From Mary Berry’s turkey to Gordon Ramsay’s carrots and Jamie Oliver’s showstopper pud, we’ve got all the recipes you need for a cracker of a festive feast

The Starter

Gino D'acampo's Mozzarella & Parma Ham Rolls

(Serves 8)

17

17

Total time: 5 mins

Cals: 99

Sat fat: 4g

You'll need:

• 4tbsp cream cheese

• 2tbsp pesto

• 8 slices prosciutto

• 1 ball mozzarella, drained and cut into strips

• 70g rocket leaves

Method:

• Mix together the cream cheese and pesto. Season with black pepper.

• Lay the slices of prosciutto on a clean board.

• Carefully spread a little of the cream cheese mixture on each one. Place a small bunch of rocket leaves at one end of each slice, allowing the tips of them to poke out.

• Top with a strip of mozzarella, then carefully roll up the prosciutto.

Limoncello Cocktail

(Serves 6)

17

You'll need:

• 1/2 lemon

• 2tbsp caster sugar

• 6tbsp limoncello

• 1 bottle prosecco, chilled

Method:

• Take 6 champagne flutes and run the cut side of the lemon around the rim of each glass just to wet it a little.

• Put the sugar on a plate and dip the rim of each glass in it to frost the edge.

• Pour 1tbsp limoncello into each glass and top up with prosecco.

 Recipes from Gino’s Italian Escape by Gino D’Acampo (£20, Hodder & Stoughton).

The Main Course

Mary Berry's Roast Turkey Crown

(Serves 12-15)

17

17

Total time: 2hrs 30 mins

Cals: 367

Sat fat: 5g

You'll need:

• 4-4.5kg turkey crown on the bone

• 1 lemon, thinly sliced

• 3 small sprigs fresh thyme

• 75g butter, softened

Method

• 1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 6.
• Line a large roasting tin with foil. Loosen the skin over the breast of the turkey and arrange the lemon and thyme in a neat layer between the skin and breast.
• Spread with the soft butter and put the turkey crown into the roasting tin.
• Roast in the middle of the oven for 25-30 minutes until lightly golden brown.
• Reduce the temperature to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4 and continue to roast for 1 1/2-13/4 hours until golden and cooked through.
• Test if the bird is cooked by inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the breast and checking that the juices run clear. The temperature of the thickest part of the breast should be about 75°C if tested with a thermometer.
• Leave to rest for 20 minutes before carving.

Mary Berry's Sage and Onion Stuffing

(Serves 8)

17

Total time: 50 mins

Cals: 162

Sat fat: 5g

You'll need:

• 450g onions, roughly chopped

• 75g butter, plus extra for greasing

• 1tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped

• 225g fresh white breadcrumbs

Method:

• Put the onions and 300ml water in a pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain well.
• Stir the remaining ingredients into the pan and mix well. Allow to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 190ºC/170ºC fan/gas mark 5. To cook the stuffing separately from the turkey, which I much prefer, spoon the mixture into a shallow, buttered ovenproof dish and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until golden and crisp

Recipes from Mary Berry’s Christmas Collection (£20, Headline).

Jamie Oliver's Get-Ahead Gravy

(Makes 1L)

17

17

Total time: 2hrs

Cals: 231

Sat fat: 3.2g

You'll need:

• 2 onions

• 2 carrots

• 2 sticks celery

• 2 rashers higher welfare smoked streaky bacon

• 2 fresh bay leaves

• 2 sprigs fresh sage

• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

• 2 star anise

• 10 free-range chicken wings

• Olive oil

• 60ml sherry or port (optional)

• 4tbsp plain flour

• 2tbsp cranberry sauce

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4.

• Peel the onions, wash the carrots, then roughly chop with the celery and bacon. Put the veg, bay leaves, sage, rosemary and star anise into a sturdy high-sided roasting tray, then scatter the chopped bacon on top.

• Break the chicken wings open, bash with a rolling pin to help release extra flavour as they cook, then add to the tray. Drizzle with oil, season with sea salt and black pepper, toss, then cook for 1 hour, or until tender.

  Remove the tray from the oven and transfer to a low heat on the hob. Really grind and mash everything with a potato masher, scraping up all the goodness from the base of the tray (the longer you let it fry, the darker your gravy will be). If you want to add sherry or port, now’s the time to do so – just leave it to cook for a few minutes.

• Gradually stir in the flour, then pour in 2L of boiling kettle water. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until thickened and reduced, stirring occasionally.When the gravy is the consistency of your liking, pour through a coarse sieve into a bowl, pushing all the goodness through with the back of a spoon. Taste and season, cool to room temperature, pour into bags or containers and pop in the fridge or freezer to finish on Christmas Day.

• If frozen, take the gravy out to defrost when your turkey goes into the oven. When the turkey’s perfectly cooked, remove it to a platter to rest for up to 2 hours, covered with a double layer of tin foil and a clean tea towel. Skim away most of the fat from the tray, cool, and place into a jar in the fridge for tasty cooking another day.

• Pour your Get-ahead Gravy into the tray with the rest of the turkey juices. Bring to the boil over the hob and scrape up all those sticky bits from the base. Have a taste, then stir in the cranberry sauce to balance the flavours.

• Once your gravy is piping hot, carefully strain through a coarse sieve into a pan, then leave it on the lowest heat until you’re ready to serve. Skim away any fat that rises to the top, and add any extra resting juices from the turkey before serving.

Side Dishes

Jamie Oliver's Red Cabbage

(Serves 8-10)

17

Total time: 35 mins

Cals: 96

Sat fat: 0.4g

You'll need:

• 1 red cabbage (1kg)

• 4 rashers higher welfare smoked streaky bacon

• Olive oil

• 2 eating apples

• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

• 1 heaped tsp fennel seeds

• 100g dried prunes

• 1 clementine

• 6tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method: 

•  Click away any tatty outer leaves from your cabbage, trim off the base, cut the cabbage into wedges, then finely slice it and put aside. Finely slice the bacon and place in a large casserole pan on a medium heat with 1tbsp of oil. Leave it to crisp up while you peel, core and dice the apples.

• When the bacon is crispy, strip the rosemary leaves into the pan, stir for 1 minute, then use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and rosemary to a plate, leaving the smoky bacon fat behind.

• Add the fennel seeds and diced apples to the pan, then tear in the prunes, removing any stones. Stir and fry for 2 minutes, then finely grate in the clementine zest and squeeze in the juice. Add the balsamic vinegar, cabbage and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.

• Cook with a lid ajar on a low heat for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through and a pleasure to eat, stirring well every 5 minutes to help intensify and mix up the flavours. Serve sprinkled with the crispy bacon and rosemary leaves

Recipe from Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook by Jamie Oliver (£23, Penguin Random House).

Gordon Ramsay's Spiced Carrots

(Serves 6-8)

17

17

Total time: 30 mins

Cals: 120

Sat fat: 1g

You'll need:

• 1tsp ground cumin

• 1tsp ground cinnamon

• 1tsp ground

• star anise

• 2tsp light soft brown sugar

• 5tbsp

• vegetable oil

• 1kg carrots, peeled and cut into long diagonal slices, 1.5cm thick

• Chopped fresh flat leaf parsley to garnish

Method:

• 1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7.

• Mix the ground spices and sugar together in a small bowl. Stir in the oil.

•  Lay the carrots on a large baking tray or in a large, shallow roasting tray. Pour over the spice mix, season with some salt, then toss everything together to mix. Spread the carrots out in an even layer.

•  Roast for 25-30 minutes, until just tender and golden, giving them a quick stir about halfway through. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and serve.

Recipe from Gordon Ramsay Bread Street Kitchen by Gordon Ramsay (£25, Hodder & Stoughton).

Marcus  Wareing's Roast Potatoes

(Serves 6)

17

Total time: 1 hr, plus 1hr drying

Cals: 413

Sat fat: 4g

You'll need:

• 1.5kg potatoes (King Edward or Maris Piper), peeled and evenly chopped

• 1tsp sea salt, plus extra to sprinkle

• 75g duck fat

• 75ml vegetable oil

• 1/4 bunch thyme

• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole

Method:

• Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Add the salt, bring to the boil, cover, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes until just tender. Drain and shake them in the pan fairly vigorously to rough up the edges. Lay out in a single layer to cool and put in the freezer for 1 hour to dry, or the fridge.

•  Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C fan/gas mark 7. Put the duck fat and vegetable oil in a large deep-sided roasting tray and put into the oven for 10 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and put the dry potatoes in one by one using tongs.

• Season, add the thyme and garlic and baste the potatoes with the oil. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, basting frequently with the hot fat. When the potatoes are golden and crunchy, use a slotted spoon to lift them out of the tray and on to kitchen paper to absorb excess fat. Sprinkle with a little salt and serve.

Recipe from Marcus At Home by Marcus Wareing (£20, HarperCollins).

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Roast Sprouts, Celeriac and Prunes

(Serves 3-4)

17

17

Total time: 50 mins

Cals: 241

Sat fat: 2g

You'll need:

• 1 medium celeriac (about 600g)

• 3tbsp olive or rapeseed oil

• Few sprigs thyme, roughly torn

• 500g Brussels sprouts

• 150g pitted prunes, halved

• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and bashed

• 1tbsp balsamic (or red wine) vinegar

Method

• Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas mark 5. Prepare the celeriac by slicing off the rough skin, then cut the flesh into roughly 2cm slices and cut each slice into bite-sized chunks. Put the chunks into a large roasting tray. Add 2tbsp oil, the thyme and some salt and pepper and toss together. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

• Meanwhile, peel away any dirty or damaged outer leaves from the sprouts, trim the stems if necessary, then cut each sprout in half. Put the sprouts into a bowl with the halved prunes and the bashed garlic cloves. Add 1tbsp oil, the vinegar, some salt and pepper and

  toss together well.

• Take the celeriac out of the oven and give it a good stir, then scatter over the sprouts and prunes, along with any vinegary juice from the bowl. Return to the oven for another 20-25 minutes, until both the celeriac and sprouts are tender and golden brown in places.

Recipe from River Cottage Much More Veg by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (£26, Bloomsbury).

Desserts

Jamie Oliver's Winter Bombe

(Serves 12)

17

Total time: 20 mins

Cals: 648

Sat fat: 15.2g

You'll need:

• 2 x 500g tubs quality vanilla ice cream

• 1kg panettone

• 125ml Vin Santo

• 3tbsp quality raspberry jam

• 100g tinned cherries, in juice

• 75g glacé clementines (or other glacé fruit)

• 1 clementine

• 50g shelled pistachios

• 300g 70% dark chocolate

• 25g unsalted butter]

Method:

• Get the ice cream out of the freezer so it can soften a little while you get things ready. Line a 2L pudding bowl with three layers of cling film. Use a serrated knife to slice four 2cm-thick rounds off your panettone, then cut in half. Arrange six slices in a single layer around the inside of the bowl, pushing down if they overlap. Drizzle some Vin Santo on to the panettone to soak in, then use the back of a spoon to spread the jam all over it.

•  Drain the cherries and thinly slice the glacé clementines. Finely grate the fresh clementine zest and put aside, then peel and finely slice the clementine into rounds. Spoon one tub of ice cream into the bowl, spreading it around in a thick layer. Sprinkle in the pistachios, cherries and glacé fruit, then layer on the clementine slices. Add the other tub of ice cream. Spread it out, working quickly so it doesn’t completely melt. Put the remaining two panettone slices on top, drizzle over the rest of the Vin Santo, then cover the bowl tightly with cling film. Press a plate on top to compact everything, pop a weight on, then freeze overnight or until needed.

• Around 20 minutes before you want to serve it, unwrap your amazing bombe, carefully turn it out on to a serving dish, then leave to thaw slightly (I transfer my bombe from the freezer to the fridge just before serving up the main to give it a head start). Snap the chocolate, place in a heatproof bowl with the butter over a pan of simmering water, and leave to melt. Once melted, stir in the reserved clementine zest, then pour the chocolate over the pudding so it oozes down the sides. Serve extra sauce in a jug

Recipe from Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook by Jamie Oliver (£23, Penguin Random House).

Lorraine Pascale's Christmas Cake 

(Serves 12-20)

17

17

Total time: 1hr 55 mins

Cals: 240

Sat fat: 5g

You'll need:

• 100g pitted dates, chopped

• 50g dried cranberries

• 50g goji berries or raisins

• 50g dried blueberries

• 75g dried apricots, chopped

• 150g butter

• 160g soft light brown sugar

• 3 eggs

• 100g white spelt flour

• 80g ground almonds

• 1/2tsp baking powder

• 
2tsp ground allspice

• 2tsp ground cinnamon

• 75g pecans

• 
100g apricot jam

• 100g glacé cherries

Most read in food

FOOD FAUX PAS

Brits reveal biggest food faults including serving dinner dropped on floor

SAVVY SHOPPER

The six tips I swear by to get my weekly supermarket shop for just £50

WEIGHT UP!

I'm a former lazy girl - my top 4 tips that helped me lose half my body weight

FAT TO FLAT

A £1 buy could help blast 'stubborn' stomach fat, Victoria Beckham swears by it

Method:

•  Put the dates, cranberries, goji berries or raisins, blueberries and apricots into a pan with 150ml water, plus the butter and sugar, and cook over a medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the mixture is cooked, set it aside to cool to room temperature. This will take about half an hour.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 150°C/130°C fan/gas mark 2 and line a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment, making sure there is excess hanging over the sides.
• When the fruit mixture is cool, add the eggs, flour, almonds, baking powder and spices, and mix together to just combine. Transfer the mixture into the tin and then make a slight dip using a wooden spoon in the middle of the mixture – this helps the cake to rise more evenly. Pop the cake into the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 140°C/120°C fan/gas mark 1 and bake for another 45 minutes, or until risen, golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven.
• About 10 minutes before the cake is cooked, spread the pecans out in a baking tin and slide them into the oven. Cook them until they are just toasted and then remove. Set aside to cool.
• While the cake is still warm, brush the top generously with the apricot jam and arrange the toasted pecan nuts with the glacé cherries on top of the cake as per the picture. Brush the nuts and cherries with some more of the apricot jam and then leave the cake to cool completely.
• When the cake is cool, wrap it in baking parchment and overwrap with foil. If time allows, leave in a cool dark place for around three to seven days, then cut into slices.
• If you fancy adding booze, then prick the surface of the baked cake with a fine skewer and splash over 2-4tbsp bourbon whiskey or rum. Leave to soak for about 1 hour.

Recipe from Bake by Lorraine Pascale (£20, Bluebird).