Christmas

If you didn't have time to make a Christmas pudding on Stir-Up Sunday, this super quick recipe is the perfect solution. Lighter than the traditional pudding, but still full of fruitiness and perfect served with brandy cream or custard.

An interesting stuffing to accompany glazed gammon, turkey or goose and the pomegranate seeds give a burst of fruitiness to each mouthful! 

A festive centrepiece with a maple syrup and mustard glaze, served with sweet caramelised apples. This method uses the roasting oven, but you could slow cook in the simmering oven.  

A hearty feast for vegetarians and vegans, which is also dairy and gluten free. The butternut squash is packed full of delicious winter vegetables together with a selection of beans and topped with crunchy mixed seeds. This recipe can be prepared the day before, kept in the fridge and cooked the next.

Party food doesn’t come much more delicious than this! Cups of filo pastry with a scrummy prawn and dill filling, best eaten slightly chilled.

A variation on the classic, a rich baked dish of finely sliced potatoes and celeriac, which tastes as good eaten cold the next day.  

A mixture of mushrooms, including porcini gives this soup an intensive flavour and a deep mushroom colour. This soup can be made a couple of days beforehand and kept refrigerated then heated through.

These savoury scones make delicious party food, especially when warm. They can be served with a savoury butter, olives and chutneys in the centre.

Easy to make, this delicious sauce accompanies either a roast gammon or roast pork.

These delightful bites combine creamy cheese, savory pancetta, and crunchy almonds atop a crispy bread base, finished with sprinkle of pomegranate for a touch of sweetness. For extra flavor, try spreading cranberry sauce or chilli jam on the bread before layering the toppings. These can be made in advance and stored in the fridge, ready to bake when needed. When you're ready to serve, just pop them in the oven to crisp the bread and melt the cheese to golden perfection.

Everyone loves a chocolate pudding, this is flavoured with orange and served with a rich decadent sauce with a hint of orange liqueur. Serve as an alternative to a traditional Christmas Pudding.

A variation on sprouts with chestnuts, the hazelnuts are toasted to bring out their flavour and Parmesan breadcrumbs scattered on top.

This dessert is packed full of a delicious selection of fruit, nuts and chocolate to create a delicious caramel slice. It's a quick and easy bake in the Rayburn and is a total crowd pleaser.

This simple rich fruit cake bakes beautifully using the AGA simmering oven for a long gentle cook making a deliciously moist cake. 

Mince pies are a staple at Christmas, top them with Ricciarelli, a traditional Italian almond biscuit, for a luxurious twist. If you have any topping left, shape it into balls, roll in icing sugar, press lightly to crack the icing sugar outside and shape the ends a little to make small ovals. Bake in the same way as the mince pies. They will be slightly crisp on the outside and soft in the centre. Cool and store in an airtight container and offer one to anyone who doesn’t fancy a traditional mince pie!

This festive shortbread star tower is a brilliant sharing dessert for friends and family this Christmas. Plus, make the shortbread in advance and assemble the day before to save time during the Christmas rush.

This show-stopping vanilla baked cheesecake with crystallised orange adds a burst of zesty flavour for a refreshing dessert. Perfect for a Christmas dessert the whole family will enjoy.  Many thanks to AGA Demonstrator Naomi Hansell for this lovely recipe. 

A sublime autumnal chutney made by preserving apples and pears. Perfect served with cheese and crackers throughout the winter. 

A lovely little loaf to serve with cheese as part of a selection of dishes.

This easy mixed bean cassoulet style one pot is wholesome and tasty based on the traditional French ‘cassoulet’, containing a selection of beans, green lentils and kale. 

A deliciously rich mushroom wellington, this recipe is the perfect meat-free supper. Ideal to prepare ahead this dish can be frozen either cooked or uncooked for ease.

This delicious ham hock terrine recipe is an easy and delicious canapé to serve on to little pieces of toasted sourdough as a plated starter or as a selection of sharing boards.

This makes a delicious fresh and colourful dish to serve as part of a selection or plated as a starter. Easy to prepare ahead, just pile on plates and add the leaves and hazelnuts before serving. 

This easy to make baked artichoke and cheese dip is delicious served with some garlic bread, bread sticks, or just some crunchy carrots as a starter or as part of a selection of dishes.

These mini Filo pastry tartlets are a versatile and appetizing canape to serve with drinks or as part of a selection of dishes this Christmas. 

There's nothing better than a tender pork rib with crunchy crackling during the festive season. Pair this with deliciously roasted figs and a rich port gravy to create an irresistible dish.

These grilled red pepper and cream cheese parcels can be made in advance, perfect for when you are entertaining and want to save time. Many thanks to AGA Demonstrator Penny Zako for this lovely recipe.