We hope that with these few recipes you can create simple delicious ideas this Christmas and banish some of those traditional Christmas time-consuming chores.

To help to make Christmas easier we have compiled a few ideas to get the best out of your food processor and other appliances to help 'you' enjoy the big day, all of these recipes can be prepared in advance and leave you to enjoy the celebrations.

Magimix Christmas cake recipe

Ingredients 2oz almonds,  8oz Currants,  8oz sultanas,  8oz raisins, 2oz glace cherries quartered,  2oz mixed peel,  grated rind of lemon, grated rind of orange,  3 tablespoons of brandy,  8oz Plain flour,  ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of mixed spice,  ¼ teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg, 8oz brown sugar,  1 tablespoon black treacle,  8oz soft butter,  4 eggs.

Method

The day before you plan to bake the cake, process the almonds for about 10 seconds or until they are 'nibbed' and turn into large mixing bowl. Add all the dried fruit together with the grated lemon and orange rind. Pour over the brandy, stir well, cover the bowl with a cloth and leave to soak overnight. Try to stir a few times while soaking.

The next day, place the flour, spices and sugar in the Magimix food processor main bowl and process, remember to take the pusher out of the feed tube to allow air in, for 5 seconds to aerate them. add the butter (which must be very soft) treacle and eggs and process for approx 5 seconds, stop and scrape down and process for a further 5 seconds or until the mixture has amalgamated. Tip in the dried fruit mixture and push the 'pulse' button about 10 times to just mix in.

Cooking

Preheat oven to mark 3 325f 160c

Grease and line an 8" 20cms round cake tin.

Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared tin, and spread it out with the back of a spoon.

Bake for 2 hours and then turn the heat down to mark 2, 300f, 150c and bake for a further one and a half hours to two hours or until a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.

Leave the cake in the tin a few minutes before turning it out onto a wire cake rack. If you wish some extra brandy can be soaked into the cake. remove the lining paper and make a few holes in the top with a small skewer and pour over several teaspoonfuls. wrap it well in double greaseproof paper and store in airtight tin ready for decoration.

Fruit and Nut stuffing

Method

Place the bread into the food processor main bowl and process until it is reduced to coarse breadcrumbs. place in a large mixing bowl. 

Process in turn the fruits and nuts, using the pulse switch, so they are coarsely chopped and add to the breadcrumbs. 

Finely chop the onion, saute in the butter until soft (if using liver, chop and add the onion and continue to cook for a further couple of minutes) and mix with the fruit and breadcrumbs. 

Using the Magimix mini-bowl, chop the parsley, add to the stuffing ingredients, season with salt and pepper and bind with the giblet stock.

Brandy butter serves six

Method

Process the butter and sugar in the food processor bowl until light and creamy. Slowly add the brandy through the feed tube and continue processing until amalgamated.

Rum can be substituted for brandy if preferred.

Christmas morning cocktail

Ingredients 1 tablespoon clear honey,  1 miniature bottle of Cointreau,  12 oranges,  1 bottle of chilled champagne or sparkling wine.

Method

Mix the honey and liqueur in a large jug. With the citrus press, juice the oranges and add to the honey mixture. Carefully pour in the champagne, mix and serve.

Tomato sorbet with a julienne of smoked salmon

Method

Cut the tomatoes into quarters and extract the juice using the juice attachment or Le duo juicer. 

Add to the balance of ingredients (except the salmon). 

Put into a ice cream maker and churn until ready, turn out into the food processor main bowl and process until smooth. 

Place in freezer to store.

To serve, place two nicely shaped spoonfuls of sorbet onto individual plates. Arrange a bundle of smoked salmon strips by the side and garnish with dill and lemon twists.