CALM DRINKS RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. So, guys, to make this incredible treat obviously requires you to have leftovers, which will differ for all of us. I’ve given you the recipe for the pigs in blankets and the batter, and everything else is based on what you’ve got – just don’t overload it.
  2. Start by moving your oven shelves around so you have plenty of space in the middle of the oven for your Yorkshire to grow.
  3. Preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF/gas 7.
  4. For the Yorkshire, beat the eggs into the flour with a pinch of sea salt, then gradually whisk in the milk to give you a smooth batter, and pour into a jug.
  5. Wrap half a rasher of bacon around each sausage, poking in a sage leaf, too. Pop on to a baking tray with the potatoes (roughly chop, if you like), balls or pinches of stuffing, and the sprouts.
  6. Pick over the rosemary leaves and place in the top of the oven for 10 minutes.
  7. Pour the sunflower oil into a baking dish (25cm x 30cm) and place in the oven on the shelf underneath, to preheat the oil properly.
  8. Meanwhile, for the gravy, wash, trim and finely slice the leek, then put it into a frying pan on a medium heat with the butter or dripping. Cook for 10 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally.
  9. Shred in the turkey meat and stir in the flour and cranberry sauce, followed by the stock.
  10. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thick, then taste and season to perfection.
  11. For the next bit, you need to be cool, calm and safe, as you’re working with hot oil, and you want to retain the heat from the oven.
  12. Have your jug of batter ready and two oven gloves or tea towels. Keep the tray of oil in the oven and carefully pull the shelf out a little.Holding it steady, pour in the batter, then gently transfer everything from the tray above into the centre.
  13. Push the shelf back in and keep the door shut for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the Yorkshire is puffed up and golden.
  14. Serve the Christmas toad in the hole with the dirty gravy, any extra cranberry sauce, and with a nice fresh slaw on the side.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Lightly grease two baking trays lined with baking paper.
• Measure the butter and sugar into a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk. Sieve in the flour and spices and add enough milk to make a fairly soft dough. Bring together, using your hands, to make a soft dough.
• Halve the mixture and set half to one side.
• For the traditional currant biscuits, add the currants to half of the mixture and knead lightly on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out to a thickness of about 5mm/¼in. Cut into rounds using a circular cutter. Place on the prepared baking trays. Sprinkle with caster sugar.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until pale golden brown. Keep a careful eye on the biscuits – it doesn’t matter if you open the oven door to check. Sprinkle with more caster sugar and lift onto a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container.
• For the iced biscuits, knead the remaining half of the biscuit dough lightly on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out to a thickness of 5mm/¼in. Cut out Easter biscuits using an assortment of shaped cutters, such as bunnies, Easter eggs, chicks or spring flowers.
• Lightly grease two baking trays lined with baking paper.
• Place the biscuit shapes on the prepared baking trays and bake in the preheated oven for 10–15 minutes. Remove from the oven and lift onto a wire rack to cool.
• To make the icing, pass one teaspoon of lemon juice through a fine sieve, to remove any pips or bits. Mix the icing sugar with the lemon juice and then add about two tablespoons of cold water, adding it little by little until you have a relatively stiff but smooth icing. Add a splash more sieved lemon juice if necessary.
• Divide the icing into separate bowls and mix in food colourings of your choice into the separate bowls of icing, until you achieve the desired shade.
• Spoon a little icing into a piping bag and pipe your decorations onto the biscuits. For a smooth finish, you can pipe the outline of your design in the firmer icing, then slacken it down a bit by mixing in a little more water, giving the icing more of a runny consistency, and use this to fill in the designs.