Tag: plenty

Homemade chocolates and sweets

Got a sweet tooth? You don’t have to head to the shops to get your favourite sweetie or chocolates. Learn how to make your own traditional treats with our easy, fun recipes. These deliciously simple ideas will also make lovely food gifts for friends and family.

Whether it’s a special occasion or if you just fancy something sweet, we’ve got some quick and easy recipes for making your very own homemade goodies. From creamy vanilla fudge to rich chocolate peppermint slices, we’ve got plenty of nibbles to choose from.

If you’re looking for a gift on a small budget, making your own food gift is the perfect choice. These chocolate and sweet treats can be enjoyed all year round, from birthdays to Christmas. Treat your mum this Mother’s Day to a box of specially made Turkish delights or wish your best friend a Merry Christmas with some melt-in-the-mouth peppermint creams.

There’s no need to stress for gift ideas when you can make these tasty bites. From white chocolate truffles to candy floss, we’ve got plenty of sweet recipes for you to try. All you need to do is buy is a gift bag or box to wrap the chocs in and you’re ready to go.

See something you like? Add it to your very own recipe book.

Christmas food to make now

Thinking about Christmas? Why not get super organised and start preparing some of your food and Christmas treats in advance?

Christmas can be stress free this year with these simple Christmas recipes that are ready to be prepared in advance. When it comes to Christmas Day you’ll have more time to spend with your family and less time slaving away in the kitchen – sounds good, right?

There are plenty of Christmas recipes that you can make weeks before the day. One of which is classic Christmas cake. We’ve got the ideal recipe from Mary Berry which you can make up to 3 months in advance and leave to mature for a greater taste. Or you could pop it into the freezer and leave until you’re in the mood for decorating it – perfect!

How about making some classic mince pies? Just use a jar of ready-made mincemeat and pop in the freezer once cooked. All you need to do is reheat them before you serve them Christmas day.

You can even prepare your gravy months before (bet you didn’t know that!) by saving any leftover meat juices from your Sunday roasts. Mix the juices with gravy granules and pop into a suitable container to be frozen until needed.

We’ve got plenty more recipes like these so you’ll have no problem getting organised this Christmas. Take a look for yourself…

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Roasted Beef Tri Tip with Four-Peppercorn Crust – A Holiday Roast with an Angle

Tri tip of beef is a common summer grill option, but I don’t think I’d ever seen it done as a holiday roast. I tried to think of a reason why it wouldn’t work, but I couldn’t come up with anything. In fact, I decided that not only would this make a great, and more affordable alternative to prime rib, but it would also remind guests of mid-July, which is a proven treatment for winter blues. Side effects may include seconds and thirds.

This is not as tender as a prime rib, but if cooked to the right doneness, you’ll be enjoying juicy, flavorful, and plenty tender enough meat. To that end, I’d avoid the temptation to cook this rare, which can make it too chewy. I like to pull it at 130 F. internal temp, which after resting will give you something closer to medium. For me, this provides the best texture, and an even beefier flavor.

Having said that, there should be something for everyone. Plenty of nice pink meat to go around, and the narrower end will provide just enough well-done for your Aunt. You know, the one who’s afraid to get a brain parasite after watching that show on Discovery Channel.

As I mentioned in the video, any veal, beef, or chicken stock/broth will work for the sauce, but I used a super sticky oxtail broth that I will show at future date. If you can’t wait, simply do our beef stock recipe with oxtails. Anyway, if you’re looking to do a beef roast for the holiday table, I hope you give this peppery tri tip a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 6 portions:

2 1/2 to 3 pound beef tri tip roast, trimmed

3-4 garlic cloves crushed with a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil

salt to taste

enough very coarsely ground black, white, green, and pink peppercorns to cover the surface,
about 4-5 tbsp

Start at 450 F. for 15 minutes, removed and turn roast, reduce heat to 200 F. and roast to an internal temperature of 125-130 F. Let rest 15 minutes!

For the pan sauce;

Reserved pan drippings, about 2 tbsp

1 rounded tablespoon flour

3 cups rich *veal, beef, or chicken broth or stock (or oxtail…coming soon!)

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

salt and cayenne to taste

*Most fancy grocery stores will sell frozen veal stock or demi-glace (already reduced-by-half veal stock), which is great for special occasion sauces like this.