Bready steady go

Two weeks to go! I haven't written a single card yet, but I have made bread sauce today. It's not something I'd want to eat often, but the nutmeg and cloves give it that unmistakable taste of Christmas.

Ingredients for bread sauce

Bread sauce

To make enough for 8, you need:

2 onions
6 cloves
6 peppercorns
4 bay leaves
600ml (1 pint) milk
175g (6oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
300ml (half a pint) single cream
125g (4oz) butter
2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
4 tablespoons creme fraiche

Cut the onions in half, peel them and put them in a pan with the peppercorns, cloves, bay leaves and milk. Bring it gently to the boil and set aside for about 3 hours. Strain the milk back into the pan over a low heat and add the breadcrumbs gradually, stirring well, until boiling. Simmer for a few minutes or until the sauce thickens. Cool and freeze.

Remember to defrost the sauce in plenty of time, then re-heat it gently in a pan, adding the cream, butter, nutmeg and plenty of seasoning. Stir in the creme fraiche just before serving. I usually miss out the butter, or put half the amount in - you decide.