5 simple Christmas recipes to try for the festive season

Suggestions for turkey and all the trimmings are easy to come by, but what about accompaniments or recipes that will get you out of a tight spot over the festive period? Read on for stylish yet simple ideas and edible gifts. To all the novice cooks out there, we’re going to let you in on a little secret: canapes are one of the most effortless ways to impress. Now, we’re certainly not talking about those fussy recipes that require pernickety presentation and lots of ingredients. The dainty little morsels detailed here are of the low-effort, high-impact ilk – think juicy prawns arranged on a platter of crushed ice or a beautiful crudite plate showcasing tender asparagus spears, pretty pink radishes, crisp radicchio leaves, whole baby cucumbers and rainbow carrots surrounding a feta and sumac dip. The canape that keeps on giving, though, has to be the crostini. It’s simple to make, good to look at and the perfect vehicle for all manner of toppings. Shop-bought hummus pepped up with smoked paprika, crispy chickpeas, pomegranate seeds and mint leaves is a favourite, as is the “easy Caprese” (crostini layered with pesto, cherry tomatoes, tendrils of mozzarella and a scattering of basil). For a truly elegant option, the pear, blue cheese and walnut number is the way to go. Pear, blue cheese and walnut crostini Makes: 18-20 canapes Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 12 minutes Ingredients 1 slim baguette 2 tbsp olive oil 3-4 sprigs thyme, leaves picked, plus extra to serve 60g blue cheese 30g cream cheese 2 tsp runny honey, plus extra to serve 1 crisp pear 1 tsp lemon juice 10g walnuts, toasted and chopped Method It can be a bit of a tricky one, this particular meal. A bowl of cereal or slice of toast simply isn’t going to cut it on Christmas Day, but given that a feast of a lunch is the focal point of the day, one wouldn’t want to overindulge and risk not leaving room for all those roast potatoes. With that in mind, something light and bright – that’s indulgent without feeling overwhelming – is the order of the day and the perfect way to start it. For a breakfast that feels rather special, look no further than poached plums – with some trimmings, of course. Poach the fruit on Christmas Eve to minimise fuss in the morning (you don’t want any distractions from opening those presents) and your kitchen will quickly fill with the most wonderful festive scent. Poached plums with whipped cinnamon labneh and toasted panettone Serves: 4 Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 12 minutes Ingredients for the poached plums 4-6 plums 1 orange, zest and juice, plus extra zest to serve 3 tbsp honey 1 cinnamon stick 1 star anise 2 cloves Ingredients for the whipped cinnamon labneh 150g thick labneh 3 tbsp Greek yoghurt ¼ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tbsp icing sugar, plus extra to serve 50g panettone, sliced Method Yes, this is a joyful, happy time of year, but as anyone with young children will attest to, there’s likely to be a point in the school holidays when you feel that you’ve exhausted your repertoire of ideas and need entertainment inspiration pronto. When that happens, pull out the pack of ready-rolled puff pastry and the jar of mincemeat you stocked up on after reading this, and get the children busy making mince pie decorations. This idea ticks a lot of the right boxes when it comes to cooking with children. It’s messy and fun (but not too messy), takes long enough to complete to feel like a good project, but doesn’t drag on, and the end results are sweet and delicious, but won’t send mini chefs spiralling out of control on a major sugar rush. Puff pastry mince pie decorations Makes: 10-15 decorations (depending on size) Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15-20 minutes Ingredients Plain flour, for dusting 1 ready-rolled puff pastry sheet 10-15 tsp mincemeat Icing sugar, for dusting Method No matter how organised you are and no matter how many lists you make, the rules of festive present-buying seem to dictate that there’s always someone who gets forgotten or surprises you with a gift you weren’t expecting. Rather than defaulting to a panic buy, make a delicious edible gift in the form of Christmas granola. In this recipe, the combination of spices, chestnuts and cranberries give this granola real festive flavour and once decanted into a jar, adorned with ribbon and finished with a pretty gift tag, it looks rather lovely, too. Our top tip is to double the recipe to make two batches and save one for yourself. Christmas granola Makes: about 500g Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Ingredients 60g honey 2 tbsp olive oil 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half 250g oats 1 tsp mixed spice ½ tsp ground ginger 60g almonds or walnuts, chopped 50g cooked chestnuts, chopped 50g dried cranberries 50g dried apricots, chopped 50g currents or sultanas Method Whether you’re cooking for vegans, vegetarians, flexitarians or meat-lovers, this people-pleasing recipe is a secret weapon that will win you an abundance of compliments and might just end up being the star of the festive-eating show. Now that’s a bold claim for a salad recipe, we agree, but it’s a valid one, too. This wholesome dish provides sweetness from the cranberries and butternut squash, a hint of earthy spice from the chickpeas and a pleasant chewy note by way of the giant couscous, all of which is brought together by the tangy, rich pomegranate molasses dressing. Roasted butternut squash and chickpea salad with maple-toasted almonds Serves: 4-6 Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Ingredients for the butternut squash 600g butternut squash, peeled and diced 2 tbsp olive oil 4 sprigs thyme, leaves roughly picked Ingredients for the spiced chickpeas 1 tbsp olive oil 1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained 2 tsp smoked paprika or ground cumin Ingredients for the maple toasted almonds 60g almonds ½ tbsp maple syrup Ingredients for the dressing 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp white vinegar 100g giant couscous, cooked according to pack instructions 60g cranberries 4-6 kale leaves Method

5 simple Christmas recipes to try for the festive season

From Christmas Day breakfast to effortless canapes and edible gifts