Prepare the sweetest treats and dishes to get the best out of the year’s end

Christmas is coming up, and there’s one thing that you shouldn’t miss: the food! After all, what’s Christmas without all the festive dishes and treats? To get the best out of your Christmas experience this year, we have listed down five recipes of the classic and iconic Christmas culinary staples from over the years.

1/6 Coconut Cookie Mix

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Photo: Courtesy of Pixabay

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans or hazelnuts
  • 1 1/4 cups flaked coconut
  • 1 cup crushed cornflakes or wheat cereal flakes
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

  1. In a mason jar, layer the granulated sugar, nuts, coconut, crushed cornflakes, brown sugar, and oats. Then combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add the flour mixture to the jar.
  2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a bowl, stir together the contents of the jar, add 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 lightly beaten egg, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and mix.
  3. Shape the dough into one-inch balls. Place each ball two inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet then bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are light brown.
  4. After, move cookies to a tray, and let them cool.

2/6 Coquita: Puerto Rican Eggnog

Eggnog.jpg

Photo: Courtesy of Pixabay

Ingredients:

  • 1 12oz can evaporated milk
  • 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 15oz can sweetened cream of coconut
  • 1 14oz can coconut milk3 cups white rum (can be replaced with whole milk)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise

Instructions:

  1. Blend evaporated milk, condensed milk, coconut cream, and coconut milk until well combined.
  2. Add rum, vanilla, ground cinnamon, and blend again (suggested to use a large blender).
  3. Pour into pitcher or glass with a sealed lid, put cinnamon sticks and vanilla bean halves into it, and place in refrigerator for 2 hours.
  4. Serve in small glasses garnished or in large glasses on the rocks. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

3/6 Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies.jpg

Photo: Courtesy of Pixabay

Ingredients:

  • 5 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup cold salted butter (cut into chunks)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup molasses
  • 1 egg

Instructions:

  1. Line three cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, spices, and cloves. Move the mixture aside. In a larger bowl, cream together butter and both sugars until fluffy, beat in the molasses and egg, then mix.
  3. While mixing on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts. Later, divide the dough in half and form into disks, wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  4. Prepare rolling surface and roll out one of the disks. Cut as many shapes from the dough and place onto a cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Put in freezer for 10 minutes.
  5. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  6. After freezing, directly bake the cookies for approximately nine to 12 minutes or until the centre parts look done.
  7. Remove from oven and transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool for 2 minutes.

4/6 Stuffed French Toast with Caramel-Banana Sauce
French Toast1.jpg

Photo: Courtesy of Pixabay

Ingredients:

  • 12 slices Texas toast - toasted bread with butter and often garlic
  • 1 8oz packaged cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese (4oz)
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans or macadamia nuts, toasted
  • 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 eggs (lightly beaten)
  • 3 cups milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 portion of salted caramel-banana sauce 

Salted caramel-banana sauce ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 banana

Instructions for salted caramel-banana sauce:

  1. In a medium saucepan, stir together brown sugar, whipping cream, butter, and light corn syrup. Boil over medium-high heat, whisk occasionally, and reduce heat to medium.
  2. Boil gently for three minutes more before removing from heat. Stir in vanilla and sea salt and pour into a small bowl. Let it cool.
  3. If desired, cover and chill for about 24 hours.
  4. Stir in thinly sliced banana.

Instructions:

  1. Layer half of bread slices in a three-quart rectangular baking dish.
  2. In a bowl, combine cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Spread cheese mixture evenly over bread in the baking dish. Top it with remaining bread slices to make six stacks.
  3. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and salt. After, pour egg mixture evenly to cover all of the top.
  4. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking pan with parchment paper and arrange bread stacks on it. Bake for 1 hour or until golden, turning stacks every 15 minutes. Serve warm with the salted caramel-banana sauce.

5/6 Lemon Meringue Pie

Pie.jpg

Photo: Courtesy of Pixabay

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons corn starch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups water2 lemons, juiced and zested
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 4 egg yolks, beaten
  • 1 (nine-inch) pie crust, baked
  • 4 egg whites
  • 6 tablespoons white sugar

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. To prepare lemon filling: in a saucepan, whisk together one cup sugar, flour, corn starch, and salt. Stir water, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil, while stirring occasionally. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture gradually. Whisk egg mixture back into the remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue cooking until thick while stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour into baked pastry shell.
  3. To make meringue: in a metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Gradually add sugar and continue to whip until it forms stiff peaks. Spread meringue over pie, covering the edges at the crust.
  4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until meringue turns golden brown.

6/6 Yule Log Cake

Yule Log Cake.jpg

Photo: Courtesy of Pixabay

Ingredients:

  • 6 eggs
  • 1 box chocolate cake mix
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 2 (12oz) containers fluffy marshmallow frosting
  • 1 (12oz) container whipped chocolate frosting
  • Fresh cranberries and rosemary for garnish

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer for 5 minutes or until pale yellow. Add cake mix, water, oil, and beat for two minutes.
  2. Line and coat your baking pan with baking spray. Pour batter onto prepared baking spray and spread evenly. Avoid batter on the sides to remove easily after.
  3. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to 15 minutes.
  4. Remove the pan and lay a linen dish towel over it (sprinkled with powdered sugar beforehand). Gently flip the pan upside down so the cake may fall onto the towel. Tightly roll the cake up with the towel in place. Let cool on a cooling rack for 15 minutes.
  5. After cooled, unroll the cake gently and spread the marshmallow frosty frosting across the top. Roll up the cake again to form a log. Place on your serving dish with the seam side on the bottom so the cake won’t unroll. Frost the entire outside and place chocolate frosting.
  6. With a fork, create a wood-like pattern on the frosting. Garnish with cranberry and rosemary if desired.

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