salt, orange zest and sugar into a bowl and combine. Crumble the fresh yeast into a separate bowl and add the eggs. Mix together until the yeast has dissolved. (If using dried yeast, add it to the flour, salt and sugar instead, then stir in the beaten eggs.) Pour the yeast and egg mixture into the flour mix. Bring together in the bowl, then tip onto a dry surface. With the heel of your hand, stretch and tear the dough for 8-10 minutes. This will develop the gluten and make the dough nice and elasticated.
Place the dough back into the bowl and cover. Allow to rest for 30 minutes. Uncover the bowl and place the dough back onto the table.
Start to add the butter and lard, little bits at a time as you continue to stretch and tear the dough. Each time the butter and lard is incorporated, add a little bit more. (It should take about 8 minutes to incorporate all of it.)
Next, add the cranberries, mixed peel and rum-soaked raisins, once again stretching through the dough. Cover and leave out for 1 hour then place in the fridge for 2-4 hours.
Butter a deep 23cm springform cake tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment – make sure the sides of the paper come up 5cm above the rim of the tin.
You are now ready to shape your dough. Divide the dough into 15 pieces each weighing about 100g, and shape the pieces into tight, smooth balls, then squeeze them in the tin, so they’re cosy. Place 10 around the sides of the tin, then 4 as the next row in, and lastly squeeze the last one in the middle.
Place onto the tray and glaze carefully with a beaten egg. Leave to rise for 2-4 hours, until the dough has risen to the top of the tin.
Preheat your oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Place the tin on the tray in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, turning once. Before you take it out, make sure the middle is baked so it’s nice and firm.
Just before your brioche comes out, melt the 50g butter and add the rum to it. As soon as you take the brioche from the oven, brush with the rum butter, then heavily dust with icing sugar.
Allow to cool a little and then enjoy. It’s also delicious toasted the next day, or in a cheeky bread and butter pudding.
Orange and ginger amaretti
A stunning crisp and chewy treat with the warming spice of ginger and juicy fresh zest. A perfect gift to take to Christmas parties, they also go well with espresso or a sherry or two.
Makes 18 snowy balls of joy!
egg whites 2 (70g)
caster sugar 188g
ground almonds 300g
chopped stem ginger 1 tbsp
ground ginger 1 tsp, plus 1 tsp extra for dusting
stem ginger syrup 1½ tsp
vanilla extract 1 tsp
orange zest grated from 2 oranges
icing sugar 100g, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.
Place the egg whites in a bowl and hand whisk them until frothy, then add the sugar and whisk until soft peaks are formed. This will take a good few minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients (except for the icing sugar and ground ginger for dusting) and mix with a spatula until incorporated.
Now cut the dough into 18 pieces, ensuring each weighs about 30g, then roll them into balls.
Sieve the icing sugar and extra ground ginger into a tray, mix together and place the balls in the tray. Roll them around, then leave them to sit for 10 minutes to absorb some of the icing sugar. Now carpet-bomb the balls with the icing-sugar mix, really packing it on.
Carefully place the sugared amaretti on a lined baking tray, giving them a little room between each other as they will puff out a little.
Bake for 16 minutes until they’re cracked all over and golden brown on the cracked edges. Take them out and leave to cool a little before serving; or entirely, if they’re going to be a gift.
Macadamia, hazelnut, parsnip and brown butter cake with a heady mist and salted praline sprinkle
Makes 1 cake for about 14
For the cake
macadamia nuts 75g
blanched hazelnuts 75g
unsalted butter125g (to make 100g brown butter)
sunflower oil 230ml
parsnips 250g
orange zest grated from 1 orange
eggs 4
caster sugar 220g
soft light brown sugar 220g
plain flour 300g, sifted
bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp
baking powder ½ tsp
mixed spice ½ tsp
ginger ½ tsp
cinnamon ¼ tsp
nutmeg ½ tsp
salt a pinch
softened butter for greasing
For the mist
Drambuie
Cointreau
light sugar syrup (simmer equal parts water and sugar in a saucepan for 5 minutes, then leave to cool)
For the salted praline
blanched hazelnuts 200g
macadamia nuts 175g
caster sugar 225g
crunchy/flaky sea salt
For the icing
unsalted butter 260g (to make 215g brown butter)
icing sugar 650g
vanilla extract 1 tsp
milk 75ml
For the decoration
roasted macadamia nuts 14 whole
candied orange peel
gold and silver leaf optional
Make the praline first. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.
Put all the nuts on a greased and baking-paper lined tray and toast them in the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown, checking them halfway through. (Do the macadamias for decoration now, too, and remember to set them aside.) Keep the tray aside.
Put the sugar into a heavy-based saucepan and melt it on a low heat for 3-4 minutes, then turn up the heat and let it become a dark brown caramel. Take off the heat and add the nuts, stir, then pour onto the greased/papered tray from earlier and leave to cool.
Once the nut praline is cold and hard, break it into small pieces with a rolling pin then whiz it to fine crumb in a food processor. Mix in a healthy few pinches of crunchy or flaky sea salt, and store in an airtight container. It should keep for a good few months.
To make the cake, preheat the oven to 160C/gas mark 3. Roughly chop the macadamias and hazelnuts, leaving some big pieces for crunch. Place the chopped nuts on a roasting tray and then pop them in the oven and toast until golden brown, around 8 minutes, then leave to cool. Keep the oven on, as the cake bakes at this temperature.
Put the butter into a small saucepan and melt on a low heat. When the butter starts to foam, stir continually to stop the milk solids burning. When it browns and smells nutty and toasty, pour the butter into a bowl and add the oil. Stir together, then pass through a fine sieve. Allow to cool a little.
Using the large holes on a box grater, coarsely grate the parsnips into a large bowl, add the toasted chopped nuts and the orange zest and stir together.
Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugars together in a large bowl for 2 minutes, whisk the oil mixture in gradually, then stir in the grated parsnip mixture.
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, spices and salt into another large bowl and mix together then fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until all incorporated.
Butter a deep 23cm springform cake tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment. Pour in the mix and bake for about 1 hour 30 minutes, until risen, golden brown and firm to touch.
Place on a cooling rack and leave in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out, then place on your serving plate ready for misting.
Mix the Drambuie, Cointreau and light sugar syrup together to your desired taste/strength. I like it strong and heady with booze (it’s Christmas!).Pour it into a spray bottle, and heavily mist the cake. Leave the mist to settle for 5 minutes.
For the icing, place the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it is a nice nut brown colour. Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to cool.
Slowly whisk the icing sugar and vanilla in to the butter, then slowly add the milk. Using an electric beater on a high speed setting, beat until smooth.
Give the cake another mist and leave to settle for another 5 minutes. Then ice the cake from top to bottom.
Now, lastly, sprinkle with the salted praline all over and garnish with roasted macadamia nuts, candied orange peel, and gold and silver leaf, if using.
Enjoy slices with ice cream or clouds of whipped cream – and perhaps another mist or two.
To order a copy of Baking School, the Bread Ahead Cookbook by Matthew Jones, Justin Gellatly & Louise Gellatly (Fig Tree, £25) for £21.25, go to guardian bookshop.com or call 0330 333 6846
- This article was amended on 19 December 2017 to remove references to Christmas trees in the singed pine custard tart recipe. Only twigs from edible pine should be used.
