Get Holiday-Ready with Mary Berry’s Ultimate Christmas

The beloved British home cook provides her definitive guide to a festive Christmas feast

• Christina Zeiders
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  Christina Zeiders is the Communications Specialist at WITF. She helps get the word out about all of WITF's programs, events and community conversations.

Learn how to prepare an impressive three-course Christmas dinner with Dame Mary Berry in Mary Berry’s Ultimate Christmas, her new holiday special filled with time-tested recipes. This is the only guide you’ll ever need to prepare for a festive feast, as she and some friends show you how to plan, shop, and prep for a delicious, stress-free day.

“It goes without saying that Christmas is a very special time of year, but over the last couple of years it has become for us all, whether it’s the emotional hardship of lost loved ones, the economic hardship of cooking for large families or a combination of both,” said Berry. “In this special, I am going to bring together everything you need with tips to make it a festive day to remember fondly.”

In this special, Mary shares her ultimate Christmas feast using her tried and tested recipes, perfected over 50 years. She begins with a delicious and simple Stilton and Sage Mini Scone Canapé, followed by her traditional Christmas dinner of Lemon and Herb Roast Turkey with all the trimmings, Crispy Roast Potatoes, Ruby Red Cabbage, and Apricot and Chestnut Stuffing.

Mary also checks in with friends who share recipes reflecting their own heritage. She visits with Chef Angela Hartnett, where she cooks up rich Pumpkin Ricotta Tortelli, a seasonal tradition for her Italian family.

She also meets up with Monica Galetti in her London restaurant, where she prepares a twist on Samoan Palusami with Smoked Haddock, Cavolo Nero, and Sourdough. And she stops at a “pick your own” vegetable farm with TV host Rylan Clark where they cook up a delicious dish, Brussels Sprouts with Peas and Cashews, hoping to convert some sprouts-hating kids.

A perfect meal also needs the perfect setting, and Mary shows us how to create a sustainable and inexpensive centerpiece from foraged greenery.

Finally, to complete the feast, Mary shares two festive desserts. Her traditional British Christmas Pudding goes back to medieval times. The dessert is made from dried fruit and nuts and served alongside a boozy cream. Then, to top things off, she shares a Festive Trifle made with layers of custard, cream, sponge cakes, and pear, and topped with spun sugar.

Watch Mary Berry’s Ultimate Christmas on Monday, December 19 at 9pm on WITF TV or the PBS Video app. Stream it on-demand for free using the app until January 17, 2023.