Last week, high street favourite Marks and Spencer arranged an amazing food package for me. Even though I’m a huge fan of their food all year round, Christmas is the perfect opportunity to see what they have to offer. As you can see, I was kindly given lots to try, including canapés, desserts and recipe ingredients.
10 American Style BBQ Pulled Pork Stacks
These are quick to cook and fairly straightforward to assemble. The mini cornbread slices are light, crispy and taste great topped with the Monteray Jack cheese and pulled pork. The BBQ sauce is quite sweet but as they’re only little bites, they don’t taste too sickly. A non-pretentious canapé that would be good for parties and would appeal to children and adults alike.
6 All Butter Luxury Mince Pies
These were beautifully crafted mince pies, each complete with a delightful snowflake design on top that sparkles with the dusting of sugar. The shortcrust pastry was lovely – thick and buttery but sturdy enough to hold plenty of fruity filling. They were deep filled with mincemeat bursting with juicy sultanas, vostizza currants and raisins, which were rich in flavour but not overpowering. I ate them warm with a drizzle of double cream but a dollop of brandy cream would be just as comforting!
12 Snowflakes & Stars dessert
The festive season isn’t complete without a hearty helping of chocolate and this dessert certainly fits the bill! The light mousse centres are encased in creamy white or decadent dark chocolate and are topped with an edible glitter shimmer. Personally, I preferred the dark chocolate stars but if you have a very sweet tooth, the white chocolate snowflakes will not disappoint! Serve with coffee after Christmas dinner for a fun alternative to mint thins.
Marks and Spencer also gave me the ingredients for a Christmas recipe which really got me in the festive spirit – a Brussels sprouts, chicken and pecorino winter salad. My verdict? It was simple to prepare, quick to make and didn’t require many cooking skills – perfect after a long day at work or Christmas shopping. It looked appetising – fresh, tasty and plenty of greens. I’m a salad lover anyway but there’s a stir-fry feel to it which might appeal to those who prefer their veg warm. As for the taste, it was filling and super tasty – lots of crunchy textures and packed with flavour. A brilliant way to use up leftover sprouts for boxing day lunch perhaps?
For more tasty M&S recipes, click here