DELIGHTFUL CHRISTMAS DESSERT IDEAS

Last but not least, take a look at these yummy treats to finish off the perfect Christmas dinner.

Vegan chocolate, cherry & honeycomb parfait

Serves 8
Not too tricky
1 Hr 45 Minutes 

Ingredients

200 g dark dairy-free chocolate
85 g blanched almonds
150 g dairy-free margarine
85 g glacé cherries
100 g dried cranberries
For the honeycomb:5 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
200 g dark dairy-free chocolate
85 g blanched almonds
150 g dairy-free margarine
85 g glacé cherries
100 g dried cranberries
For the honeycomb:
5 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1. Begin by making the honeycomb. Generously grease a baking tray with vegetable oil. Melt the granulated sugar and golden syrup in a high-sided saucepan over a low heat. Once melted, turn up the heat a little and bubble the syrup until it turns to a rich, caramel gold colour.

2. Whisk in the bicarbonate of soda. The syrup will foam up – immediately pour it onto your greased baking tray. Set the tray aside and leave it to cool for 20 minutes. Slide the honeycomb off the tray and roughly chop it up.

3. Line a 450g loaf tin with enough cling film to allow it to drape over the sides by about 7–8cm, smoothing the cling film into the tin to form a crease-free surface. Break up the dark chocolate and roughly chop the almonds. Place the chocolate and margarine in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, stir together until melted and combined to a smooth and glossy finish.

4. Take the bowl off the heat and stir in the chopped honeycomb, almonds, cherries and cranberries. Spoon the mixture into the lined tin and level the top. Fold the overhanging cling film loosely over the parfait then freeze for 1 hour. 

5. Remove from the freezer and transfer the parfait to the fridge until completely set. Once you're ready to serve, carefully lift the parfait from the tin, unwrap the cling film and cut into 2cm slices.

Mint choc teacakes

Makes 40

1h30m 

Ingredients

• 110 g butter, softened
• 100 g caster sugar
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 150 g flour
• 30 g cocoa powder
• Icing sugar, for dusting
• Peppermint meringue filling
  Chocolate topping
  Peppermint meringue filling
  Chocolate topping
• 275 g caster sugar
• 4 free-range egg, whites
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• A few drops of pure peppermint extract
• 100 g 70% cocoa chocolate, broken into pieces
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 100 g caster sugar
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 150 g flour
• 30 g cocoa powder
• Icing sugar, for dusting
• 275 g caster sugar
• 4 free-range egg, whites
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• A few drops of pure peppermint extract
• 100 g 70% cocoa chocolate, broken into pieces
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

1. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Whisk in half the beaten egg (you only need half) and the vanilla extract, then stir in the flour and cocoa powder until just combined. Divide the mixture in half, shape each into balls, wrap both in clingfilm, then chill for a couple of hours until the dough has firmed up.

2. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4, and grease and line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Dust a work surface with icing sugar and roll out 1 batch of dough to 5mm thick. Cut out rounds using a 5cm cutter (re-roll and cut any trimmings), then transfer the biscuits to the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes till cooked through. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the second batch of dough.

3. To make the peppermint meringue filling, place the sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar and 1½ tablespoons of water in a large heatproof bowl. Beat with an electric whisk till fluffed up, about 1 minute. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water set over the lowest heat possible, and continue to beat at high speed for 10–12 minutes, until stiff peaks form. Remove from the heat, add a few drops of peppermint extract and beat for 2 more minutes, until the meringue has thickened even more.

4. Fit a 1cm plain nozzle to a piping bag and fill the bag with the peppermint meringue. Pipe onto the biscuits in an upward spiral, working from the outside in; leave a small border around the edge – aim for a swirl around 3–4cm tall. Place the biscuits on a tray and leave to set in the fridge while you make the chocolate topping.

5. Place the chocolate pieces and oil in a small heatproof bowl and gently melt over a pan of simmering water until completely smooth and glossy. Transfer to a small, deep bowl and leave to cool at room temperature for about 10 minutes.

6. To finish the teacakes, hold the chilled biscuits by the base and gently dip the meringue into the melted chocolate, swirling so it's completely covered. Or, place the biscuits on a wire rack with greaseproof paper underneath and drizzle over the chocolate until each biscuit is covered. Chill the biscuits for a few hours until the chocolate has completely set, and serve.

Gluten-free Christmas pudding

Serves 10-12

30m plus 8 hours cooking time

Ingredients

• 150 g currants
• 110 g sour cherries
• 100 g raisins
• 50 g chopped dates
• the grated zest and juice of 1 lime
• the grated zest and juice of 1/2 orange
• 50 g mixed peel
• 75 ml Assam tea, cold (or earl grey if you prefer)
• 1/2 tsp mixed spice
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
• 2 1/2 tbsp brandy
• 170 g soft dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• 1/2 large cooking apple, grated
• 50 g toasted almonds, chopped
• 25 g rice flour
• 25 g cornflour
• 110 g fresh gluten-free breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
• 110 g gluten-free suet
• 2 large free-range eggs, beaten
• 1 large free-range egg yolk, beaten
• butter, for greasing

• 150 g currants
• 110 g sour cherries
• 100 g raisins
• 50 g chopped dates
• the grated zest and juice of 1 lime
• the grated zest and juice of 1/2 orange
• 50 g mixed peel
• 75 ml Assam tea, cold (or earl grey if you prefer)
• 1/2 tsp mixed spice
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
• 2 1/2 tbsp brandy
• 170 g soft dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• 1/2 large cooking apple, grated
• 50 g toasted almonds, chopped
• 25 g rice flour
• 25 g cornflour
• 110 g fresh gluten-free breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
• 110 g gluten-free suet
• 2 large free-range eggs, beaten
• 1 large free-range egg yolk, beaten
• butter, for greasing

Method

1. In a large bowl combine the dried fruits, zests and mixed peel, then add the citrus juice, cold tea, spices and brandy, and leave overnight for the flavours to develop.

2. The following day, add the sugar, golden syrup, apple and almonds.

3. In a clean bowl, place the rice flour, cornflour, breadcrumbs, baking powder, suet and a pinch of salt. Add in the beaten eggs until you have a smooth mix, then stir into the fruit.

4. Grease a 1.5-litre pudding basin and pour in the pudding mixture until it's ⅔ full. Cover the top with a circle of greaseproof paper, then with 2 pieces of foil and secure with string.

5. Place an upturned saucer into the base of a deep saucepan. Sit the pudding on top of the saucer, and carefully pour in boiling water to come halfway up the pudding dish. Put the lid on and steam for 8 hours, topping up with water as needed – always keep it halfway up the basin.

6. Once steamed, remove the pudding from the pan, carefully turn it upside down and lift off the basin. Decorate as you like and serve with brandy cream, custard or ice cream. 

Lots of Love,

Ruby&Ed

THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS DAY ROAST PART TWO

Now you have your turkey sorted, why not add these delicious sides to make it a special one.
See below some tasty ways to revamp the traditional Christmas vegetables and potatoes.

AMAZING ROAST VEG & POTATOES

Ingredients

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 kg potatoes, peeled

750 g carrots, peeled

500 g beets, scrubbed

½ bunch fresh rosemary, leaves picked

½ bulb garlic, broken into cloves, unpeeled

extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon runny honey

good-quality balsamic vinegar

Method

I absolutely love that extra special gnarly texture you get from cooking veggies in a wood fired oven. Fire it up an hour or two before you're ready to cook. When the temperature has reached between 180°C and 200°C (check with your thermometer) and the smoke and flames have died down, you can start cooking. Always keep an eye on the fire and top up the heat source, if needed.

Bring three pans of salted water to the boil. Cut any large potatoes in half and leave any small ones whole. Place the potatoes in one of the pans and parboil for 5 to 10 minutes, or until half cooked. Drain the potatoes, then leave them to steam dry. Return the potatoes to the hot pan and shake it around to chuff up the edges. Repeat with the carrots and beets but do not shake them around after leaving them to steam dry.

Scatter the potatoes with the rosemary, half the garlic cloves, a drizzle of oil, and season with salt and pepper, then spread them out evenly in a roasting tray. Toss the carrots with the honey, a lug of oil and season well with salt and pepper, then add them to the tray, spooning over any remaining juices. Toss the beetroot with a lug of balsamic and oil, and season well with salt and pepper, then add them to the tray too. Scatter over the remaining garlic cloves and roast all the veg in the hot oven for about 20 to 30 minutes, giving them a jiggle every so often, or until everything is crispy, golden and delicious. Keep an eye on them and rotate the tray for even cooking.

SICILIAN ROASTED CAULIFLOWER & BRUSSELS SPROUTS

 

Ingredients

• 50 g pine nuts
• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 300 g Brussel sprouts
• 50 g raisins
• 12 strands of saffron
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp garlic oil
• 50 g pine nuts
• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 300 g Brussel sprouts
• 50 g raisins
• 12 strands of saffron
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp garlic oil

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6. Place the pine nuts on a baking tray and roast in the oven until golden, set aside to cool down. 

2. Trim the outer leaves and base from the cauliflower then cut into small florets. Trim the ends from the Brussels sprouts and slice in half, keeping hold of the loose leaves. Cover the raisins in boiling water, leave for about 20 minutes, then drain and set aside. 

3. Place the cauliflower florets and sprouts in a large roasting pan, scatter over the saffron threads then pour over the olive and garlic oils. Season well and mix together gently. Roast for 25–30 minutes, until the florets and sprouts are tender and starting to caramelise.You may find that the loose sprout leaves start to really crisp up; don't be alarmed, it adds a lovely smoky element to the overall flavour. 

4. Transfer the roasted cauliflower and sprouts to a serving bowl; add the pine nuts and raisins, season to taste then give the whole mixture a gentle stir to ensure everything is combined and coated in the saffron oil, and then serve.

Enjoy creating these wonderful dishes! 

Lots of love,

Ruby& Ed X 

THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS DAY ROAST PART ONE

Time is going fast and Christmas day is only two weeks away!

How prepared are you for that all important roast dinner?

At the office we're big fans of Jamie Oliver's Christmas cooking, here is how to make the best roast turkey in the world according to the man himself.

Don't forget to order your Turkey!



The Best Turkey In The World!

A simple roast for Christmas with chestnut and sage stuffing and flavoured butter.

Ingredients
6.5-8 kg higher-welfare turkey

• flavoured butter
• 2-4 clementines
• a few sprigs of fresh herbs
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
• stuffing
• 2-3 carrots
• 3 onions, peeled
• 2 sticks celery

Serves 10
Not too tricky
4Hrs 55 mins

Method

In my books, the perfect bird is 6.5kg– 8kg in weight because that's a good size to handle, feeds about 10 to 14 people and has better flavour than bigger birds. If you're buying from a small producer, like the lovely turkey I used from my mate Paul Kelly, you'll often find these birds come with their own cooking instructions. Really good-quality birds do cook in a shorter time so follow the instructions if it has them.

This year I'm using a flavoured butter to give a bit of extra love to my turkey, and this is a job you can do the day before. Get your turkey and use a spoon to work your way between the skin and the meat. Start at the side of the cavity just above the leg and work gently up towards the breastbone and towards the back so you create a large cavity. Pick up half of your butter and push it into the cavity you've created. Use your hands to push it through the skin right to the back so it coats the breast meat as evenly as possible. Do the same on the other side then rub any leftover butter all over the outside of the bird to use it up. If you've got any herb stalks left over, put them in the cavity of the turkey for added flavour as it cooks. Cover the turkey in cling film and keep in the fridge until you need it.

Take your turkey out of the fridge a few hours before you are ready to put it in the oven so it has time to come up to room temperature. That flavoured butter will already be under the skin so you'll only need a few tweaks to finish it off. Halve the clementines and pop them in the cavity with a few more sprigs of fresh herbs like rosemary, bay and thyme. The fruit will steam and flavour the birds in a really lovely way.

 Take the fresh rosemary, pull off the leaves at the bottom then spear that through the loose skin around the cavity to hold it together and keep it from shrinking back as the turkey cooks.Open up the neck cavity and pack as much stuffing as possible in there, then carefully pull the skin back over the cavity, tuck it under the bird and pop it in the roasting tray. If you've already made your gravy like I've done, you won't need a vegetable trivet, if not, do that now by roughly chopping the carrots, onions and celery sticks. Preheat your oven to full whack, get the turkey in the roasting tray and cover with foil. As soon as it goes in the oven, immediately turn the heat down to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. As a rough guide, you want to cook the turkey for about 35 to 40 minutes per kilogram, so a 7kg turkey will want about 4 to 4½ hours in the oven. 

But there are so many variables such as the sort of oven you have and the quality of your bird. Check on your turkey every 30 minutes or so and keep it from drying out by basting it with the lovely juices from the bottom of the pan. After 3½ hours, remove the foil so the skin gets golden and crispy. If you are at all worried just stick a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast. When the internal temperature has reached 65ºC for a good quality bird, and about 82ºC for a cheaper bird, it's ready to come out. Carefully put a metal skewer in the cavity and use it to lift the bird and angle it over the roasting tray so all of the juices from the cavity run out. Move the turkey to a platter then cover it with a double layer of tinfoil and 2 tea towels to keep it warm while it rests for at least 30 minutes.

See recipe online

Don't forget to tag us in your christmas recipes/cooking, we'd love to see! @rubyanded

Lots of love,

Ruby+Ed X

Winter wardrobe update: 5 must haves for Christmas time

The scarf

It’s all about a bit of fluff with our Brit Candy neck warmer in Burgundy, an absolute favourite at HQ. Liven up a dull day with our soft plush faux fur.

The hat

Add a statement touch to any look with the Ebony Fox aviator trapper hat and keep the cold at bay.

The gloves

Slip your hands into the Wild Wolf mittens, there’s nothing better to keep out the cold. With a faux fur lining with warm fleece, these ski style mitts a winter must have.

The coat

Lady Helen looked amazing in our Bear fur coat! So this has to be our Xmas must have! #royalty

The Slippers

And don’t forget to add some slippers for home of course (need to stay warm at all times)! You can happily wear your stilettoes outside knowing when you come home you have these furry Patchwork boots waiting for you.

Let us know what your must haves are from our AW14 collection by Twitter, Facebook or Instagram @rubyanded

Ruby+Ed x

CHRISTMAS DAY MUST HAVES

Whether you're visiting family overseas, hosting a traditional roast dinner for all the family, or eating at a restaurant, we've got the perfect pieces to make you stand out this Christmas day.

Slip your feet into The Ruby Monster Mule, this year's cosy novelty slipper, whilst watching everybody open their much awaited gifts.

(Ruby monster mule)

Make sure to top up the kid's stockings with our Rudy reindeer booties and toy set, they'll love running around the house in them, and they can all match too, so cute!

(Rudy reindeer booties & toy set)

Slip on our Coyote fur hooded coat to pop to the pub, which will protect you from all that snow (maybe), and keep you snuggly warm.

(Coyote fur hooded coat)

If you're heading to a nice restaurant, then don't forget to add a BritCandy scarf for a pop of festive colour. 

(BritCandy scarf burgundy)

lots of love,

Ruby+Ed X