24 h. ago Best supermarket Christmas food 2025: From sumptuous puds to show

The lights are up, the wreath has been placed, presents wrapped and agreements about who's hosting the in-laws this year have happened. The next thing to tick off is the final Christmas food shop.

Politics

27 h. ago A vegetarian Christmas: Chantelle Nicholson’s French mushroom pie, caramelised pear pud and more

Blue cheese and honey gougeres, roast squash soup with melting brie, mushroom and celeriac pithivier, roast miso brussels sprouts, and a caramelised pear and rosemary puddingChristmas for me began as a summertime celebration in New Zealand, with long days and warm evenings. Twenty-plus years on, the wintry cosiness of a UK Christmas has taken hold. Now, my essentials include perfectly crisp roast potatoes with plenty of gravy, and sprouts (non-negotiable). Even my young niece and nephew love them, which is a small victory I’m quietly proud of. Continue reading...

Politics

48 h. ago 'I'm a chef and my dessert recipe is so good it will replace Christmas pudding'

Private chef Chris Davey has shared his recipe for the delicious treat this festive period and it's so good, it might even replace the famous Christmas pudding...

Politics

69 h. ago From a showstopping pavlova to a £7 sherry: what top chefs bring to Christmas dinner

Looking for a great supermarket champagne? Need an easy recipe to take to a party? Or just some really good cheese Yotam Ottolenghi, Giorgio Locatelli, Ixta Belfrage and others reveal the best snacks, drinks and desserts to make and buy for the big dayChristmas is a time of overwhelming choice, especially when it comes to food. So, to help you navigate the festive feasting, we asked 16 top chefs and cooks to tell us what they buy or make to give to the people brave enough to invite them over.Reassuringly, it turns out that even the most decorated chefs love a Ferrero Rocher, a nice glass of sherry, a good mince pie and a decent cheeseboard at this time of year. And everyone is attached to their own traditions, whether that’s the apple tart Matthew Ryle’s family loves in place of Christmas pudding, the hot chocolate-and marshmallow kit Yotam Ottolenghi’s kids can never resist, or Sabrina Ghayour’s favourite truffle-infused cheddar. Continue reading...

Economics

4 d. ago The Christmas foods that could support heart health and immune function

Here’s how to pack maximum flavour, pleasure and a little nutritional virtue onto your Christmas plate

Society

5 d. ago King Charles sells boozy £20 Christmas puddings at Sandringham based on Queen Elizabeth’s own royal recipe

KING Charles is selling boozy Christmas puddings inspired by the late Queen’s own royal family recipe.  His large £19.99 puddings contain raisins, sultanas, mixed peel, breadcrumbs, sherry and brandy.  They are on sale at the King’s Sandringham estate shop in Norfolk. It said: “Perfect for family gatherings or a solo treat, our Christmas pudding is made to a classic...

Politics

5 d. ago Do Yorkshire puddings REALLY belong in a Christmas feast? New poll reveals what Brits actually think about the roast dinner staple 

M&S has sought to settle the age-old Christmas dinner debate once and for all by asking 2,000 customers if Yorkshire puds belong on the dining table on December 25 - or if they should be banished.

Politics

6 d. ago Skye McAlpine’s pomegranate Campari jelly and salted caramel zuccotto – recipes

A ruby-red, melt-in-the-mouth delight and an ice-cream encased in chocolate and marsala-drenched panettone – both to make ahead of timeWhile strictly speaking this is a zuccotto – that is, a dome-shaped cake filled with ice-cream and enrobed in chocolate – I take disproportionate pleasure in the fact that it looks very much like a Christmas pudding. Even more delightful is the knowledge that it can be made weeks ahead of time, and whisked out of the freezer and brought to the table as needed. There’s allo a wibbly-wobbly jelly with a soft melt-in-your-mouth set, rather than the more solid, gelatinous variety I so strongly associate with childhood tea parties. Plus, it has sparkling booze in it, which, of course, makes the whole thing feel very grown-up. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago US expat says 'I'm sorry' after tasting Christmas pudding for first time in UK

An American woman living in the UK has issued an apology to her British fans after trying Christmas pudding for the first time, admitting she has no "emotional connection" to the festive dessert

Politics

6 d. ago Georgina Hayden’s recipe for pear, sticky ginger and pecan pudding

This non-traditional Christmas Day dessert is a surefire winner if dried fruit-based puddings aren’t your thingWhile our Christmas Day dinner doesn’t deviate too much from tradition, I do experiment with the dessert. My family, bar one sweet-toothed aunt, avoids dried fruit-based offerings, so classic Christmas cakes and puddings are a hard no. Over the years, I have tried variations on yule logs, pavlovas and sherry trifles, but the biggest crowdpleaser is easily sticky toffee pudding (or something along those lines). This year, I’m making this warming, simple but decadent pear, sticky ginger and pecan pudding, which feels festive and fancy, and can happily make an appearance whenever. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago American says 'I'm sorry' after trying Christmas pudding for first time in UK

US expat Kalyn has issued an apology as she shared her thoughts on the "dark and dense ball of fruit and alcohol" that many of us consider a traditional Christmas staple

Politics

7 d. ago How to make nesselrode pudding – recipe | Felicity Cloake's Masterclass

A luxurious iced dessert stuffed full of boozy dried fruit, candied peel and frozen chestnut pureeThis festive, frozen chestnut puree dessert is often credited to the great 19th-century chef Antonin Carême, even though the man himself conceded that this luxurious creation was that of Monsieur Mony, chef to the Russian diplomat Count Nesselrode (albeit, he observed somewhat peevishly, inspired by one of his own chestnut puddings). It was originally served with hot, boozy custard – though I think it’s just enough as it is – and it makes a fabulous Christmas centrepiece,Prep 15 min Soak Overnight Cook 20 min Freeze 2 hr+ Serves 6 Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Flora Shedden’s Christmas desserts recipes for figgy crumble mince pies, boozy ice

Three sweet treats for even the fussiest sweet tooth: fig and hazelnut crumble mince pies, sherry and raisin ice-cream, and chestnut and pear meringuesOut of sheer laziness, this is a no-churn, very quick to assemble take on things. I tend usually not to recommend no-churn ice-creams unless there is booze involved, so this sherry and raisin one is a great candidate (the alcohol stops the ice-cream from becoming too hard and crystallised). And keep the leftover egg whites from the mince pies to make the chestnut and pear meringue, an alternative for the Christmas pudding haters at your table – there is always one. I think it’s important to have at least two puddings at Christmas. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago Air fryer stuffed Yorkshire puddings 'perfect' for Christmas dinner are ready in just six minutes

The stuffed Yorkshire Pudding recipe filled with honey covered pigs and blankets and brie has been hailed a 'gamechanger' by social media users

Politics

1 week ago The festive treats with hidden health benefits that could actually be good for you from Christmas pudding to prosecco

HALLELUJAH! That mountain of treats you are craving this Christmas might not be so bad for you after all.  Scientists reckon an ingredient found in dark chocolate could help slow the ageing process.   A King’s College London study showed theobromine can reduce DNA damage. Those with more of it in their blood appeared to have...

Politics

1 week ago Marks and Spencer shoppers snapping up heavily reduced Christmas food hamper in deal stack

It includes a Christmas cake, Christmas pudding, festive biscuits and other treats

Economics

1 week ago The chicest Christmas jumpers you'll actually want to wear this winter

Christmas Pud jumper derailing your festive aesthetic? I’ve found the chic alternatives to buy and love this year instead

Politics

2 w. ago How to turn excess nuts and seeds into a barnstoming festive pudding – recipe | Waste not

Love ice-cream, don’t love Christmas pudding? This make-ahead semifreddo, jewelled with dried fruits, might just fit the bill Last Christmas we visited my in-laws in Cape Town, where, at over 30C, a traditional Christmas pudding just didn’t feel quite right. But my mother-in-law and her friend created the most delicious feast: a South African braai (barbecue) followed by an incredible ice-cream Christmas pudding made by mashing vanilla ice-cream with a mix of tutti frutti, candied peel, raisins and cherries. This semifreddo is a take on that dessert: a light frozen custard that still carries all the festive flavours.Tutti frutti semifreddo Christmas puddingWe stopped using clingfilm in our kitchen 15 years ago now, because it’s not easily recycled and because of health concerns about the possible transfer of microplastics into our food. Most semifreddo recipes tell you to line the freezer container with clingfilm, but I suggest using no liner at all, or silicone-free, unbleached bak...

Politics

2 w. ago The Christmas pudding isn’t just a dessert – it’s a relic of the British Empire’s global reach

Christmas pudding is a relatively recent concoction of two older, at least medieval, dishes

Politics

3 w. ago 'I shouldn't have done it. I don't want to be this person': LAUREN GOODGER reveals huge mistake she's desperate to undo

Everyone thinks they know what makes a TOWIE Christmas: high drama, high hair and high finance, with storylines as combustible as a Christmas pudding soaked in brandy.

Politics