Christmas info

Browse our merry collection of Christmas recipes and Christmas dinner ideas, complete with a roast turkey with all the trimmings from Dominic Chapman, a Christmas pudding recipe, and Shay Cooper's mince pies recipe.

Christmas is a time that often convinces even the most reluctant of cooks to delve into a recipe book but Christmas cooking can be fraught with difficulties. There's entertaining and parties requiring some stunning canapés, apperitifs, petit fours, and of course, mulled wine.

Vineet Bhatia’s one-bite crab cakes and crab chutney or a simple salmon gravlax are perfect recipes for such an occasion, while Simon Hulstone’s pretty goat’s cheesecakes with red onion jam will ensures vegetarians are well catered for. When it comes to petit fours, try out Marcus Wareing's mint bon-bons or Bruno Loubet's perfectly festive chocolate and Drambuie truffles.

For the big day itself, Dominic Chapman's Christmas turkey recipe should be your first point of call. Game birds often make great alternatives to turkey, so try Mark Dodson's roast partridge recipe or a spectacular five-bird roast from James MacKenzie. For veggies, Josh Eggleton's spelt, barley and squash risotto is a wonderful option, particularly once served with some roasted vegetables and freshly baked bread, perhaps. For your Christmas pudding don't forget to make your own brandy butter with our helpful guide.

If you took time to cook up some joints, a Boxing Day lunch of leftover ham, egg, chips and piccalilli should be your reward. Turkey sandwiches are great, but why not try Adam Gray's sumptuous turkey tart for a dish of real substance on the 26th.