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Best Christmas Dinner Extras

Planning your next Christmas party venue and looking for some new festive tips and inspiration? Then learn all about our favourite Christmas dinner extras.

 

The Christmas cracker

Did you know that the Christmas cracker was invented by a Londoner? Tom Smith, a confectioner, came up with the idea after visiting Paris, where he noticed almonds wrapped in paper (‘bon bon’ sweets’). Although his initial idea of sweets with small riddles/mottos wasn’t very successful, he thought of another idea where a sweet or toy wrapped up in paper could be pulled in half with a crack. This is how the modern Christmas cracker was invented.

Christmas Dinner

 

Cranberry sauce

No Christmas dinner would be complete without cranberry sauce, for which hundreds of recipes exist. Although some purists might only advocate fresh cranberries, frozen ones are just as suitable (and may be somewhat cheaper, too). Food writer Nigel Slater likes to combine them with caster sugar, white wine, and orange zest strips, simmering for around 10 minutes until the cranberries begin to burst, then beating to break them up.

Christmas Dinner

 

Brussels sprouts with pancetta

There’s no denying that Brussels sprouts can be a divisive topic – and some people might even claim that Christmas is the only time of year they will eat them. However, when prepared with care and creativity, they can make a delicious dinner extra. Combining them with some crunchy fried pancetta and garlic-infused olive oil, for example, adds warmth and richness. Ensure the sprouts are cooked just to the right texture (not too hard or soft) so they go round the table.

Christmas Dinner

 

Christmas cupcakes

How about a beautiful snow-capped fairy cake? This recipe, from Mary Cadogan, includes a rich icing with (besides icing sugar) egg white and orange juice, decorated with colourful sliced fruit jellies and silver balls.

Christmas Dinner

 

Sweet snowballs

If you’ve any spare dried cranberries, mix them with white chocolate, white Maltesers, Rich Tea biscuits, marshmallows, coconut and crumbled cake to make some stunning sweet snowballs. The recipe, which only needs to be chilled for 30 minutes, can also be sprinkled with edible glitter to make the snowballs look extra special.

Christmas Dinner

 

Chocolate truffle eggs

Served in an egg box, these gorgeous chocolate truffle eggs can be made in under half an hour with just five ingredients: chopped hazelnut, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, double cream and cocoa powder. Just bake them for five minutes and they’re done.

Christmas Dinner 

 

Interested in learning more?

Whether you want to hear about our mouthwatering Christmas cuisine from Create, or our luxurious events spaces, get in touch today and tell us your ideas. If you have your heart set on a particular Christmas party venue, let us know so we can arrange a viewing.