I had 2 dishes of clementines and more due to arrive in the fortnightly vegetable box, so came up with this seasonal recipe to use a lot in one go. They are super delicious and would make a wonderful Christmas pudding to help cut through all that richness and get some fruit in at a time when you don’t always get enough!

What do I need to make spiced Christmas clementines

1. You need about 3 fruits per serving so this dish of 12 clementines would serve 4. Children or smaller appetites may well need fewer.
2. vanilla paste. Paste is the best, or even whole pods, but most expensive, extract is next best, and essence not quite as good
3. star anise – if you don’t have any, you can leave them out, or try 3 or 4 cloves instead
4. ground cinnamon or cinnamon sticks – if you don’t have any, you can leave them out
5. a glass of white wine (optional) water will still make a tasty syrup
6. maple syrup, Muscovado sugar, agave or even ordinary granulated sugar at a pinch
7. you might like a bay leaf infused in
8. if you leave out all the spices, you won’t get as deep a flavour, but it will still be a tasty dish

 

How do I make these Christmas clementines

• peel the fruits – mine were reluctant to peel, so it was a bit fiddly, but I just turned the radio on and set to
• put the fruits in a saucepan together with all the other ingredients
• simmer gently, with the lid off, for 20 minutes. Check every now and again that the pan isn’t boiling dry, add a splash of water if it is
• you don’t want to cook them for too long, they’ll start to collapse

Can you freeze spiced clementines?

Yes, the spiced Christmas clementines will freeze in their syrup, but the texture will be softer after defrosting. Don’t freeze them with any cream poured over, cream doesn’t defrost well.

The cooked clementines will keep in the fridge, in their syrup, for 3 or 4 days.

When are clementines in season?

Clementines are so associated with Christmas in the UK as the end of December is right when they are at their best,  in season from November to February.

How to serve spiced Christmas clementines

• These are delicious just as they are, or enjoy with thick Greek yogurt and perhaps a spoon or two of jumbo oat flakes for a delicious breakfast
• As a pudding, with a flavoured ice cream would be lovely – clementine, pistachio or chocolate sound divine!
• Or how about drizzling with melted chocolate or chocolate sauce and sprinkling with toasted flaked almonds, toasted chopped walnuts or toasted pine nuts. Doesn’t that sound good!
• Or use as a topping for a family sized pavlova, or mini ones.
• Or place on top of a custard tart
• Or on top of a cheesecake

 

Do clementines have seeds?

One of the advantages of cooking with clementines is that they don’t have seeds, so whether you are making a cooked recipe like these spiced Christmas clementines, a winter salad or a smoothie, you don’t have to fish about removing pips.

Other recipes using clementines you might like

Christmas week meal plan based on roast pork, stilton and mixed fruit

 

Beetroot Ragu Lasagna

 

Love Your Leftovers – Citrus. Peelings, Pith & Pips