Back from the dead... with a Christmas 2017 roundup...

So 2018 started off a little unexpectedly...

I've had to take a year away from university to resolve some things which have been nibbling away at me for a while - slightly heartbreaking since I absolute love uni. 

But it also means I have a little bit more free time to resume some of my old passions  - and food is always high on that list. 

Christmas 2017 was a typical 'Cambridge Christmas', which means that you have a six week holiday but can only really afford to take a week off to do Christmassy things as the rest of the time you have a pile of work to be wading through. I wasn't able to really do much of that work but I still tried anyway...so cooking and food wasn't high on my list of priorities. 

All the same, I made time for some sugary, spiced goodness over the festive period! Here are my 2017 takes on mince pies, booze, and trifle...

For mince pies this year, I was determined to try something new!

I'm not a huge pastry lover and was wondering how to upgrade the humble mince pie. In 2016, I attempted to do this through making my own mincemeat (using my favourite brandy - Hennessy). It was good but it wasn't *WOW I HAVE TO EAT ALL OF THESE IN ONE GO* good. 

2017, I topped the mincepies with a frangipane - and am here to report back that they were certainly an improvement! 

I still think they can be taken to the next level but am not quite sure how at the moment. Marzipan? Cherry? Jam? Icing? A different pastry bottom? 

Paul A. Young has some recipes for mince pie brownies which I am very curious about... but that will have to wait for another 10-11 months. 

on the topic of mince pies... ever wondered what to do with your leftover mincemeat? 

Marcus Wareing has you covered with these delicious mince pie cocktails. We had them towards the end of cooking the Christmas dinner but I think they would have been more appreciated on boxing day with a mince pie. They were certainly delicious though, but very strong! You can whip one up with vermouth, bourbon whiskey, angostura bitters, mincemeat, a few cloves, and some orange peel. 

For our Christmas dinner dessert, trifle is always on the menu. It has always been the traditional dessert in our family and my mum made a killer one. 

BUT I've yet to nail her recipe and every year I hear the same from my dad... NOT ENOUGH SHERRY. 

So last year, instead of competing with my mum's masterpiece, I opted for Nigella's Black Forest trifle. It was LUSH... seriously so, so good. You have to make it at least once. But perhaps spare it for a different day of the year than Christmas as it is extremely rich. 

This year I went for a Lily Vanilli recipe - 'Very Boozy Sherry Trifle' - surely this would appease the Irish father?! 

Alas, not quite. Next year I think I'll just serve him trifle with a pouring jug of Harvey's Bristol Cream next to it. But it was still a great take on a traditional trifle - no jelly or cream and so it wasn't at all slushy and all the fresh fruit made it feel a lot lighter and refreshing after the heavy Christmas dinner. 

Best of all, it is SO worth making home-made custard. I had never done it before - always cheating with Bird's custard (there is enough to prep on Christmas, right?) - but this year I used that strange looking and overpriced vanilla pod that had been in the cupboard for probably much too long and it elevated the custard to a heavenly level. 

Would highly recommend this recipe - and Lily's Sweet Tooth book - which I will make another post reviewing. 

Hope you had a good festive season.