Going live effective immediately – and open right through to Christmas Eve, JB and I are on duty to answer your Christmas cooking questions. ✨Welcome to our Christmas Cooking Hotline!!✨
JB and I are on call!
I’m so excited to be doing this! I’ve had the idea of a Christmas cooking hotline bubbling away in my mind for years, but I always hesitated because I worried it would be too much to handle on my own.
But now that JB is part of the face of RecipeTin and it’s not just me, there’s two of us here to answer your questions. So for the first time ever, we’re opening up a hotline for Christmas cooking questions, bringing together home-cook practicality and actual proper chef experience (JB!), which means more ideas and better problem-solving for you!
So drop your question in the comments section below and we will answer as many as we can (we need to sleep, and we have some other work things to finish!). Ask anything you want, like:
Can I make this ahead, freeze it, or reheat it?
What can I substitute if I can’t find an ingredient?
How do I scale recipes up or down?
Help, something’s going wrong – how do I fix it?
Menu planning, timing, or oven logistics chaos 😅
Even though our last day of work is this Friday, JB has generously agreed to continue helping me with questions right through to Christmas Eve. Thank you JB, you’re the best.
And now…. the Christmas Cooking Hotline is now officially open. So drop your questions below and we’ll jump in to help wherever we can, because Christmas cooking is much more fun with backup! 🎄 – Nagi x
PS Few out-takes from today’s little Christmas shooting session. We know how to cook better than taking selfies. Promise. 😅
PPS Who nailed The Wink? 😉
Life of Dozer
My favourite Dozer Christmas outfit.
Though to be honest, Santa spends most of his time like this:
Which I’m sure is Santa after a few too many Christmas wines. This has absolutely nothing to do with his ride – or the stable hand who saddled up his ride. 😂
871 comments so far! Wow! You two are seriously astonishing.
I have both your cookbooks, Nagi, and they are lovingly stained and spattered!
Awaiting a co-authored book from you and Chef JB! 😉
Merry Christmas to all. 🎄🎄🎄from the PNW in the US!
The title of that book would be:
frequent asked questions about holiday cooking
😉 😁
Good morning, i am searching for the recipe for your Christmas cake.
It sounds delicious and I am ready to give it a go. Alas, now I can’t find it.
Hi Catherine, here is the recipe! merry Christmas!
Hi Nagi,
I want to start by saying I wonder if you realize the impact you have on so many women and men by making them more confident chefs! TY. I have two questions: If I cook 2 beef tenderloins for our gang, what do I need to adjust? Second question I am hosting 25 and 26. Hoping to do alot of prep on 23. Will the marinated mushrooms, make ahead stuffing and caprese salad still be good if I do them on 23rd? You are so fantastic Nagi. Merry Christmas to you, your team and Dozer xx
Hi Deb, if you have two cast iron skillets then go ahead! There is no issues cooking two tenderloins at the same time. it might take slightly longer as the air doesn’t circulate as well. For your second question, mushrooms yes, stuffing yes, salad no (this will have to be done on the day). Merry Christmas!
Hi,
Wanting to cook your slow roasted middle eastern lamb shoulder from Tonight but nowhere has bone I. Lamb shoulder. Will it work with boneless and how should I adjust temperature or time? Thanks heaps
I’m making your French Lemon Tart (Tarte au Citron), but can only find individual tart shells (crust) in my market. If I’m using such small tart shells, do I still bake them for 5 min. at 180c? Or should I adjust that?
Hi Pamela, you can stick to 5 minutes even for individual tart shells. Merry Christmas!
Hi Nagi and JB, I’d like to please ask your advice about making some salads for the Christmas table. I’d like to make something substantial, like the roast pumpkin and spinach salad, or the sweet potato salad, but am catering for people with dairy allergies. Could you possibly suggest something I could safely substitute for the cheese that would compliment the rest of the recipe?
I know there are vegan versions of cheeses etc but would prefer to avoid those for the soft cheeses as they can be a bit hit or miss. Thank you, and merry Christmas!
Hi Dee, it can be hard to replicate the creaminess of cheese in the salad. Avocado is often a good option or you can always play with the textures, it doesn’t have to be creamy cheese. Crispy chickpeas, marinated mushrooms or croutons are also good options. Merry Christmas!
Hi I have an Oreo frozen tart base and my son wants me to put something inside the tart. and ideas?
Hi Tracey, chocolate custard cake is what you are after! Merry Christmas!
I had not noticed this gem before but I will be making it!!!
Hi there. just a query for the Mini No Bake Nutella Cheesecakes. I weighed the icing sugar but 30g is a quarter of a cup not half. is that correct? if so, which amount do I use? Thanks!
Hi Nagi please help me, I have a deboned leg of lamb and would like to slow roast it overnight and serve it cold the next evening, what temp would I cook at and for how long?
Regards
Colleen
I don’t have any questions.. just wanted to say that your hotline is a great idea… happy holidays 😀
Hi Nagi,
I am making two Chinese crispy pork bellies for separate Christmas events we are attending. One is at lunch and one is for dinner – how do I go about cooking/prepping/storing the second pork belly so it is good for the second event?
I am able to use the oven/grill at the second event!!
Thanks so much and Merry Christmas!
This reminds me of the thanksgiving episode of The West Wing and the Butterball Hotline 😂
Hi Nagi
Can I glaze and bake ham a few days before Christmas Day? We only plan to eat a few slices warmed on Christmas Day, then as cold ham for a few days after?
Hi Nagi,
What is the best way to re- heat baked vegetables which were cooked the day before? Can you freeze baked potato and pumpkin? Thanks
Hi! Making Nagi’s mini Christmas cake with half the quantity this year – can golden syrup be substituted with honey?
I would like to do your pork belly on. Christmas Eve. Could I do the slow roast part for 2.5 hours ahead of time. Then finish at high heat an hour or so later? Will it compromise the meat or the crunch of the crackling?
Thanks so much and Merry Christmas!
Hi Nagi, with the Pavlov bombs – when you leave them in the oven overnight – is the door open or closed? My mum made the best Pavlov but she passed away earlier this year and although I grew up with her making them – I can’t remember about the door open or closed. This is how she would get us out of bed on a weekend as we would all fight for the bowl 🤭 My dad normally won ❤️
Hi Nagi, I made your shortbread and it was delicious. But I’m wondering why it only keeps for 3 days?
Hey Nagi, for the second time (yay!), I’m going to make your 36-hour slow-cooked pork. The thing is, I’m only serving 5 people (not 15-20!) this year. If I get a 2kg pork shoulder, how long should I cook it for? Thank you and Meery Xmas 🎄🎁
I’m making Maple Glazed Ham. Can I use ground clove in the glaze instead of using whole cloves? Just to make carving one the day easier.
Hi, I am trying to make the pavlova bombs in my thermomix, as I do not own any other mixer. Everything is looking good stiff peaks nice and thick, until I add the vinegar and cornflour at the end, then it just turn into a very tasty sweet liquid . I have tried twice . Help I wanted to make for family dinner tomorrow night. thanks