Recipe: Yuletide Baked Clementines

‘This is one of the simplest ways to cook and serve seasonal clementines. I love the alliance and aromas of vanilla and aniseed, but there are so many seasonal spices associated with Christmas, like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.’

IngredientsWhole clementines or orangesKirsch, flavoured vodka, whisky or CointreauVanilla podsStar anise

Method

Blanch the clementines in boiling water for 30 seconds. This will soften the skins and remove any coating applied to the fruits for preservation. Pierce the top of each fruit and insert a piece of split vanilla, aniseed or an alternative spice. Gently place the clementines on a baking rack onto a baking tray. Place this into a very hot preheated oven, then turn off and leave to cool and dry overnight. The next day the fruits should be dry. Spoon the liqueur of your choice into the hole in the top of the fruit. Place back into the oven for a further 15 minutes to help the absorption of the alcohol into the fruit.

To serve

Slice the clementines into two halves, and top with vanilla ice cream. Finish with a dusting of icing sugar and golden caramel springs. To eat, simply scoop out the flesh.

Tips

The skins can be studded with a few cloves and baked in bay leaves for a real mulled fruit aroma.

Use a cinnamon sugar to sweeten whipped cream and serve as an accompaniment to the ice cream.