They’re fabulous, people go nuts for them. Good as party nibbles too. Some people glaze them in honey or create mustard dips for them. Children LOVE them.
That’s barbaric!
Honestly though, I made mine from packets for years. About two years ago though I had a go at home made from a Nigella Lawson recipe. The extra little bit of effort is so worth it.
With brandy butter
Making the brandy butter was always my job as a child. Seems a bit reckless letting a child loose on the brandy looking back, but still. Put too much in and the butter curdles.
Of course these days, everyone just buys it ready made.
Some of the packet stuff is ok, but honestly it’s so easy and so worth it… Peel an onion, cut it in half. Stick 3-4 cloves in each side of the onion and put it face down in a pan with a couple of bay leaves, a handful of peppercorns and half a teaspoon of nutmeg. Pour in as much (whole, ideally) milk as you think it might need, then bring it to the boil as slooooooowly as possible. Then turn the heat off, stick the pan lid on and let it sit for as long as possible. At the last minute, strain and save the milk and put it back in the pan with a cup of breadcrumbs, a knob of butter and some cream if you have it and reheat it fairly slowly. If it’s too thick, add more cream. If it’s too runny, add more breadcrumbs. Delicious - I’d eat it with a spoon independent of roast dinner if I could get away with it.
And SanVito I had the same job- what is it with our negligent parents?!
I’m not very comfortable with one of those ingredients!