Holiday Baking
Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Strawberries must be absolutely dry — do not wash.
To clean, brush with a small pastry brush.
8oz (250 g) good quality chocolate — semi-sweet, milk or white
Approx. 1 lb (500 g) strawberries
1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper — set aside.
2. Slowly melt chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water. When chocolate is partially melted, remove from heat; stir until smooth. Pour into a small bowl, deep enough for dipping. Cool to room temperature.
3. Using a wooden pick, skewer the strawberry through the centre top, or carefully hold strawberry by stem or leaves
and dip into chocolate, covering 2/3 of each berry. Drain excess chocolate on side of bowl. If chocolate begins to harden before you have finished dipping, gently reheat
using method above.
4. Place on prepared baking sheet and refrigerate
until chocolate is set.
Options
Dip strawberries in different chocolate flavours.
After dipping in chocolate, roll strawberry in chopped toasted nuts or coconut.
Glazed Holiday Stars
The dough for these spectacular shortbread-like cookies is so easy to make and roll. Any of your favourite holiday cookie cutters can be used - from stars, hearts or bells to Christmas trees. Small cutters are used to cut holes in centres of the unbaked tops of these sandwich cookies. If you don't have matching small cutters for the centres, use a round 1-inch (2.5-cm) cutter instead.
Cookies
1 1/4 cups (300 mL) unsalted butter, at room tempeature
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) vanilla
3 cups (750 mL) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking powder
pinch salt
Glaze
2 tbsp (25 mL) whipping cream
2/3 cup (150 mL) icing sugar
Gold leaf flakes
Chocolate Ganache Filling
1 bar (85 g) Lindt bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
1/3 cup (75 mL) hipping cream1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla
1. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla until very smooth. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; stir into creamed mixture until well-blended. Gather dough into a ball and divide into two flat rounds. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 1 day. Unbaked dough can be made ahead, wrapped well and frozen for up to 2 weeks; defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Roll out dough on floured board to slightly less than 1?4-inch (5-mm) thickness. Using a 3-inch (8-cm) star cookie cutter, cut out cookies and place on parchment lined baking sheets. (Gather scraps of dough, chill and reroll). Using a small 1-inch (2.5-cm) star cookie cutter, cut centres out of half of the cookies. Place one sheet of cookies at a time in middle of oven and bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden around edges. Transfer cookies to racks.
3. To make glaze, place cream in a glass bowl and microwave on high for 20 seconds or until boiling. Whisk in icing sugar until smooth. Brush the warm cookies with cut-out centres evenly with glaze. Immediately decorate with gold leaf flakes. Let icing set, about 11?2 hours.
4. For ganache filling, combine chocolate pieces and cream on bowl; microwave on medium power for 1 to 11?2 minutes or until chocolate is melted. Whisk until smooth; stir in vanilla. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, for about 11?4hours or until thickened to a paste-like consistency. Spread 1 tsp (5 mL) chocolate filling on bottom side of each uncut cookie. Top with glazed cookies to make sandwiches. Store cookies in covered container, separating layers with waxed paper, no more than 1 day at room temperature, or up to 2 weeks in the freezer.
Glazed Raspberry Stars: Use about 1?2 cup (125 mL) thick raspberry jam instead of Chocolate Ganache Filling.
Makes about 30 large cookies
Note: To make smaller cookies, use 2-inch (5-cm) cookie cutters and 1-inch (2.5-cm) cutters for holes in centre of unbaked cookie tops. Bake cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly golden around edges. Use 1?2 tsp (2 mL) chocolate ganache filling or jam for each sandwich cookie.
Makes about 48 small cookies
Caramel Cream Pots
Preparation Time: 5 min. Chilling time: 1 hr.
1 handheld electric mixer
6-8 small bowls or ramekins
1/2 cup (125 mL) mascarpone cheese
1 cup (250 mL) whipping cream
4 oz (125 g) best quality dark chocolate
1/4 cup (50 mL) Mudshake Caramel
1. Melt chocolate in a microwave oven. Whip the cream with mascarpone, stir in the Mudshake Caramel. Pour cream mixture into individual serving dishes. Pour the melted chocolate over the cream mixture, stirring with a small spoon to create a marbled effect, then decorate with chocolate shavings and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.
Serves 6 - 12
Snowman Cups
Prep Time: 15 min Total Time: 15 min Makes: 10 servings, 1/2 cup each
1 qt. (4 cups) cold milk
2 pkg. (4-serving size each)
JELL-O Chocolate Flavor
Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
20 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, crushed, divided
10 paper or plastic cups (6 to 7 oz.)
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
Assorted decorating gels
POUR milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes.
Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. Let stand 5 minutes.
Gently stir in 1 cup of the crushed cookies.
SPOON remaining crushed cookies into bottoms of paper cups, adding about 2 tsp. crumbs to each cup; cover with pudding mixture.
DROP spoonfuls of the whipped topping onto desserts to resemble snowmen. Decorate with gels for the "eyes," "noses" and "scarves."
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Store leftover desserts in refrigerator.
Make it Easy
Instead of dropping spoonfuls of the whipped topping onto desserts, fill resealable plastic bag with whipped topping; seal bag. Using scissors, diagonally snip off one corner from bottom of bag. Squeeze whipped topping from bag to create "snowmen." Decorate as directed.
Strawberries must be absolutely dry — do not wash.
To clean, brush with a small pastry brush.
8oz (250 g) good quality chocolate — semi-sweet, milk or white
Approx. 1 lb (500 g) strawberries
1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper — set aside.
2. Slowly melt chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water. When chocolate is partially melted, remove from heat; stir until smooth. Pour into a small bowl, deep enough for dipping. Cool to room temperature.
3. Using a wooden pick, skewer the strawberry through the centre top, or carefully hold strawberry by stem or leaves
and dip into chocolate, covering 2/3 of each berry. Drain excess chocolate on side of bowl. If chocolate begins to harden before you have finished dipping, gently reheat
using method above.
4. Place on prepared baking sheet and refrigerate
until chocolate is set.
Options
Dip strawberries in different chocolate flavours.
After dipping in chocolate, roll strawberry in chopped toasted nuts or coconut.
Glazed Holiday Stars
The dough for these spectacular shortbread-like cookies is so easy to make and roll. Any of your favourite holiday cookie cutters can be used - from stars, hearts or bells to Christmas trees. Small cutters are used to cut holes in centres of the unbaked tops of these sandwich cookies. If you don't have matching small cutters for the centres, use a round 1-inch (2.5-cm) cutter instead.
Cookies
1 1/4 cups (300 mL) unsalted butter, at room tempeature
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) vanilla
3 cups (750 mL) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking powder
pinch salt
Glaze
2 tbsp (25 mL) whipping cream
2/3 cup (150 mL) icing sugar
Gold leaf flakes
Chocolate Ganache Filling
1 bar (85 g) Lindt bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
1/3 cup (75 mL) hipping cream1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla
1. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla until very smooth. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; stir into creamed mixture until well-blended. Gather dough into a ball and divide into two flat rounds. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 1 day. Unbaked dough can be made ahead, wrapped well and frozen for up to 2 weeks; defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Roll out dough on floured board to slightly less than 1?4-inch (5-mm) thickness. Using a 3-inch (8-cm) star cookie cutter, cut out cookies and place on parchment lined baking sheets. (Gather scraps of dough, chill and reroll). Using a small 1-inch (2.5-cm) star cookie cutter, cut centres out of half of the cookies. Place one sheet of cookies at a time in middle of oven and bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden around edges. Transfer cookies to racks.
3. To make glaze, place cream in a glass bowl and microwave on high for 20 seconds or until boiling. Whisk in icing sugar until smooth. Brush the warm cookies with cut-out centres evenly with glaze. Immediately decorate with gold leaf flakes. Let icing set, about 11?2 hours.
4. For ganache filling, combine chocolate pieces and cream on bowl; microwave on medium power for 1 to 11?2 minutes or until chocolate is melted. Whisk until smooth; stir in vanilla. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, for about 11?4hours or until thickened to a paste-like consistency. Spread 1 tsp (5 mL) chocolate filling on bottom side of each uncut cookie. Top with glazed cookies to make sandwiches. Store cookies in covered container, separating layers with waxed paper, no more than 1 day at room temperature, or up to 2 weeks in the freezer.
Glazed Raspberry Stars: Use about 1?2 cup (125 mL) thick raspberry jam instead of Chocolate Ganache Filling.
Makes about 30 large cookies
Note: To make smaller cookies, use 2-inch (5-cm) cookie cutters and 1-inch (2.5-cm) cutters for holes in centre of unbaked cookie tops. Bake cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly golden around edges. Use 1?2 tsp (2 mL) chocolate ganache filling or jam for each sandwich cookie.
Makes about 48 small cookies
Caramel Cream Pots
Preparation Time: 5 min. Chilling time: 1 hr.
1 handheld electric mixer
6-8 small bowls or ramekins
1/2 cup (125 mL) mascarpone cheese
1 cup (250 mL) whipping cream
4 oz (125 g) best quality dark chocolate
1/4 cup (50 mL) Mudshake Caramel
1. Melt chocolate in a microwave oven. Whip the cream with mascarpone, stir in the Mudshake Caramel. Pour cream mixture into individual serving dishes. Pour the melted chocolate over the cream mixture, stirring with a small spoon to create a marbled effect, then decorate with chocolate shavings and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.
Serves 6 - 12
Snowman Cups
Prep Time: 15 min Total Time: 15 min Makes: 10 servings, 1/2 cup each
1 qt. (4 cups) cold milk
2 pkg. (4-serving size each)
JELL-O Chocolate Flavor
Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
20 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, crushed, divided
10 paper or plastic cups (6 to 7 oz.)
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
Assorted decorating gels
POUR milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes.
Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. Let stand 5 minutes.
Gently stir in 1 cup of the crushed cookies.
SPOON remaining crushed cookies into bottoms of paper cups, adding about 2 tsp. crumbs to each cup; cover with pudding mixture.
DROP spoonfuls of the whipped topping onto desserts to resemble snowmen. Decorate with gels for the "eyes," "noses" and "scarves."
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Store leftover desserts in refrigerator.
Make it Easy
Instead of dropping spoonfuls of the whipped topping onto desserts, fill resealable plastic bag with whipped topping; seal bag. Using scissors, diagonally snip off one corner from bottom of bag. Squeeze whipped topping from bag to create "snowmen." Decorate as directed.
