Some Christmas baking can be on the heavy side. These are light as air, with a crumbly meringue outside and a soft marshmallowy centre. Everyone went nuts for these. So give them a try, they’re fairy quick and easy to make. Thanks to @roamingtaste for a great recipe.
They have only 5 ingredients, most of which you’ll already have in your cupboard.
Add some to a cute bag for nice gift when dropping into visit family and friends over Christmas.
Makes 24
4 Egg whites
170 Grams Sugar
130 Grams Dark chocolate (either chocolate chips or finely chopped)
70 Grams Cornflakes
1 Tbsp Vanilla extract
Method
Preheat the oven to 150 degree(Celsius). Line 2-3 baking trays with baking parchment
In a stand mixer or using an electric whisk, whisk the egg whites until the double in size. Gradually add the sugar to the egg whites until the mix reaches the soft peak stage
Add the other ingredients to the bowl and gently fold into the meringue with a large spoon until all the ingredients are combined
Using ether an ice cream scoop or tablespoon, soon the mix into the baking sheets leaving a space of 2-3cm between each cookie as the will spread
Bake for 20 minutes, and allow to cook on the baking sheet (they’re very soft coming straight from then oven and will set a little as they cool down.
Enjoy with some going coffee in front of a Christmas tree or roaring fire
You only have to mention potatoes and cream and you have my attention. Add a buttery breadcrumb topping and its on like Donkey Kong.
An American friend of a friend from the Midwest told me about this dish. His heritage is Scandinavian and apparently no Christmas eve is complete without this.
I used Nigella Lawson’s recipe, and she recommended using proper Swedish pickled sprats, (my friend told me they used anchovies, so I’m going with him). The dish shouldn’t be especially fishy, the anchovies are more to add a salty umami savoury flavour (some people add the extra oil in the tin, but I wasn’t sure if this would be too much and I’m glad I left it out). If you are vegetarian or hate fish you could replace the anchovies with some grated parmasan cheese which would also be yummy.
Layer the potatoes with fried onions and anchovies
Ingredients
1.2 Kg Potatoes (cut into very thin French fry like sticks)
2 large Onions (cut in half and sliced into half moons)
50 Grams Butter (plus extra for greasing your oven dish)
300 ml milk
300 ml cream
2-3 Handfuls of breadcrumbs
1/2 Small Tin of anchovies (finely chopped)
Black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (Celsius)
Add half the butter to a pan a fry the onions for 10-15 minutes over a low to medium heat. They should be soft but not have browned.
Grease an oven proof dish, and line with one third of the chopped potatoes. Sprinkle half the onions and anchovies over the top, add a couple grinds of black pepper
Top with another third of the potato chips, and sprinkle the remaining onions and anchovies, and a couple grinds of black pepper again. Top with the remaining potatoes
Stir the milk and cream together and pour over evenly over the potato mix
Sprinkle the dish evenly with breadcrumbs and dot with the remaining butter
Bake for around 1 hour (test with a fork to check that the potato are fully cooked) before removing from the oven.
I love a simple recipe, and if it doesn’t require a ton of ingredients even better.
These make a nice gift, and are fairly easy to make. You need to reduce the Biscoff biscuits to fine crumbs. You can do this by putting them into a plastic bag bashing the living daylights out of them (great as stress relief) . An easier way is to blitz them in a food precessor until you have fine crumbs, (you might have to do this in two batches). You can halve the recipe if you want to make a smaller batch.
If you want to make these a little bit more grown up can also add a tablespoon or two of your favourite booze.
Makes between 36-40
500 Grams (reduced to very fine crumbs)
250 Grams Cream cheese
300 Grams Dark chocolate
Method
Add the cookie crumbs and cream cheese to a large bowl and mix until thoroughly combined
Line or lightly grease a try. Take a small teaspoon of the mixture roll it into a ball about the size of a cherry, and place on the tray. I usually keep a bowl of water beside me when doing this, as its easier to do if your hands are slightly wet. Continue making small balls of the mixture and put on the prepared tray until it has used up.
Put the tray in the fridge and chill for 1 hour
Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a microwave proof dish. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time (stirring in between each blast so it doesn’t burn) until the chocolate has melted
Using 2 forks to lift the bon bons, dip into the chocolate and place back on the tray. Repeat until all the bon bons have been coated. Allow them to set for an hour in the fridge then transfer to an air tight container, or place in tiny paper cups if you’re feeling fancy
I have to give props for the recipe to Deborah Robertson @lickedspoon, who I think got it turn from Martha Stewart (I love recipe family trees).
These cookies are a bit of a faff but they are well worth it. You need to chill the dough for at least 4 hours. I made the dough in the morning, then got on with my day while it chilled. You can do this, and by the time you bake them your house will smell devine and you’ll be worshipped as the domestic God/Goddess that you are.
You can make the dough a day or two in advance if you’re busy and it also freezes well. (freeze the dough before you roll it in sugar). These are pretty indulgent, but it is Christmas.
The original recipe says to add Kalhua or Tia Maria. I was making these for kids so I left it out, but definitely looking forward to making the adult version next time.
Makes 30
Ingredients
120 Grams Good quality dark chocolate
180 Grams Plain flour
50 Grams Cocoa powder
100 Grams Butter (room temperature)
2 Tsp Baking powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Eggs
200 Grams Brown sugar
2 Tsp Vanilla extract
80 Mil Milk
2-3 Tbsp Castor sugar
2-3 Tbsp Icing sugar
Method
Melt the chocolate in the microwave, giving it 30 second blasts, and stirring regularly (be care not to burn it). Allow to cool slightly
Cream the butter and brown sugar together in a stand mixer or with an electric whisk until light and fluffy
Mix all your dry ingredients together
Gradually add the vanilla and eggs to the butter and sugar and whisk at medium spead. Then gradually add all the ingredients and mix until it comes together as a dough, don’t over mix
Put a good sized sheet of cling film on your counter, empty half the dough onto it before forming it into disk. Wrap with the rest of the cling film and refrigerate it for 3-4 hours. Repeat with the second half of the dough
When the dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 180 degrees (Celsius), and line a couple of cookie sheets with parchment paper
Place the castor sugar and icing sugar into two separate bowls (your hands will get sticky later on, so it’s also a good idea to have a bowl of cold water too).
Remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap it, and break of lumps about the size of a walnut and roll into a ball. Roll the ball in the bowl of castor sugar, making sure its well coated. Then roll it in the bowl of icing sugar and place on the baking try
Make sure to leave space between the balls of dough as they will spread.
Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool before trying to move as they will very soft until they cool
About a million years ago I lived in Germany, and nobody does Christmas or Christmas confectionery like the Germans.
These rich buttery cookies are the perfect Christmas cookie. I have used pistachios but you could use any type of nut you prefer. These are quite rich, but they aren’t something you’ll be eating everyday. They also make great Christmas gifts.
You could also swap out the vanilla extract for almond essence or pistachio paste if you want to experiment with different flavours.
(Makes 24 cookies)
Ingredients
95 Grams Ground almonds
75 Grams Sugar
270 Grams Plain flour
25 Grams Pistachios (chopped)
225 Grams Butter (chilled and cut into cubes)
1 Tsp Vanilla extract
Method
Add all the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl and combine
Add the vanilla extract and butter, and rub the butter into the dry mix (you can also use a food processor to do this)
When the butter has been rubbed into the dry mix, start pressing together to form a dough
Wrap the dough in cling film and chill for 30 minutes
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees (Celsius), and line a baking sheet with baking parchment
Take the dough out of the fridge and turn out on a lightly floured surface
With your hands, roll the the dough into a sausage and divide into 24 equal parts
Shape each section of dough into a half moon shape with your hands and place on your prepared baking sheet
Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cookies start to brown at the edges
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire wrack
When cool, dust liberally with icing sugar
The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days
I love baking at Christmas, something about the smell of delicious things coming out of the oven adds to my Christmas spirit. It’s also brilliant way to keep little hands busy if you have kids at home.
Fresh out of the oven and cooling on a wire wrack. Your kitchen will smell fabulous!!!
Shortbread can be fiddly to cut out, but these cookies just need slicing into rounds. What’s even better, you can make the shortbread dough up to 72 hours in advance and let it chill in the fridge and then take the log of dough out to slice and bake them just before you need them. They can be stored in airtight box for up 3 days (they won’t last that long).
Shortbread dough rolled into a sausage ready to be chilled
I used a food processor to make these, which makes them super quick and easy. If you don’t have one, you can chop the cranberries and mix the butter and flour together using the rubbing in method.
You can also dip or drizzle with dark chocolate if you’re feeling particularly indulgent. However they are still delicious just as they are.
If like me you can’t be trusted to moderate your consumption of these, they also make great gifts.
Makes around 30 cookies
Recipes
70 Grams Dried cranberries
100 Grams Sugar
230 Grams Butter (chilled and cut into cubes)
340 Grams Plain flour
1 Orange (zest and juice)
100 Grams Dark chocolate (optional)
Method
Add the cranberries and about a third of the sugar into a food processor and pulse for about 30 seconds, until the cranberries have started to break up (the shouldn’t be too finely sliced)
Transfer the sugar and cranberry mix to a bowl. Add butter and flour to the food processor and pulse until they look like fine breadcrumbs.
Add the butter and flour mix to the cranberry mix with the rest of the sugar and the orange zest and mix well
Start adding the juice of the orange a little at a time (how much you will need will depend on your flour). Get your hands in the bowl and start pressing the mix together to form a dough
Turn out onto a large sheet of cling film and squeeze into a sausage shape about 4-5cm in diameter. Wrap tightly in the cling film, you can also give it a little roll to help it look a little neater
Chill for at least 30 minutes (but the dough can live in your fridge for 2-3 days if you want to make ahead of time
When you are ready to bake, pre heat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a cookie sheet with baking parchment. Remove the cling film from the dough and cut into 1cm thick slices and put on the baking parchment (they will spread a little, so allow some space between them)
Bake for 12-15 minutes, and allow to cool
If you want to dip or drizzle the cookies in chocolate, make sure they are cool. Break the chocolate into small pieces into a microwave proof bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time until melted and then either dip the cookies or drizzle with a spoon
Seaneen's Sunnyside Kitchen 