Mary Berry reveals genius Christmas dinner hack using sleeping bag

Former ‘Great British Bake Off’ judge is hosting her own cooking show next week

Dame Mary Berry has explained some of her more unusual festive cooking methods.

The famous baker has written more than 70 cookery books during her career, in which she shares hacks and new recipes for each season.

This Christmas, she will be hosting Mary Berry’s Ultimate Christmas, due to air on 19 December on BBC One, where she reveals more of her quirky tricks for a festive dinner.

She will be joined by MasterChef :The Professionals judge Monica Galetti, TV star Rylan Clark and Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett.

In a new interview, the former Great British Bake Off judge, 87, revealed that she wraps her Christmas turkey in a sleeping bag after it’s cooked to keep it insulated.

“I roast the turkey at home, and I’ve learned not to overcook it. So many times, even I have overcooked it,” she admitted on Dish, the podcast hosted by former Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw and Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett.

“This time I’m cooking it without foil, I shall cover it with foil once it’s done, then I shall put some tea towels over the top,” Berry said.

“I’ve got an old sleeping bag that’s got no zip and I put that over the top in the corner of the kitchen and then I shall take that in the back of the car to Annabel’s [Berry’s daughter].”

She explained: “Once you take it out of the oven, it goes on cooking. And so you want to insulate that.”

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Berry said that she keeps the turkey “in the back of the car inside its sleeping bag” while she has Christmas drinks with her family, and will take out the bird when its time to carve it.

Dame Mary appeared on The Great British Bake Off for seven years alongside fellow judge Paul Hollywood and presenters Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc, until she ended her time on the show after it moved from the BBC to Channel 4 in 2017.

Following Bake Off’s move to Channel 4, Sandi Toksvig and Noel Fielding took over as presenters, with Hollywood joined by Dame Prue Leith as a judge.

Toksvig was later replaced by comedian Matt Lucas, who announced last week that he would be leaving the show after three series.

The Independent has rounded up some of the most likely replacements for Lucas.