Make it a night to remember!
Whether you are opting for a big night with friends or a quiet night in with those closest to you – New Year’s Eve is an opportunity to reflect on the year gone by, plan for the year ahead a raise a glass and celebrate!
Create a simple twinkling tablescape using a KaHo tablecloth with lots of fresh foliage. The tablecloth creates immediate impact and I love decorating it with ivy, holly, eucalyptus, wax flower and Christmas roses - Helleborus Niger. A mix of candles create a soft and atmospheric look - from pillar candles to smaller tea lights or even tall candles in recycled glass wine bottles. A rustic table setting with beautiful napkins folded with fresh rosemary sprigs and a handwritten named gift tag placed on guests plates.
Top-notch nibbles to add a sense of occasion. I love this classic super easy canapé... Use a small biscuit cutter to cut rounds of rye bread and top with a blend of horseradish and creme fraîche and then with smoked salmon, dill and a big squeeze of fresh lemon and a grind of black pepper.
A show-stopping desert makes a celebration extra special. Try making a Pavlova wreath topped with whipped cream and fresh berries with sparklers for ooh's and aahs (my attempt in the photos above and recipe on the blog!). I used the Mary Berry Pavlova recipe – so easy to use and its great as you can make it a few days ahead and then just add the cream and berries before serving. As you can see, it looks fab displayed and served on a KaHo Prints tray!
Mary Berry’s Pavlova
For the pavlova -
- 6 large free-range egg whites
- 350g/12oz caster sugar
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp cornflour
For the filling -
- 600ml/20fl oz double cream
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 50g/1¾oz icing sugar sifted
- 200g/7oz strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 300g/10½oz raspberries
- 200g/7oz blueberries
- 50g/1¾oz pomegranate seeds
- a few mint leaves, to decorate
- icing sugar for dusting
Method
- Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas Line a large baking tray with baking paper and draw a 30cm/12in circle in the middle of the paper. Draw a 15cm/6in circle in the centre of the larger circle to make a ring.
- Put the egg whites in a clean mixing bowl and whisk with an electric whisk until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. Gradually add the sugar a little at a time, whisking on maximum speed until they are stiff and glossy.
- Mix the vinegar and cornflour in a cup until smooth, then fold into the egg whites.
- Spoon the meringue onto the ring drawn on the baking paper. Using a large spoon make a shallow trench in the meringue for the cream and fruit to sit in.
- Transfer to the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 140C/120C Fan/Gas 1. Bake for 1 hour–1 hour 15 minutes, until the outside is hard but still white. Turn the oven off and leave the pavlova inside for an hour or overnight to cool and dry.
- To assemble, whip the cream, vanilla paste and icing sugar until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed. Spoon the cream into the trench in the meringue. Arrange the strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and pomegranate on top and decorate with a few mint leaves, if using.
- To serve, dust with icing sugar and cut into wedges.