How to Make a Christmas Dish - The Victorian Way

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Christmas has arrived at Audley End House and Mrs Crocombe is hard at work on a sweet dish for a quiet family luncheon, ideal for the busy festive season when she has many other culinary plates to spin. With layers of swiss roll and macaroon biscuits soaked in wine sauce and all topped with custard, there's a lot to love about this festive treat.
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INGREDIENTS
00:41 For this recipe, you will need...
• 1 Swiss roll or small sponge cake
• 250g almond macaroons
• ½ uk pint / 300ml redcurrant jelly
• ½ uk pint / 200ml sherry
• ½ uk pt / 300ml raisin wine
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• Custard (made with 6 egg yolks, 1 uk pt / 600ml milk, sugar to taste and
• 3 tbsp custard powder or cornflour)
• Blanched almonds, to decorate
METHOD
01:04 Cut your Swiss roll into slices, laying them to line your serving dish
02:17 Add the maracoons on top of the cake layer
02:38 Make a wine sauce by heating the redcurrant jelly, sherry, raisin wine and a little sugar until the sugar has melted, then bringing to the boil
03:45 Pour the wine sauce over the cake and maracoon layers and leave it to soak
04:14 Spoon the thickened custard onto the top and spread it out
05:16 Decorate using blanched almonds, angelica or candied (edible!) flowers
05:54 "And there we are..."
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[@karmagirl314]

“Christmas isn’t a time for abstinence, so I’m going to add some sherry, some raisin wine” Mrs C is helping ensure the family line.

[@7ofthem]

Pretty sure she is 😂

[@margotmolander5083]

*Some8 sherry! *Some* raisin wine! Even after a good boil that sauce would have enough alcohol I would need a nap after lunch.

[@brucetidwell7715]

"some wine" being half a bottle of each! 😂

[@MaryWehmeier]

Blurp! You go Mrs. C! Happy Christmas.

[@foxy6481]

I've never gotten tipsy on desert. lol

[@videogamegirl81]

“I do think they are a bit middle class…” No one delivers a savage dunk like Mrs. Crocombe

[@birdmj]

Its the way Mrs C says "I didn't buy this one, I made it" in a slightly reproachful tone.

[@katharper655]

But even Mrs. C's most savage dunks are the epitome of the elegant old saying:"Less is more."

[@madabbafan]

Mary-Ann: Mrs Crocombe, my love, I've made the Swiss roll Mrs C: Well, where is it? Mary-Ann: Don't know, I lost sight of him after I pushed him down that mountain, but he did roll.

[@xr6lad]

Mrs C didn’t torch the middle Class with her ‘middle class’ comment I don’t think . She actually torched the Braybrookes - as it’s for their family lunch! Is she saying her employers have middle class tastes?

[@Darenkelg]

Shade guide: 1:40 Swiss rolls are very middle class 2:06 trust that your confectioner doesn’t use cheap jam 2:57 Christmas isn’t a time for abstinence 5:07 Mr. Strut is delusional

[@irinam8709]

Thank you 😂

[@alexanderbodine3004]

I mean the pinned comment said that he retired at 34, so shows what we know?

[@xingcat]

"Christmas isn't a time for abstinence," Mrs. Crocombe says, as she adds the entire Braybrooke liquor cabinet into the pan.

[@havingicecream]

_"Two shots of Vodka.."_

[@finfan83]

1:56 - I didn't buy this one, I MADE IT - the most Mrs. Crocombe thing you can hear. Thank you for showing us this dish, and let the Christmas Season be good to all of you, people of English Heritage who record us those episodes.

[@JenMaxon]

And what's more, she doesn't approve of the bourgeois connotations (especially if you must buy it from your confectioner).

[@brucetidwell7715]

@@JenMaxon I agree with her. Anything that is too popular is probably suspect. 😂

[@vandilore]

gives the same vibes as ina garten, the barefoot contessa. store bought is “fine”

[@myriamickx7969]

She didn't say anything about the macaroons. Were they also homemade or store-bought? Homemade, I hope.

[@NorthernChimp]

"...so long as you can trust your confectioner not to use cheap jam, or to much baking powder." Timeless wisdom!

[@walkfarm1]

I would never use baking powder when making a Swiss roll, just a far less sponge.

[@misspeach3755]

3:00 "some sherry" she said and poured in half a bottle. 😅I love this series so much - I always give it a like before even having watched it. Merry Christmas to whoever is reading this comment. 💜

[@aninamuschal6576]

Its giving me:"a shot of Vodka" 😂

[@iceefaery574]

and also "a little sugar"😄, cooks are not trustworthy when talking about quantity of seasoning.

[@Bujos.n_more]

The happiness I got after seeing the notification 😍

[@fennecfox8623]

The happiness I got being the one-hundredth person to like this comment! It’s the little things in life isn’t it 😊

[@deped-cebucityrolandoarane5913]

I have the same mood.

[@heatherjones6647]

Mrs. Crocombe obviously feels that she has sufficiently torched the poor and has moved on to the middle classes. "All show and not much to them": hits me right in my middle class imposter syndrome. Queen of shade!

[@ivebel3966]

i literally read “all show and not much to them” RIGHT as she said it. freaked me out lol

[@erinnereynolds]

Its so hard to believe that the Mrs. Crocomb has been showing us the Victorian way of doing things for nearly 10 years already.

[@lorenaalves2222]

"I'm gonna add some sherry" *pours all the bottle in the saucer*

[@EnglishHeritage]

Merry Christmas from English Heritage. We hope everyone enjoys this festive episode of The Victorian Way! As ever, here is some more information on this recipe from our resident food history expert Dr Annie Gray: • Isn't this just trifle? It is a lot like trifle, yes. By the 1880s trifles came in a massive variety of types with a huge range of ingredients. Trifles were eaten at many occasions though, whereas we picked this because it is simply called 'a christmas dish'. Fanny Cradock did something very similar in the 1970s. • Can I use a Yule log instead of Swiss Roll? Of course you can! Indeed, we'd positively encourage it. Mrs Crocombe would not have known of a yule log as a cake - they are just a little after her time - otherwise we might have done the same. • What's with the jelly in the trifle? Can we thrash this out once and for all? It's divisive, we admit. The very first trifle recipe had actual jelly in (i.e. made with calves' feet). However, most nineteenth and early twentieth century recipes for trifle mean jam when they say jelly - jelly can be either the bouncy stuff the Americans call Jell-O or a stiff, pectin-rich mixture which is basically strained jam like the redcurrant jelly we use here. Confusion about which type of jelly earlier authors meant probably caused the later use of "jelly-jelly" (as opposed to "jam-jelly") in post-war recipes. It's up to you whether you feel it is to be avoided at all costs, or guardedly welcomed. • What's the difference between the confectioner and the baker? There was a lot of crossover, but in the 1880s confectioners sold cakes, sweet things and often dessert items such as jellies, while bakers were defined by bread. However, many people operated as both, and some also ran tea rooms as well as acting as caterers. By the middle of the twentieth century, the meaning of confectionery had changed to be more about manufactured goods, specifically chocolate and things like boiled sweets. • Who is Mr Strutt? Richard Strutt (1848-1927) was married to the Braybrookes' only child, Augusta. The second son of Lord Rayleigh, he was a real party animal in his youth, but after spending most of the money he'd been left by his father, he eventually founded the Terling Co-Operative Company, known as 'the stores', a shop and society which both helped improve the standard of living for villagers (Terling is near Chelmsford in Essex) and made him a great deal of money. He retired, aged 36, in 1884, to live in what seems to have been genuine marital harmony with Augusta and their children, and to devote himself to music, which was his great love. Augusta died in 1903, aged only 42, after which Richard moved to Bath. • What is angelica? It's a plant which grows very tall and has hollow, fibrous stalks. It was (and is) candied and dyed green and was very popular in the Victorian era for decorating cakes and sweet dishes. • What are the flowers Mrs Crocombe is using to decorate it? She's using candied flowers, which you can make yourself, or buy. Just ensure that whatever flowers you use are edible! • Can I use something else instead of wine? You can use whatever you want. It is mainly there to add sweetness and a bit of a zing, so you might want to try a ginger syrup, a good quality cordial made rather strong, grape juice, or a dealcoholised wine.

[@NZC_Meow]

Thank you ☘️

[@JJONNYREPP]

How to Make a Christmas Dish - The Victorian Way 1921pm 19.12.23 a decent idea as how best to create something decent to eat...

[@CelticFairyBox]

Thank you so much for adding so much information 💖 so interesting hearing all the history

[@StasiA70]

Merry Christmas from Illinois USA ❤

[@lisawillis8227]

Merry Christmas, and thank you for another Mrs. Crocomb episode

[@LeslieT]

2:56 I want “Christmas isn’t a time for abstinence.” emblazoned on a tshirt with Mrs Cromcombe’s face.

[@Jay-ql4gp]

I made one of my best friends a cake for her birthday this year. She asked what kind of mix I used. I had the same look on my face as Mrs. Crocombe, "Mix? I didn't use a mix, I _made_ it!" lol Happy Christmas to you, too!

[@lafierose]

It isn't the Christmas season without a new Mrs. Crocombe video. She's a delight to watch!

[@PLuMUK54]

Excluding the alcohol (a Welsh Chapel upbringing gave my grandma a horror of the "demon drink"), this is very much what my mum, and before her, my grandma would make for an ordinary Sunday. If we had visitors, then, just as Mrs Crocombe said, they would produce a "more exciting" trifle. A fond childhood memory is being allowed to decorate the top of these dishes. I'm always reminded by these videos, that my grandma was Victorian (she was 12 years old when Victoria died), and learned to cook the Victorian way. Even in my kitchen today I use her methods, and a lot of my "batterie de cuisine" would not be out of place in a Victorian kitchen.

[@CharleneCTX]

Did she make a sauce with something else instead of the alcohol or did she use only custard?

[@bearo8]

What did they use instead of sherry and wine? Dod they make the sauce with juice instead? Or something else entirely? I love the idea of this dish but don't drink so an alternative would be great!

[@ErinMTexas]

Merry Christmas to you! I love that you keep the Victorian Way alive in you home 😊🌲

[@a.l1249]

If you have any Central/Eastern European grocery stores in your area, I imagine a tart cherry "kompot" could be a good option. They would have it sold in jars. I know the Polish version, but i think it's popular in the whole region. It's essentially fruit boiled in water with sugar and canned. You could make it yourself, but tart cherries are a little hard to come by otherwise (at least in the US) except for the canned pie filling where they drown in cornstarch and food coloring. And it's NOT the same thing. I think the tart cherry juice would give it that little bit of kick, and you could add a bit of cinnamon and/or cloves or mulling spice when you heat it up. But keep in mind it's my tart cherry loving heart speaking up. I bet some fruit juice would work.

[@tiffanyfisher9574]

I LOVE tart cherries, too! My parents have a huge tart cherry tree in their backyard and I always remember that it’s “fruit time” about a week after all the cherries are gone lol

[@deoxyplasmic]

What a gift! The recipe! The history! The shade! Now *this* is Christmas time.

[@Angel132003]

We all know that we are here for the shade.😂😂

[@vikingmama93]

Life wouldn't be the same without that Crocombe shade!

[@MossyMozart]

@@Angel132003 - I don't know about that. I also like the "music box"-type music that accompanies each episode.

[@wanderingjennifer2715]

Avis Crocombe is the DIVA of the 1880's! She has enough Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent to spill into the 20th century. Cheers to all the wonderful people at English Heritage!

[@timesawasting7532]

She's full of Christmas sparkle in this one! "I do think they are a little bit middle class-all show and not much to them." can be applied to a lot of things, including many I like. I feel like I have permission to not feel guilty about eating and drinking whatever I want now that Mrs. Crocombe reminded me that Christmas is not a time for abstinence.

[@sophiebaines6768]

This is a real gift of a video, armand biscuits, wine sorce, middle class cake shaming, just needed Mary Ann to get a good roasting and it would be perfect! Merry Christmas Mrs C!

[@martynnotman3467]

Mary Anne has been roasting in the oven at 180 degrees for hours. Turkey is so declasse..

[@grimesdaughter9042]

Maybe not Mary Ann, but Mr. Strutt got a got roasting 😂 "Retire? He's only 30!"

[@srae1971]

Don't forget the glare at the camera in case we dared to think she BOUGHT that swiss roll.

[@LPdedicated]

It really isn't Christmas without the Queen of Shade! 😂

[@tamaratravani]

It ain't Christmas until Mrs. Crocombe drops her holiday recipe slay

[@BurgerwithPeanutButter]

"armonds" "angelicar" I love her accent. Mrs. Crocombe is just too cute.

[@dawnfoster6530]

1st shade in under 2 minutes - must be a record! ;-) And the sauce - wow, I didn't realize she was going to use up every drop 😂

[@juliettestofmeel]

Loving the ratios of wine & sherry to cake & custard. 😂

[@manramen]

I loved her shade and flex on the swiss rolls basically saying she didn't think they were great but at least they looked nice, but oh by the way i made this one so yeah it's gonna be great.

[@sherrieludwig508]

And a Happy Christmas to Mrs. Crocombe, Mary Ann, and all the staff at Audley End! This was a wonderful gift.

[@CapricornNJ]

Mrs. Crocombe: "It's the holidays, so here's a dish made with ingredients for middle class people, turned to mush by soaking it in wine. Merry Christmas!"

[@mariahjones-munroe5011]

All the things I need: a bit of history, a little shade, a beautiful dish. Happy holidays, English Heritage. These videos are my favorite things!

[@coffeedrinker83]

Mrs. Crocombe really has it out for baking powder, doesn't she? 😂

[@tamaramarkovic1092]

My grandma taught me to make a cake using a swiss roll! Had no idea that's what it's called. It's a delicious cake, using two layers of sliced swiss roll, two layers of thickened custard just like here in the video, and two layers of assorted red berries. It's topped with whipped cream. I do believe the recipe comes from the Austro-Hungarian empire. Really great to see it used here!

[@Poultrymad]

Christmas really isn't Christmas without a Mrs Crocombe recipe! 😄😋

[@rambo171993]

It's a good thing Mr. Crocombe reminds us that, even in this busy festive season, one should take cares to not look middle class, and to check if your confectioner is using cheap jam!

[@sharonsmith583]

NOW, it's officially Christmas! We've been provided with some lovely Christmas shade by our beloved Mrs. Crocombe! Merry Christmas to all!

[@anujkalra6145]

It isn’t really Christmas without a recipe video from Mrs. Crocombe!

[@tangt4860]

Mrs Crocombe is such a delight in any household even in this age. Food prepared by hand looks so much more palatable. M&S should take a leaf from her.

[@sourojeet]

"I do think they are a little bit middle-class. All show, and not much to them" - Mrs. Crocombe (Christmas, 2023)!🤣💕

[@poisonivy1985]

Please never stop these videos. They really help with my depression ❤

[@tdexth]

Ahhh.... Mrs Crocombe throwing shades for the holiday cheers. What a joyous day. 🎉 🎄

[@gardenplots283]

Christmas isn't a time for abstinence is not something you hear every day.

[@Tabbyclaw]

Arlmonds and angelicer in one video! Truly we have been blessed.

[@rgibson7305]

And saurce!

[@rcdoodles6214]

You go girl! ‘Christmas is not a time for abstinence’! Merry Christmas to all.🎄🍷🍰

[@OmbraLaLupa]

Mrs C saying "some sherry & some raisin wine" and then pouring a whole half liter of alcohol into the pan reminds me of the "a few shots of vodka" meme 😂😂

[@fuchsfarben]

Oh I love that the holiday episodes for Mrs Crocombe get their own christmas version of the intro song :D

[@Deathshack]

I can't believe I've been watching this woman for 7+ years now. Time have definitely flown by!

[@prettiestpigeon]

Mrs Crocombe calling swiss roll middle class, iconic.

[@dyfustifications]

"Christmas is not the time for abstinence!" she said and dumped two half bottles of alcohol in the sauce. 🙂

[@ellia.vagabond]

Lmao i can never get over her "subtle" classist shade. So well done

[@cachelnewbauer]

Not Mrs. Crocombe saying "store-bought is fine." :) I love this series!

[@raven8955]

Thank you Mrs. Crocombe for looking at us again while you are saying "I do think they are a little bit middle class" ❤

[@Kim-bp1kb]

The amount of shade in the first two minutes of this video ...😳😳 I have never been so profoundly middle class in my entire life.... SAVAGE 🔥🔥

[@SamanthaIzaks]

Love how she says 'some sherry, some raisin wine' then proceeds to pour in the whole amount! 😂

[@Slaatje222]

"I didn't buy this one... I MADE it" THE SASSSSSSS

[@KamikazeKatze666]

Aaah, I remember how my grandmother would make a Swiss roll for special occasions - it is not an easy cake to make as you have to roll it while it is still hot.

[@CyrusMoonside]

This video is a wonderful early Christmas present! A very Merry Christmas to Kathy Hipperson and everyone at English Heritage! Bright Blessings!

[@thomasmoss9042]

Oh, the disappointment one feels within the soul when once confronted the confectioner admits to using cheap jam and too much baking powder...

[@raeperonneau4941]

“I do think they are a little bit middle class… all show and not much to them.” Now, Mrs. Crocombe. 🧐😂 Happy Christmas!!!

[@kirstenpaff8946]

Part of me really wants to see Mrs. Crocombe as a guest judge on the Great British Bake Off. You made a Swiss Role? How very middle class.

[@_SquishyFishy_]

"some sherry" with the same energy as "one shot"

[@wherefancytakesme]

Lol. "It may be commoner food, but they sure know what they're doing with this."

[@lryhc]

Loved when she said, Christmas is NOT the time for abstinence 😀😀!!! Love her!

[@rgibson7305]

Armonds, check. Source, check. Shade at the underclasses, check. It would not be Christmas without Mrs. Crocombe.

[@SilverCheetah]

SOME sherry. Proceeds to add half a bottle 😂

[@sreevatsanrangaprasad8740]

Ah Christmas isn’t complete without Mrs Crocombe’s video ! Merry Christmas 😊

[@I_am_Lauren]

A Christmas cooking episode with English Heritage is CLASSIC!

[@apsetiadi]

The amount of sherry she pours in inspires Sandra Lee a century later.

[@sirenrose7]

The shade when she called Swiss Rolls “middle-class”… 😆

[@apis1156]

"I didn't buy this one" Looks straight into the camera "I made it."

[@joyplummeridge6940]

We need cooking pinny's, oven gloves, tea towels and tea cosies with quotes from Mrs C emblazoned on them.

[@EnglishHeritage]

You might like our Victorian Way retail range, in that case! bit.ly/3P0S40U

[@justin_a_greenwitch]

Her shade is increasing due to popularity. I can't wait for another cookbook ❤

[@Angela-Ruby]

Oh, We “middle class Swiss roll” people are well aware that Christmas is not a time for abstinence and we enjoy getting shnockered on our wine 🍷 infused desserts! 🤭❄️🌟🎄😆

[@haruruartist]

"Some sherry" proceeds to pour half the bottle

[@gr8flyerfan]

"I didn't buy this one. I made it." 😂

[@ff2skin356]

Mrs Crocombe, your act of publicly criticising, insulting or expressing contempt for someone, or something, is perfect ❤

[@TheDiplomancer]

I don't even celebrate Christmas, but I love watching Mrs. Crocombe

[@zorys9947]

“Christmas isn’t a time for abstinence" oh I sure gonna love this!

[@baharf1556]

I need a shirt that says "Christmas is not the time for abstinence" lol

[@maryearly3259]

"Now I'm going to add a little Sherry" Proceeds to add half a bottle..... Wow that... thats one hell of a holiday spirit!!!! I love it. Happy holidays to you as well Mrs. Crocombe!!!!

[@Cent4man]

Happiness is a Victorian Way video with our beloved Mrs Crocombe

[@izabela2709]

"Some sherry" *proceeds to empty the bottle* 😂

[@niseplank4527]

There is so much shade in this video, it's combating global warming.

[@user-id8we5be2c]

Merry Christmas Mrs Crocombe and all at English Heritage. A lovely seasonal dish. I thoroughly enjoyed this video including Mrs C's burn on the middle class!

[@watercat1302]

Exquisite old time dish with shades on the side… who wouldn’t love this?

[@gingersnap7822]

I was JUST gifted 'How To Cook The Victorian Way' and just could not be more thrilled. Thank you all for working so hard on so many fronts, and bringing so much joy! Cheers and Merry Christmas from the USA.

[@YensidBuckingham]

A new Victorian way cooking video is always welcomed in my happy home here in the states.

[@LPdedicated]

"I didn't buy this one, I made it" - The queen of shade strikes again! Merry Christmas, everyone!

[@chadosagano6290]

Yo I think we need to get Mrs. Crocombe a knife sharpener for Christmas. Then her knives can finally be as sharp as her wit.

[@tmalfieri1]

She needed to use a serrated knife instead!

[@LeFouGallois]

I first discovered Mrs. Crocmbe after seeing Novympia's wonderful parody, and I couldn't help but smile at the mention of 'Armands' and 'Sorce' in this episode. :) ''I do fear that such liberal amounts of alcohol in this dish may have the end result of some unbecoming behaviour from Lord and Lady Braybrooke !'' :)

[@louiselill1528]

This looks far more appetising than any shop bought

[@m.woodsrobinson9244]

It's always the SHADE for me when it comes to Mrs. Crocombe!

[@m.dilitto5488]

"Christmas isnt a time for abstinence". You got it boss

[@porknbeans1977]

"I do think they are a little bit middle class; all show and not much to them." SHOTS FIRED

[@TCBastin]

Oooh! She's serving a lot of Christmas shade. But really, seeing Mrs. Crocombe just improved my day

[@birubiru2699]

I wish it were always Christmas time, constantly watching Mrs Crocombe's videos ♥

[@calamityjai99]

“Christmas isn’t a time for abstinence” That’s definitely getting stitched on a stocking lol

[@scsstudios]

"Angelicer" aside, this looks rather smashing.

[@timefoolery]

Oh lovely! Mrs. C is the best Christmas gift ever! Merry Christmas to all the servants 🎄🎅🏻🎁

[@noahcount7132]

Happy Christmas, Mrs. Crocombe. 🌲 Beyond that, saints deliver us from confections made with cheap jam. Heaven forfend!

[@r.sch.1505]

Looks absolutely delicious. Especially love the "add some sherry" part. As she says: Christmas isn´t a time for abstinence. Have a great Christmas!

[@MaureenTheTemp]

"Very middle class, all show and not much to them" -- oh, you Queen of Shade, your snark is the best Christmas present EVER!

[@LishB1011]

The eye contact when she says "I made it" 😂 like how dare anyone suggest Mrs Crocombe is using store bought 😱