Place them in an airtight container, cool, cover and reserve.Making the candied pineapple: Peel the baby pineapple, and cut out and discard the hard central core Chop the remaining flesh into 14in/5mm cubes. Bring the water and sugar to the boil together in a suitable pan, and when the sugar has dissolved, pour it over the pineapple cubes. Allow to marinate for a few hours.Making the parfait: Drain the candied pineapple cubes and discard the syrup. Place the parfait sugar and water in a pan, heat to dissolve the sugar, and cook the syrup to 120C/250F. Check, using a sugar thermometer.While the sugar syrup is cooking, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Turn down the setting, and gradually pour the cooked sugar syrup in between the side of the bowl and the whisk (to prevent spitting). Whisk until incorporated, then allow to cool, still whisking.
Gradually, and still whisking, add lemon juice to the egg white mixture.Separately, whisk the cream to soft peaks Fold in the kirsch and drained candied pineapple cubes. Reserve.Add one-third of the egg white mixture to the whipped cream and mix in. Return the mixture to the remaining two-thirds of egg white and carefully fold together.Line a 12in x 8in/30cm x 20cm tray with a sheet of greaseproof paper Spread the parfait mixture evenly over this. Place in the freezer for about 3 hours, or until it has hardened.Preparing the pineapple sauce: Peel and chop the pineapple, then puree Place in a small pan, then add the remaining ingredients Bring to the boil and pass through a fine sieve. Reserve.Cooking the cherry garnish: Place all the ingredients for the cherry garnish in a saucepan, cover with a lid, and place on a medium heat for about 3 minutes Remove the lid and carry on cooking for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool in a bowl.Serving: We want to create on each plate a flowerpot with sunflowers made out of pineapple, drawing the stalk and the pot with cherry juice.Cover the bottom of five plates with the pineapple sauce. Each plate should be 714 in/18cm in diameter, not including the rim.Pour about 1 teaspoon of cherry juice on the base of the plate and, dipping the tip of the spoon into the juice, draw a flowerpot shape by running the cherry sauce into the pineapple sauce.
Still dipping the tip of the spoon into the cherry juice, draw three stalks.Place three dried pineapple slices per plate at the top end of each stalk. Cut out 15 discs of pineapple parfait with the pastry cutter Place one disc on the top of each dried pineapple slice. Top each disc of parfait with another slice of dried pineapple.Place three cherries on to the base of each flowerpot and one cherry or two in between each flower, and serve to your guests.. Clever clogs who have wrapped all their presents and finished their shopping - even made the Christmas pudding and ordered the turkey - can stop reading now. For the rest of us, who live a mite more dangerously by leaving everything to the last mo ment, there are still a few days in which to plan the 10 days of traditional feasting. To cater for a houseful of family and friends from Christmas Eve to Hogmanay, around 10 people most days, I concentrate on good, simple food with definite flavours.
For the Christmas meal we have roast goose, game or turkey, but I also prepare (on Christmas Eve or another day) a joint of beef - a Christmas favourite of Samuel Pepys - or a leg of pork, and a baked glazed ham. I make sure we have a good supply of smoked fish in the house because it keeps well. Smoked salmon, trout, prawns and Arbroath smokies are all delicious with hot bread and crunchy salads. This is a time of year when I indulge in whole cheeses There's nothing like them for flavour. And, of course, we have the traditional Christmas puddings and mince pies, although I make sure there is also a large basket of fresh fruit and nuts which I decorate with greenery from the garden.In this season of goodwill and generous eating, nobody minds serving themselves or helping out in the kitchen.