Christmas dinner provides the perfect opportunity to pair delicious food and delectable wine. While dishes you serve for Christmas dinner may vary, there are some classic brews that work well with traditional Christmas meals.
So, before you sit down for a scrumptious Christmas dinner, NewsMobile brings you a list of quick fixes that you can make at home to make it a memorable Christmas for you and your family.
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Mulled Wine
Ingredients:Â 4 cups apple cider, 1 (750-ml) bottle red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, 1/4 cup honey, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 orange, zested and juiced, 4 whole cloves, 3 star anise, 4 oranges, peeled, for garnish
Preparation:Â Combine the cider, wine, honey, cinnamon sticks, zest, juice, cloves and star anise in a large saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Pour into mugs, add an orange peel to each and serve.
Serves: 6
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Eggnog
Ingredients:Â 4 cups milk, 1 cup sugar, 12 large egg yolks, 1/2 cup bourbon, (optional), 1 cup chilled heavy cream, Grated nutmeg, (optional)
 Preparation: In medium saucepan, whisk milk and sugar over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks. Whisking constantly, pour hot mixture into yolks in a slow and steady stream.
Return mixture to pan; cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until thick enough to coat back of spoon, 20 to 25 minutes; do not let simmer. Quickly strain into a bowl. Stir in bourbon, if desired, and cream. Cool completely; cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until chilled. Garnish with nutmeg, if desired.
Serves: 6
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Desserts: Easy Mince Pies
Ingredients:Â 225g cold butter( diced), 350g plain flour, 100g golden caster sugar, 280g mincemeat, 1 small egg, icing sugar, to dust
Preparation: To make the pastry, rub 225g cold, diced butter into 350g plain flour, then mix in 100g golden caster sugar and a pinch of salt. Combine the pastry into a ball – don’t add liquid – and knead it briefly. The dough will be fairly firm, like shortbread dough. You can use the dough immediately, or chill for later.
Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Line 18 holes of two 12-hole patty tins, by pressing small walnut-sized balls of pastry into each hole. Spoon 280g mincemeat into the pies.
Take slightly smaller balls of pastry than before and pat them out between your hands to make round lids, big enough to cover the pies. Top the pies with their lids, pressing the edges gently together to seal – you don’t need to seal them with milk or egg as they will stick on their own. (The pies may now be frozen for up to 1 month).
Beat 1 small egg and brush the tops of the pies. Bake for 20 minutes until golden. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. To serve, lightly dust with icing sugar. They will keep for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container.
Serves: 6
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Christmas Pudding Trifle
Ingredients: 3 oranges, 1 tbsp demerara sugar, 2 tbsp Grand Marnier, 300g leftover Christmas pudding, 500g pot custard, 250g pot mascarpone, 284ml pot double cream.
For Garnishing:Â Handful flaked almonds (toasted), dark chocolate (grated)
Preparation:Â Peel the oranges using a sharp knife, ensuring all the pith is removed. Slice as thinly as possible and arrange over a dinner plate. Sprinkle with the demerara sugar followed by the Grand Marnier and set aside.
Crumble the Christmas pudding into large pieces and scatter over the bottom of a trifle bowl. Lift the oranges onto the pudding in a layer and pour over any juices.
Beat the mascarpone until smooth, then stir in the custard. Spoon the mixture over the top of the oranges.
Lightly whip the cream and spoon over the custard. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds and grated chocolate. You can make this a day in advance if you like, chill until ready to serve.
Serves: 6
