Great British Food - Christmas 2025

Make Christmas morning breakfast for the two of you an occasion. Lay the table with your finest china, get out the linen napkins, and dare we say it’s a good time for a seasonal cocktail? Bruléed whisky porridge Not only does porridge feel cossetting and warming, but it can also bring a sense of luxury to the morning – especially when you factor in a touch of cream and booze! Don’t rush this recipe. Take solace in the gentle, slow process of stirring, ushering the oats to creamy perfection. To begin, warm 80g rolled oats in a pan over a medium heat until they smell nutty and toasty. Add a generous pinch of salt and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Stir. Now pour over 350g whole milk (or water if you prefer). Keep the heat at low to medium, and stir until the oats are creamy, but still have a little bite. Divide into two bowls (with a spoonful of marmalade at the bottom of each if you like) and sprinkle over golden caster sugar to coat the surface. Use a kitchen blow torch to melt the sugar completely – without letting it burn. Once at the table, drizzle over 1-2 tablespoons of whisky. The smokiness of the crackly sugar and spirit give this porridge an exceptional flavour. Croissant bake There’s something very satisfying about tearing open a fresh, warm croissant on Christmas morning. The way the pastry flakes away like falling snow, and the sweet, yeasty soft pull of the middle layers. Gorgeous. But why not up the ante by melting them into a sweet bake? This works best with day-old croissants (maybe picked up from a bakery or supermarket on Christmas Eve). Tear three croissants into bite-sized pieces and arrange in a small (1 pint) ovenproof dish. Make a custard by whisking two egg yolks with ½ tablespoon cornflour and 3 tablespoons caster sugar in a bowl. Warm 150ml milk and 150ml cream in a pan. Pour the milk/cream mixture over the egg/sugar mix bit by bit, whisking all the time. Clean out the pan and return the mixture to it. Cook on a low to medium heat, stirring all the time to prevent lumps. It’s ready when it’s thickened and clings to the back of the spoon. Pour the custard over the croissants and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Carefully stir in a large handful of frozen cranberries or blueberries, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon demerara sugar and a large pinch of cinnamon, and bake at 200C for 20-25 minutes until slightly risen and golden. Serve immediately with maple syrup and (if you like) crispy smoked streaky bacon. Truffled oeufs en cocotte This is pure comfort food, and can be prepared as you go to bed, ready to pop in the oven in the morning. Melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and a splash of oil in a pan. Add 1 finely sliced large leek. Cook slowly until softened but not browned. Season to taste. Divide the leeks into two ramekins or small ovenproof dishes. Season 100ml double cream with salt and pepper, and grate in a couple of shavings of black truffle. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the cream into each dish, crack in an egg, and top with a further 2 tablesoons of cream. Season the top. Pop in the fridge overnight (bringing out 30 minutes to an hour before cooking). Bake at 180 º C for 15 minutes. Top with salmon roe or smoked salmon, some freshly chopped herbs, a twist of black pepper and maybe a little more shaved black truffle – well, it is Christmas after all. Serve with plenty of crusty bread for scooping. Leftovers for two There’s always plenty of debate when Christmas comes around about the ultimate way to serve leftovers. If you’re cooking for two, we can think of nothing better than sandwiches. They’re quick to prepare, packed with flavour, and, most importantly, mean you can spend more time enjoying one another’s company rather than being stuck in the kitchen. Here is one of our favourite fillings... Spiced potato toasties: This is a riff off classic Indian street food and, we think, one of the best uses for leftover roast potatoes. Finely chop a small onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 medium heat green chilli until softened. Add ¼ teaspoon each mustard seeds, cumin seeds and nigella seeds. Stir in a large pinch each of turmeric and garam masala. Crumble in four medium to large pieces of roast potato and press into the mixture to heat through. Season generously to taste. Spread four large slices of bread with mango chutney or a spiced seasonal relish, top two pieces with the potato mixture, and finish with cheese (a Cheddar or Alpine variety). Pop the other pieces of bread on top and transfer to a toastie machine, or toast in a pan until warm and gooey. You can also add in some turkey, stuffing, or even roasted/steamed greens. “There is something very satisfying about tearing open a fresh, warmcroissant on Christmasmorning. The way the pastry flakes like falling snow, and the sweet, soft pull of themiddle layers” 115 greatbr i t i shfoodawards.com CHRI STMAS DINNER FOR TWO