Eggnog Bundt Cake

This festive holiday dessert is a tender, rich cake inspired by the flavours of eggnog.

Ingredients:

1 - 15 oz (432g) golden cake mix

1 - 3 oz (90g) instant French vanilla pudding

1/2 cup eggnog

1/2 cup light sour cream

4 eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp nutmeg

1/4 cup water

baking spray

Pan coating:

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Frosting:

1/4 cup butter, at room temperature

1/2 tsp rum extract or vanilla

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp sea salt

2 - 2 1/2 cups icing sugar

1/4 cup eggnog (add just enough to make the frosting slightly pourable, a little more a little less)

Thoroughly spray your bundt pan with a flour and oil baking spray. Then combine the pan coating and evenly dust the pan. Reserve leftover coating. 

In a large bowl mix the cake mix, dry pudding mix and nutmeg. Add eggnog, sour cream, eggs, vegetable oil and water and beat until smooth. Pour into prepared pan and tap pan once on the counter. Sprinkle reserved pan coating on top.

Bake in a 350°F oven for 35-40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Rest 10 minutes before turning out to cool completely on a rack.

For the frosting, cream the butter then add rum extract, nutmeg and salt. Alternate adding the eggnog and icing sugar, 1 cup at a time, until the right consistency is achieved. The frosting should be thick, pourable if that makes sense. You don't want the frosting running down the sides, just sitting on top like a cloud. Place the cake on a serving platter and spoon the frosting on top.

You can swirl it and add sprinkles and candy decorations if you like. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before serving.

Serves 12-16

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Stella di Pandoro

If you're looking for a stunner of a dessert, this is it. A real showstopper! Thanks to Nicoletta and Loreto of sugarlovespices.com for this gorgeous recipe and their helpful advice.

Easier to make than it looks, the filling and sauce can be made ahead of time and partially pre-assembled before serving time.

Ingredients:

1 Pandoro

Cranberry Sauce:

3/4 cup cranberries

1 1/2 tbsps sugar

3 tbsps fruit juice (I used orange juice)

Lemon Custard:

4 egg yolks

100 g (1/2 cup) sugar

40 g (1/3 cup) flour, sifted

1/2 L (17 oz) milk

1 tsp vanilla

rind of 1 lemon

Chantilly Cream:

250 ml (1 cup) whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla

30 g (2 tbsps) icing sugar

Chocolate Tree Toppers:

150 g (half a large bar) 70% dark chocolate

candy sprinkles

6" wooden skewers

This beautiful Pandoro (literally golden bread) can be found in Italian specialty stores or on the international aisle of your favourite grocery store around Christmas and New Years. It has an incredibly soft texture which made me nervous about how this whole thing was going to hold up, but it all worked out! 

It comes with it's own packet of icing sugar, so dump the whole packet into the plastic bag with the Pandoro and gently shake until it's completely coated. Set aside.

Cranberry Sauce:

In a small saucepan add the fruit juice and cranberries and cook on a low simmer. Add the sugar and gently stir trying not to break the berries. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until plump. Remove from heat and cool.

Custard:

In a medium saucepan add milk, vanilla and lemon rind and bring to a boil on medium low heat. Then turn off the heat and set aside to cool. In a mixer bowl beat the egg yolks and sugar until foamy then add the sifted flour. Remove the lemon rind from the cooled milk with a slotted spoon and slowly pour the milk into the egg mixture. Return it all to the saucepan and on low heat stir until thickened and smooth. Not going to lie, this part was a little labour intensive as I stirred and stirred for a good 15 minutes! But it was worth it! Once thickened remove from heat and set aside to cool.

(Only one little spot stuck to the pan!)

Chantilly:

Once the custard is completely cooled move on to the chantilly. Whip the whipping cream and vanilla together and when peaks start to form add the icing sugar. Beat together until fully whipped then fold into the custard until smooth.

Using a serrated knife, cut the Pandoro into 4 equal slices. Place the bottom slice on a serving plate and spread some of the filling. Off set the next slice so the points are staggered giving the appearance of a tree. Add more filling.

Continue stacking, staggering and filling until you reach the top. Then fill the concave on the top slice with more filling. The filling is supposed to drip down the sides but I was afraid this was just going to end up a big puddle on the bottom of my plate (and fridge!) I assembled this Christmas morning so I stopped at this point and refrigerated. I put a plastic container top over the top filling then covered everything with a big plastic bag and crossed my fingers before putting it in the fridge! If continuing and serving right away the cake and filling do have to set in the fridge at least 10 minutes.

At serving time I went to the fridge, fully expecting to find a fallen leaning tower of Pisa, but my Pandoro was intact! With a spoon I carefully placed cranberries and drizzled sauce on the top and on each point of the stars all the way down the cake.

It looked beautiful, but how to cut it?! It seemed like it would just ooze and squish when cut. It did not! 

I cut through two layers for each serving and they cut beautifully! I spooned some leftover filling onto each plate before placing a slice on top.

It was a HUGE success! Thank you again to Nicoletta and Loreto of sugarlovespices.com for your delicious and beautiful dessert and advice!

I added chocolate tree toppers which was not in the original recipe because, well .... chocolate 😃

Simply melt the chocolate 20-30 seconds at a time in a bowl in the microwave stirring each time until almost melted. Then stir until smooth. Coat half the skewer with chocolate then drizzle back and forth in a tree shape. Add sprinkles and chill 10-15 minutes.

This Stella di Pandoro serves about 15 people

Original recipe from: sugarlovespices.com

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Bacon Cheese Tree Appetizers

Bacon and cheese! What a combo amirite? Give these appetizers a try for your next get together, they're sure to be a hit! 

Ingredients:

1 tsp vegetable oil

2 slices bacon, finely chopped

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

125 g (1/2 block) cream cheese, at room temperature

50 g (1/3 cup) parmesan cheese

1 tbsp chopped green onion tops (so green part only)

2 sheets puff pastry, defrosted

1 egg, beaten

12 - 6" wooden skewers

To make the filling heat vegetable oil in a medium skillet and cook the onion and bacon until onion becomes soft and the bacon is cooked, about 5 minutes on medium heat. Then set aside to cool.

In a small bowl beat the cream cheese, parmesan, green onion and cooled bacon/onion together.

Lay one sheet of puff pastry out and spread the mixture all the way to the edge. Cover with the second sheet of puff pastry and press gently.

Brush with beaten egg and cut 12 strips about 1/2" wide. Fold the strips in a Christmas tree shape (large at the bottom narrowing to the top) or if they're not for Christmastime just fold them evenly. Feed a skewer through the bottom and just out the top.

Lay on parchment lined baking sheets and again brush with beaten egg. Bake in a 400°F oven for 20-23 minutes or until lightly golden. 

These can be served warm or cold. If you want to make them ahead of time place the baked puffs on a lined baking sheet and cover with foil in refrigerator. If you want to serve them warm uncover and place in a 325°F oven for 5-10 minutes. Or just place cold puff trees on a platter and serve.

Makes 12 puffy Christmas tree nibblers!

Adapted from: destitute Gourmet

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Shrimp and Crab Appetizer

If seafood is your thing, you'll love this light shrimp and crab appetizer salad. And it couldn't be easier to prepare! Chop your veggies the day before, prepare the shrimp and store in the fridge. Then a few hours before serving mix everything together, garnish, cover and pop back in the fridge until serving time. Oh, and if you replace the shrimp with small ones this'll make a great sandwich filling!

Ingredients:

1 cup white crabmeat (may use canned, just drain well)

30 - 36/45 size cooked, frozen and thawed shrimp (300 g bag)

44 - 70/90 size cooked, frozen and thawed shrimp (300 g bag)

4 tbsps finely chopped red bell pepper

4 tbsps finely chopped celery

8 green onions, finely chopped

1/4 tsp celery seed

black pepper to taste

4 tsps lemon juice

3 tbsps mayonnaise

Garnish with smoked paprika, lemon wedge, celery leaves and reserved shrimp

This recipe makes 9 small appetizer salads so start off by reserving 9 - 36/45 size shrimps leaving the tail on. Take the tails off the rest of the shrimp. Chop the red bell pepper, celery and green onion and drain the crab. (So far this can be prepped the day before, just keep the veggies in their own ziplock baggie). 

When ready to make, mix together in a bowl then stir in the lemon juice, celery seed and black pepper.

Gradually add the mayo just until the mixture clings together. Add a little more than 3 tbsps only if needed.

Use a medium sized ice cream scoop to portion out servings. Top with reserved tail-on shrimp, sprinkle paprika and add the lemon wedge and celery leaf.

You can cover each serving dish with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 4 or 5 hours.

Aren't they just so pretty?

Makes 9 starters

Adapted from: apriljharris.com

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Old Fashioned Applesauce Cake

I remember always having applesauce cake at my aunt's house at Christmastime. She left us this year so I decided to make this cake using an old Five Roses Flour cookbook recipe. It was probably the one she used but I'm not sure. Remembering memories of family gatherings from the past and looking forward to making new ones. Happy Holidays! 

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2 cup Crisco shortening

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

3/4 cup applesauce

3/4 cup raisins

Frosting:

1/4 cup butter

1 cup icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1-2 tbsps milk

Combine the dry ingredients and set aside.

Cream the shortening and brown sugar together in a large bowl. Add the egg and beat well. Blend in the dry mix alternating with the applesauce then fold in the raisins. Pour into a greased 8 X 8" baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 40-43 minutes.

Once cooled remove from pan. For the frosting, cream the butter and 1/2 the sugar together. Then alternate vanilla, sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk, mixing until smooth. You can decide if you want to add another tablespoon of milk or not depending on consistency, then slather the frosting over the top of the cake.

    

Let set then cut into squares. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

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Easy Mint Brownies

These fudgy, buttery, minty brownies are so rich and irresistible they are like the George Clooney of brownies! Seriously!

Ingredients:

Brownie mix for 2 - 8 X 8" brownies, I got this one at Walmart (or make your favourite homemade recipe for brownies but that takes away from the easiness of the recipe 😊)

Mint Frosting:

3/4 cup butter, at room temperature

3 tbsps milk

3 cups icing sugar

1 1/2 tsps peppermint extract

4 dabs of green food colouring gel

Chocolate Mint Top:

2 1/4 cups peppermint chocolate chips

3/4 cup butter

Prepare whatever brownie mix or recipe you want, remembering that it has to be for 2 - 8 X 8" s. Spread the batter in a greased 11 X 15" baking sheet. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes. Cool, then place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes.

While you wait mix the frosting together and after the 15 minutes spread evenly over the brownie layer. Return the pan to the freezer for another 15 minutes.

To make the chocolate mint top, place the chocolate mint chips and butter in a large microwaveable bowl. Microwave at 20 second intervals, stirring between each, until the chocolate is almost melted. Then just stir until smooth. This took about 1 minute in total. Carefully spread on top of the frosting and return to the freezer just to set.

Score the top layer with a knife before slicing right through and wipe off the knife after every cut.

Store in the refrigerator.

Makes 48 dreamy squares 😍 (Sorry, I was thinking about George Clooney again!)

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