I never really know what I want for Christmas, but when it comes to festive desserts, I’m surprisingly certain. So certain, in fact, that I have four rules. One: fruit, in all its forms, is always a splendid idea – poached, crystallised, candied, tinned or dried, its ability to pull off sweet-but-not-too-heavy is unparalleled. Two: plan a dessert that you can make a good day or so in advance – your 3pm Christmas Day elf-self will thank you. Three: everyone loves a wobble. Jelly! Panna cotta! Last, and most crucially, if you’re ever in doubt, add, drizzle or drench with booze.
Hibiscus-poached pears with toasted coconut custard (pictured top)
All the elements for this can be made well ahead: the pears up to three days beforehand and the custard and crunchy bits two. Everything will then sit patiently, ready to be assembled in a minute.
Prep 25 min
Cook 1 hr 10 min
Cool/infuse 4 hr
Serves 6
For the pears
8 williams pears, peeled, stalks kept intact
300g caster sugar
1 star anise
2 lemons, skin pared off with a peeler, then squeezed to get 60ml juice
15g dried hibiscus flowers
For the custard
100g desiccated coconut, well toasted (preferably in the oven)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
800ml whole milk
300ml double cream
9 egg yolks (save the whites for another use)
70g caster sugar
½ tsp flaked salt
For the crunchy bits
40g desiccated coconut
8 gingernuts (80g), broken into 1cm pieces
40g unsalted butter, melted
½ tsp caster sugar
⅛ tsp flaked salt
Put the pears, sugar, star anise, lemon peel and juice, and hibiscus flowers in a medium saucepan, and add a litre and a half of water. Cut out a circular piece of greaseproof paper to fit the diameter of the pan, then tear a small hole in the middle about (2½cm/an inch or so): this will help the pears poach evenly. Bring the contents of the pan to a hard simmer, then cover with the paper, turn down the heat to low and cook for 25-30 minutes, until the tip of a sharp knife slides easily through the middle of the fruit.
Take off the heat and set aside for two to three hours, until the pears and the poaching liquid are both cool. Lift out the pears and set aside. Return the poaching liquid to a medium heat, cook for another 30-35 minutes, until reduced and syrupy, then take off the heat and leave to cool for 20 minutes; the syrup will thicken more as it cools. Strain the cooled syrup into a bowl or jug.
Meanwhile, make the custard. Put the toasted coconut, vanilla, milk and cream in a medium saucepan on a medium-high heat and stir every now and then as it comes to a boil. Immediately take off the heat and leave to infuse for an hour. Strain the mix through a fine-mesh sieve (discard the solids), and return to the same pan on a medium-low heat. Bring slowly to a steady simmer, then take off the heat.
Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and salt in a medium bowl, then quickly whisk in half the hot milk mixture. Pour the lot back into the milk pan, mix well, then put on a medium heat and cook gently, stirring often, for 10 to 12 minutes, until thickened. Cover the pan with reusable kitchen wrap and leave to cool.
Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4. Put all the ingredients for the crunchy bits in a bowl, mix well, then spread out on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 10 minutes, until golden, then remove and leave to cool.
To assemble the dish, divide the custard between six high-sided plates or bowls. Cut the pears in half and, using a teaspoon, remove the cores and inner stems. Arrange two pear halves on each plate, spoon over the syrup and serve with the crunchy bits scattered on top.
Panna cotta with Grand Marnier jelly
This whole dish can almost be made in full a few days ahead, but don’t add the orange topping until you’re ready to serve. Be sure to slice the stem ginger for the topping very thinly – use a mandoline, ideally – because it’s far too strong if it’s not cut super-thin. For an optional extra treat, put the aromatics from the Grand Marnier jelly mixture after straining into a teapot and add hot water for a wonderful cup of afternoon tea with a slight kick.
Prep 15 min
Cook 20 min
Set 6-8 hr
Serves 8-12
For the jelly
4 platinum gelatine sheets (ie, ½ a 13g pack)
60g stem ginger (about 3 globes), finely chopped
1 x 298g tin mandarin segments in their juice, strained – save the juice
80g demerara sugar
300ml Grand Marnier
2 sticks cinnamon
2 tsp whole cloves
For the panna cotta
3 platinum gelatine sheets
575ml double cream
300ml whole milk
2 vanilla pods (or 1½ tsp vanilla paste)
60g demerara sugar
For the orange and ginger topping
178g strained mandarin segments (ie, from the drained tin above)
60ml syrup from a jar of stem ginger
2 tbsp lemon juice
30g stem ginger, finely sliced (see recipe introduction)
First make the jelly. Put the gelatine in a bowl, cover with cold water and set aside. Put all the remaining jelly ingredients in a medium saucepan on a medium heat, simmer gently for 10 minutes, then take off the heat. Lift the gelatine out of its water, squeeze out, then drop into the Grand Marnier pan, stirring to combine and dissolve – the gelatine should melt almost instantly. Add 100ml cold water to the pan and put to one side for 30 minutes, to infuse and cool – don’t leave it any longer, or it will set in the pan.
Pour the jelly mix through a fine-mesh sieve and into a 19cm trifle mould (or similar-sized glass bowl), then put in the fridge for two to four hours to set.
Once the jelly is set, make the panna cotta. Put the gelatine sheets in a bowl, cover with cold water and set aside. Put all the remaining panna cotta ingredients in a medium pan on a medium-high heat and bring to scalding point – that is, to just below a boil – then take off the heat. Lift the gelatine sheets from the water, squeeze out, then add to the cream mixture and stir to combine – again, it should melt almost instantly. Set aside for about 30 minutes, to infuse while the mix cools to room temperature. Once cool, strain through a fine-mesh strainer on to the set jelly in the mould, stirring the panna cotta mixture as you do so, to make sure the vanilla seeds are evenly distributed, rather than all at the bottom of the pan. Put in the fridge for about four hours to set.
Make the topping only once you’re ready to serve. Mix the mandarin segments with the ginger syrup and lemon juice, and leave to infuse for a few minutes. Spoon the segments on top of the set panna cotta, along with a few tablespoons of the lemon ginger liquid, then top with the very finely sliced stem ginger. Portion into individual bowls, drizzle over the remaining lemon ginger liquid and serve.
Panettone and walnut tiramisu
Prepare this a day ahead, but don’t top it with the last of the toasted walnuts until just before serving. This is one to earmark for after Christmas, too, for any half-eaten panettone that’s looking for a good home.
Prep 15 min
Cook 25 min
Chill 4 hr+ (and up to 36 hr)
Serves 6 to 8
½ panettone (375g), cut into 2cm-long x 1cm-wide fingers
300ml double cream
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
100g icing sugar
220ml coffee liqueur, plus 1 tbsp extra
400g mascarpone
150ml brewed strong black coffee, at room temperature
20g walnuts, toasted
1½ tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4. Put the panettone fingers on an oven rack and toast in the oven for 10 minutes, until slightly golden. Remove and leave for about 20 minutes, to cool completely.
Put the cream and vanilla extract in a large bowl and whisk to soft peaks. Put the eggs, icing sugar and a tablespoon of the coffee liqueur in a separate large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, and whisk on a medium speed for six minutes, until pale, fluffy and doubled in size.
Beat the mascarpone into the egg mix in two batches, then fold in the whipped cream mix until everything is fully incorporated and the mixture forms soft peaks.
Now to assemble the tiramisu. Mix the remaining 220ml coffee liqueur and the coffee in a medium bowl. Dip each toasted panettone finger one by one in the coffee mix for just a few seconds, then arrange in the base of a 6cm-deep, 15cm x 30cm dessert dish – do this very quickly, or the panettone fingers might fall apart. Repeat until you’ve used up half the fingers, then spoon over half the cream mixture and use a spatula carefully to spread it out evenly. Finely grate half the walnuts over the top, then repeat the layers of soaked panettone fingers and cream. Dust the top with cocoa powder, then chill until required. Just before serving, finely grate the remaining walnuts over the top and take to the table.
