Grand feast: an old-fashioned Christmas dinner comes with all the trimmings - Food and Entertaining

Sunset, Dec, 2003

5. Trim off dark edges of cake; reserve for another use or discard. Cut remaining cake into 1-inch cubes.

Toffee sauce. In a 1- to 2-quart pan over medium heat, stir 1 1/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar, 1/4 cup (1/8 lb.) butter, 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice until sugar is dissolved and mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes. Whisk in 2 tablespoons vanilla and cook 1 minute longer. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups whipping cream and remove from heat. Makes 2 cups.

Poached cranberries. In a 3- to 4-quart pan over medium-high heat, stir 1 1/2 cups orange juice, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until sugar is dissolved. Add 12 ounces rinsed and sorted fresh cranberries or thawed frozen ones; simmer gently just until skins begin to split, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and chill until cool, at least 30 minutes.

RELATED ARTICLE: Prep plan

Up to 1 month ahead: Make and freeze cheese puffs.

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Up to 1 week ahead: Cook cranberries and toffee sauce for trifle; cover separately and chill.

Up to 2 days ahead: Toast walnuts for salad; make cake for trifle and wrap in plastic wrap to store.

Up to 1 day ahead: Make creamed spinach; assemble trifle.

About 3 1/4 hours before dinner: Prepare beef.

About 3 hours before dinner: Get roast into the oven; garnish trifle with last layer of cream and slivered dates (chill, uncovered, until ready to serve).

As guests arrive: Reheat thawed cheese puffs.

About 45 minutes before dinner: Cook potatoes.

About 30 minutes before dinner: Reheat creamed spinach while beef rests; finish pan juices for roast.

About 20 minutes before dinner: Mix salad.

By Sunset's Food Staff