You have probably got one hanging around from last year to use! This is a great alternative to the traditional pudding on Christmas Day, but this recipe is also good for Boxing Day, using left over pudding. 

Serving: 10 people 

Course: dessert    

Time: 50 mins 

Ingredients: 

• 400g butter 
• 400g dark chocolate 
• 6 eggs 
• 4 tbsp brandy, amaretto, or rum 
• 500g caster sugar 
• 250g plain flour 
• 200g cooked Christmas pudding 

Instructions:  

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Line a 30cm x 20cm baking tin with baking paper.
• Chop the butter into small cubes and pop into a large pan. Place on a gentle heat and let it begin to melt.
• Chop the chocolate and add it to the butter when it has nearly melted. Keep on the heat until the chocolate has melted, stirring regularly. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. 
• While the butter cools, beat the eggs in a large bowl with your chosen liqueur (if using) until frothy, then beat in the sugar.
• Stir in the melted butter and chocolate, then sift in the flour and use a metal spoon to fold it all together. 
• Crumble in the Christmas pudding and stir until fully mixed. Pour the mixture into the lined baking tin.
• Slide into the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, until the top is pale but the middle is still dark and gooey. There should still be a slight wobble when you shake the tin. 
•  Leave the brownies to cool for 10-15 minutes in the tin, then cut into squares.
• Serve warm with leftover brandy cream, custard or ice cream.
• The brownies are also delicious cold and will keep in an airtight tin for up to 2 days, or you can freeze them for up to 3 months. 

This is a very simple starter for Christmas Day and can be prepared the day before. 

Serving: 4 people 

Course:  starter  

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 90ml olive oil, plus extra for greasing 
• 15ml of red wine vinegar 
• 1 tsp sugar 
• 1 tsp thyme leaves 
• 1 tsp dill 
• ¼ tsp chilli flakes 
• 4 raw beetroots, peeled and very thinly sliced on a mandolin or with a food processor slicing attachment. 
• 4 individual vegetarian goats’ cheeses or 4 goat's cheese log rounds with rind  
• 4 handfuls rocket 
• 100g crushed walnuts  
• 2 tbsp honey 

Instructions:  

• Mix the oil, vinegar, sugar and thyme in a shallow dish and season well. Add the sliced beetroot and marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight if you like. 
• Heat the grill to high. Season the goat’s cheese slices, then place on an oiled baking tray and grill for 2-3 minutes until golden and melting. 
• Lift out the beetroot, reserving the marinade, and divide between 4 plates.
• Top with the rocket, a round of goat’s cheese and a little more rocket and sprinkle on nuts.
• Drizzle with the marinade and honey, then serve. 

This is a great dish because it can be prepared in advance and left in the fridge for a least 2 day, don’t rush the cooking on this, it’s better to give it time to cook all the way through.

Serving: 4 people

Course: lunch/main

Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus 2 tsp and a drizzle
• 2 pinches of ground mace
• 2 pinches of mixed spice
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 160g chestnut mushrooms, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 50g walnuts, chopped
• 25g dried cranberries
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 6 sage leaves, sliced
• 160g kale, shredded and large stalks discarded
• 100ml vegan white wine or stock
• 150g sourdough bread, blitzed into breadcrumbs

Instructions:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Cut the squash in half through the middle lengthways and scoop out the seeds using a spoon (don’t discard them).
• Drizzle the squash halves with 1 tbsp oil and rub this all over. Season and transfer to a baking tray, cut side up.
• Roast for 50 minutes - 1 hour until tender through to the middle when pierced with a fork and lightly caramelised.
• Meanwhile, wash the reserved squash seeds in a sieve, removing any stringy pieces of flesh, then pat dry with a tea towel. Tip the seeds into a bowl, drizzle over 2 tsp oil and toss with pinch of each of the spices and a pinch of salt until coated. Transfer to a baking-parchment-lined baking tray and roast on the shelf below the squash for 10-15 minutes until golden and crunchy, stirring halfway through to ensure they roast evenly. Leave to cool on the tray.
• Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and fry the onion for 10 mins until soft. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for another 10 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the walnuts, remaining mace and mixed spice, the cranberries, maple syrup, sage and kale.
• Cook for a few minutes more until the kale has started to wilt, then stir in the wine or stock along with some seasoning. Continue to cook until the liquid has mostly evaporated.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs until combined (add a splash more wine or stock if you need to soften the bread). The mixture shouldn’t be dry and crumbly and should hold together when pressed. Season well.
• When the squash is tender, scoop out a hollow channel in the neck of the squash to make a gap for the filling. (You can keep the scooped-out flesh for soups or purées.) Spoon in the filling, packing it into the squash and piling up slightly. Drizzle over a little oil and roast for 20-30 minutes until lightly crisp on top.
• Scatter with the squash seeds and slice to serve.