Baked camembert with Sharing Bread
Serves 8
Prep: 30 minutes
Rise: 1 hour – 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cooking: 45 minutes
For the bread:
500g strong white bread flour
7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
2 tsp Maldon Garlic Sea Salt
Small bunch of thyme, leaves picked
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing the bowl
350ml warm water
1 egg, beaten, for brushing
For the camembert:
250g Camembert
1 garlic clove, sliced
A couple of thyme sprigs, cut into smaller lengths
For the chive butter:
100g unsalted butter
Small bunch of chives, finely sliced
Maldon Garlic Sea Salt
Your favourite chutney and/or relish, to serve
Measure the flour, yeast, Maldon Garlic Sea Salt, thyme, oil and water into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook, mix on a low speed until the dough comes together then increase the speed to medium and continue to mix for a further 5-7 minutes until the dough is smooth and stretchy.
Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 1- 1.5 hours, until doubled in volume.
Tip the dough onto a clean surface and knead for a couple of minutes to “knock back”. Divide into 20 balls, each weighing about 40-45g.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Put a heatproof bowl, one that is a few centimeters larger than the camembert, in the centre of the tray. Arrange the balls of dough around the bowl, with a little space between each ball to allow for them to expand during the second prove. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for about 30 minutes until puffed and almost doubled in volume.
Preheat the oven to 200C fan.
Brush the dough balls with beaten egg and bake for 25-30 minutes until risen and golden brown on both the tops and underneath. Set aside to cool a little as you bake the camembert and make the chive butter.
Unwrap the camembert from its packaging then place back in its box, leaving the lid off. Cut a few small slits in the top of the cheese and insert the garlic and thyme sprigs. Place on a small baking tray.
Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the centre of the cheese has melted.
As the camembert bakes, make the chive butter. Melt the butter in a small pan then stir through the chives and a pinch of Maldon Garlic Sea Salt.
Brush the rolls with the chive butter and serve with the baked camembert in the middle.
Christmas Roast Beef with Easy Veg Medley
Serves: 8
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
For the beef:
2kg sirloin roasting joint
1-2 tbsp oil or beef fat
Maldon Original Sea Salt
A glass of red wine
For the veg:
3 red or brown onions, cut into wedges
500g (rainbow) carrots, cut in half lengthways
500g parsnips, cut into long batons
Small bunch of thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
Maldon Original Sea Salt
To serve:
Creamed horseradish (or a mix of 1:1 creamed horseradish and creme fraiche, plus a little chopped parsley)
Mustard
Take the beef out of the fridge 2 hours before cooking. Pat dry and season all over with Maldon Sea Salt.
Once the beef has come up to room temperature, preheat the oven to 180C fan.
Put the veg and thyme on a large roasting tray. Toss with 2 tbsp olive oil and season with Maldon Sea Salt and black pepper. Roast for 5-10 minutes as you sear the beef.
Set a large frying pan over a high heat, add a little oil or beef fat and, once hot, brown the beef on all sides. Perch the browned beef on top of the vegetables, pour in the glass of wine, and transfer to the oven for 20 minutes per kilo (40 minutes for a 2kg joint), turning the roasting tray halfway to ensure even cooking.
For the most accurate results, use a meat thermometer and remove the joint from the oven when the internal temperature at the centre of the thickest part of the joint reaches 48-50C for rare, or 51-53 C for medium-rare. The temperature will continue to rise as the beef rests, taking it up to 51-53 C for rare or 54-56 for medium-rare. Rest for 20 minutes.
Serve the beef and vegetables with creamed horseradish and mustard
Fondant potatoes
Serves 6
Prep: 8 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
6 medium Maris Piper potatoes, about 750g, peeled
2 tbsp olive oil
100g butter, cubed
6 garlic cloves, lightly crushed with the side of a knife
Small bunch of rosemary
Small bunch of thyme
200ml chicken or vegetable stock
Maldon Smoked Sea Salt
Cut the potatoes into 1.5 inch thick rounds.
Preheat a large, heavy-based (preferably cast iron) pan over a medium-high heat. Add the oil, once warm, arrange the potato rounds cut side down.
Fry for 5-7 minutes on the first side until well browned then turn and brown on the other side for 3-5 minutes. Season with Maldon Smoked Sea Salt then add the butter. Once foaming, add the garlic and herbs.
Carefully pour in the stock around the potatoes, cover and gently simmer for 20-25 minutes (in which time the stock will reduce) until tender.
Red cabbage with Christmas spices
Serves 6-8
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
2 tbsp olive oil
50g butter
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 cinnamon stick
⅓ nutmeg kernel, finely grated
¼-⅓ tsp ground cloves, to taste
1 head of red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
3 eating apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
3 tbsp soft brown sugar, or other sweetener of choice
6 tbsp red wine vinegar
Maldon Original Sea Salt
In a large, heavy-based pot, warm the olive oil and half the butter. Once foaming, add the onion and a pinch of Maldon Sea Salt. Cook gently, stirring every so often, for 10-15 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Fry for a minute or so until fragrant, then add the cabbage and stir to coat in the spiced, buttery mixture.
Add the apple, sugar and vinegar. Stir well, then turn down the heat to low, cover the pan and leave to cook for 30-40 minutes until tender.
Taste for seasoning, then add the remaining 25g butter. Taste again, adding a little more sugar, vinegar or Maldon Sea Salt, as needed.
Christmas Sticky Toffee Pudding With Salted Caramel Sauce
Serves 8
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour, 30 minutes
For the pudding:
150g self-raising flour
2 tsp mixead spice
⅓ nutmeg kernel, finely grated
1 tsp Maldon Original Sea Salt
100g unsalted butter
100g light brown sugar
2 eggs
225g medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
100g walnuts, roughly chopped
1 Bramley apple, peeled, cored and coarsely grated
Zest of an orange
2 tbsp golden syrup
50ml brandy
For the sauce:
175g light soft brown sugar
50g butter
300ml double cream
1 tsp Maldon Original Sea Salt
Butter and line the base of a 1.5-litre pudding basin with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 140C fan.
For the pudding, mix the dry ingredients (flour, mixed spice, nutmeg and Maldon Sea Salt) in a large bowl.
In a stand mixer or large bowl and electric whisks, beat the butter and sugar and soft and fluffy. Add the eggs, one by one, beating between each addition.
Fold in the dates, walnuts, apple and orange zest, followed by the golden syrup and brandy. Fold in the dry ingredients, stirring lightly just to combine.
Transfer the mixture to the lined pudding basin and bake for 1 hr 20 minutes – 1 hr 30 minutes until a skewer inserted in the middle of the pudding comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
For the sauce, put all the ingredients in a medium pan. Set over a low heat and cook, stirring continuously, until the sugar has dissolved. Turn the heat up and bubble the sauce for a few minutes, keeping a close eye, until syrupy and golden.
Serve the pudding with the salted caramel sauce poured on top.