Food
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Both Christmas and New Year's take place at the same time. That’s why December and January are months of joy and love, when family and friends gather and enjoy the most delicious dishes together. If you’re looking for innovative desserts this year, there are plenty of recipes that you can easily prepare, such as Christmas cake, cinnamon cookies, Christmas tree cupcakes, or mini-Christmas tarts. We’ll go through every recipe in detail to make it easier for you to do, so keep reading.
Christmas Cake
Ingredients:
- 175g raisins
- 350g dried and halved cherries
- 300g flour
- 1 cup dried fruits
- 300g sugar
- 1 cup dried apricot (currants)
- ½ cup chopped almonds
- 300g butter
- 4 eggs and 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp spices
- 1 tbsp cocoa
Instructions:
- Sift flour and salt together in a bowl.
- Add baking powder, cocoa, cinnamon and mixed spices and stir.
- Add dried fruits, currants, raisins, sweet cherries and almonds.
- In another bowl, mix the sugar and butter until the mixture becomes soft and fluffy.
- Add the eggs; one at a time.
- Add the flour and fruit mixture in small batches.
- Add milk and mix.
- Ladle the mixture into a deep tray lined with baking paper.
- Bake in the oven at 150 degrees for one hour.
- Reduce temperature to 140 and continue baking for another 3 hours.
- The cake is tested by inserting a thin skewer in the middle of it. If it comes out clean, the cake is done.
- Cover the top of the cake with greaseproof paper if it gets too brown during baking.
- When the cake is done, remove from the oven and leave to cool down on the tray before inverting it onto a wire rack.
- Carefully peel the paper off the cake. Enjoy!
Cinnamon Cookies
Ingredients:
- 2 cups flour
- ¾ butter or oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions:
- Mix the dry ingredients well then add butter and eggs.
- Shape the cookies as desired.
- Put the cookies in a greased tray with butter or oil.
- Place the tray in the oven at 150 degrees until their color turns light brown from the bottom and top, then serve.
Christmas Tree Cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the Cupcake:
- 200g unsalted butter
- 200g light brown sugar
- 150g self-rising flour
- 50g cocoa powder
- 4 medium eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the buttercream:
- 200g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 400g powder sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp green food coloring
For decoration:
- Chocolate stars
- Sprinkles
- Powder sugar
Instructions:
Cupcake:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
- Beat the unsalted butter and light brown soft sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add in the self-rising flour, cocoa powder, eggs and vanilla extract.
- Beat the mixture until it becomes thick.
- Split the mixture evenly on the cupcake tray and bake in the oven for 20-22 minutes.
- Once baked, leave to cool down.
Buttercream
- Beat the room temperature unsalted butter on its own for a few minutes to loosen and become smoother.
- Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract and beat again until smooth.
- Add the green food coloring and beat again until combined.
Decoration
- Pipe green food coloring onto each cupcake and try to keep some of the cupcake sponge exposed. Pipe the buttercream taller than usual.
- Carefully press some brightly colored sprinkles into the cupcakes to resemble Christmas baubles.
- Add a chocolate star to each cupcake and lightly dust with icing sugar. Enjoy!
Mini Christmas Tarts
Ingredients:
Tart Shells
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons dark cocoa
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Custard
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 large egg yolks
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Whipped cream, pomegranate arils, and mint leaves for garnish.
Instructions:
Tart Shells
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease 9 slots in a muffin tin with butter.
- Cream together the butter and sugar until it becomes light in color and almost fluffy.
- Mix in the egg then the cocoa and salt. Mix in the flour a half cup at a time. Then turn the mixer to medium-high and mix until the dough forms a ball.
- Place the dough on a floured surface and roll to about a ¼-inch thickness, about a 20-cm circle. Use a round or scalloped edge biscuit cutter to cut 4 circles. Re-roll the dough and continue to cut 9 circles.
- Place the circles of dough into the muffin tin slots and gently press to fit the bottom of the slot.
- Bake for 18 minutes until firm. Let cool completely and then carefully remove from the pan.
- Place the tart shells on a sheet pan or serving tray.
Custard
- Whisk together the milk, sugar, and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Whisk in the eggs separately then add them to the saucepan.
- On medium heat, whisk until the custard begins to simmer and thicken. Do not allow it to boil, but continue to whisk as it simmers. Once it coats the back of a spoon, about 6 to 8 minutes, it is ready. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
- Let the custard rest for about 3 minutes, then pour the custard into the tart shells. To get the shells as full as possible, fill them up and then refrigerate them a few minutes before adding the remaining custard.
- Once full, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 hour. Add a small portion of whipped cream, pomegranate arils, and a mint leaf to each tart before serving.
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