For a private chef, Christmas is a month-long showcase: our equivalent of the Frieze art fair meets Sundance. The challenge lies in nodding to tradition while keeping in mind the year’s viral food trends. If it was big on TikTok, you can bet some ambitious host will want it as a daybed.
Creative thinking is needed. Last year, for example, small bowls of deer ragù came closest to satisfying a customer’s request for reindeer meat (you’d be surprised how many people want Rudolph on the menu).
FROZEN TOMATO SALAD
WHY IT’S HOT
Frozen tomatoes were huge on TikTok this year, with foodies shaving them onto toast. In fact, everything in the freezer was hot – try frozen peach on vanilla ice cream for a sweet taste – although tomatoes got things going.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 little gem lettuce
- 4 radishes, chopped
- 2 teaspoon capers
- olive oil, for dressing
- 1 ball of burrata
- 1 large vine tomato, frozen
- salt and pepper
METHOD
1 Finely chop the lettuce, add the radishes and capers, drizzle with olive oil and season. Cut the burrata into slices and add.
2 Grate the frozen tomato over the salad and serve.
THE VERDICT
It works in a unique way and will keep children busy for at least two minutes. It makes a mess when it thaws. Eat immediately, or else.
BASQUE PISTACHIO CHEESE CAKE WITH RASPBERRY COULIS
WHY IT’S HOT
If there’s one pudding trend to dominate social media this year, it’s this gooey, underbaked (i.e. Basque) cheesecake. Here is my fruity version.
INGREDIENTS
For the cheesecake
- 500 grams of cream cheese
- 250 g pistachio butter (found on ocado.com)
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 30 g plain flour
- 200 ml double cream
- ground pistachios, to serve
For the coulis
- 150 g raspberries
- 75 g granulated sugar
METHOD
1 Mix the cream cheese, pistachio butter, caster sugar and eggs.
2 Sift the flour into the mixture, add the cream and keep stirring.
3 Bake at the highest temperature of your oven until brown on the outside and slightly raw in the center; it should shake slowly when moved.
4 Let cool on a rack and then place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
6 Drizzle the coulis over each slice of cheesecake and sprinkle with the crushed pistachios to serve.
6 Drizzle the coulis over each slice of cheesecake and sprinkle with the crushed pistachios to serve.
THE VERDICT
A creamy conversation stopper.
TANGHULU
WHY IT’S HOT
The age-old Chinese street food – traditional sugar-coated hawthorn berries on a bamboo skewer – has become embroiled in the ASMR trend (deriving pleasure, including deep relaxation and a tingling scalp, from certain sounds). Is it the preparation of these candied fruits that gets people going or the consumption of them? You decide.
INGREDIENTS
- selection of cherries, grapes, mandarin segments, strawberries and pineapple chunks
- 300 grams of sugar
- 150 ml of water
- icing sugar, for dusting
METHOD
1 Thread the fruit pieces onto long bamboo skewers.
2 Add the sugar to the water in a pan and bring to a gentle boil to create a sugar syrup.
3 Brush the skewers with the syrup and let cool.
4 Sprinkle with icing sugar to serve.
THE VERDICT
The sensual ASMR of grains between your teeth is the USP here.
FIG AND FRANGIPAN PIE
WHY IT’S HOT
Thanks to Netflix doc MartaMrs. Stewart and her frangipane tarts are trending on TikTok. Here’s my version, with seasonal fruit.
INGREDIENTS
For the pastry
- 250 g plain white flour
- 150 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 80 g icing sugar, sifted
- 2 egg yolks
- crème fraîche, to serve
For the frangipane filling
- 4 tablespoons of fig jam
- 200 g butter, soft
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 200 g almond flour or ground almonds
- 8-10 ripe figs
For the sugar syrup
- 300 grams of sugar
- 150 ml of water
METHOD
1 Puree the flour and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, yolks and a pinch of salt and mix well again. Wrap in cling film and let cool for an hour.
2 Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Grate the dough into a 30cm loose-based tart tin and press into the base and sides.
3 Spread the fig jam over the pie base and place in the refrigerator.
4 Puree all frangipane ingredients (except the figs) in a processor to a hummus-like consistency.
5 Pour the mixture onto the dough (about two-thirds full). Cut the figs into eighths and layer them from the outside in. Bake the cake until the top turns golden brown. Let cool.
6 Heat the sugar and water in a pan and let it boil until it becomes a syrupy mixture. Let cool.
7 Glaze the cake with the syrup and serve with the crème fraîche.
THE VERDICT
Sweet and nutty, this cake is ideal for the festive table.
EIGNOG BRÛLÉE
WHY IT’S HOT
It’s the ultimate fusion trend, with TikTok influencers in the US giving the festive drink a Gallic twist.
INGREDIENTSNTS
- 5 egg yolks
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 100 g mascarpone
- 500 ml eggnog (buy ready-made to save time), gently warmed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 gratings of nutmeg
METHOD
1 Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6. Beat the yolks and sugar until light and fluffy.
2 Add the mascarpone and beat until smooth. Add the eggnog slowly while continuing to beat.
3 Pour the mixture through a fine sieve, add the vanilla extract and grated nutmeg and stir.
4 Divide among 4 ramekins on a baking tray with hot water (about halfway up the ramekins).
5 Bake for 30 minutes. The center should wobble, but not too much.
6 Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. To serve, lightly brush with granulated sugar and burn with a blowtorch or under a grill.
THE VERDICT
Christmas thrives on silly, rich American gimmicks – and this creamy dessert is worth a whip.
POTATO GALETTE
WHY IT’S HOT
This dish went viral after Shereen Pavlides, the American influencer chef, showed her recipe for a chic hash brown in 2020. Then the evil British chef Thomas Straker tried it. Now I love this savory side dish.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 large potatoes
- 200 g Parmesan cheese, shaved
- 4 tablespoons cranberry sauce
- oil, for frying
- salty
- chives, finely chopped, to garnish
METHOD
1 Peel, grate the potatoes and strain through muslin.
2 Spread half over a hot, oiled nonstick pan, such as a pancake.
3 Add a layer of parmesan cheese shavings and drops of cranberry sauce.
4 Brush with the remaining grated potato and fry on both sides until golden brown and crispy.
5 Season to taste and serve with the chives, more Parmesan cheese and cranberry sauce.
THE VERDICT
Deep pan, crispy and even! This fruity, cheesy, carb-rich dish will be a welcome addition to any plate on Christmas Day.
DARK CHOCOLATE AND GINGER BROWNIES WITH BEAUTIFUL MASCARPONE
WHY IT’S HOT
Gluten-free dishes are here to stay – and it’s safe to assume that if you’re cooking for more than five people, one will be allergic. This recipe will make everyone happy.
INGREDIENTS
- 500 g dark chocolate, minimum 80%
- 200 g butter
- 240 g sugar
- 4 eggs
- 80 g ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- whipped mascarpone, to serve
- salty
METHOD
1 Melt the chocolate and butter together in a bain-marie.
2 Beat the sugar and eggs with an electric whisk until they approximately triple in size.
3 Allow the melted chocolate to cool for a minute before adding it to the sugar and egg mixture and whisking everything together.
4 Pour the mixture onto a baking tray lined with buttered baking paper. Lightly salt and bake at 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6 until the center is no longer wet when pierced with a knife (about 30 minutes).
6 Cool, cut into slices and serve with the whipped mascarpone.
THE VERDICT
What a chocolate dessert should be: deep bitter notes that collide with a comforting sweetness.
What every chef wants for Christmas
A CHINESE CUTTER
Friends and customers constantly ask me where I can find this multi-function tool. I use mine more than any other knife because it is excellent for crushing, slicing and chopping. You can spend hundreds, but you don’t have to when they cost around £20 at your local Chinese supermarket. If you don’t have one nearby, try the one that costs £15.99 at souschef.co.uk
A FRYER
Churros, donuts, fried mashed potatoes… This gadget even makes something exciting from your Brussels sprouts. Once opened, it begs to be used. And because it’s Christmas, there are unlimited leftovers to play with. From around £30, currys.co.uk, nisbets.co.uk, amazon.co.uk
A TORCH
This is a gift that says, “I see your culinary passion… and I trust you with a flame.” Use it on everything from crème brûlée to charred tender broccoli stems and Boxing Day meringues. From £12.99, souschef.co.uk, diy.com, nisbets.co.uk
BOSTON SLIPPERS
Chefs and shoes – it’s serious business. We all start with basic Crocs, but the best money can buy, I’ve discovered, are Birkenstock Boston slides. The soft and fluffy interior is a game-changer when you’re on your toes all day. Yes, they get nasty, but I’m not here for fashion. That said, I would definitely recommend getting them in black. £140, birkenstock.com
A SMOKING GUN
It sounds a bit like an Agatha Christie thriller, which is appropriate for Christmas. But it’s actually a cheap, easy-to-use tool that allows you to infuse any dish (or drink) with a customized blend of spices and woods. From around £30, souschef.co.uk, nisbets.co.uk, amazon.co.uk