currants

In this sassy twist on a classic sausage roll, the Australian chef Paul Allam of Bourke Street Bakery riffs on North African flavors to create something fragrant, rich and generously spiced. Harissa pastes can vary widely in heat content; Mr. Allam uses a moderately hot homemade paste in his recipe. If your harissa is especially potent, consider using half the amount called for here.

Lamb, Harissa and Almond Sausage Rolls

almonds

olive oil

roasted red peppers

harissa paste

salt

lamb

couscous

black pepper

(14-

egg, beaten, for egg wash

seeds,

Heat oven to 400 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place almonds on baking sheet and roast until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Pour almonds onto a cutting board to cool slightly. (Reserve baking sheet and parchment.) Coarsely chop almonds and place in large mixing bowl. Lower oven temperature to 375 degrees.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add roasted red peppers, harissa and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook for another 2 minutes. Transfer onion mixture to the bowl with the almonds and let cool.

Add ground lamb, couscous, currants, pepper and the remaining salt to almonds. Using your hands, mix thoroughly until well combined.

Roll the chilled puff pastry dough to about 1/8-inch thick. Cut pastry into 4 equal rectangles. In the center of each pastry, dollop a quarter of the lamb mixture, then form it into a long sausage running lengthwise on the pastry strip. Lightly brush one long edge of the pastry with egg wash. Starting with the side without the egg wash, firmly fold the pastry over the meat filling to form long rolls, pinching to seal. Place on prepared baking sheet, seam-sides down.

Lightly brush the top of each roll with egg wash and sprinkle with poppy seeds, if using. Bake until sausage rolls are golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

A homemade Christmas pudding is easy to make, then it just needs time in the steamer to turn it into a glorious, rich, fruity dessert. A festive classic

Classic Christmas pudding

blanched almonds

apples

box candied peel(in large pieces)

nutmeg(you'll use three quarters of it)

1kg raisins

plain flour

soft fresh white breadcrumbs

light muscovado sugar,crumbled if it looks lumpy

eggs

brandy

packet butter,taken straight

unsalted butter,softened

orange

tbsp icing sugar

stem ginger,finely chopped

Get everything for the pudding prepared. Chop the almonds coarsely. Peel, core and chop the cooking apples. Sharpen your knife and chop the candied peel. (You can chop the almonds and apples in a food processor, but the peel must be done by hand.) Grate three quarters of the nutmeg (sounds a lot but it's correct).

Mix the almonds, apples, candied peel, nutmeg, raisins, flour, breadcrumbs, light muscovado sugar, eggs and 2 tbsp brandy or cognac in a large bowl.

Holding the butter in its wrapper, grate a quarter of it into the bowl, then stir everything together. Repeat until all the butter is grated, then stir for 3-4 mins – the mixture is ready when it subsides slightly after each stir. Ask the family to stir too, and get everyone to make a wish.

Generously butter two 1.2 litre bowls and put a circle of baking parchment in the bottom of each. Pack in the pudding mixture. Cover with a double layer of baking parchment, pleating it to allow for expansion, then tie with string (keep the paper in place with a rubber band while tying). Trim off any excess paper.

Now stand each bowl on a large sheet of foil and bring the edges up over the top, then put another sheet of foil over the top and bring it down underneath to make a double package (this makes the puddings watertight). Tie with more string, and make a handle for easy lifting in and out of the pan. Watch our <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/videos/techniques/how-wrap-and-tie-steamed-pudding">video</a> to see how to tie up a pudding correctly.

Boil or oven steam the puddings for 8 hrs, topping up with water as necessary. Remove from the pans and leave to cool overnight. When cold, discard the messy wrappings and re-wrap in new baking parchment, foil and string. Store in a cool, dry place until Christmas.

To make the brandy butter, cream the butter with the orange zest and icing sugar. Gradually beat in the brandy or cognac and chopped stem ginger. Put in a small bowl, fork the top attractively and put in the fridge to set. The butter will keep for a week in the fridge, or it can be frozen for up to six weeks.

On Christmas Day, boil or oven steam for 1 hr. Unwrap and turn out. To flame, warm 3-4 tbsp brandy in a small pan, pour it over the pudding and set light to it.

The orange zest and currants in these tender scones are an homage to the chef Judy Rodgers of the Zuni Cafe in San Francisco, who made her storied scones until 1997. The dough and method here, though, are adapted from Heather Bertinetti, the pastry chef at the Four Seasons restaurant in New York. The genius of this particular scone recipe is in the geometry. Slicing a rolled-out slab of dough into squares or rectangles is infinitely simpler than cutting out rounds — and there's less chance of toughening the dough by re-rolling it and adding more flour. You can use any kind of chopped dried fruit in place of the currants.

Orange-Currant Scones

all-purpose flour

sugar

baking powder

(1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed

egg,

heavy cream

Egg wash (2 large eggs beaten with 1 tablespoon water)

brown sugar,

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or baking mat, or use a nonstick pan.

Toss dry ingredients and zest together in a large bowl. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, rub butter and flour mixture together just until butter pieces are the size of peas and covered with flour. Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in egg and cream. Mix ingredients together by hand until a shaggy dough is formed.

Turn out onto a floured surface and gently mix in currants, kneading dough and currants together just until incorporated.

Pat dough into a 3/4- to 1-inch-thick rectangle. Cut rectangle in half lengthwise, then cut across into 8 or 12 smaller rectangles. Place them on the baking sheet, spaced out.

Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with brown sugar (if using). Bake until light golden brown, about 22 minutes; rotate the pan front to back halfway through. Let scones cool slightly on the baking sheet. Serve warm or at room temperature. Eat within 24 hours.

Julia Moskin shows how to master the art of making sweet, tender scones with a firm crust and a soft, crumbly texture.

This version of the classic Southern cake takes all of fruitcake’s best elements — bourbon-soaked dried fruit, toasty pecans and shredded coconut — and weaves them into a rich, custardy filling set between three layers of tender vanilla cake. It’s a special occasion dessert and a nightcap, all rolled into one. Acetate strips (see Tip) are useful for holding the layers in place while assembling, but if finding them is too much of a bother, use parchment or follow the instructions to assemble the cake without the strips. The flavor of this cake improves with time, so allow a few hours — or even a few days — before slicing and enjoying.

Lane Cake

unsalted butter

granulated sugar

egg whites,

vanilla extract

cake flour, sifted

240 milliliters whole milk

unsalted butter (2 sticks)

135 grams finely shredded unsweetened coconut

100 grams pecans, chopped

bourbon

Make the cake: Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of an 13-by-18-inch baking sheet and line the bottom with a sheet of parchment. Cut 2 strips of acetate, each about 3 inches wide and 26 inches long. Set aside. (These will be used to help assemble the cake in Step 10.)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the egg whites and vanilla extract. Reduce speed to medium, then pour the egg mixture into the creamed butter in three additions, beating to incorporate after each and scraping the bowl as needed.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and kosher salt. Add the flour mixture all at once into the creamed butter and stir on low speed until just combined. Add the milk; use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to fold in the milk.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake until cake is a pale golden brown and the surface is springy to the touch, 35 to 40 minutes. Allow the cake to cool completely before using. (The uncut cake can be made up to 1 day ahead, wrapped tightly in plastic or stored frozen for up to 2 weeks.)

Make the filling: In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Turn off the heat and stir in the sugar, yolks and salt. Whisk together to fully incorporate. Turn the heat back on low and, stirring continuously, cook to 155 degrees or until the mixture thickens and turns a slightly more pale yellow, 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat. Add the coconut, currants, pecans and bourbon, and fold them in using a rubber spatula. Let the filling cool completely. (Filling can be made ahead and stored refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.) 

Make the bourbon soak: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with 1/2 cup/120 milliliters water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves, remove from heat and add the bourbon; set aside to cool.

Assemble the cake: Run an offset spatula along the sides of the cake to loosen the edges. Place a piece of parchment over the top and unmold the cake by flipping it upside-down onto a baking rack or large cutting board. Peel off and discard the parchment layer on top.

Orienting the cake vertically and starting with an 8-inch metal cake ring on the top left corner, punch out a full circle for the top layer. Move the ring to the bottom left corner and punch out the second layer. Move the cake ring to the top right corner of the cake, punch out a half circle and repeat the half circle on the bottom right corner. These half circles will form your bottom layer. (If you don’t have a cake ring, use a closed 8-inch springform pan without the bottom as a guide, and cut out the cake layers with a paring knife.) Reserve the leftover cake to fill in any gaps.

Wipe the cake ring clean. Place a 9-inch cardboard cake circle on a cake stand or plate and place the metal cake ring or a closed springform pan without the bottom on top. Line the inside of the cake ring with one of the acetate strips. Spread a tablespoon of filling around the middle of the cake board. (This will help the cake stick to the surface.) Move the cake half-circles to the inside of the cake ring, pushing them to the outer edges of the ring, and fill any gaps with cake scraps. Press down on any scraps to create a snug, flat layer.

Brush the bottom layer with the bourbon soak. Using a large spoon or an ice cream scoop, add three to four dollops of the filling, about 1 cup total. Spread evenly with the back of an offset spatula. If the entire layer is not covered and spread to the edges, add more filling.

Gently move the second cake layer and slide it into the ring. Press down gently on the cake layer to make sure it sits firmly on top of the filling. Brush the cake with simple syrup and cover with filling, repeating the process above.

Guide a second acetate strip between the cake ring and the top 1/4 inch of the first strip, allowing slight overlap. Together, the rings should be about 5 to 6 inches tall. This will support the top layers of the cake when finished. 

Add the third cake layer and press down into the filling to set. Brush your third layer with simple syrup and top with remaining filling. (If assembling the cake without acetate strips, once all the cake layers are in place, run the flat side of your offset spatula around the outside of the layer above the cake ring to create a smooth finish.) Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature until ready to serve. 

To serve, slide the cake ring upward and remove it. Peel off the acetate layers and discard. (To remove the cake ring without acetate strips, remove the plastic film and run a warm knife or spatula between the ring and the cake. Slide the metal ring upward to remove.) Using a clean knife, cut the cake into desired number of slices and serve. 

The complex layers of flavor that develop from combining dried fruit, citrus, spices and brandy are the reward for an investment of time. And time does most of the work in this recipe, which produces brandied fruit that you can use in an array of dishes and drinks: A two-day soak will get you a fine infusion, but go for the full 14 to extract notes from each component. The spices need time to bloom, and the dried fruit skins plump as they are infused, absorbing the citrus’s bite and the brandy’s warmth. Use the fruit mixture in <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021678-brandied-fruit-scones">scones</a>, <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021677-saratoga-holiday-cocktail">cocktails</a> and <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021679-braised-lamb-with-squash-and-brandied-fruit">braised lamb</a>. Or stir the drained fruit into muffin or cake batter, toss with bulkier fruit like apples or pears for use as a filling for hand pies, or serve as a relish to accompany lamb, pork or chicken. As an added bonus, the fruit mixture keeps in the refrigerator for months. Store in an airtight container and avoid adding any moisture to the jar by using only dry utensils to serve.

Brandied Dried Fruit

cranberries

dried cherries

dried pears, finely chopped

dried apricots, thinly sliced

lemon, sliced thin and seeds removed, chopped

ginger

anise seeds

nutmeg

cinnamon

cardamom

In a large bowl, combine the currants, cranberries, cherries, pears and apricots. Zest the orange and add the zest to the bowl. Add the lemon, ginger, anise seeds, black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom.

Juice the orange and add the liquid to the bowl. Add the brandy and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a jar, cover and refrigerate. (If you don’t have a jar that’s large enough, keep the mixture in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap.) Allow the fruit to sit in the liquid for 2 to 14 days before using. The flavor of the fruit, spices and brandy will improve with time. At least once a day, turn the jar upside-down (or thoroughly stir the mixture if it’s in a bowl) to make sure all the dried fruit gets coated in the brandied liquid. The mixture keeps in the refrigerator for months, stored in an airtight container.

Mary Berry’s been making her traditional Christmas cake recipe for as long as Paul Hollywood’s been alive. She knows what she’s talking about. If you don't have the required tin size, go to her <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/christmas_cake_calculator">cake calculator</a> to recalculate the ingredients and cooking time for your cake tin.

Mary Berry'S Classic Christmas Cake

raisins

350 grams/12 ounces natural glacé cherries, halved, rinsed, and thoroughly dried

sultanas

oranges, zest only

250 grams/9 ounces butter, softened

free-range eggs,

tbsp black treacle

flour

1½ tsp mixed spice

jam,

icing sugar

marzipan

free-range eggs, whites only

675 grams/1½lb icing sugar, sifted

lemon juice

1½ tsp glycerine

Mary Berry's classic Christmas cake

Mary shows Paul how she makes royal icing; egg whites beaten to a froth, with icing sugar added and a little glycerin and lemon juice. She ices the cake and decorates it with a ribbon and some Christmas angels.

Mary decorates her Christmas cake

Pice ar y maen, a Welsh teatime treat passed on through generations and still as popular as ever. Perfect for making with the children

Welsh cakes

caster sugar

½ tsp mixed spice

½ tsp baking powder

butter,

lard,

currant

egg, beaten

splash milk

Tip the flour, sugar, mixed spice, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Then, with your fingers, rub in the butter and lard until crumbly. Mix in the currants. Work the egg into the mixture until you have soft dough, adding a splash of milk if it seems a little dry – it should be the same consistency as shortcrust pastry.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface to the thickness of your little finger. Cut out rounds using a 6cm cutter, re-rolling any trimmings. Grease a flat griddle pan or heavy frying pan with lard, and place over a medium heat. Cook the Welsh cakes in batches, for about 3 mins each side, until golden brown, crisp and cooked through. Delicious served warm with butter and jam, or simply sprinkled with caster sugar. Cakes will stay fresh in a tin for 1 week.

Satisfying the same creamy urge as mac and cheese, noodles with cottage cheese is a comforting Eastern European staple that’s sometimes topped with golden fried onions and a dusting of black pepper and cinnamon. This version trades caramelized onions for slivers of sharp raw scallion to contrast with the richness of the cottage cheese, which melts into a sauce upon contact with the hot pasta. The currants lean into the cinnamon's sweetness, while halved cherry tomatoes and mint make the dish juicy and fresh. It’s an unusual take on the original dish that’s easy to riff on — feel free to add or leave out ingredients to make it your own.

Cottage Cheese Pasta With Tomatoes, Scallions and Currants

currants (or chopped raisins)

salt,

pasta,

scallions,

cherry tomatoes

lemon

extra-virgin olive oil,

milk cottage cheese (or ricotta)

black pepper,

mint leaves,

parsley,

cinnamon,

Flaky sea salt,

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put currants in a small bowl and ladle a little of the boiling water over them to cover. Let soak for 10 minutes, then drain.

Meanwhile, salt the remaining water in the pot. When it returns to a boil, add pasta. Cook according to package instructions until al dente, usually 1 minute less than the package directs. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.

In a large serving bowl, combine scallions, tomatoes, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

When the currants are soaked, add them to the bowl with the tomatoes and toss to combine. Stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Add pasta to the serving bowl, along with cottage cheese, pepper and a few splashes of reserved pasta water (about 1/4 cup), and toss until evenly coated. If pasta looks dry, add a little more pasta cooking water, a tablespoon at a time. Stir in herbs. Taste, and add more salt and lemon, if needed.

To serve, top with a dusting of ground cinnamon (if you like), flaky salt, a lot of black pepper, and more olive oil and herbs. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

This sweet-and-savory Moroccan phyllo pie encloses two rich fillings, with a Nopi touch from chefs Yotam Ottolenghi and Ramael Scully.

Chicken Pastilla

For the Chicken Filling:

canola oil

chicken breasts

chicken legs

kosher salt, divided,

yellow onions, thinly sliced

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

plum tomatoes,

chipotle chiles, seeds removed

pink peppercorns

white wine

chicken stock

(about ½ cup) chopped dark chocolate

For the Catalan Spinach Filling:

sherry vinegar

pine nuts

olive oil, divided

smoked paprika

shallots,

baby spinach

salt and black pepper,

For the Pastilla:

ghee, divided

(14-by-18-inch) phyllo pastry sheets

confectioners' sugar

The Phyllo-fied Truth

Complete your Christmas in July celebrations with rich apple pudding served with smooth custard.

Apple pudding

granny smith apples

unsalted butter, softened

fresh white breadcrumbs

milliliters (1/2 cup) brandy

Comfort food doesn't mean hours in the kitchen. Our speedy baked gnocchi will instantly warm you up.

Baked gnocchi spanakopita with currants and pine nuts

gnocchi

silverbeet, stems trimmed, leaves roughly chopped

(75 grams) plain flour

1L (4 cups) milk

(200 grams) coarsely grated cheddar

tbsp finely chopped dill

spring onions, finely chopped

tbsp toasted pine nuts

“This is the dish Patrick Dempsey’s character tells Renée Zellweger’s Bridget Jones that he would have brought her on their imaginary second date in Bridget Jones’s Baby. ‘From Ottolenghi,’ says Dempsey, ‘delicious and healthy!’ And easy, we might add! What sounded like a bit of product placement on our part was, in fact, no such thing. The recipe didn’t even exist on our menu, so this is a retrospective acknowledgement” - Yotam Ottolenghi. This is an edited extract from Ottolenghi SIMPLE
(Penguin Random House, RRP $49.99). On sale now.

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