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. 😂
How awesome are you guys doing this! Thank you!
A question from an Aussie in Holland.. I am doing the Aussie famous leg of lamb slow cooked for lunch. Important question around preparation. should it come to room temperature first (which can take an hour or more I’d say) prior to popping into the oven? Or if I cook it a day early, like another comment below, best way to reheat without drying out..
Love your pav and baked salmon.. also on the menu this year.. you rock!
With love and thanks! Blessed Christmas!🎄
HI Kate! No need to bring to room temp for a slow cooked leg! Just fridge cold is fine. I really really prefer leg cooked on the day prior to serving, it is leaner than shoulder so it doesn’t hold juiciness as well, If you really need to roast the day before, I’d do shoulder instead as it reheats 100% perfectly whereas leg is….like, 85% as good if you made it the day before. 🙂 – N x
Hi Nagi and JB, I am making your Pavlova recipe, but doubling the recipe as I want to do a double tier (fruit and cream in the middle as well as the top). Can I do this on fan bake (as doing the 2 layers), and if so what temperature adjustments shall I make. I am a nurse and working on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, so am making it earlier (my daughter is hosting, bless her), I have a heart template that I will mark on the baking paper to get both layers the right size. BIG thanks for the joy you both give me through the year with your website and both books – Jo xx
Hi Jo! It is best not to increase the temperature for pavlova else it will get colour on it rather than staying a lovely white :)For double the recipe, it depends how good and large your oven is, if you have a big one then the oven time with same temp won’t be any different. if you have a small oven with wonky heat distribution, it will take longer. Just bake for the recipe time, check them, switch shelves if needed to even out the baking and keep going until both are dry to touch. Most importantly, cool in oven! – N x
Hi Nagi & JB!
I’m planning on making your Christmas trifle for dessert, but instead of having a large trifle bowl, I only have 4 250ml mini bowls, Can the recipe be altered to fit these requirements?
Thanks so much for your help!
Absolutely! Just scale down the recipe to make less, my trifle dish is 3.5L and you are making 1 litre, so scale down by 2/3 🙂 – N x
Hi JB
I want to surprise my husband with some choquettes for breakfast on Christmas. Is it as simple as choux pastry and sugar nibs? Or any secret French chef tips?
JB! We need your expertise here! 🙂 – N x
I’m thinking of making your strawberry swirl shortcake for Christmas Day dessert but have a celiac coming. Can I substitute plain flour for gluten free flour? If so, will the quantities remain the same?
Thanks ever so for the hotline!
Hi Jacky, I’m sorry but I don’t know! I haven’t tried and I’m not familiar enough with gluten free baking to predict the answer 🙂 – N x
I am travelling about an hour away to family on Christmas Eve and staying overnight. I will be making your Slow Cooker Roast Lamb for a 1pm lunch. As I don’t want to be getting up in the middle of the night, or fussing with gravy while everyone is opening presents, can I pre-cook this and re-heat it on the day? If so, what is the best way to do this?
Thank you. I hope you all have a great Christmas, especially Dozer!
Hi Angela! The slow cooker lamb leg reheats best out of all the legs as the slow cooker keeps it nice and moist. I would cook the day before, take out, let cool uncovered, then fridge. make gravy, fridge. Then reheat the leg in the slow cooker with a splash of water in the bottom (to get a bit of steaminess in the slow cooker to make the leg moist), finish browning it per recipe. Enjoy! – N x
Hi Nagi & JB,
Thanks so much for this.
I am making your Christmas Slow roast lamb shoulder for Christmas day dinner.
The twist is that we are travelling from Adelaide to Melbourne on the 23rd morning and hoping to pre-cook it in ADL and take it cooked.
Need some advice on whether I can do this? So I will roast it on the 22nd evening/night. Fridge it? (or Freeze it?) over night and take it in an eskey with ice 9 hrs via road to Melbourne. I will then keep it in the freezer until 25th dinner. Does that work or is there anything else I need to do?
Thanks so much.
Sandy.
Hi Sandy, you are planning it well. I’d suggest to pull it out of the freezer on the evening of the 24th and leave it in the fridge so it can thaw slowly. And make to have a lot of ice in that esky! Merry Christmas!
No comment really but I did want to say a MASSIVE Happy Christmas to you and all your staff. I think you are all absolutely amazing and thank you so much for all you do for so many. Keep up the good work and making the huge difference to so many cooks!!!!! I thank you sincerely and look forward to seeing your smiling faces on my screen in 2026. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Merry Christmas to you and your family Gail!!! Thank you for your kind words. 🙂
Hi Nagi and JB,
How long can you keep unbaked Mac and cheese in the fridge? And is it possible to make potato bake ahead of time? Would it need to be cooked all the way through and just reheated?
Hope you both have an amazing Christmas and get some down time xx
I would keep Unbaked assembled mac and cheese for 2 days, for the potato bake I’d cook through then reheat (potato can go watery when uncooked or par cooked, but reheats well in casserole form) – N x
Hi Nagi and JB
I made your salmon side with the smoky rub. Some found the rub too smoky. Is there an alternative which will complement the salsa?
I wondered uf i could use one of your mexican spulice mixes? If i did, would i still use the honey mixture?
PS – JB, I cooked the scallops and they were delicious!
Hi Cathy – can you clarify which recipe that was? If it has smoked paprika in it you can just skip that, for an easy fix. Use regular paprika instead!
Hi there, I am doubling the Lamb Shoulder recipe from your “Dinner” cookbook (big fan!). As I will have two shoulders in the tray should I adjust the cooking temp or time at all?
Hi Anna, Cooking time and temperature should be the same. Make sure to leave a bit of space in between both. Merry Christmas!
Nope, they will take the same time. I do 2 togethet all the time!!
Dear Nagi, how do you stop onion and garlic powder going hard as a brick after opening?
Hi Eileen , you can sort this issue by keeping them in the fridge. Merry Christmas!
Hi Nagi & JB. I am bringing ‘sides’ to a Christmas lunch. I don’t want to do ‘cooking’ there. Just reheat or assembly. I am going to make your ‘Potatoes au gratin’ (made before & fabulous) — what are your other top 4 suggestions.
Hi Amanda, maple roasted pumpkin, cauliflower cheese or garlic butter mushrooms will be perfect too. Merry Christmas!
I am having Xmas at someone else’s house and I’m to bring non potato veggies (the host is doing that). Would you suggest carrots and pumpkin – and can they be reheated (they are 40 mins away). Are there any green veggies that can be included & reheated? Would love the help! Thank you
Hi Sharon, carrots and pumpkins are both great options. Buttered peas would also work as well. Merry Christmas!
Thanks JB for your response. One other question can I use onion or carrots to sit the beef tenderloin on. I only have one rack and will be doing 2 tenderloins. Merry Christmas to you and yours. It’s remarkable that you and your team are doing this.
Hi Nagi and JB! Thank you for your time helping and sharing recipes. I tried making JB’s Coquilles Saint-Jacques, it tastes great! My question is how do I ensure we get the crispy topping all over? I ended up with a lovely small crispy island and the edges were like a bubbling sea. It was made in a 1.1L baking dish instead of in ramekins. Thank you again!
Hi Caroline, it’s a bit more trickier to get a perfect crust on a bigger dish as when the sauce heats up it tends to bring the crust towards the middle. Make sure to put the topping right out to the edges.
Thank you so much for the reply! Will do with the crust edges. Have a fantastic Christmas and New Year break!
Hello Nagi
I cant stop thinking about Bondi, I have never been but think you have mentioned it at times. I just wondered if you could do or suggest a traditional Jewish recipe that you might have eaten from any Jewish Bondi cafes or bakeries, and that we could make as we think of this awful tragedy that has happened ? Thanks.. stay safe all
Hi Mari, thank you for such a kind, thoughtful message. It really has been shocking, it feels almost like an out of body experience, this is not the Australia we known. I don’t have a traditional Jewish recipe but a classic one would be Challah (the braided bread) or another lovely option is babka, especially chocolate babka. Thank you again for your lovely message Mari – HUGS – N x
Thank you so much Nagi. I am going to try my hand at Challah. I found this site that has videos and is Sydney-based too https://mondaymorningcookingclub.com.au/2014/10/12/shabbat-project-challah/ looks like a labour of love!
I forgot to say I am also Aussie and will visit Bondi next chance I get. Yes I feel the same, it is heartbreaking, what has happened to our country ? I am reminding myself of what the Jewish rabbi who was killed went by. He treated everyone as if they were special, because he said “every soul is precious” . Thanks Nagi, and you all stay safe.
Hi Nagi and JB,
I would like to have ham for Christmas however my daughter does not like sweet taste with savoury dish so glazed ham is not the option for us. I just do not want to have plain sliced ham. Do you have any suggestions for ham dishes without sweet flavour? Please help!
Hi Junko,
you could use thick cut slices of ham and bread and fry them like a schnitzel.
Optional you could put some mustard, horseradish or something sweet (maybe oyster sauce) on the individual slices before breading.
And mark the different options with toothpicks.
Once I cooked asparagus – cheese – ham wraps, breaded and fried.
Wasnt that special for me. But maybe you like it.
Start with pre-cooked asparagus. wrap in cheese, than thinly sliced ham. bread and fry.
Happy holidays
Hi Junko – I don’t have an answer sorry! Glazed ham can’t be glazed without some kind of sweet 🙂 My suggestion would be to cut some plain ham off and put aside for your daughter and make the beautiful glazed ham for everyone else!! – N x
Thank you for the opportunity to use you guys as a brains trust this year.
I am cooking for 14 and am planning on serving
Your maple glazed ham
Honey and rosemary boneless lamb x 2
Roasted potato salad
Roasted carrots
Garlic butter greens with toasted almond flakes.
My problem is trying to work out how/when to get everything cooked!
The Ham will go into the Webber BBQ but I am not sure how to time the rest
I do have a multi cooker that I can pressure cook/airfry etc and a large electric frypan – my oven has 2 shelves and is a 90cm electric oven /gas hot plates
I was thinking of pressure cooking the lamb and just reheating and getting. Crust on it in the oven but I am scared it will be dry and horrible
Any help is greatly appreciated
Thank you so much for your time.
What a beautiful menu Annette! OK, here is what I would do. Roasted potato salad is lovely at room temperature so I would do that and the roasted carrots together. Then I’m assuming your boneless lamb is backstrap so that will cook quite quickly so you can do them afterwards, and while that’s in the oven you can do the greens. Don’t be scared about things being dry, they won’t be! Know that roasted vegetables are always lovely even at room temperature, in fact, during summer I often do roast vegetables salads at room temperature. Hope that helps! – N x
Oh! I just saw about pressure cooking the lamb. If it is a slow cooking cut like shoulder then that will reheat beautifully!! So yes, cook that first then honestly for slow cooked lamb, you can even microwave to warm them up (NO ONE WILL KNOW!). Then you have the oven spare to do all your roasting! And remember – I’ll say it again – roast veg is great at room temp! Certainly potato and carrots 🙂 I don’t know what greens you are thinking but if they are green beans, you can totally lightly re-warm a bowl for 1 minute in the microwave. 🙂 – N x
How can I search for my question and its replies? It seems like I have to scroll through all comments without being able to search for it. Thanks
If you hit Command F and search your name, it should take you to your comment 🙂 – N x