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Bring Joy to Your Christmas Table with Delectable Recipes

Enjoy a Deliciously Merry Christmas with These Tasty Recipes

Tis the season to indulge in delicious treats that are as nutritious as they are tasty. With California walnut-approved recipes, you can enjoy healthy and festive flavors this Christmas.

by Team Expresso

December is a season filled with joy and anticipation, especially with Christmas just around the corner. The air is filled with the sound of jingling bells, festive carols, and the warm glow of holiday decorations. For many, this time of year brings cherished moments spent with family, the aroma of freshly baked goods, and the excitement of giving and receiving. It’s the season to gather, share love, and indulge in delicious treats that bring a sense of warmth and happiness.

As you prepare to create your Christmas menu, why not consider adding some delightful recipes that not only capture the festive spirit but also promote good health? Enter the California walnut – a nutrient-rich ingredient perfect for enhancing your holiday dishes. Beyond their nutritional value, walnuts are incredibly versatile, making them ideal for both sweet and savory dishes.

Whether you’re whipping up a warm, spiced walnut pie or adding crunchy walnuts to your holiday salads, these recipes bring a perfect balance of taste and wellness. So, let’s celebrate this Christmas with flavors that are as wholesome as they are delicious – making health and indulgence go hand in hand.

Christmas Turkey, Gammon & Walnut Pot Pie

Ingredients

For the pastry: 150g butter, 200g plain flour
For the filling: 1 large carrot, finely diced, 100g frozen peas, 25g butter, 25g plain flour, 400ml milk, 2 tsp wholegrain mustard, 250g cooked turkey meat, shredded, 250g cooked gammon, shredded 75g California walnuts, roughly chopped, plus 25g chopped, 1 medium egg, beaten

Method: For the pastry, freeze the butter for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the flour and a pinch of salt. Using a coarse grater, grate the frozen butter into the flour, tossing occasionally to coat the butter in flour and prevent clumping. Gradually add 4-5 tbsp of cold water, mixing with a round-bladed knife, until the mixture comes together into a soft dough. Knead gently, wrap in clingfilm, and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out the chilled dough into a 30x15cm rectangle. Fold one short edge of the pastry two-thirds of the way down, then fold the other short edge over the top. Chill for 15 minutes, then repeat the folding process.

Enjoy a Deliciously Merry Christmas with These Tasty Recipes

For the filling, boil the carrots for 3 minutes, then add the peas for an additional 1 minute, and drain well. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and whisk in the flour, cooking for 1 minute. Slowly add the milk and mustard, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens. Season to taste, then stir in the vegetables, turkey, gammon, and 75g of chopped walnuts. Allow the filling to cool.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Roll two-thirds of the pastry into a 30cm circle and line the base of a 20cm loose-bottomed tin, letting the pastry extend 4cm up the sides. Add the filling on top. Roll out the remaining pastry into a 22cm circle, brush the edge with a beaten egg, and place it over the filling. Crimp the edges to seal. Brush the top with egg and sprinkle with the remaining chopped walnuts.

Place the pie on a baking tray and bake for 50 minutes. If the top starts to darken, cover it with foil during the last 10 minutes of baking. Let the pie cool before removing from the tin.

Walnut Christmas Tarts

Ingredients

For the pastry: 50g California walnuts, 200g plain flour, 125g butter, diced, 1 medium egg yolk
For the filling: 150g California Walnuts + 12 walnut halves for garnish, 25g icing sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
200g cranberry sauce, 2 medium eggs, Zest 1 orange, 50g dried cranberries, Icing sugar for dusting

Method: Preheat the oven to 200°C. To prepare the pastry, place the walnuts in a food processor and blitz until finely ground. Add the flour and butter, and process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the egg yolk and 2-3 tbsp of water, mixing until the dough comes together. Knead lightly, wrap in clingfilm, and chill for 20 minutes.

Enjoy a Deliciously Merry Christmas with These Tasty Recipes

Meanwhile, make the filling by blitzing the remaining walnuts in the food processor until finely ground. Add the icing sugar, cinnamon, cranberry sauce, eggs, and orange zest, then blend until well combined. Fold in the dried cranberries.

Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and cut out 12 circles measuring approximately 10cm in diameter. Press the circles into a 12-hole muffin tin. Cut out 12 stars roughly the same size as the pastry cases. Divide the filling evenly among the pastry cases, top each with a star, and place a walnut half on top.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden. Dust with a little icing sugar before serving.
Cook’s tip: These mini tarts are delightful served warm with brandy butter or whipped cream. For convenience, you can use store-bought shortcrust pastry to save time.

Baked Figs, Walnuts & Camembert

Ingredients : 250g camembert cheese, 2 sprigs rosemary, ½ ciabatta loaf, thinly sliced, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 4 large figs, quartered, 75g walnut halves, 2 tabelspoon maple syrup

Method: Preheat the oven to 190°C. Remove the wrapping from the cheese and place it in a round ceramic dish that is just big enough for the cheese to fit snugly. Make a few slits on top of the cheese and press small sprigs of rosemary into the slits. Place the dish on a baking tray.

Enjoy a Deliciously Merry Christmas with These Tasty Recipes

Brush the ciabatta slices with oil and place them on a separate large baking tray. Bake both trays in the oven (with the cheese on the shelf above the bread) for 15 minutes, until the bread is crispy and golden. Remove the bread and set aside, then continue cooking the cheese for an additional 5 minutes.

Add the figs and walnuts to the cheese dish and drizzle with maple syrup. Bake for another 5-8 minutes, or until the cheese has softened and the figs are slightly tender. Transfer everything to a serving platter, sprinkle with rosemary leaves, and serve with the toasted bread.

Cook’s tip: Perfect for sharing or as a light lunch. For added flavor, try spreading the bread with the cheese and topping with figs and walnuts for a warm buffet-style treat. You could also add garlic slices along with the rosemary in the cheese for an extra kick of flavor.

Christmas Walnut Winter Pudding

Ingredients : 150g dried mixed fruit, 3 tablespoon brandy, 1 teaspoon mixed spice, 2 red apples, cored and cut into 1cm dice, 150g fresh or frozen cranberries, 200g plums, stoned and cut into 1cm dice, 100g California walnuts, roughly chopped, plus 25g finely chopped for garnish, 100ml orange juice, 7 slices medium sliced white bread, crusts removed

Method: Grease a 1.5-litre pudding bowl. In a large saucepan, combine all the ingredients except the bread. Cover and simmer over low heat for 7-8 minutes until the fruit has softened and released their juices. Strain the mixture into a bowl, collecting the juices.

Enjoy a Deliciously Merry Christmas with These Tasty Recipes

Dip 5 slices of bread into the reserved juice and layer them in the greased bowl, slightly overlapping to ensure there are no gaps. Sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts between layers. Spoon the fruit mixture into the bowl and press down gently.

Dip the remaining bread slices in the juice and cover the fruit completely. Cover the bowl with clingfilm, then place a small saucer on top along with a weight. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours, or ideally overnight, before inverting onto a serving plate.

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