3 easy festive recipes to try with a hand blender

Has your hand blender been sitting in the kitchen drawer for too long? Here are 3 easy festive recipes to try with your hand blender to whip up a holiday season feast without a sweat. Impress your guests with these simple-to-prepare but hearty dishes great for sharing around the table.

Here we introduce an appetiser, a main course, and a dessert where a multi-functional hand blender like the MultiQuick 7 is the best kitchen assistant to help you get food prep done quickly and conveniently. Did you know you will still have time to buy gifts and decorate your home with these simple-to-prepare recipes?       

1. Appetiser - Pico de Gallo

Adapted from https://www.asweetpeachef.com/pico-de-gallo/

Servings: 4

Author: Lacey Baier of A Sweet Pea Chef

Making this appetiser is super easy, leave it to your hand blender to chop, mince, and slice the ingredients. A great dish for family and friends to break the ice over, whet guests' appetites with this zesty and tangy appetiser, consisting only of fresh fruit and vegetables, it's suitable for vegans, vegetarians, and those allergic to gluten.

You will love the Pico de Gallo as it can be made in advance, and the flavours continue to meld as it sits in your fridge. No cooking is required, how wonderful. 

Ingredients

  • 3 medium tomatoes on the vine diced
  • 1/2 small red onion diced
  • 1/2 tsp jalapeno pepper seeded and finely chopped
  • 1/3 bunch coriander roughly chopped
  • 1 spring onion thinly sliced
  • 1 large garlic clove minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt
  • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp ground cumin

Method

  1. Use the MultiQuick 7 chopper attachment to chop the vegetables and herbs. We recommend chopping the ingredients separately for better control of the size of each ingredient. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, and stir to combine.
  2. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Serve with tortilla chips and gluten-free crackers.

2. Main course - Christmas spiced duck with pumpkin puree

Adapted from https://www.braunhousehold.com/en-za/recipe/christmas-spiced-duck-with-red-cabbage-and-pumpkin-pur%C3%A9e/r/75ddfb07b30485a29e5f

Instead of roasting turkey, surprise your family with a Christmas spiced duck this Christmas. It seems like a long recipe but the MultiQuick 7 Hand blender with its range of accessories makes food prep less laborious and convenient such that complicated dishes become easy to prepare. 

Check out the full range of accessories here.

Ingredients

2 kg duck

(A) Christmas Spice Rub

0.5 cinnamon stick

3 cardamom pods

1 tbsp. coriander seeds

3 star anise

0.25 whole nutmeg 

Method

Freshly ground spices will beat ground spices anytime. Use the coffee & spice grinder to coarsely grind all the spices. Lightly toast in a pan to release the aromas and divide into two portions. 

(B) Glaze for duck

150 ml maple syrup

100 ml water

1 tbsp. ginger

5 cloves garlic

Method

Combine 1/2 the toasted spices (A) and the ingredients (B) in a pot and cook over medium heat until syrupy. In the meantime, preheat oven to 180 deg. 

(C) Stuff duck cavity

1 orange (quartered)

1 cinnamon stick

Method

Remove excess fat from the duck's cavity, then pierce the duck skin all over with a fork. Rub the Christmas spice rub over the duck and season with salt and pepper. Stuff the quartered orange and cinnamon stick into the neck end cavity. 

Put the duck on a roasting tray and roast for 1h 40min until the skin is crisp and its meat tender, such that it falls easily off the bone. 

D) Pumpkin Puree

500 grams pumpkin (deseeded and chopped into chunks)

1 medium onion diced

4 tbsp. olive oil

800 ml chicken stock

1 lime 

Method

Heat olive oil in a pot (tall enough to immerse a hand blender), and saute onion until soft but not browned. Add in pumpkin and chicken stock and simmer for 20min until the pumpkin is soft. Turn off the heat and immerse the hand blender to blend ingredients till smooth. Add the lime juice and season.

Tip #1: If your pot isn't tall enough, use a jug blender to blend the ingredients till smooth. Check out the MultiQuick 7 Hand blender and its jug blender accessory. 

Tip #2: Prepare the pumpkin puree and duck glaze the day before so you are not overwhelmed on the day of your party. 

3. Dessert - No-bake chocolate tart

Adapted from https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/no-cook-chocolate-tart

No celebratory feast is complete without decadent desserts and sinful indulgence. Spoil kids and adults with this easy no-bake chocolate tart. Be sure to use good-quality butter biscuits and chocolate for a melt-in-your-mouth creamy chocolate dessert. 

Equipment

12 x 36cm rectangular tin with removable base (or 23 -25cm round flan tin with removable base)

Ingredients

Crust

200g butter biscuit

100g melted butter

1tbsp golden syrup or honey

100g baking dark chocolate buttons or bar

100g baking milk chocolate buttons or bar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra for dusting

200ml whipping cream

For decorating

3 tbsp crème fraiche

200g raspberries

Method

Making the crust

  1. Crush the biscuits using a hand blender or alternatively in the 350ml chopper accessory or 500ml chopper accessory till fine but not powdery. Add the melted butter and golden syrup/honey into the chopper and combine. 
  2. Make the crust by pressing the biscuit crumbs mixture on the insides and base of the tin. Put in the refrigerator to set.

Chocolate tart filling 

  1. Use the hand blender or chopper accessory to chop the chocolate into small pieces if you are not using buttons for faster melting. Melt the chocolate in the microwave on medium setting for 2-3min stirring occasionally until completely melted.

Do not overheat the chocolate mixture, you just want it warm enough so the chocolate melts. (Alternatively, melt the chocolate over a bain-marie)

  1. You can use the whisk attachment at low speed to stir the chocolate till the chocolate is a smooth liquid.
  2. Stir in the vanilla extract and sift in the icing sugar into the chocolate mixture. Mixing evenly. Set aside.

Whipping cream

  1. If you used the whisk attachment in step 3, wash and dry it before whipping the cream. The MultiQuick 7 whisk and beaker accessories will whip cream in seconds. Fill the beaker with the whipping cream and use the whisk attachment to whip the cream till stiff. Start on low speed and watch it closely to avoid over-whipping the cream.
  2. Use a spatula to fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, smoothing the top. Chill in the fridge to set for at least 2h.

Ready to serve

  1. Before serving, loosen the edges of the tart with a paring knife, letting the tart warm up a little at room temperature makes this easier. Here’s the fun part, decorating the tart. Raspberries make a good match with chocolate, you can add additional fruit like strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Add a teaspoon of rum or orange liquor to the Crème Fraiche for a grown-up version.

Conclusion

The festive season doesn't have to be hectic, with a hand blender, even the busiest cooks will find time to cook sumptuous meals for their family and friends. Be the kitchen goddess and the hostess with the mostest with Braun's MultiQuick 7 Hand blender as your secret kitchen assistant.


Besides being effective at speeding up food prep with good results, it's easy to use and clean. Don't wait to try out these 3 easy festive recipes now. If you don't own a hand blender yet, discover our range of hand blenders and how they're every cook's must-have all-in-one appliance for versatility, convenience, and efficiency in food preparation. Do more in less time.