Are you getting ready to consume your own weight in party food over the festive season?
It’s the one time of the year where the diet really does go out the window so having studied and tasted (it’s a hard job etc..) the party food ranges of the main UK supermarkets over the last few weeks, we thought we would give you some pointers.
The trends and new products or flavours we’re seeing this year are as follows:
- The increase in the use of game in party food, venison in particular
- More vegan products across all ranges, with jackfruit making an appearance in more than one supermarket aisle
- Continued presence of gluten free products
- ‘Lollipops’ or party food on sticks
- Less assembly kits where products need to made up at home – this has declined substantially in recent years as people turn to quicker options
- Lots more vegetarian products, linked to the rise in people becoming flexitarians, i.e. choosing not to eat more regularly.
So, there’s plenty of variety and it will be interesting to see what the best selling products were after the new year.
Until then, here is Chef Chris’s own party food recipe – thank us afterwards!
Toffee Apple Samosa
Sweet Samosa Pastry
• 300g plain flour
• 120 water
• 50g melted butter
• 1.5g salt
• 10g natural agave syrup
Combine all the ingredients in a kitchen mixer to form a smooth dough. Wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Toffee Sauce
• 300g White caster sugar
• 100g Butter
• 400g double Cream
Put a frying pan on a medium to high heat and add the sugar. When the pan is hot enough it will start to melt the sugar, when this starts to happen keep stirring until all the sugar has dissolved, then you will have caramel. At this stage it is very important to carefully add the butter and mix together until it’s incorporated, then add the cream, a little at a time and mixing thoroughly. Once all the cream is incorporated reduce the mixture until thick and then remove from the heat and chill.
Apple Compote
• 6 Bramley Apples cut up
• 250g Toffee Sauce
In a heavy based pan start to cook the apple, once they start to break down slightly mix with already prepared toffee sauce and chill. To finish roll out the pastry on a floured surface to about 0.5cm thick and cut out squares of around 10cm. Place a spoon of toffee apple compote in the middle then fold over to create a triangle glue the edges together with a little flour and water. Deep fry 180C till golden then sprinkle with caster sugar and cinnamon.
Enjoy with some of the left over toffee sauce.
About Neil Shaefer
Marketing & Communications Executive of SK Foods.
Your food. Our Passion.
