5 ways with leftover Christmas cake

Christmas cake French toast

Serves 2

In a bowl, beat together 2 eggs with 100ml milk and ½ tsp cinnamon. Season with a pinch of salt. Cut 4 even slices of Christmas cake. Heat a large knob of butter in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Dip 2 slices of cake into the egg mixture and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until lightly crispy. Keep warm while you repeat with the remaining slices, then serve with ice cream, cream or natural yoghurt.

Boozy Christmas cake trifle

Serves 6-8

Break 500g Christmas cake up into chunks and arrange in the bottom of a glass serving bowl. Drizzle over 1 tbsp brandy. Peel and segment 4 oranges, removing as much pith as possible, and layer over the cake. Sprinkle over a pinch of cinnamon. Spoon over 500ml custard to cover. Place 300ml double cream into a large bowl and add 1 tbsp soft brown sugar and 1 tbsp brandy. Whip until the cream forms soft peaks, then dollop on top of the custard. Just before serving, scatter the top of the trifle with 1 tbsp toasted flaked almonds and grate over a little orange zest.

Ice cream with Christmas croutons

Serves 10-12

Cut 220g slightly stale Christmas cake into 2cm cubes. Transfer to a bowl and add a pinch of cinnamon with 3 tbsp olive oil. Stir to coat. Heat a large knob of butter in a large frying pan. Working in batches without over-crowding the pan, cook the cake cubes for 3-5 minutes until golden and crisp on all sides. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to cool and drain away excess oil. Serve over good-quality vanilla ice cream.

Christmas cake pops

Makes 8

In a bowl, place 400g leftover Christmas cake, including its icing, and mash with a fork. It should be quite moist and mouldable; if not, add a spoonful of apricot jam. Shape the mixture into eight evenly-sized balls. Arrange them on a baking tray lined with cling film and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Melt 100g white chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Place an ice lolly stick into each cake pop and dip them in the melted chocolate. Decorate as desired and place them upright in a tall glass to allow the chocolate to set.

Christmas chocolate truffles

Makes 16

Remove the icing from 3 slices of Christmas cake. Break the cake up into crumbs and add to a bowl with 4 tbsp brandy. Cover the bowl with cling film and allow to soak for one hour. Melt 125g dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, then add 50g sifted icing sugar and whisk to combine. Stir into the cake crumbs. Roll level teaspoons of the mixture into balls and place on baking trays, then refrigerate until firm. Melt another 100g dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and drizzle the balls with the melted chocolate. Roll in crushed nuts if desired, then place in the fridge until ready to serve.

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