Tip of the Week...

Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake

A delicious and easy Christmas dessert recipe. This decadent pound cake is packed with cranberries and has a white chocolate and cream cheese frosting! 

1 1/2 cups plus 3 Tablespoons cake flour-sifted 
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup cranberries (fresh or thawed)
5 oz white chocolate chunk
1/2 cup unsalted butter-softened at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar 
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons browned butter

Frosting:
1/4 cup unsalted butter-

4 oz.cream cheese-softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (or more to make it thick enough to spread on top of the cake)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish:
handful dried cranberries
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

• Preheat the convection air oven to 325 F 
• If you don’t have convection air oven raise the temperature to 350 F and you will have to rotate the pan half way through the baking time
• Butter and flour 8.5 x 4.5 x 3 (or 9 x 5 x 3 )inches loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
• Combine cake flour, baking powder and salt and sift it three times, set aside.
• In a small sauce pan over medium heat brown 2.5 Tbsp butter until it’s nice amber color
• Remove the foam and set aside to cool.
• Whisk the egg with vanilla extract and set aside.
• Mix the butter on medium speed until it’s creamy
• Slowly add sugar and continue beating until it’s creamy.
• Add heavy cream and mascarpone, and beat on medium speed.
• Turn mixer on low speed and gradually add dry ingredients alternately with eggs.
• Add handful flour in chocolate chunks and toss them to cover evenly. 
• Toss cranberries with a handful flour to cover them completely.
• Add chocolate chunks in the batter and stir well, then gently stir in cranberries
• Pour the batter into prepared loaf pan, smooth the top 
• Gently tap the pan on working surface to remove the air bubbles.
• With a butter knife draw a line down the center of the pound cake 
• Pour browned butter into the line.
• Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean (about 55 to 65 minutes). 
•  If you don’t have convection air oven, baking time might be about 10 minutes longer. 
• If the top starts browning too much tent the cake with aluminum foil
• Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool on the rack.
• When the cake is completely cooled prepare the glaze.
• With a mixer, cream together softened butter and cream cheese until smooth. 
• Slowly add in powdered sugar and beat until smooth, mix in vanilla extract. 
• Spread on top of the cake.
• Place the cake in the fridge until the frosting is set.
• When the frosting is set melt 1/2 cup white chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a small sauce pan over low heat until it’s smooth( cool if it’s too thin)
• Sprinkle the cake with dried cranberries and drizzle with chocolate. 
• You can drizzle the chocolate with a spoon or transfer it into small zip-lock bag, cut off the corner and pipe the chocolate over the cake

Note: If you are using frozen cranberries, thaw them first, rinse with cold water until the water is clear, drain the cranberries and then dry them on paper towel.

Recipe: OMG Chocolate Desserts

Chocolate Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats

A super easy dessert that everyone will love? They’re the perfect combination of gooey and crunchy!

5-6 C. Kellogg's Rice Krispies
1 10.5 oz package of Peppermint Marshmallows
4 tbs. butter
4 oz. chocolate chips or chocolate candy melts, any brand (white chocolate looks pretty too)
5 candy canes, crushed

• Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper or spray with some non-stick cooking spray.
• Melt the butter and peppermint marshmallows on low heat stirring frequently until melted.
• Once they have completely melted, pour in the Rice Krispie cereal
• Stir well coating all the Rice Krispies.
• Quickly pour the mixture in the baking dish and press down evenly.
• Pour the chocolate chips into a small microwave safe dish
• Heat in 20 second increments, stirring every 20 seconds until melted.
• Remove from the microwave and let cool a few minutes.
• Scoop the melted chocolate into a sandwich bag and snip the corner of the baggie
• Gently squeeze the chocolate out of the sandwich bag over the Rice Krispie treats.
• It doesn't have to be perfect
• Lastly sprinkle with the crushed candy canes.
• They will stick on top of the melted chocolate.
• Cut evenly into squares.
• Store in an airtight container for 4-5 days.

Recipe: A Cultivated Nest

Christmas Kiss Cookies

These rich chocolate cookies are covered in Christmas sprinkles and topped with a Hershey's kiss!

 1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg yolk, at room temperature
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sprinkles
25 Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. 
• Add the sugar and beat on medium-high speed until creamed, about 2 minutes. 
• Add the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla extract, and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined.
• Pour the sprinkles into a small bowl. 
• Roll the balls of dough, about 3 teaspoons of dough per cookie
• Roll each ball into the sprinkles to coat. 
• Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, 2 inches apart.
• Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes.
• Remove the cookies from the oven and gently press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. 
• Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe: What Megans Making

Vanilla Latte White Hot Chocolate

Delicious and homemade White Hot Chocolate mixed with a shot of espresso and vanilla.

▢1/2- cup boiling water
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
2/3- cup white chocolate chips , chopped
2 cups milk , divided
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
ground nutmeg , optional
marshmallows , optional

• Prepare the water and stir in espresso powder; set aside and keep hot.
• In a saucepan, combine chopped chocolate and 1/2 cup milk; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate melts.
• Add remaining milk and continue to cook, frequently stirring, until bubbles start to appear around the edges.
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and hot coffee.
• Pour into 4 small latte mugs or 2 coffee mugs.
• Sprinkle with nutmeg.
• Top with marshmallows.
• Serve.

Recipe: Diethood

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

Fudgy chocolate cupcakes with a smooth, cool peppermint cream cheese frosting, drizzled with chocolate and studded with crushed peppermint candy on top.

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (105g) all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (200g) granulated white sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon espresso powder or instant coffee granules
1/2 cup boiling water

Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
4oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 cups confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar), sifted

Topping:
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
Crushed peppermint candy for garnish

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
• Line a cupcake pan with baking cups.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder,sugar, cocoa and salt. 
• In a small bowl, whisk together oil, egg, vanilla and sour cream. 
• Gently stir into dry ingredients, until just moistened. 
• Dissolve instant espresso or coffee in the boiling water and stir into batter. 
• Batter will be thin and liquidy. 
• Distribute all of the batter between 14 baking cups, about 3 tablespoons batter per cupcake 
• Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. 
• Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
• For the Frosting:With an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth
• Add vanilla and peppermint until you reach your desired flavor. 
• Gradually beat in powdered sugar until incorporated. 
• Beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until smooth and creamy. 
• Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.
• For the Topping:Melt chocolate chips. 
• Stir until smooth. 
• Transfer to a plastic sandwich baggie, snip off the corner and drizzle on top of cupcakes. 
• Garnish with crushed candy cane.

Recipe : Lindsay Ann Bakes

Eggnog Milk Shake

A yummy, creamy, dreamy eggnog shake! You can make this with or without a shot of rum, depending on who you’re mixing it for. Makes an awesome cocktail for the adults and a fun, sweet dessert for the kiddos!

for one eggnog shake:

3 large scoops vanilla ice cream
1 cup premium eggnog
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 shot rum (optional) OR 1/4 teaspoon rum extract (for non-alcoholic version)
sweetened whipped cream for topping
sprinkles (or more nutmeg) for garnish

• Place ice cream, eggnog, nutmeg, and rum/rum extract in the bowl of a blender.
• Blend until smooth.
• Pour into a tall glass.
• Top with whipped cream and nutmeg/sprinkles.
• Serve with a cute straw.

Recipe: Chin Deep

Cranberry and Pear Pies

These cute and festive pies make a good warm dessert or a tangy alternative to mince pies

350g plain flour
85g ground almonds
140g caster sugar, plus extra to decorate
225g butter, chopped
1 egg, beaten

For the filling:

400g cranberries, fresh or frozen
50g caster sugar
25g cornflour
325g jar orange curd
450g just-ripe pears, peeled, cored and chopped

• To make the almond pastry, tip the flour, almonds and sugar into a food processor
• Pulse in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. 
• Pulse in up to 5 tbsp cold water until mixture comes together as a dough. 
• Wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hr. 
• To make the filling, tip the cranberries into a pan with the sugar and cornflour and stir well. 
• Stir in the orange curd, then cook for a few mins until thickened. 
• Add the pears and cook a few mins more, stirring frequently. Cool. 
• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 with a large baking sheet inside. 
• Roll out the pastry and use to line 8 x 10cm individual Yorkshire pudding tins or 10cm individual tart tins 
• Spoon in the cooled filling. 
• Roll out the rest of the dough and stamp out 4 x 9cm rounds to make lids. 
• Cut out the centres with a medium star cutter. 
• Carefully cover half the pies with the pastry lids and place the stars on a baking tray. 
• Crimp the edges of each pie with your finger and thumb. 
• Brush the pies and stars with the egg then dredge with sugar. 
• Bake the stars for 8-10 mins and the pies for 15-20 mins until golden.
• Dredge with more sugar once out of the oven. 
• Place a star on the open pies and serve with cream or ice cream

Recipe : BBC Good Food