Kamenetzky - The great British bake off: Christmas

BBC Books and Love Productions would like to thank the following people for their invaluable contribution to this book:

Lizzie Kamenetzky, Norma Macmillan, Susanna Cook, Maeve Bargman, Lucy Mahony and Allies Design, Andrew Barron, Nassima Rothacker, Annie Nichols, Polly Webb-Wilson, Abi Waters, Clare Sayer, Marion Moisy, Corinne Masciocchi, Lisa Footit and Sam Beddoes.

Winter is a time to nourish, when our instincts lead us to make generous casseroles and hearty roasts, wholesome soups and aromatic breads, comforting puddings and golden, deep-filled pies. Its also time for an array of festive occasions celebrated with chilly nights around bonfires, ghoulish parties and Christmas gatherings.

In Winter Kitchen, the Bake Off team shares over 130 inspirational recipes to keep you warm on frosty days and dark evenings. Bake impressive breads and mouth-watering cakes and serve them with homemade chutneys, marmalade and jams. Try our recipes for show-stopping Sunday roasts and slow-cooked stews as well as quick, clever weekday meals, from risottos to winter salads, that are perfect for sharing with family and friends.

From the first time she made brioche with her mother at the age of seven, Lizzie Kamenetzky knew that the only thing she wanted to do was to cook. After graduating from Leiths School of Food and Wine, Lizzie worked as a private chef, before moving into food writing, recipe development and food styling. She is now Food Editor of delicious magazine.

Love Productions devised and makes the BAFTA award-winning The Great British Bake Off, which is now a global hit with international versions in the US, Australia, Europe and many other countries.

Winter is the right time for soups. Of course we eat them all year round, but there is something about cold weather, wind and rain that makes us want to hunker down with a big bowl of steaming soup.

You can make a soup out of almost anything, so try to be imaginative in your kitchen, using what you have to hand. A good place to start is with an onion. There is something truly appetising about the smell of frying onion if you have yet to decide what you are going to cook, inspiration is sure to come.

Lentils and pulses make great soups, giving substance and texture. If you have time, soak dried pulses, otherwise use tinned beans or chickpeas, which are great storecupboard ingredients for a soup-maker to have on hand. Try adding some crisp-fried bacon or spicy chorizo, or cooked chicken and ham. Or leave your soup veggie.

Leftovers are another good starting point for a soup. Dont throw away those few roasties or scoops of cauliflower cheese from Sunday lunch, and never, under any circumstances, chuck out any leftover gravy, even if its just a spoonful or two. They can all be blended with some good stock to make a warming bowlful.

A really hearty and healthy soup to sustain you through the long winter days. Dried beans have a firmer texture than their tinned counterpart and are less expensive, but if you are short of time you could use 2 400g tins of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed add them to the stew for the final simmering.

SERVES 68

250g dried cannellini or other white beans, soaked in cold water overnight

1 litre cold water

1 500g piece smoked streaky bacon, cut into chunks, or smoked bacon lardons

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

500g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces

1.5 litres ham or chicken stock

large Savoy cabbage, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

salt and black pepper

STEP 1
Put the drained beans in a saucepan and cover with the cold water. Bring to the boil, skimming off any scum as it rises to the surface. Reduce the heat, cover and leave to simmer for 45 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.

STEP 2
Fry the bacon chunks or lardons in a large deep saucepan over a medium heat for 1012 minutes until golden and theyve released their fat. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the olive oil to the bacon fat in the pan and stir in the onion and carrot. Cook over a low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to colour. Stir in the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.

STEP 3
Return the bacon pieces to the pan along with the potatoes and pour over the stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cabbage and cooked beans and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for a further 510 minutes until everything is tender. Stir in the parsley and serve in warmed soup bowls with bread, such as the Poppyseed Loaf .

Vegetarian

The tender flesh of butternut squash makes it a perfect candidate for a rich and creamy soup. Try this one served with slices of homemade sourdough (see ), toasted and rubbed with a halved garlic clove, then spread with soft goats cheese or cream cheese and top with a good drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

SERVES 6

YOU WILL NEED: A BLENDER OR HAND BLENDER

1kg butternut squash

2 tablespoons rapeseed oil

12 red chillies, finely chopped

a knob of unsalted butter

2 large onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

1 litre vegetable stock

a good splash of double cream

salt and black pepper

STEP 1
Heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6. Peel the squash, cut it in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds and fibres, then cut the flesh into wedges. Put the squash wedges in a roasting tin. Drizzle over the oil, season and sprinkle with half the chillies. Turn the squash to coat with the seasoned oil. Place in the oven and roast for about 45 minutes until tender, shaking the tin occasionally so the squash doesnt stick.

STEP 2
Melt the butter in a deep saucepan. Add the onions and garlic and cook over a low heat for about 15 minutes until soft and lightly golden, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining chilli together with the fennel seeds and cook for a further minute.

STEP 3
Add the squash to the saucepan and pour over the stock. Bring to a simmer. Blend it in batches in a blender, or in a pan using a hand blender, until smooth. If you want an extra-smooth soup, pass it through a sieve. Reheat if necessary, then stir in the cream and check the seasoning before serving.