0:00:02 > 0:00:03Christmas. We LOVE this time of year.
0:00:03 > 0:00:06Yeah. Wrapping presents, decorating the tree,
0:00:06 > 0:00:08and generally making merry.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12And nothing beats a bit of Christmas home cooking
0:00:12 > 0:00:14shared with family and friends.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17Delicious, festive food for all occasions.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Packed with flavour and full of love.
0:00:20 > 0:00:21Ding-dong merrily on high.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25And we'll be joined by some familiar faces to get us all
0:00:25 > 0:00:27- into the festive spirit. - Oh, my goodness!
0:00:27 > 0:00:29This is preposterously wonderful.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31- Merry Christmas.- Merry Christmas.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34We'll also find out how to make someone's day
0:00:34 > 0:00:37with delicious home-made foodie gifts.
0:00:39 > 0:00:44So, hang up your stockings, tweak your tinsel...
0:00:44 > 0:00:46..turn on your fairy lights, and relax.
0:00:46 > 0:00:47We're home for Christmas.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Today is all about the star of the show.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09Adding a little bit of style and finesse to your Christmas.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11That'll be me, then.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13No, dude, no, I was talking about the food.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19And that means lobster mac and cheese.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23An impressive Mont Blanc chestnut dessert.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26And we are joined by an absolute star, Russell Grant.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28It was all too much for my tights,
0:01:28 > 0:01:29which gradually crept down my legs
0:01:29 > 0:01:32- and ended up round my ankles. - Oh, no!
0:01:35 > 0:01:39But first, we're going to show off with turkey and Brussels sprouts.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42They're not two ingredients you think you can show off with, though,
0:01:42 > 0:01:43- are they?- Oh, but you can.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46- Oh, yes.- I'm going to do a Turkey Saltimbocca.
0:01:46 > 0:01:47It's a wonderful Italian dish.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50I'm going to serve that with home-made game chips.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54And I am going to take the Brussels sprout to the culinary heights
0:01:54 > 0:01:56- it deserves.- Now, look.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01These things, you can take your fingers off.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03I am a coward so, basically, yes,
0:02:03 > 0:02:05I'm going to waste half the potatoes.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07I will put it in the fridge and probably mash it later.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10So, basically, I cut my potato in half.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14When the potato gets down to about there, I shall stop.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18Now, for a game chip, you run it first that way,
0:02:18 > 0:02:20turn it round...that way.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25And what's popped out the other side?
0:02:25 > 0:02:26Look at that!
0:02:27 > 0:02:30Little chequerboard crisps. That's a game chip.
0:02:30 > 0:02:31Put those in water.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33We fry them off later.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37Turkey escalopes. There they are, in all their glory.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39What we're going to do is we're going to beat those out.
0:02:39 > 0:02:44So...leave on one piece of clingfilm, folded over, and then...
0:02:46 > 0:02:48..you beat it out.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54Now, you want it about...
0:02:54 > 0:02:56..half a centimetre in thickness.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59We'll dry these off now. Just put these on the paper.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06They're beautiful, look! You take the turkey escalope.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08We cut some nice strips. This is a nice size.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10BANGING
0:03:10 > 0:03:11SI CHUCKLES
0:03:11 > 0:03:14Sorry, dude!
0:03:14 > 0:03:16We're going to fry this in butter and olive oil.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22This is the one that lives next door that you're banging on the wall!
0:03:22 > 0:03:24"Will you cut that out?!"
0:03:24 > 0:03:26"I'm knocking out my Saltimbocca!
0:03:26 > 0:03:29"It's Christmas! Leave us alone!"
0:03:29 > 0:03:31"What's Saltimbocca done to you?!"
0:03:32 > 0:03:35Now, first take the fillet,
0:03:35 > 0:03:37and just cover it in flour.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41Now, the flour is simply seasoned with salt and pepper.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43Just take that. Now.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45Just take a piece of Parma ham.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47Now, put it on there, like so.
0:03:48 > 0:03:53I'm going to wrap it round to secure the sage leaf to the turkey fillet.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Don't overcrowd the pan.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59While he's doing that, I've got some marsala...
0:04:00 > 0:04:02..and some cranberry.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Just going to soak that together...
0:04:07 > 0:04:10..in the pan, so those cranberries plump up all lovely.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13Now, these don't take long. So, I'll turn this over.
0:04:14 > 0:04:15And you can see... Look at that.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17- Aw, how lovely!- A lovely colour.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19The butter gives it a nice colour, too.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22I'm just going to put some bacon in the frying pan here,
0:04:22 > 0:04:24and just render the fat out.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26Look at these! These are done now.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30Don't they look nice with that little band
0:04:30 > 0:04:32of Parma ham
0:04:32 > 0:04:34on that lovely crispy sage leaf?
0:04:34 > 0:04:36We put them
0:04:36 > 0:04:38in an oven to keep warm.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Actually, keeping them in a warm oven, say 100 degrees Celsius,
0:04:41 > 0:04:43it's not going to hurt them, they're just going to relax.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Your mum was a massive Christmas show-off.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49- She was, wasn't she?- She was.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52Look, she absolutely loved Christmas.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54And we all loved
0:04:54 > 0:04:56being round Mam at Christmas
0:04:56 > 0:04:58because it was her favourite time of the year.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01And what's great about mams, the world over,
0:05:01 > 0:05:06is they express their love and affection, certainly ours did, Dave,
0:05:06 > 0:05:10through food. And just the joyous nature of celebrating
0:05:10 > 0:05:13what is a time to have all the family together.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16You know, a big, Christian festival.
0:05:16 > 0:05:17And it's lovely.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20Look at that! Good, aren't they?
0:05:20 > 0:05:22Ah, yes! How lovely!
0:05:22 > 0:05:25I'm looking forward to Russell Grant coming in.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27I am, too - he's a nice man.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29He'll tell you your stars, you know.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33I met him first when he used to be the astrologer on Breakfast TV with
0:05:33 > 0:05:36- Selina Scott. - Crumbs, that's a while ago.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38We must be about the same age.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40So, we were very, very, very young men at that time.
0:05:40 > 0:05:41- Of course.- He was good,
0:05:41 > 0:05:44but everybody talks about astrology with him.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49So, just take that out, set aside.
0:05:52 > 0:05:57Right, I'm going to take our marsala and cranberry off the heat
0:05:57 > 0:06:01and leave to cool. I'm going to start to saute off the sprouts.
0:06:04 > 0:06:05Some seasoning at this point.
0:06:05 > 0:06:06Now...
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Ah, lovely! Right.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14And now... Now we've got the heat through it,
0:06:14 > 0:06:17we're just going to put a little bit of water.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19It's a technique called braising,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22which is basically, the steam pushes through all the veggies,
0:06:22 > 0:06:24and that's you. Lovely!
0:06:25 > 0:06:28Now, the game chips, I can make them in advance because basically they're
0:06:28 > 0:06:29just posh crisps.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31We just cook them off in batches.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33Just pop them in hot fat.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Right, I'm just going to add a little more water.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39And then...
0:06:39 > 0:06:40..I add the pecans.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42We're going to keep them whole. They're toasted.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47What we want... Look at the colours starting to come together now.
0:06:47 > 0:06:52- That's it.- And then I'm popping the pancetta back into the pan to warm
0:06:52 > 0:06:54- through.- That looks Christmassy, Si.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58It does, doesn't it? We take our cranberries that are now beautifully
0:06:58 > 0:07:02cooled and plumped. We're just going to, again, just warm it through.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07And we turn the heat off.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Right, mate, listen. I'm ready.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16Just take a little bit of the salad.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21A drizzle on the top never goes amiss.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23One, two...
0:07:25 > 0:07:27- ..three, I think.- Lovely.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32And the game chips really are a little garnish.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38- Shall we?- Yes.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41Oh, I can't wait to taste this salad, man!
0:07:44 > 0:07:45That is exceptionally good.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47If it was bad, we'd tell you.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49- Yeah.- But it really isn't.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51No.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Turkey Saltimbocca with game chips
0:07:53 > 0:07:56and a delicious sprout and bacon salad.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59Very fancy, and truly delicious.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03What's not to love about Christmas
0:08:03 > 0:08:05and exchanging home-made presents with your loved ones?!
0:08:05 > 0:08:08Vanessa Dennett shows us how to make a great
0:08:08 > 0:08:10Christmas gift to get us into the spirit.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15I came across the Dala horses when I lived in Sweden for a little bit.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17They're very pretty, sort of intricate patterns,
0:08:17 > 0:08:20and a very traditional Swedish design.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27It's quite important not to over-beat the butter and sugar
0:08:27 > 0:08:30at this stage because otherwise the cookies can spread
0:08:30 > 0:08:31when you bake them.
0:08:31 > 0:08:37So, just gently, I'm going to make just a very basic vanilla biscuit.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39You could add grated orange,
0:08:39 > 0:08:43or maybe a little bit of mixed spice to make a more Christmassy mixture.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48And then I'm going to wrap it in clingfilm and put it in the fridge
0:08:48 > 0:08:50for a good hour.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00With a rolling pin and these two guides
0:09:00 > 0:09:02under the ends of my rolling pin,
0:09:02 > 0:09:06I'm going to roll out and ensure I have a really firm, even,
0:09:06 > 0:09:09flat dough to cut the biscuits out of.
0:09:18 > 0:09:19I've got to keep a firm eye on them
0:09:19 > 0:09:21to make sure they're just a beautiful,
0:09:21 > 0:09:25sort of goldeny colour around the edges but definitely no further.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34I will make up a batch of royal icing.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41I will then split the icing into two batches because I'm going to keep
0:09:41 > 0:09:45some white and I'm going to colour half the icing mixture red.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53And, at that point, I'm then going to split the mixture again because
0:09:53 > 0:09:56I need different consistencies of the red icing to outline
0:09:56 > 0:09:59and then fill the biscuits.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04It is a little bit fiddly. But there are techniques.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07The main thing I would say is have a practise on a piece of grease-proof
0:10:07 > 0:10:10paper first. But, perhaps the best trick, or tip I could give you,
0:10:10 > 0:10:12is to hold the nozzle,
0:10:12 > 0:10:14or the end of the piping bag just a little bit away from the cookie,
0:10:14 > 0:10:19so that you're almost laying the line of piping on to the biscuit.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26So, when the outline is a little bit dry,
0:10:26 > 0:10:30then you can put the slightly runnier mix into the middle.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38Once the base icing - the red I've chosen to do for Christmas -
0:10:38 > 0:10:41is thoroughly dry, you can design your pattern.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49I've done a very simple pattern with a little sort of bridle and saddle
0:10:49 > 0:10:52for the horse with little dots decorated around.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54And this is the fun bit. This is creative.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56You get to design your own Dala horse.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00And I think they just make a really lovely present to give to somebody,
0:11:00 > 0:11:02even as a single biscuit.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04If you just pop one into a cellophane bag,
0:11:04 > 0:11:07once the icing is well and truly dry, pop a ribbon round the top,
0:11:07 > 0:11:11I think they'd make a really lovely gift for a teacher, or a neighbour,
0:11:11 > 0:11:14or somebody you want to say thank you to.
0:11:14 > 0:11:15They're not expensive to make,
0:11:15 > 0:11:18but they do take time and effort and, really,
0:11:18 > 0:11:21that's the thought that goes into it that I think people appreciate.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31We've got the nation's favourite star man, Russell Grant.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35- Russell Grant's in the house with us.- You boys are too good to me.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37Not at all. Lovely to see you.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39- Thank you so much for coming. - Thank you for inviting me.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41Thank you for coming. We all love Christmas.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43What's Christmas to you, Russell?
0:11:43 > 0:11:48I was head choirboy at St Mary's Church in Harefield.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51So, it was all about carol singing the weeks before,
0:11:51 > 0:11:53around the village,
0:11:53 > 0:11:56with the most wonderful vicar, the Reverend Connor,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59who used to wear shorts, even in winter.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02So, he looked like a kind of David Bellamy.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05And, before you knew it, it was Christmas.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08And that was Christmas Day with my grandmothers and all my family.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11- Do you like to show off at Christmas?- Only when I'm on stage.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16Not round the house because all my family are show-offs.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Well, we're going to show off for you.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22- Love it!- I think this is possibly one of the most show-offy dishes
0:12:22 > 0:12:25we've ever done. It's a dish that's beloved
0:12:25 > 0:12:28by oligarchs and footballers alike. What are we going to do, Si?
0:12:29 > 0:12:31A lobster mac and cheese.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34With a brandy-flambeed lobster resting on the top.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37- Lovely!- So, look at these.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40We've blanched these beautiful lobster tails off.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43What I'm going to do is remove the meat and give Dave the shells.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45So, I'm going to start to make the sauce.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47I need some butter
0:12:47 > 0:12:49and some olive oil to stop the butter burning.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53And I start by sweating down some bacon...
0:12:54 > 0:12:56- ..and some onion. - What is it, Russell,
0:12:56 > 0:12:58that you particularly love about Christmas?
0:12:58 > 0:13:02On the BBC, the King's College Carols.
0:13:02 > 0:13:03That is a must.
0:13:03 > 0:13:08In much the same way that, at New Year, I want the music from Vienna.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10Yes, the Vienna Boys' Choir.
0:13:10 > 0:13:11I love all of that.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15- It's gorgeous.- You see, long before I was an astrologer,
0:13:15 > 0:13:19I was at stage school and I did many, many shows like
0:13:19 > 0:13:23The Fenn Street Gang, Doctor In The House, On The Buses.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25- Oh, yes, of course! - And so I was acting
0:13:25 > 0:13:27and doing all of these amazing things.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30I was in the West End with Tommy Steele in Hans Andersen,
0:13:30 > 0:13:33and I was in Tom Brown's School Days at the Cambridge Theatre
0:13:33 > 0:13:37in the West End. So, my life is about music and dance.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Music, dance and performing.
0:13:40 > 0:13:41Yes. Yes.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43And panto... My first panto.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45Now, this is for the older viewers,
0:13:45 > 0:13:47so I'm not including you boys in this.
0:13:47 > 0:13:52- Oh, he's a lovely fella! - 1969 was with Ivor Emmanuel.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54- Wow!- Land Of Song.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58And I was at the New Theatre, Cardiff, in 1969.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02- Right.- And I played Alan-a-Dale.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06And I had tights that were far too big.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09And I went forward, and the big hit of the day, which I was singing,
0:14:09 > 0:14:11with Wayne Warlow and his orchestra...
0:14:11 > 0:14:14See how much I remember!
0:14:14 > 0:14:15It was all too much for my tights,
0:14:15 > 0:14:19which gradually crept down my legs and ended up round my ankles.
0:14:19 > 0:14:24- Oh, no!- But the 1st Llantwit Major Girl Guides loved it!
0:14:24 > 0:14:29And I got so many fan letters from the 1st Llantwit Major Girl Guides
0:14:29 > 0:14:32saying, "Oh, it is you with the wrinkly tights."
0:14:32 > 0:14:36- Ah, how nice!- And that's what I remember most about that.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Now, I've just taken the beautiful...
0:14:40 > 0:14:42..lobster tail meat out.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44I'm going to set that aside for a minute,
0:14:44 > 0:14:47and then I'm passing them over to my mate.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51Oh, aye! The last thing we want to do is to waste the shells.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53So, what I'm going to do is make a lobster stock with some white wine,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56which is going to add to the sauce.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58We just bubble through some white wine,
0:14:58 > 0:15:01leave it to simmer away for a few minutes.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03These onions are sweating down nicely.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05Whole milk. I'm going to put that in a pan
0:15:05 > 0:15:08and I'm going to infuse this whole milk,
0:15:08 > 0:15:13which is going to form the basis of our mac sauce.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15I'm going to put a bay leaf in...
0:15:16 > 0:15:18..and then sliced onion.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21And it's a great time of year, Christmas, for showing off,
0:15:21 > 0:15:24- isn't it? - It is. It is.- We love it.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27What better way to show off than to do pantomime?
0:15:27 > 0:15:29You're doing one this year, aren't you?
0:15:29 > 0:15:32- I am doing one and I'm Captain Hook. Aargh!- You are SO Captain Hook.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37- Oh, thank you.- I played Roger the cabin boy in my Peter Pan.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39- LAUGHTER - Brilliant!- Yes.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41Well, I'd better give this milk a stir.
0:15:41 > 0:15:42Right. I'd better get on with this.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46Look, already, that wine is starting to cloud up.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49And that's all flavour from those lobster shells.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52Come and have a smell of this, Russell, look.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55Just have a whiff. You can smell the onion infusing.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57It's too divine. Would you please hurry up?
0:15:57 > 0:15:59I will. Sorry. We were chatting.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01You're a really interesting fella.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05The smells are wafting over here and it's quite delicious.
0:16:05 > 0:16:06Oh, it's going to get better.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09My onion has sweated to a point of apathy.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13I'm just going to grate a couple of cloves of garlic in there and some
0:16:13 > 0:16:19- thyme leaves.- I love the word "apathy" given to an onion.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21An apathetic onion.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23We've had many years' describing an onion now!
0:16:23 > 0:16:25I'm never, ever going to forget that one, Dave.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28So, we've got the garlic in there, some thyme leaves are going in.
0:16:28 > 0:16:29I love garlic so much.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32- Oh, good.- Good for the heart and soul.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34- And it's warm, isn't it? - Oh, love it.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37- You all right with a bit of spice, Russell?- Yeah, bung it all in.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41Some English mustard powder, and some cayenne pepper.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44Again, English mustard, when you put it in a cheese sauce,
0:16:44 > 0:16:47it just gives the cheese a kick up the backside.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50- That's your Welsh rarebit, isn't it? - Yes, it is.- Caerphilly cheese.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52- Absolutely.- And mustard.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56- Lovely!- My roux here, I'm going to turn the gas off...
0:16:57 > 0:16:59..and I'm going to put in the flour.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01I'm just making a very basic roux.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05It's a great one to keep for a party because...
0:17:05 > 0:17:08If you told people you were doing, you know, a lobster macaroni cheese,
0:17:08 > 0:17:09it's like, "Oh, you naughty person."
0:17:09 > 0:17:13- Two of my favourite things together. - A nice, big green salad.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15- I'd forget the salad. - THEY CHUCKLE
0:17:15 > 0:17:17But I love this bit.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21This is macaroni. It's been cooked as per the instructions
0:17:21 > 0:17:23on the packet. We've taken care to drain it well.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25Cos if you leave water on the macaroni,
0:17:25 > 0:17:27you're going to get a very runny sauce,
0:17:27 > 0:17:29And all this care we're putting in
0:17:29 > 0:17:32to making such a thick, luxurious sauce, will be lost.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34The milk's infusing,
0:17:34 > 0:17:37the lobster shells are just resting in the wine, and the roux,
0:17:37 > 0:17:39the engine room of the sauce, is done.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41I think we should have a nice cup of tea now.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49What was the young Russell Grant like? Were you a live wire?
0:17:49 > 0:17:51No. Loved solitude.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55So, I used to go into my room and I used to colour.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57I used to love the arts.
0:17:57 > 0:18:02If I'd got any presents that were colouring pens, crayons...
0:18:02 > 0:18:04- Well, talking...- I loved all that.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06Talking of presents, Russell,
0:18:06 > 0:18:08Dave and I have got you something for Christmas.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10You're very kind.
0:18:10 > 0:18:11- That's the one.- Oh, that's it.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13- That's it. Sorry.- Oh, no, no,
0:18:13 > 0:18:16I was just looking down the bottom of the toe.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18I was seeing what was down the toe.
0:18:18 > 0:18:19Here goes, then. Oh!
0:18:20 > 0:18:23It's a Scalextric.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27- They were never as "boy racer" as that in my age.- I know!
0:18:27 > 0:18:30It was the one present that was shared between my brother and I -
0:18:30 > 0:18:32my brother, Gary.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35But we barely got on it because
0:18:35 > 0:18:38my dad and my uncles were playing with it.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40Do you think your dad wanted it for himself?
0:18:40 > 0:18:44I don't know. I think it might have been a bit of that, but
0:18:44 > 0:18:46it didn't last very long.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49A brief existence and a very, very unhappy ending.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52What other toys did you have, Russell?
0:18:52 > 0:18:54I had model aeroplane kits.
0:18:54 > 0:18:55Oh, they were great, weren't they?
0:18:55 > 0:18:58Where you could make Hurricanes and Spitfires.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01But the bit I wanted to get to very quickly
0:19:01 > 0:19:03was putting on the transfers.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06Yes. Wasn't that joyous, the transfers?
0:19:06 > 0:19:10I loved that. Because I was so impatient to get to that bit,
0:19:10 > 0:19:13I never stuck the thing very well together.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15There were huge blobs of glue everywhere.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18So, you didn't paint all the parts first like you're meant to?
0:19:18 > 0:19:20Oh, are you? Is that what you're meant to do?
0:19:20 > 0:19:21Now you tell me, at 66.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24- Virgo, you see.- You see, you'd have done it perfectly, wouldn't you?
0:19:24 > 0:19:26Oh, yes. I used to have them still on the clip for the right colours
0:19:26 > 0:19:30and then... razor-blade cut them all.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33Oh, you're so wonderfully Virgo. See, I'm so Aquarian.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35I was totally impatient and intolerant of the thing.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38- Let's go on to the main event, shall we?- Lovely!
0:19:43 > 0:19:45What do you eat at Christmas, Russell?
0:19:45 > 0:19:47Now, these days...
0:19:48 > 0:19:51..it's not as home-made as it should be.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54Because of panto. There's no time to shop.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56I go around my brother's.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58- Oh, lovely! - My brother is a really good cook.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02- Is he a turkey man?- He is a turkey man but always my mother loves beef,
0:20:02 > 0:20:04so there's beef on the side as well.
0:20:04 > 0:20:09But my grandmother used to do ox tongue, which she made herself.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12And used to put weights on it...
0:20:12 > 0:20:14- Yes.- ..to stop it talking...
0:20:14 > 0:20:17- Yes.- And to stop it getting away.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19So, we had fresh ox tongue.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22What was your...? What was the wonder of Christmas like for you,
0:20:22 > 0:20:26with your grandparents, with your two grandmas?
0:20:26 > 0:20:28That must have been a really special time for you.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32Oh, it was just amazing! Incredibly so.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35Being together, and the tremendous love
0:20:35 > 0:20:37and comfort
0:20:37 > 0:20:38and protectiveness
0:20:38 > 0:20:41and the security that you felt.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45- Yes.- You felt that things would never change.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48Christmases change because, of course, with pantomime,
0:20:48 > 0:20:50your family become the cast.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54- Yes.- And I've been so lucky over the years in having
0:20:54 > 0:20:59a tremendous friendship with so many people who I've worked with.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03So, you'd have Secret Santa, on stage between the shows.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06- Oh, lovely!- So, Christmas became another family -
0:21:06 > 0:21:09an extended family of friends.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11- Yes.- Should we? - I think we shall.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15So, strain the lobster tails and the wine into a bowl.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17That's very precious.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19And I do the same with the milk.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21So, we're just straining the milk
0:21:21 > 0:21:25- and separating the onion and the bay leaf.- Now it's time to get saucy.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29First off, I'm going to work that milk into my roux.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34If it goes super-lumpy, we can always take a whisk to it.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36The flavours in this are going to be fantastic.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38We've got the bacon, we've got the onions.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41We've got the cayenne pepper, we've got the mustard.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44- But then we've got the lobster-infused white wine.- Lovely.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Oh, matron! And then we've got Gruyere and Parmesan.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51Matron! Now, that sauce looks absolutely delicious to me.
0:21:51 > 0:21:52It's getting there.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56At the moment we could still lay bricks with it
0:21:56 > 0:21:58- but we're working on it.- I don't mind that, though. I like thick...
0:21:58 > 0:22:01It's like gravy. I like really thick gravy.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04- I do, too.- But it should come by the spoonful, not the slice.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12Now, we're looking for the consistency of very thick cream.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14When we get the cheese in, it's going to be even thicker.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16One of my downfalls is cream.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19- Ooh, I know.- I love cream.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21Ohh, that looks gorgeous.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Keep working that till we start to cook the flour out.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26What was your favourite pressie?
0:22:26 > 0:22:28By mum and dad bought me a book,
0:22:28 > 0:22:30which was the Encyclopaedia of Geography,
0:22:30 > 0:22:32- which I still have.- Wow.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35And, to this day, I still love history and geography.
0:22:35 > 0:22:40In fact, I've had about 70-odd bestsellers in my time with books.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43And that came from that encyclopaedia I got
0:22:43 > 0:22:45when I was six years old.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49- Wow!- What was it, Russell, when you opened that geography book,
0:22:49 > 0:22:52what was it that fired your imagination?
0:22:52 > 0:22:56The maps. It turned me into an anorak at a very early age.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59In fact, I now have a collection of over 10,000 maps.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01- You collect maps?- Yeah.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03How fabulous!
0:23:03 > 0:23:04Now it's time for the extra treat,
0:23:04 > 0:23:08which is the white wine in which the lobster shells have been boiled.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11It's a really good, old-fashioned lobster stock.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13So, without the aid of a whisk,
0:23:13 > 0:23:15our lumpy sauce is looking pretty decent.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17- It is, Dave.- Show-off!
0:23:19 > 0:23:21Now, you've got to put the cheese in there.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25We're going to reserve some of the cheese to put on the top
0:23:25 > 0:23:27with a crumb topping. So, say, maybe,
0:23:27 > 0:23:29this is the Gruyere,
0:23:29 > 0:23:30Parmesan cheese.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33That goes in. It's essential for all good sauce.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Now, we'll get the cheese mixed in with the sauce, then taste it,
0:23:36 > 0:23:38then season. Cos there's a lot of salt in the cheese
0:23:38 > 0:23:40and we don't want to over-salt the sauce.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Now, while Dave is doing that,
0:23:42 > 0:23:44I've cut the lobster tails
0:23:44 > 0:23:48and you want them at about that sort of size.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50What board games and TV did you watch
0:23:50 > 0:23:53when you were a little lad with all the family at Christmas?
0:23:53 > 0:23:58Well, my nan, Nanny Lily, was tremendous with those compendiums.
0:23:58 > 0:23:59- Yes.- Oh, the compendium!
0:23:59 > 0:24:02- You know, when you got 50 different games.- I forgot about those, yeah!
0:24:02 > 0:24:06- That was good value. - And she used to cheat like mad.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10And I loved her for it because we all knew, she didn't think we did,
0:24:10 > 0:24:14but we knew, and we used to put our ha'pennies down
0:24:14 > 0:24:17to see who could win snakes and ladders.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21- Yes.- Ludo.- Oh, yes! - All of these, and bingo.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24- Of course.- Imagine three people trying to play bingo!
0:24:25 > 0:24:28But she also used to like the horse racing, so we would have to get
0:24:28 > 0:24:30our ha'pennies out again.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32But she was lovely because she used to give us the ha'pennies
0:24:32 > 0:24:34that she could win back!
0:24:34 > 0:24:37- THEY CHUCKLE - Aw, brilliant!- Aw, that's great!
0:24:37 > 0:24:40Well, this cheese sauce is more of a fondue now, which is what we want.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43Ooh, another one of my favourites, fondue.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45Again, Christmas, isn't it?
0:24:46 > 0:24:48What is not to love? Oh-ho!
0:24:48 > 0:24:51- We need to taste, Mr King. - Yes, Mr Myers.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53Carry on. It is epic.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56Oh, you can taste the lobster.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58Dude, I think that's perfect.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Are you keeping this to yourselves or are you spreading that around?
0:25:01 > 0:25:02No, you get the...!
0:25:05 > 0:25:08When you are showing off, we don't want to waste that maximum impact.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10There is magic on your plate.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13You are going to have a beautifully served portion.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16Well, it just smells divine.
0:25:16 > 0:25:17Now...
0:25:17 > 0:25:21..the hero needs to enter the pan.
0:25:21 > 0:25:22Put the fish in the pool.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26- Look at that.- It is extraordinary how much flavour has come
0:25:26 > 0:25:30from the shells into that wine and into our sauce.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33Let's put half the macaroni in, then the sauce,
0:25:33 > 0:25:34then half the macaroni.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37While Dave is doing that, what I am going to do is mix
0:25:37 > 0:25:40the remaining cheese that Dave has left over,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43so that is our Gruyere and Parmesan, with the breadcrumbs.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45I am going to chop some basil through it.
0:25:49 > 0:25:50And that is our topping.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53Now look.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55Look at that sauce.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57Oh, Dave, that just looks like...wicked.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59It IS wicked.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03- It's very naughty.- Fantastic.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05Look at that consistency.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08It just looks...wonderful.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Right, crummy up.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16This may look like quite a lot of crumbs but...
0:26:18 > 0:26:21..it is worth it. It is going to brown, it is going to crisp.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24Let's just dot it with a bit of butter. Now, look at that.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27Just pop that into a preheated oven, about 180 degrees Celsius,
0:26:27 > 0:26:30about half an hour, really until it is just golden.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32But we are showing off.
0:26:32 > 0:26:33HE CHUCKLES
0:26:35 > 0:26:37We don't want you to have to wait half an hour.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39- No.- We made two!
0:26:39 > 0:26:41You are both delightful!
0:26:41 > 0:26:44But the showing off is about to get worse.
0:26:44 > 0:26:45You can't have this quite yet.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49Oh, no. You may have noticed the lobster tail left over.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51Oh, I see! I did notice that, yeah.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53So what we are going to do, we are going...
0:26:55 > 0:26:57..to flambe this lobster tail.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00So we need a little bit of butter.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03The secret of flambe is the heat of the pan.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06So, we take our beautiful lobster tail.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10And lobster and butter - that is another marriage made in heaven,
0:27:10 > 0:27:12isn't it? Look at that.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14Now, we just let that sizzle.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16- Look at that!- And off we go.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18Merry Christmas, everyone!
0:27:18 > 0:27:21It's a touch of silver service.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Lovely. Simpson's-in-the-Strand.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27I love that, when they bring the trolley to the table
0:27:27 > 0:27:30and make the crepes Suzette - it is all about showing off.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32- Oh, Mr King.- There we go.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34Take that off the heat.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39- And then...- Oh, Mr King.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42This is called style.
0:27:42 > 0:27:43- Now look.- Oh...
0:27:45 > 0:27:48That is what we want, we don't want it runny or dribbly.
0:27:49 > 0:27:50That is laced with lobster.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52Oh, look.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55Excuse my fingers, they're clean.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57- There we go.- It is hedonistic.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59It certainly is. There we go.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01- Look at that. - There is plenty for seconds.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04- There is your lobster mac and cheese.- Are you going to have some?
0:28:04 > 0:28:06- Yes.- You first.- I'm diving in, look.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08Here goes. Merry Christmas.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11- Merry Christmas.- Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas, Russell.
0:28:11 > 0:28:16It's wonderful. Oh, the creaminess has come through the sauce.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19Go on, get stuck into your lobster. Go on, give it a...
0:28:21 > 0:28:22Happy?
0:28:24 > 0:28:28I've just been filming in Italy and they have a word about good food.
0:28:28 > 0:28:29Perfetto.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32Lobster mac and cheese.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36An elegant dish that will definitely impress your guests.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41If you have always wanted to impress your friends with a home-made
0:28:41 > 0:28:43Christmas pressie, now is the time.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46Lisa Cadd has a super-delicious gift idea
0:28:46 > 0:28:49which oozes style and a little bit of festive luxury.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56What I am making is some Christmassy spiced truffles.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59They are really delicious, they make a perfect gift and
0:28:59 > 0:29:00they are also nice to eat too.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04I don't think Christmas is Christmas without truffles.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10It's a real simple thing to make as well, and actually tastes better.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12These, rather than using cream,
0:29:12 > 0:29:17use, like, a syrup and you could use just fresh spices,
0:29:17 > 0:29:20but I just used a mulled wine spice bag.
0:29:21 > 0:29:25Just bring it up to the boil and then you just let it steep overnight
0:29:25 > 0:29:26and let it sit there and brew
0:29:26 > 0:29:29all those lovely, delicious Christmas flavours.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32And you can customise your own truffles.
0:29:32 > 0:29:34You can put in whatever flavours you like.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36Once you understand how to make the base,
0:29:36 > 0:29:38you can go in so many different directions.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41So, if you prefer something like rum or whisky or Amaretto,
0:29:41 > 0:29:43you could put those in.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45It smells delicious.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49And all those mild spices with the chocolate, it's a great combination.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52I'm going to give that a try.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54It's great.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59Or if you wanted to make them non-alcoholic, you could just use
0:29:59 > 0:30:01some cardamom, some cinnamon, more spicy ones,
0:30:01 > 0:30:03whatever you fancy, really.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08And then you can decide what you're going to roll
0:30:08 > 0:30:10the chocolate truffles in.
0:30:10 > 0:30:15You could use cocoa, you could use little chocolate strands.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18I found some really beautiful kind of bronze sugar rocks.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21They look beautiful, real kind of Christmassy colours as well.
0:30:24 > 0:30:25What's not to like?
0:30:25 > 0:30:28Who would not want to receive a box of those for Christmas?
0:30:29 > 0:30:31Truffles, chocolate, spices.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33I've got lots of friends who would
0:30:33 > 0:30:36like to receive those, and I would like to get some, too.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47- Cheers. Cheers, Russell, Merry Christmas.- Merry Christmas.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49- There is something so Christmassy about sherry. - Oh, there is, it's lovely.
0:30:49 > 0:30:53- I wonder why I don't drink more of it throughout the year. - Well, we'll have to work on that.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55Your New Year resolution.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57Drink more sherry.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59This dessert will undo you, Russell.
0:30:59 > 0:31:01It's a positive show-stopping masterpiece.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04- It is a show-off dessert. - A Mont Blanc,
0:31:04 > 0:31:07which is the dessert of all desserts.
0:31:07 > 0:31:09- White Mountain.- But if I think, if you are going to show off,
0:31:09 > 0:31:11- you need to aim for the sky.- You do.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13If it all goes horribly wrong, it won't be a Mont Blanc.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16No, it will be like a Christmas Eton Mess.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18- What about where I live? Mount Snowdon.- Yes, that would do.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20- Monte Snowdonia.- If it sinks.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22It won't sink!
0:31:22 > 0:31:25The Mont Blanc starts off with a round base.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28This is really the foothills of the mountain.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30First off, we start with four egg whites.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33You don't want any yolk into that white.
0:31:33 > 0:31:37The yolk will stop it forming a meringue.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39That goes into Mr King's magic bowl.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42And now what we do, we start to whip it.
0:31:42 > 0:31:47And as we are whipping it, we add a spoonful at a time...of sugar.
0:31:49 > 0:31:50Just a spoonful.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52Let it work in.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55This is looking amazing.
0:31:56 > 0:31:58How do you know when it is done?
0:31:58 > 0:32:00Because it will start to sheen.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03Let's have a look...
0:32:03 > 0:32:04- I can see it.- Can you see it?
0:32:04 > 0:32:07It almost looks as though it is made of plastic.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10Yeah, it looks like my hair conditioner.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12It's like hair conditioner.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15Brilliant. But even with the meringue, Russell,
0:32:15 > 0:32:17we are taking it that one stage further.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20- We're going to do a chocolate meringue.- Never had that in my life.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28Maybe the vinegar will settle it down a bit.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30- We're all right, aren't we?- Yes.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32What's up?
0:32:32 > 0:32:35- Can you still breathe?- Yes! HE COUGHS QUIETLY
0:32:35 > 0:32:37He's got what's known as the cocoa cough.
0:32:40 > 0:32:42The great Russian writer!
0:32:42 > 0:32:44- Let's get the vinegar in. - If we get the vinegar in,
0:32:44 > 0:32:45it might settle the dust.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49- Go on, mate.- And now the chocolate.
0:32:49 > 0:32:50This is just grated chocolate.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56- Beautiful.- I am a chocoholic.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58- This one's for you.- Lovely.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01How did you know all of this? Did you have some kind of
0:33:01 > 0:33:05premonition that you've chosen all of the foods that I love?
0:33:05 > 0:33:07It's all in the stars, Russell.
0:33:07 > 0:33:11Wow, I thought I was a closed book, but I am definitely open.
0:33:11 > 0:33:12I'm a Virgo.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14What would that tell you about my personality?
0:33:14 > 0:33:17Well, Virgos are normally,
0:33:17 > 0:33:21or usually, very clean, very tidy,
0:33:21 > 0:33:23but if they are messy,
0:33:23 > 0:33:25it doesn't matter because THEY know where everything is.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27It's true.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30Sticklers for hygiene and cleanliness.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34Can be slightly hypochondriac and have to get...
0:33:36 > 0:33:40..take pills for whatever they think they've got.
0:33:40 > 0:33:44But genuinely I would have always,
0:33:44 > 0:33:48any PAs I've had or secretaries have been generally Virgos.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51- Oh.- Because they are great at organising others,
0:33:51 > 0:33:53if not themselves.
0:33:53 > 0:33:54Yes, get on with it!
0:33:56 > 0:33:58- What are you, Kingy?- I'm a Libran.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01Oh, are you? Well, of course, kind,
0:34:01 > 0:34:03thoughtful and very artistic,
0:34:03 > 0:34:06as you are about to prove with this great
0:34:06 > 0:34:07lump of meringue.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10First off, we take four little blobs, not a big one!
0:34:10 > 0:34:14This is a top tip. Everybody's got fan ovens these days.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16The meringue should be light, light as a feather.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19It's on paper, you put it in the oven, you turn the oven on,
0:34:19 > 0:34:21and what happens? Whoof, on the roof.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23So we stick the paper down.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26I just take four little blobs of meringue.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28Now we are seeing your Virgo side.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31- Absolutely.- So what else are Librans like, Russell?
0:34:31 > 0:34:33Well, it is one of the signs of love.
0:34:33 > 0:34:34It's a sign of relationship,
0:34:34 > 0:34:38they work much better in a couple rather than on their own.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41So it is very good that you are doing this together.
0:34:41 > 0:34:43They don't really like to do much on their own.
0:34:43 > 0:34:46Normally, if they go shopping, they like to take someone with them.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48Yes, I never know what to buy.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51Well, indecision, of course, is another one of those.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53- Oh, yes!- I am terrible.
0:34:53 > 0:34:55Indecision is...
0:34:55 > 0:34:58He can't make his mind up whether he can make his mind up or not.
0:34:58 > 0:35:02So what I've done is I have drawn a line around here which determines
0:35:02 > 0:35:05the extent I wish that meringue to spread.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08Go on, thank you.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10That is holding together beautifully.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14Now, I've got the oven preheated to 200 Celsius.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18That's because we want to give this meringue a quick hit of heat,
0:35:18 > 0:35:22but the moment I put the meringue in, I'll turn it down to 150
0:35:22 > 0:35:25and leave it there for an hour and a quarter.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29And now down to 150.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35But again, Russell, we are show-offs.
0:35:35 > 0:35:36Ooh!
0:35:36 > 0:35:38It doesn't look like Snowdon anymore.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41No, it has spread a bit. That's fine.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43One of the meadows around Snowdon.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47Look at the colour. It looks a bit like a cowpat at the minute.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50- Exactly what I meant! - No, don't worry!
0:35:50 > 0:35:54Now we put this on to our plinth because we are showing off.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57You only have our plinth on your showing-off days.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59- Oh, yes.- I only bought it cos you were coming.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02- Oh, you are kind. - Well, we are good to you.
0:36:02 > 0:36:06So we need to build this chestnut cream up like that in the middle.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09Now, marrons glaces, they are crystallised chestnuts,
0:36:09 > 0:36:12they are really popular in France at Christmas, they are everywhere.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14I have got
0:36:14 > 0:36:17about a litre of cream, double cream.
0:36:17 > 0:36:21This, we want as firm as we can get it without it falling apart
0:36:21 > 0:36:24because it has got to form the core of the mountain.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26How would you like your marrons glaces?
0:36:26 > 0:36:28Oh, that's very good, just crumbled.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30IN A POSH VOICE: Are you happy with that?
0:36:30 > 0:36:33You see, when you are showing off, you put a posh accent on, don't you?
0:36:33 > 0:36:36- Your telephone voice. - As a Libran, of course,
0:36:36 > 0:36:40this is something that you would do quite naturally, Si.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42- Yes, I do.- I call it the Hyacinth Bucket
0:36:42 > 0:36:44and it comes out now and again.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47I am going to put some icing sugar into the cream.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55It's always better to turn the mixer off before you put
0:36:55 > 0:36:57the icing sugar in or you end up like Frosty the Snowman!
0:36:59 > 0:37:02And a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04Always use extract, never essence.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07- Oh, what's the difference?- Extract is made from proper vanilla.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Essence is like a chemical flavouring
0:37:10 > 0:37:12and it is not half as good.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16Now we give it some beans.
0:37:16 > 0:37:17Now, look...
0:37:19 > 0:37:21We stop before it becomes butter.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26That is perfect, I am going to borrow a bit of that
0:37:26 > 0:37:27- and put it under there.- As a Virgo,
0:37:27 > 0:37:30you are also a perfectionist, you know, Dave,
0:37:30 > 0:37:31so it's got to be just right.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35As my wife says, "You SAY you are a perfectionist."
0:37:35 > 0:37:37But you know you are in your own sweet way.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40- I know I am right. - He is never wrong.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44- Well, this is me-WRANG! - Hey-hey!
0:37:44 > 0:37:46Oh...I got that.
0:37:48 > 0:37:49Catch up, Russ!
0:37:49 > 0:37:52I was a bit like Margo Leadbetter in The Good Life.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55"Oh, Jerry."
0:37:55 > 0:37:58So the marrons glaces goes into the cream and we fold it in.
0:37:58 > 0:38:02- Wonderful.- We need to start about a centimetre in, don't we?
0:38:02 > 0:38:03Yes.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07This looks very much like Snowdon.
0:38:07 > 0:38:09I recognise that summit.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11You need a little cafe on the top.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13You do, or a goat.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17Sheep. We are in Wales.
0:38:17 > 0:38:18Oh, yes, that's true.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20That's looking fine.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23Now, the trick is with a Mont Blanc or a Mount Snowdon,
0:38:23 > 0:38:28you have to pipe chestnut puree around the outside.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30Who's going to turn and who's going to pipe?
0:38:30 > 0:38:32I think we should go halfie-halfies.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35- All right. Shall I...?- You kick off and then I'll finish off.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37All right, then.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39So we start off...
0:38:39 > 0:38:43I've got a star nozzle on, and this is very traditional.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45- OK.- Look at that.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49When you reach the end of your ring...
0:38:49 > 0:38:50Come on!
0:38:50 > 0:38:54What do you mean, "Come on"? I'm keeping it the same speed!
0:38:54 > 0:38:57- Oh, the nerves.- Have you not got one you made earlier?
0:38:57 > 0:39:00- No.- So you are going to do this to the top.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03Can I go and do something?
0:39:03 > 0:39:04Just settle in and relax.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07Can I go and do my laundry whilst you're doing this?
0:39:07 > 0:39:08No, we need your moral support.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13Anyway, it's Christmas. Stop putting us off.
0:39:13 > 0:39:14I am wearing your moral support.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18I think you've got time to go and watch Ben-Hur.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20I tell you what, make yourself useful,
0:39:20 > 0:39:22you turn it while Dave is piping.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24- All right, then.- Oh, Gawd. Right.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28Oh, that's it. Oh, you have a steady turn.
0:39:28 > 0:39:30You are better than him.
0:39:30 > 0:39:31Look at that.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35You jerked, Kingy, you stopped and started.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37- Shut your face.- Well, you did.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40Look at that. It's going brilliantly now.
0:39:43 > 0:39:44It is. Look at that.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46- Now, Mr King.- Hello.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48- Over to you.- Right.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51- Look at that! - We're nearly at the summit.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53- Right.- Are you ready?
0:39:53 > 0:39:54Yes.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58Russell, which would you say out of us two has the best star sign
0:39:58 > 0:40:00in order to make the Mont Blanc?
0:40:00 > 0:40:02Oh, goodness.
0:40:02 > 0:40:03Well, neither of you, really.
0:40:03 > 0:40:05It would be a Capricorn
0:40:05 > 0:40:07if I'm dealing with mountains.
0:40:07 > 0:40:08- Hold on.- Oh, it's gone belly-up.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10Hold on. You see, you put us off when you...
0:40:10 > 0:40:12What do you mean, "neither of us"?!
0:40:13 > 0:40:14Why a Capricorn?
0:40:14 > 0:40:17Because that's the sign of the mountain goat.
0:40:17 > 0:40:18Oh!
0:40:18 > 0:40:20- Oh!- Ready?
0:40:20 > 0:40:21Hold on. Yeah, go.
0:40:24 > 0:40:25So, Taurus would make good steak.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28- Yeah.- Pisces would make good seafood.- A bit quicker.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32Aries would make good lamb.
0:40:32 > 0:40:34- And stop there, Russell.- You could also do a little swirl around,
0:40:34 > 0:40:36couldn't you? Oh, Kingy, look at that.
0:40:36 > 0:40:38Go on, take it as far as you can, mate.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42Oh, look at that.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44- Lovely.- Not bad.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46Now, put a bit on my finger, my friend.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49I just want to see what it tastes like naked.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54The same as it tastes like with your clothes on.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58- Hey-hey!- He'd be great in pantomime, wouldn't he?
0:40:58 > 0:41:00I think we should all do one together.
0:41:00 > 0:41:01I know. He won't do it.
0:41:01 > 0:41:05- You could play the ugly sisters. - Why would you?- And I could play your stepmother.- You miss Christmas!
0:41:05 > 0:41:07It's really difficult doing the ugly sisters.
0:41:07 > 0:41:11But you two would be ideal because you've already got a head start.
0:41:11 > 0:41:13- Thanks.- I used to like you.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16- Time for the chocolate rubble. - Thank God for that.
0:41:18 > 0:41:22Cos you can't have a mountain without snow on the roof.
0:41:22 > 0:41:23No, absolutely.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26I'm making snow.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29Right. And I want a light whip on this one.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32Yeah, so it cascades down the...
0:41:32 > 0:41:35..pinnacle of our Mont Blanc.
0:41:35 > 0:41:36All right. Now...
0:41:39 > 0:41:43You know, like they always have Mount Fuji as, like, that...?
0:41:43 > 0:41:44It's not Mount Fuji.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46This is beautiful.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49Look at that. And now, Mr King.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54- Oh, look.- Russell Grant,
0:41:54 > 0:41:56this is your Mont Blanc/Mount Snowdon
0:41:56 > 0:41:58with a touch of Fuji thrown in.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01Thank you very much.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03Thank you for coming and spending some time with us.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06Thank you for having me. I've loved every minute of it.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09Now, Si, this could be very difficult to carve, I imagine.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11So now it's your turn to show off.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14Oh, you devil.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17Right. Well, we have to be confident with this.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24Look at this. Oh, my goodness.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28- Didn't he do well?- He did VERY well.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31- Are we going to dive in? - Yep.- Yeah.
0:42:33 > 0:42:34It's divine.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38It's great cooking for you!
0:42:40 > 0:42:45It is just a lovely balanced concoction...
0:42:45 > 0:42:47..confection of flavours.
0:42:47 > 0:42:51Our show-off Mont Blanc chestnut dessert.
0:42:51 > 0:42:56If puddings could speak, this one would say, "Woo, look at me!"
0:42:58 > 0:43:01- Merry Christmas to all of you. - Merry Christmas to you. - And absent friends.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04- And a happy New Year. - Merry Christmas!- Merry Christmas!