Christmas: The last 36 hours

Here we have Delia's recipes for the last 36 hours before you serve a perfect Christmas lunch

All of the recipes here are included in her timed planner, simply adjust the time to when you want to serve and follow her instructions for a frazzle-free lunch.

Click here for Delia's Last 36 hours timed planner

Traditional Christmas Pudding

This is quite definitely the best and, like the Christmas cake, has been made and loved by a cast of thousa...

This is quite definitely the best and, like the Christmas cake, has been made and loved by a cast of thousands over forty years. If you’ve never made a Christmas pu...

American Turkey Stuffing

American Turkey Stuffing: Left hand image This type of stuffing was first served to me at a deligh...

American Turkey Stuffing: Left hand image This type of stuffing was first served to me at a delightful Thanksgiving Dinner given by some American friends. Ame...

10 minutes

to cook

Christmas Rum Sauce

Christmas Rum Sauce - in the jug. An all-in-one version of a traditional sauce, this is best made not to...

Christmas Rum Sauce - in the jug. An all-in-one version of a traditional sauce, this is best made not too far ahead. A good rule of thumb is to make it when you put...

10 minutes

to cook

Cumberland Rum or Brandy Butter

This butter (seen in the ramekin) is excellent with the Mincemeat and Apple Jalousie. See related recipe be...

This butter (seen in the ramekin) is excellent with the Mincemeat and Apple Jalousie. See related recipe below.

A picture of Delia's Eighteenth-century Chestnut Stuffing recipe

18th Century Chestnut Stuffing

Bottom image: This recipe is adapted from one I first came across in the cookery book written by the eighte...

Bottom image: This recipe is adapted from one I first came across in the cookery book written by the eighteenth-century writer, Hannah Glasse. Peeling chestnuts is ...

10 minutes

to cook

Etty's Sausage Rolls

Etty is my mum and for me Christmas without her sausage rolls would not be complete. They are the ultima...

Etty is my mum and for me Christmas without her sausage rolls would not be complete. They are the ultimate canape to serve with drinks, or with pickled shallots and...

20 minutes - 25 minutes

to cook

Hot Spiced Cider with Buttered Apples

A glass of something warm and spicy goes very well with warmed mince pies during the party season - even th...

A glass of something warm and spicy goes very well with warmed mince pies during the party season - even though we no longer seem to greet guests rubbing frosty finger...

Chunky Sauté Potatoes

This is a once-a-year special treat for us: Michael’s crisp, crunchy sauté potatoes. The secret, he says...

This is a once-a-year special treat for us: Michael’s crisp, crunchy sauté potatoes. The secret, he says, is cooking them in one layer – and they are absolutely scr...

Traditional Bread Sauce

Traditional bread sauce is one of the great, classic British sauces, but I think it has suffered from eithe...

Traditional bread sauce is one of the great, classic British sauces, but I think it has suffered from either not being made properly or – worst of all – being made fro...

Traditional English Trifle

This one's the real deal. Though we love making trifles all the year round, we only ever make thi...

This one's the real deal. Though we love making trifles all the year round, we only ever make this one at Christmas - which keeps it in the very special...

Vegetarian

Traditional Mince Pies

I will always cherish fond memories of my mother's and my grandmother's cooling trays piled high with fresh...

I will always cherish fond memories of my mother's and my grandmother's cooling trays piled high with freshly baked mince pies on Christmas Eve, ready to be packed int...

25 minutes - 30 minutes

to cook

Traditional Pork, Sage and Onion Stuffing

I firmly believe that the whole idea of stuffing a large bird like a turkey is to help counteract the dryin...

I firmly believe that the whole idea of stuffing a large bird like a turkey is to help counteract the drying-out process during the cooking. Pork sausagemeat is an ...

Turkey Giblet Stock

However unpromising the giblets look, they make a wonderful stock for the turkey gravy and the meat from th...

However unpromising the giblets look, they make a wonderful stock for the turkey gravy and the meat from them will provide a Christmas lunch for a deserving cat or dog.

1 hour 30 minutes - 2 hours

to cook

A picture of Delia's Turkey Soup and Turkey Dripping on Toast recipe

Turkey Soup and Dripping on Toast

This is the very last bit of Christmas. Warm, comforting bowls of steamy soup as January begins.

Christmas: The last 36 hours