Christmas Cake Jacey Bedford Can be made well in advance. I can’t claim to be the originator of this recipe, though altered it a bit because I dislike candied peel… but it was … … handed down to Jacey by a lady called Evelyn, in Barnsley Library, whose mum cut it out of a magazine in the 1950s and adapted it. It was originally the recipe for Prince Charles’ christening cake! Wherever it came from, it has done good service as a recipe for special occasions. Ingredients 8oz butter or soft margarine 10oz dark brown sugar 5 …

This is a recipe I did originate. A lot of people go to great trouble to make stuffings and sauces for Christmas. With being out on tour right until the last minute I always look for quick and easy things to perk up the Christmas dinner. I confess to buying packet bread-sauce mix and the classic box of Paxo but one thing I do make is a special “stuffing”. I don’t actually stuff it into the cavity of the turkey, though, I cook it in a glass casserole dish and serve it separately, by the spoonful. Since I don’t treat cooking as a very exact science, I always guess the amounts but this is a very forgiving recipe and it’s never let me down yet. You’ll need a food processor or a blender. Bacon - unsmoked streaky or middle cut rashers, de-rinded, about half a pound. (More if you like it meaty.) Onions - one large or a couple of medium Soft white or wholemeal breadcrumbs - make your own in the blender. I use up crusts. equivalent of approximately half a sliced loaf. Egg - one large. Butter (or margarine), a blob. Use the blender/food processor to turn your bread into breadcrumbs, reserve in a bowl. Cut up the onion, fry it in the butter until soft but not caramelised. Put it in the food processor and “mince” it - don’t leave it in long enough to puree it. Tip it into a big mixing bowl. Cut up the bacon into smallish pieces, fry it in the pan that you’ve used for the onions. Don’t crisp it, but cook it through properly. Again. “mince” it in your blender and tip it into the mixing bowl with the onions. Beat your egg, add it to the bacon and onion mix with a good double handful of breadcrumbs. Mix, adding more breadcrumbs until the mixture hangs together without being too wet. Pack into a buttered glass casserole dish and top with a few small knobs of butter, bake in a moderate oven until the top is beginning to brown. About an hour should do the trick.

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