Nigella’s Amsterdam Christmas Recipes

Watch Thursday 21 December on BBC One and iPlayer

Nigella Lawson’s love of Amsterdam’s food and culture at Christmas can’t be tamed, and this year for BBC One and iPlayer she’s bringing Dutch joy to viewers back home with Nigella’s Amsterdam Christmas.

Amsterdam is entrancing at the best of times, but Nigella wants to bring its special festive atmosphere and sense of enchantment to viewers cosied up at home this winter. She has a long history with the city and her family ties go back generations. Her many visits to the city bring up fond memories of lights reflecting in the canals, the sights of people huddled against the cold drinking Claret Cup, the smells of spice-sweet and fruited breads, the crunch of icing-laced cookies.

With visits to Nigella’s favourite places in Amsterdam, this special will follow the tried and tested Nigella approach – alongside her unique narrative storytelling which viewers love.

Recipes

On the menu this year, treats include:

• An Indonesian biryani, inspired by Amsterdam’s thriving Indonesian food scene

• A no-bake advocaat & ginger cake

• A Dutch classic of biscuits: Speculaas

• Dutch Mussels

• And keeping with the magic of Christmas, many surprises including a very special cocktail.

Nigella will take viewers on visits to her favourite places in the Dutch capital city – along with trips to a sweet shop with a liquorice niche, a Dutch cheese shop with a fabulous selection of cheeses, and a chip shop with queues that stretch around the block. Nigella will pick-up special ingredients for her festive feasting back home in London, find moments of calm and reflection among the lights, and round up with a happy hubbub to bring the Christmas spirit home.

Filmed in both London and Amsterdam, this festive special delivers the much-loved charisma, unique storytelling, and enchantment elements viewers have come to expect from Nigella. With delicious and accessible recipes along the way that will give a festive twist to Christmas this year, buckle in for a very personal journey through the Dutch capital this Christmas.

Nigella’s Amsterdam Christmas is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Thursday 21 December at 8pm.

Speculaas biscuits

You’re unlikely to get very far in Amsterdam without coming across these festively spiced, beautiful biscuits. They are the perfect Christmas cookie.

Dutch mussels

They’re the zwarte goud, or ‘black gold’, of the Netherlands. Taking no more than a few minutes to cook, these Dutch mussels are a sumptuously speedy feast.

No-bake advocaat and gingerbread = cake

This recipe is more of an ‘assembly job’ task. Layers of cream, crystallised ginger, figs, nuts, and of course, gingerbread come together for a delicious, decadent treat.

Biriyani

Dutch-Indonesian food plays an important part in the cultural life of Amsterdam. This biriyani is a simplified version of an Indonesian biriyani from Sri Owen which amounts to a real party piece.

Visit Nigella’s website for her latest recipes: https://www.nigella.com/recipes/christmas

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