CRANBERRY STUFFING FOR TURKEY RECIPES

Steps:

• Place the flour, caster sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter, eggs, yeast, milk and warm water.
• Mix the ingredients with your hands until a rough dough is formed.
• Tip the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead well for ten minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
• Place the dough into a clean, oiled bowl , cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise for one hour.
• Tip the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface.
• Roll out the dough into a rectangle about 50x28cm/20x11in. Turn the dough so that the longer edge is closest to you and “tack” the dough to the work surface by pressing it down firmly with your finger.
• Spread cranberry sauce onto the surface of the dough with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the shredded turkey and stuffing on top.
• Roll the long side of the dough towards you quite tightly, forming a spiral inside. When rolled up, release the tacked edge and place it onto a floured part of the surface. With a sharp knife cut the sausage shape into 5cm/2in rounds.
• Place all spiral rounds, swirly side up, into a large, deep roasting tin or baking tray greased thoroughly with butter, leaving a 1cm/½in space between each one. You want them to be close enough so that they will bake with their sides touching.
• Cover with a damp tea towel and set aside in a warm place to rise for an hour. They should have expanded and be touching each other.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• When the buns are ready, put them in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
• After removing the buns from the oven, let them cool slightly before removing them from the tin and placing on a cooling rack.
• When ready to eat, pull the buns apart to reveal the soft edges.

Steps:

• Remove the turkey from the fridge 1 hour before cooking to let it come up to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7. Finely chop the cranberries, then pick the leaves from a few thyme sprigs and mix with the butter, seasoning with a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Gently push a rubber spatula between the skin and the breast meat of the turkey to create a pocket, then push in half the butter and smooth it down with your fingers (see tip). Rub any excess butter from your hands over the skin, getting into all the nooks and crannies, then stuff half the remaining thyme sprigs into the cavity. Place the giblets in a large roasting tray with the remaining thyme, then sit the turkey on top and cover the bird snugly with tin foil. Place the turkey in the hot oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes per kilo for a higher-welfare bird, or 35 to 40 minutes per kilo for a standard bird. After 2 hours 40 minutes, remove the foil and spoon some fat from the bottom of the pan over the bird. Carefully dip the bacon in the meat juices and drape or weave over the bird. Return the turkey to the oven for the remaining time, or until golden and cooked through. To check if it’s cooked, stick a knife into the thickest part of the thigh – if the juices run clear and the meat pulls apart easily, it’s cooked. If not, cook it for a bit longer then check again. Use heavy-duty tongs to lift up your bird so all the juices run from the cavity into the tray, then transfer the turkey to a platter, cover with a double layer of foil and a tea towel, and leave to rest for up to 2 hours. Reserve the tray of giblets and juices to make my Chestnut gravy.