Culinary Hotline - Christmas Entertaining Dishes

Whip these up right before the guests arrive!

All recipes by Clement Pedro

Ingredients:

For the spiced ginger cookies

  • 125 g butter, softened
  • 100 g brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons golden syrup
  • 250 g cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • Pinch of salt

For the White Chocolate and Cranberry cookies

  • 125 g butter, softened
  • 120 g brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 250 g cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 100 g white chocolate chunks
  • 80 g dried cranberries

How To Make Spiced Ginger Cookies and White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

  1. Spiced Ginger Cookies: Cream butter and sugar until light.
  2. Beat in the egg and golden syrup.
  3. Sift in dry ingredients and mix to a soft dough.
  4. Chill for 30 minutes.
  5. Roll into balls, flatten slightly and bake at 180°C for 10–12 minutes until set but still soft in the centre.
  6. White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies:
  7. Cream butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla.
  8. Fold in dry ingredients, then chocolate and cranberries.
  9. Roll into balls and bake at 180°C for 11–13 minutes until lightly golden.

Ingredients:

For the Vanilla Milk with White Chocolate Snow

  • 1 litre full-cream milk
  • 1 vanilla pod, split (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
  • 50 g white chocolate, finely grated

For the chocolate, pretzel & almond cookies

  • 125 g butter, softened
  • 120 g brown sugar
  • 50 g white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 200 g cake flour
  • 30 g cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 120 g dark chocolate chunks
  • 60 g salted pretzels, roughly crushed
  • 60 g roasted almonds, roughly chopped

How To Make Vanilla Milk with White Chocolate Snow Rim & Chocolate Pretzel and Almond milk Cookies

  1. For the vanilla milk: Gently heat the milk with vanilla until steaming, not boiling.
  2. Remove from heat and infuse for 5 minutes.
  3. Dip the rims of glasses lightly in warm milk, then into grated white chocolate to coat.
  4. Pour in the vanilla milk and serve warm.
  5. For the Chocolate Pretzel cookies:
  6. Cream butter and sugars until pale.
  7. Beat in egg and vanilla.
  8. Sift in dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
  9. Fold through chocolate, pretzels and almonds.
  10. Roll into balls, flatten slightly and bake at 180°C for 10–12 minutes.
  11. Cool briefly before moving.

Ingredients:

Lamb filling

  • 2 cups leftover roast lamb, finely chopped or shredded
  • 1 small onion or 2 shallots, finely diced
  • 1 clove garlic, grated
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • Handful fresh mint, finely chopped
  • Zest of ½ lemon

Phyllo & topping

  • 8–10 sheets phyllo pastry
  • Melted butter or olive oil, for brushing
  • Sesame seeds
  • Flaky sea salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • Mint & garlic yoghurt
  • 1 cup thick Greek yoghurt
  • 1 small clove garlic, finely grated
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
  • Salt to taste
  • Olive oil, to finish

How To Make Leftover Roast Lamb Phyllo Cigars with Mint & Garlic Yoghurt

  1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and soften the onion until translucent.
  2. Add the garlic and spices and cook briefly until fragrant.
  3. Stir through the lamb, season well, and cook just until warmed through.
  4. Remove from heat and fold in parsley, mint and lemon zest.
  5. Allow to cool slightly.
  6. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
  7. Line a baking tray with parchment.
  8. Lay one sheet of phyllo on a clean surface and brush lightly with butter or olive oil.
  9. Place another sheet on top and brush again.
  10. Cut into long strips.
  11. Spoon a small amount of lamb mixture near one end of each strip and roll tightly into cigar shapes, tucking in the sides as you go.
  12. Place seam-side down on the tray.
  13. Brush the tops lightly with butter or oil, then sprinkle with sesame seeds, flaky salt and cracked black pepper.
  14. Bake for 18–22 minutes until deeply golden and crisp.
  15. For the dip, mix yoghurt, garlic, lemon juice and mint.
  16. Season with salt and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
  17. Serve the cigars hot with the mint and garlic yoghurt alongside.

2 thoughts on “Culinary Hotline – Christmas Entertaining Dishes”

  1. Cindy Brentley

    These Spices Ginger Cookies are going to be a great addition to any Christmas treat. That smell of the spices leaves splendid aroma in the home❤️‍🩹.

    Reply

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