Christmas Recipes: 3 Festive Dishes for Christmas Parties

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Christmas is all about bringing people together, and nothing does that quite like great food. Whether you're looking for a crowd-pleasing party bite, a standout side dish for the big day, or a showstopping dessert to finish your festive feast, here are three recipes to try this Christmas.

Loaded Mini Baked Potato Bites

Serves 6-8

These loaded mini baked potatoes are an easy festive party favourite. Crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle, they're topped with creamy chive sour cream, crispy bacon and melted cheddar, making them an easy crowd-pleaser for Christmas gatherings.

Ingredients

1kg baby potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper
4 streaky bacon rashers
150g sour cream
20g fresh chives, chopped finely
120g white cheddar, grated finely

Method

(Keep recipe exactly as supplied)

1. Preheat the oven to 190 ̊C/170 ̊C fan/gas mark 5. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
2. Prick each baby potato with a fork once or twice. Add them to a bowl as you do so. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil, some salt and black pepper, and toss to coat.
3. Lay the potatoes out on a baking tray and bake for one hour.
4. Add the streaky bacon to the second baking tray and bake for roughly 18 minutes until golden and crispy. Allow to cool, then chop or crumble into small pieces. Set aside.
5. Remove the potatoes from the oven and set aside to cool for 10-15 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, cut a small cross in the top of each potato and pinch the base to open the top out a little.
6. To make the chive cream, simply mix the sour cream, chopped chives and a little salt & pepper together in a bowl. Just make sure to keep some chives to decorate.
7. To each potato, add one teaspoon of the chive sour cream, some crumbled crispy bacon, a pinch of grated cheddar, some black pepper and a sprinkling of chives. Serve immediately.

Sweet Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Pecans & Cranberries

A festive Brussels sprouts side that could win over even the sprout sceptics. Roasted Brussels sprouts are  tossed with crispy bacon, toasted pecans and sweet dried cranberries before being coated in a sticky sweet balsamic glaze. Sweet, salty, tangy and crunchy, it brings plenty of colour and texture to the Christmas dinner table.

For the salad

500g Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper
150g pecans
130g smoked pancetta pieces
200g dried cranberries
For the balsamic glaze
120ml balsamic vinegar
30g brown sugar
Sprig of fresh thyme, leaves picked

(Keep recipe exactly as supplied)

1. Preheat the oven to 190 ̊C/170 ̊C fan/gas mark 5. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
2. Slice the sprouts in half and add them to a bowl as you do so. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil, some salt and black pepper, and toss to coat. 
3. Lay the sprouts out on a baking tray and roast about 30 minutes until slightly charred.
4. Meanwhile, add the pecans to the second baking tray and bake for roughly 5-8 minutes until slightly browned and fragrant. Transfer to a plate and aside to cool. 
5. Use the same tray for the pancetta. Add the pancetta to the second baking tray and bake for roughly 15 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain off any excess fat and set aside to cool.
6. To make the balsamic glaze, add the balsamic vinegar, sugar and thyme leaves to a small pot over a medium heat. Cook for about 15-20 minutes stirring as you do so. The glaze should be thick enough to coat the back of your spoon.
7. To assemble, toss the sprouts, pancetta, pecans, and dried cranberries together, reserving a few pecans and cranberries for the top. Transfer to a serving dish, drizzle the balsamic glaze over the top and toss gently again. Top with the remaining pecans & cranberries and serve immediately, family style.

Test kitchen tips

• If you can’t find pancetta, use bacon lardons.
• You can use a shop-bought balsamic glaze if you prefer.

Ferrero Rocher-Inspired Hazelnut Cheesecake

A rich and creamy hazelnut cheesecake with plenty of festive flair. crunchy biscuit base is topped with a smooth hazelnut cheesecake filling, then decorated with chocolate, chopped roasted hazelnuts and Ferrero Rocher chocolates – a familiar festive favourite that makes the finished cheesecake a real showstopper.

For the base

300g chocolate digestive biscuits
85g butter, melted
For the cheesecake
500g full-fat cream cheese
50g icing sugar
150g hazelnut butter or spread
150g white chocolate, melted
300ml double cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

To decorate

300ml double cream
2 tbsp icing sugar
3 tbsp Nutella, melted but cooled
Hazelnuts, roasted
Ferrero Rocher sweets

(Keep recipe exactly as supplied)

1. Line a 20cm springform tin with non- stick parchment paper.
2. In a food processor, add the biscuits and blitz to a fine crumb. Stir in the melted butter. Pour into the prepared tin and spread into an even layer. Leave to set in the fridge.
3. Beat the cream cheese, icing sugar, hazelnut butter/spread and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. 
4. Add the melted white chocolate and mix again until combined.
5. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form.
6. Fold the cream into the cream cheese mix, spoon by spoon, until incorporated.
7. Dollop this mix into the prepared tin on top of the biscuit layer and smooth to an even layer.
8. Place in the fridge to set for 5-6 hours or overnight is possible.
9. To decorate, first whip the cream and icing sugar together until it forms stiff peaks. Add the Nutella and stir through gently for a marbled effect. Set aside.
10. Remove the cheesecake from the tin. 
11. Dollop the Nutella whipped cream on top and pile on the roasted hazelnuts and Ferrero Rocher sweets. 

These festive recipes are sure to impress throughout the Christmas season, whether you’re hosting family, entertaining friends or simply enjoying some well-earned festive treats at home. 

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