The tree is up; the stockings are hung; the Carols are playing and the children are home.
It’s Christmas time at its best and the next best thing to celebrate the evening before Saint Nicholas drops by is with a hearty dinner for full bellies and even fuller hearts.
Not sure what to make? Worry not, as here we have a recipe for a classic Roast Turkey with Cranberry and Truffle Sauce and Gingerbread Cookies from Chef Raymond Tham of Beta KL.
Christmas is one of the holidays that Chef Raymond most looks forward to each year, being a Catholic convert. It reminds him of family, good times and good food and he hopes his recipes will make for a night before Christmas that will be well remembered for all.
Roast Turkey with Cranberry and Truffles Gravy
Roast Turkey
With cranberry and truffle sauce
Ingredients
Turkey 5-6kg | Butcher String | 1 lemon | 1 orange | 1 sprig rosemary |1 sprig thyme | 100gr garlic | BRINE: 6lt water | 354gr salt | 354gr brown sugar 354g | 10gr cinnamon stick | 10gr star anise | 10gr clove | 10gr black peppercorn | 22gr seaweed | 5gr bayleaf | 2300gr ice cube
Brine Instructions
Bring water, salt, brown sugar & all the spices to boil. Cool it down. Keep in chiller (make days in advanced). Add in ice cube when ready to use on the day.
Roasting Turkey Instructions
Remove the turkey from chiller and rinse under water. Dry turkey with paper towel. Remove wish bone.
Roasting Turkey Instructions
Add in spices & herbs in the cavity. Tie the turkey. Put the turkey into a roasting pan with wire rack.
Roasting Turkey Instructions
Roast at 250c for 15 mins. Then roast at 160c for remaining 45 mins with aluminum foil cover on the breast.
Instructions
Roast till the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 68 degrees Celsius.
Roasting Turkey Instructions
Remove the turkey from the oven and rest for 30-45mins before carving. Top with truffle shavings.
Cranberries and red wine compote ingredients
100gr cranberries | Water | Brown sugar | Cinnamon | Star anise | Clove | Orange | Red wine
Instructions
Bring everything to boil and simmer down. Sugar can up to your personal liking. Thicken with cornstarch water if required.
Truffle Gravy Ingredients
100 gr Karls’s Mushroom & Truffles Butter | 50gr Flour | White Wine| Reserved Pan Juice 300 | Bay Leaf
Instructions
Melt Karls’s mushroom & truffles Butter. Add in flour and cook until golden brown. Add in White Wine
Plating
Serve everything hot.
(Swipe left for full ingredients and recipe)
Gingerbread Cookies
Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
350gr flour | 1tsp baking soda | 2tsp ginger | 125gr butter | 175gr brown sugar | 1 egg | 2tbsp honey
Instructions
Sieve flour, baking soda, ginger powder together. Add in brown sugar
Instructions
Crumble with butter
Instructions
Add in egg & honey
Instructions
Wrap and cool down the dough in chiller
Instructions
Roll out
Instructions
Cut with cookie cutter
Instructions
Bake in a pre-heated oven for 5-10 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. Remove and let cool on a cooling pan.
Instructions
Pipe and decorate to desire
Instructions
Enjoy!
(Swipe left for full ingredients and recipe)
Seasons greetings from Beta KL and the FirstClasse Team. We hope you have a hearty dinner with your closest and dearest this Christmas.
Log on to Beta KL’s official website here to learn more about their festive offerings.
(Photography: Anson Siau)