Festive Butter Recipes

CHRISTMAS BUTTER

Steps:

• Put your butter into a bowl. Really finely chop the cranberries and add to the bowl.
• Pick the thyme, rosemary and sage leaves, then chop, sweep and run your knife through the herb leaves until really finely chopped. Add to the butter with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
• Grate in the zest of your clementine and mix so the butter softens and everything is combined. Divide the butter roughly in half.
• Get your turkey and use a spoon to work your way between the skin and the meat. Start at the side of the cavity just above the leg and work gently up toward the breastbone and towards the back so you create a large cavity.
• Pick up half of your butter and push it into the cavity you've created. Use your hands to push it through the skin right to the back so it coats the breast meat as evenly as possible. Do the same on the other side, then rub any leftover butter all over the outside of the bird to use it up.
• If you've got any herb stalks left over, put them in the cavity of the turkey for added flavour as it cooks.
• Cover the turkey in clingfilm and put in the fridge until you're ready to cook it the next day.

FLAVOURED BUTTERS

Steps:

• Take 100g of butter out of the fridge for an hour to soften. Flavour is key, so use good-quality semi-salted or unsalted butter. Beat the butter with a wooden spoon until it is soft and creamy, then beat in any of the flavourings you fancy. See each below.
• Tip the flavoured butter onto a square of baking parchment or cling film, roll it around the butter to form a sausage shape, then twist the ends to seal. The butter is now ready to be stored for up to 3 days in the fridge or up to a month in the freezer.

FESTIVE BUTTER

Steps:

• Mix together the butter, parsley and red pepper strips.
• Wrap the red pepper butter up in foil, forming a cylinder shape. Chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Cut the butter in half cm thick slices and serve.

FESTIVE BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Shape dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-in. cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets., Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For icing, in a bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, water and meringue powder; beat on low speed just until blended. Beat on high 4-5 minutes or until soft peaks form., Divide and tint icing with colors of your choice. Keep unused icing covered at all times with a damp cloth. If necessary, beat again on high speed to restore texture., Working quickly with one color at a time, pipe outlines on some of the cookies; fill centers with thinned icing of the same color. Let stand until set. , If desired, add designs or writing to cookies. Let stand at room temperature for several hours or until icing is completely firm. Store in airtight containers.

FESTIVE BUTTER ALMOND LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Grease two medium loaf pans.
• In large bowl, mix first six ingredients, and beat on high speed for 5 minutes.
• Fold in flour, baking powder and salt, alternately with the milk.
• Pour into pans, and sprinkle almonds on top of each loaf.
• Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until lightly browned and done.
• When loaves have cooled slightly, loosen edges, and turn out onto wire rack.
• Drizzle glaze over loaves.
• To make glaze, beat powdered sugar, water and extract together in a small bowl until smooth.
• If glaze is too thick, add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of water.
• Decorate with cherries.