Delicious bites for a festive season to remember at Dobbies

Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre, again proving itself as the go-to destination for all things Christmas with an impressive new menu of seasonal recipes, guaranteed to tantalise your tastebuds this festive season.

From canapes for Christmas parties, to delicious sharing dishes and desserts, to non-alcoholic cocktails that everyone can enjoy, indulge in Dobbies’ great-value delights, and make your festive get-togethers memorable for family and friends.

Christmas canapes and magical mocktails

Ideal for glittering festive soirees, these delicious canapes and accompanying mocktails will ensure your party is the talk of the town. Plus, they’re super simple to make, meaning you can get the full family involved.

Goat’s cheese bonbons

Makes 24

You will need:

300g soft goat’s cheese

3g mixed soft green herbs such as parsley, dill, and chives, finely chopped

2g crushed pink peppercorns

2g toasted sesame seeds

3tbsp toasted hazelnuts, chopped

Method

1. To make your crispy coating, spread the chopped green herbs, pink peppercorns, sesame seeds and

hazelnuts in a thin layer on separate plates. Then, line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

2. Divide the goat’s cheese into 24 equal portions. Using your hands, roll each portion gently into a small

ball.

3. Roll your goat’s cheese truffles in your coating mixtures, alternating between the herbs, peppercorns,

sesame seeds and hazelnuts to get an even spread of flavours, until all truffles are evenly coated. Place on

your lined baking tray and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

4. Serve up and enjoy!

Virgin Earl Grey Martini

Makes 2

You will need:

100ml grapefruit juice

100ml cold strong Earl Grey tea

40ml lemon juice

25ml honey

Few drops angostura or orange bitters

1 free range egg white

Ice to shake

Twist of grapefruit zest to garnish

Method

1. Place two martini glasses in the freezer to chill, preferably an hour in advance.

2. Fill a cocktail shaker (or flask) with ice and add all the ingredients. Shake vigorously for 1-2 minutes or until the shaker feels icy cold and the mixture is frothy.

3. Strain into your chilled glasses and garnish with a twist of grapefruit zest. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Starters worth sharing

Whether you’re sitting down as a family to watch your favourite Christmas movie, or having friends over for a festive tipple, this heavenly baked camembert recipe is a must-try. Perfect for sharing, this classic Christmas dish takes less than half an hour from start to finish and is a great way to get in the yuletide spirit.

Baked Camembert with Roasted Grapes

Serves 4 as a sharing starter

You will need:

250g whole camembert

2 sprigs of rosemary

2 sprigs of thyme

1 clove of garlic, finely sliced

100g red grapes, vine on

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp white wine

1 tsp runny honey

1 ciabatta, sliced

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200C/180C fan.

2. Remove the camembert from the box and remove the wrapper, then put it back in the box and place it on a baking tray.

3. Using a small sharp knife make diagonal cuts on top of the cheese. Push a few sprigs of Rosemary and Thyme and a few slices of garlic in the grooves. Arrange the grapes on the tray next to the cheese and scatter over the remaining herbs and garlic.

4. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, white wine, and honey until well combined. Drizzle the mixture over the cheese and grapes and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is runny and the grapes have softened.

5. Warm the ciabatta in the oven for the last 5 minutes of cooking, then top the cheese with the grapes and serve with warmed ciabatta slices on the side.

Mouth-watering mains

For a showstopping dinner party that will leave your guests impressed, this spiced beetroot tarte Tatin is your new favourite recipe. Ideal as a starter or a vegetarian main, this dish both looks impressive and tastes incredible, with plenty of rich flavours perfectly balanced with fresh herbs.

Spiced Beetroot Tarte Tatin

Serves 4 as a main, or 6 as a starter

You will need:

500g Beetroot peeled and cut into thin wedges

1 red onion, cut into wedges

1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed

1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed

1/4 tsp chilli flakes

3 tbsp olive oil plus extra for drizzling

2 tbsp wine vinegar

2 tbsp soft light brown sugar

500g block puff pastry

40g feta or goat’s cheese

1 tbsp pomegranate seeds

1 tbsp fresh dill, roughly chopped

Flour for dusting

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan. In a large bowl, toss together the beetroot, onion, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, chilli flakes, olive oil, vinegar, and light brown sugar until well combined. Tip the mixture into a non-stick, oven-proof dish or frying pan and arrange the veg so they cover the base of the pan.

Cover with foil and cook for 1 hour.

2. Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the puff pastry block until roughly the thickness of a pound coin, then cut out a rough circle approximately 2cm bigger than the diameter of your pan - you can use a dinner plate as a guide to make sure your circle is even.

3. Take the pan with the beetroot out of the oven and remove the foil. Allow to cool for a few minutes before pushing the veg into the middle of the pan slightly to make a compact layer. Working quickly, place the pastry on top of the veg and push it in around the edges. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry has risen and is golden brown.

4. Allow to cool for 35 minutes - 1 hour before running a pallet knife around the pastry edge to loosen and carefully turning the tart out onto a plate.

5. Just before serving, scatter the cheese, pomegranate seeds and dill over the top and drizzle with a little extra olive oil. Serve slices warm or at room temperature.

Delectable desserts

Dobbies guarantee everyone will have room for dessert when you delight them with this cheat’s cherry trifle. This sweet recipe utilises canned cherry pie filling and shop bought custard for quickness and ease, but your guests will never know!

Cheat’s Cherry Trifle

Serves 10

You will need:

5 sheets of leaf gelatine

2 x 410g cans of cherry pie filling

400g of Madeira cake or madeleines

6 tbsp cherry jam

3tbs amaretto liquor

800ml good-quality shop bought custard

400ml double cream

1 tsp corn flour

1 tbsp icing sugar

15g flaked almonds, toasted

Edible glitter or gold sprinkle dust and gold edible balls to decorate

Method

1. To make the jelly layer, soften the gelatine in a small bowl of water. Tip the cherry pie filling into a saucepan with 100ml of water and gently cook on a low heat on the hob, being careful not to boil.

2. Add the softened gelatine sheets to the cherry pie filling and stir until dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool slightly before transferring to a 20cm trifle dish. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until the mixture has set.

3. Cut the Madeira cake or madeleines in half, length ways. Spread with the cherry jam and sandwich back together before cutting into large chunks. Arrange the chunks in a layer on top of the jelly and then drizzle over the amaretto. Gently pour over the custard and level over with a palette knife. Refrigerate for a further 30 minutes - 1 hour.

4. Meanwhile, place the cream in a large bowl and sieve in the icing sugar and corn flour (this will help stabilise the cream if you are making this in advance). Whisk the cream mixture until soft peaks form, then spoon the cream on top of the custard and scatter over the flaked almonds, glitter, and gold balls. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For more festive food inspiration, and to browse Dobbies’ seasonal ranges for Christmas 2022, visit

www.dobbies.com.

Incidentally, my wife and I are members of the Dobbies Club Plus, which is very worthwhile. We'll be popping in to their restaurant several times between now and Christmas.