Top Christmas tips from Bake Off champion John Whaite
We chat to Bake Off winner John Whaite about Christmas dinner plans, how a vacuum pack helps to make the perfect Christmas cake, and what to eat on Boxing Day.
“Christmas is about doing things quickly and easily.” What a statement for 2012 Great British Bake Off winner John Whaite to make when nearly half the nation, according to research from Tesco, is currently stressing out about it.
But he sticks to his guns – on the canapé front, at least. “Don’t go crazy, do something simple and easy” he says, suggesting chickpea and chorizo crostini or medjool dates stuffed with herby goat’s cheese and cream cheese as two straightforward options. Watch the video below to see how to make those.
But what else has the baking maestro got up his sleeve? I met him at Tesco's Make Christmas event to find out.
Best bakes for Christmas
As he’s best known for his baking skills, it’s unsurprising to learn that John is ahead of the game – he’s already got his homemade mince pies in the freezer, and has made around five Christmas cakes.
However, he’s eschewed the traditional Christmas pudding in favour of a pavlova. He says he will make and freeze the base in “a couple of weeks”. It’s a great alternative to Christmas pudding, and you can add the topping just before serving if you prepare the base in advance. “They’re so simple and completely customisable, so you can cater to fussy tastes” he says.
Also in his thoughts is his recently devised recipe for a caramelised popcorn yule log. “It’s so sweet and rich. You literally need a slice about that thick [he motions with a finger and thumb, holding them barely a centimetre apart]. But the flavour of the popcorn is just fabulous.”
In a seemingly bizarre twist, he recommends using a vacuum pack to help make the perfect Christmas cake. But there's actually a really good reason behind his idea. “With a Christmas cake, you need to ‘feed’ it every week or two weeks.” For those unfamiliar with the concept, this is when you pour extra booze onto the cake and let it soak in, to keep it moist and mature the flavours.
John likes to go the extra mile to make sure that his cakes remain moist. “What I do is wrap it in cling film, and then in foil. Then I put that into a vacuum pack and suck all the air out with a hoover. You’ve got a perfectly airtight Christmas cake container. It works so well!” Just don’t leave it in your airing cupboard. A cool, dark, dry place is ideal.
Christmas dinner
When it comes to the big meal, John says: “I’m not really keen on goose, I think it’s too fatty at Christmas. It’s nice but I much prefer turkey.”
And what’s the best way to cook the traditional bird? “My foolproof method is to put loads of butter under the skin between the breast meat and the skin, because you need that lubrication – it is a dry bird. Add plenty of maple or golden syrup on top to caramelise the top, then cook it quite high as quickly as possible – making sure that it’s cooked through.” Make sure that afterwards you rest the bird for at least an hour. “That’s the trick” explains John.
And while everyone seems to have their own ‘perfect’ method for roasting their spuds, John is an advocate of simplicity. “Boil the potatoes for about 15 minutes, until a knife goes into them tenderly, and then take them out and let them cool on a wire rack or tray until they’re really cool.” Then he heats up a mix made of half goose fat, half rapeseed oil and, making sure that it’s really hot, pops in the potatoes.
“Roast at 200°C (fan) for about 35-40 minutes depending on how big you’ve cut them. And I don’t peel them. I don’t bother with semolina or flour or cornflour. I don’t even bash them in a pan. You don’t need to – it’s all nonsense.”
The best part of all, in John’s opinion, is the parsnips. “I know that sounds like a really dull thing – but I love parsnips!”
A family Christmas
Under the impression that he must be the ‘designated cook’ around Christmas time, I ask John how he copes with serving up dinner for all his family and friends. However, he laughs and replies, “Actually I’m not. My whole family, we all think we’re better than each other in the kitchen, we all insist that we’re the best. Christmas is usually quite a soft, gentle time of the year, but for our family it’s a vicious, competitive time because we all want to outdo each other.” All the family contribute something, “Though not my Auntie Frances, because I’m sure she once roasted a rat for my dinner.”
Seeing the raised eyebrow, he explains: “Seriously! She’s a farmer. I call her ‘feral farmer Frances’. God, she’s going to kill me.” But more than all the Christmas parties, and even his upcoming trip to Stockholm (“I’ve never been to Sweden so I’m excited about that”), he’s most looking forward to getting out of London and going home to his family farm for Christmas.
While he’s there, he’ll be eying up the progress of his cookery school – the opening date has been pushed back and John gives a tentative response of “closer to Easter” when asked when the doors will open.
The best Boxing Day grub
If his Auntie Frances called up on Boxing Day, saying she was in the neighbourhood, what would John quickly make with the Christmas leftovers before she arrived?
“A gorgeous turkey Asian salad. Get some egg noodles or glass noodles, pomegranate kernels, macadamia or cashew nuts… make a dressing with fish sauce and honey and lemon juice and soy sauce. And a bit of chilli and coriander in there.”
It's a lighter option than Christmas day stodge really. “I love [the stodge], don’t get me wrong – but on Boxing Day you need something lighter. So that’s perfect.”
Turkey sandwiches are a staple of the post-Christmas diet, but John suggests going the extra mile on Boxing Day night. “What me and my partner do every year is, at midnight, have the best sandwich filled with all the meats: the ham, the turkey, the stuffing. Then we get a piece of bread and dredge it through gravy and put it between everything in the sandwich with loads of butter… oh it’s so good.”
Christmas list
Like any event, good organisation can make the difference between stressing and breezing through. John suggests making a list of kitchen to-dos before the event, and getting ahead of your Christmas Day tasks.
You can peel veg ahead of time (skipping the spuds), and it's a good idea to make and freeze anything that can be made in advance, like “puddings, mince pies [or] stuffing… just don’t forget to defrost overnight in the fridge, and ensure that if it needs reheating, it is piping hot". Cleaning out your fridge before the big day will make sure you have all the space you need “and helps you feel as though you’re in total control.”
Finally, you shouldn’t feel ashamed to serve up certain shop-bought items. “Whilst it’s rewarding and fun to make your own cranberry and bread sauces, if you don’t have time then you shouldn’t feel guilty.”
John adds that the list should also include your oven times and defrost considerations – a very important factor in a successful Christmas!
Are you a turkey or goose fan? Do you agree with John’s potato tips? Do you have any other advice you’d like to share with Lovefood? Tell us about your Christmas plans in the Comments below.
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