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These indulgent recipes are perfect for holiday gift-giving or sweetening your own seasonal gathering.
Gingerbread with winter fruit compote and vanilla cream
Makes one gingerbread cake
Nothing says Christmas like the aroma of cinnamon, ginger and molasses coming from the oven. Fresh grated ginger adds an extra kick to this spicy cake, tamed with a spoonful of sweet fruit compote and rich cream.
1 cup apple cider
1/4 cup sweet Marsala wine
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dried apricots, quartered
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
2 pears, peeled and chopped
1 vanilla bean, scraped, or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Grated zest and juice from one lemon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
2 1/2 cups flour, plus more for pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 cup molasses
4 tablespoons grated, peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1. Bring apple juice, wine, raisins and apricots to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and cook until liquid has reduced to 2/3 cup. Add cranberries to pan and cook until they begin to pop, about 3 minutes. Add pear and vanilla bean to pan and cook until pears are tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest and juice. With a slotted spoon, remove the fruit to a bowl, discarding vanilla pod. Bring the remaining syrup to a simmer and reduce until lightly thickened. Remove the syrup from the heat and cool slightly before pouring over the fruit. The compote can be held in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a Bundt pan and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. Whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt in a bowl and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter with brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in molasses and ginger. Add flour mixture in thirds, combining thoroughly after each addition. Dissolve baking soda in 1 cup hot water and beat into flour mixture, mixing until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely on wire rack, then invert onto a cake plate. Whisk cream with sugar and vanilla extract in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Serve gingerbread with fruit compote and whipped cream.
Magical pie
Makes 1 9-inch pie
Christmas just isn’t the same in the Allen household without a tin of magic squares. I decided this year I would try something different and turn it into a pie — part pie, part cookie bar, part heaven!
Refrigerated pie pastry for single crust pie
3 eggs
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup semisweet and white chocolate swirled chips
1 1/4 cups flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
Whipped cream, for serving
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll pastry into a 9-inch pie plate, ease into the plate and trim to 1/2 inch beyond edge of plate. Fold under extra pastry and crimp edge; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt.
3. In the pie dish, layer chocolate pieces, coconut, pecans, almonds and macadamia nuts. Slowly pour egg mixture over all, allowing mixture to sink down into filling. Bake 30 minutes, cover edges with foil to prevent over-browning and continue to bake until center of pie appears set when gently shaken, 20 to 25 minutes longer. Cool completely on wire rack. Serve with whipped cream. Pie will keep, refrigerated, up to 2 days.
Hanukkah sufganiyot
Makes 2 dozen
While latkes are the snack most commonly associated with Hanukkah cuisine, sufganiyot, sugared, jelly-filled doughnuts, are more commonly consumed in Israel — every bakery in Jerusalem makes them for Hanukkah. I can see why — these deep-fried delicacies are delicious for breakfast, brunch or dessert!
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm milk (around 100 degrees) or water
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar, plus more for rolling
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, softened
1 cup seedless raspberry jam or apricot preserves
Vegetable oil for bowl and deep-frying
1. In a small bowl, combine yeast, milk and 1 teaspoon sugar. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Whisk together flour, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl. Make a well in the center; add eggs, yeast mixture and butter. Using a wooden spoon, stir until a sticky dough forms. On a well-floured work surface, knead until dough is smooth, soft and bounces back when poked with a finger, about 8 minutes (add more flour if necessary). Place dough in an oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place to rise until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
3. On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch round cutter or drinking glass, cut 24 rounds. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise, 20 minutes.
4. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat 2 inches of oil to 375 degrees. Using a slotted spoon, carefully slip 4 to 6 rounds into oil. Fry until golden, about 40 seconds on each side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Roll in sugar while warm. Fry all remaining dough, and roll in sugar.
5. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip with jam. Using a wooden skewer or toothpick, make a hole in the side of each doughnut. Fit the pastry tip into a hole and pipe about 2 teaspoons of jam into doughnut. Repeat with remaining doughnuts. Serve immediately.
Orangettes
Makes about 4 dozen
French orangettes, strips of candied orange peel dipped in dark chocolate, are found in patisseries all over Paris. They make an elegant holiday gift and look beautiful served on a holiday platter along with coffee at the end of a meal. Blanching the peels first helps remove extra bitterness from the pith. For more variety, you can also use the peel from blood oranges or grapefruit.
4 large navel oranges
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1. Slice ends off 4 oranges, score the peel from one end to the other and remove the peels from the oranges in one piece. Slice the peels into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-wide strips and trim the edges. Bring a small heavy saucepan of water to a boil. Add the peels and cook for 1 minute. Drain and rinse the peels under cold water. Repeat cooking the peels in the saucepan with fresh boiling water and rinse under cold water.
2. Stir the sugar and 1 cup water in a heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. Add the orange peels and simmer over medium-low heat until tender and translucent, 30 to 40 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the peels to a drying rack set over a sheet of parchment paper. Dry slightly, about 1 hour.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir the chocolate in a small bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Dip half of each candied orange peel into the chocolate, then place on the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 15 minutes.
White chocolate truffles
Makes about 2 dozen
These rich bites are super-easy and make great holiday gifts. Your friends will think you slaved over a hot stove!
1 pound white chocolate, coarsely chopped
6 ounces (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, chopped
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup silver cachous (silver bb’s or dragees)
Line the base of an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper. Place chocolate and butter in a saucepan with 2 tablespoons warm water. Stir constantly over low heat until chocolate and butter have melted and mixture is completely smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour mixture into pan and sprinkle with cachous. Chill until completely set, about 3 hours. Remove from pan, cut into slices or cubes and serve.
