Recipes

I had to laugh this evening — I actually found myself asking ChatGPT whether eggnog and Snowballs are the same thing. For years I assumed that custard-yellow bottle with the red writing was eggnog… because it looks like eggnog, and it’s yellow, and everyone wheels it out at Christmas.

From curry houses packed with festive diners to at-home menus inspired by global flavours, 2025 is shaping up to be the year of the alternative Christmas feast.

From Christmas Eve nibbles to Boxing Day blowouts, here’s how to weave cheese through every part of your festive feast — plus three foolproof recipes guaranteed to impress.

Cook them properly, and sprouts become sweet, nutty, caramelised little gems that hold their own against even the biggest festive showstoppers.

Whether you love them buttery and simple or dressed up with festive flavours, carrots are one of the easiest Christmas sides to prepare ahead, freeing you up for Bucks Fizz and present chaos

Most can be prepared ahead of time, so you can relax with your Bucks Fizz, enjoy the festive chatter, and let the flavours do the talking. From elegant bites to warming soups and colourful salads, these recipes are designed to kick off your Christmas feast in style.

Fusion isn’t just about throwing together random ingredients — it’s about balancing flavours, textures, and techniques from multiple cultures to create something cohesive yet unexpected

These winter pudding pies merge the nostalgia of classic British puds with indulgent seasonal twists — from spiced apple and buttery crumble to Black Forest berries and molten chocolate. They’re hearty, homely, and made for sharing around a table piled with blankets and candlelight.

Move over layer cakes — the latest bake to get the GBBO glow-up is the stand-alone trifle. No bowls, no hiding behind glass.

According to Brit Superstore, you can make perfect Yorkshire puddings at home with one unlikely supermarket essential — an empty Frey Bentos pie tin.