Christmas is the time of the year when every person feels like a child. There are gifts, sweets, and an excuse to relive your childhood. So this year, we decided that instead of buying Christmas goodies for friends and family, we are going to try our hand at whipping up these simple recipes at home. Not only do they look good, they are also sure to warm your heart like a cup of hot cocoa on a cold morning. Each recipe has been chosen from the best food blogs from around the world, so we know they will taste great. Get cooking!
CINNAMON SUGAR CANDIED NUTS
Ingredients
1 large egg white
½ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar, packed
2 tsp cinnamon powder
2 cups raw almonds
1 cup walnuts
Method
Pre-heat oven to 150 degrees Celsius. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. Whisk the egg white in a small bowl with 1 tbsp water to make it frothy for about 2 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix the cinnamon and sugar and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the almonds, walnuts and egg whites. Stir in the brown sugar mixture and coat all the nuts evenly. Spread this mixture on the baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Take out at half time and stir again and continue to bake. Cool completely before serving.
CRANBERRY BREAD
Ingredients
For bread
2 cups flour
1½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup dried or frozen cranberries
¾ cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla essence
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 large egg lightly beaten
1 cup sugar
For topping
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp sugar
Method
Line a 9”x 5” loaf pan with foil and butter the bottom and sides. Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius. In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the chopped cranberries. In another mixing bowl, whisk the egg, vanilla, buttermilk, vegetable oil and sugar. With a rubber spatula, fold wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Do not overmix. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 to 38 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the toothpick inserted in few places in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan. Remove from the pan. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with sugar. Slice and serve.
GINGERBREAD SPICE CUT OUT COOKIES
Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp molasses or honey
½ tsp cinnamon powder
1 egg
3 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Method
Beat butter and sugar till creamy. Add molasses/honey, egg, vanilla essence, cinnamon powder, and mix well. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix it well. Roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut with gingerbread boy cookie cutter. Place them on a baking sheet and set it in the fridge for a few minutes before baking them for 7 to 8 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius. Take them off the baking sheet once completely cooled.
CHRISTMAS MOCKTAIL
Ingredients
4 cups cranberry juice
2 cups pineapple juice
2 cups orange juice
Sprite (optional)
Sugar for glass rims
Ice
Method
Stir juices, Sprite, and ice together in a pitcher. Dip damp edges of the glasses into sugar and frost them. Pour into glasses and serve chilled.
EGGNOG
Ingredients
4 cups milk
1 1/3 cups sugar
12 large egg yolks
½ cup bourbon
1 cup chilled heavy cream
Method
In a medium saucepan, whisk milk and sugar on medium heat. Stir till the sugar is dissolved. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks. While constantly whisking, pour hot mixture in a slow stream. Return the mixture to the pan and continue to cook on low heat and keep stirring. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes till the mixture coats the back of the spoon. Quickly strain into a bowl. Stir in the bourbon and cream. Cool completely and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate and serve chilled.
Christmas is the time of the year when every person feels like a child. There are gifts, sweets, and an excuse to relive your childhood. So this year, we decided that instead of buying Christmas goodies for friends and family, we are going to try our hand at whipping up these simple recipes at home. Not only do they look good, they are also sure to warm your heart like a cup of hot cocoa on a cold morning. Each recipe has been chosen from the best food blogs from around the world, so we know they will taste great. Get cooking!
CINNAMON SUGAR CANDIED NUTS
Ingredients
1 large egg white
½ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar, packed
2 tsp cinnamon powder
2 cups raw almonds
1 cup walnuts
Method
Pre-heat oven to 150 degrees Celsius. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. Whisk the egg white in a small bowl with 1 tbsp water to make it frothy for about 2 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix the cinnamon and sugar and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the almonds, walnuts and egg whites. Stir in the brown sugar mixture and coat all the nuts evenly. Spread this mixture on the baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Take out at half time and stir again and continue to bake. Cool completely before serving.
CRANBERRY BREAD
Ingredients
For bread
2 cups flour
1½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup dried or frozen cranberries
¾ cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla essence
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 large egg lightly beaten
1 cup sugar
For topping
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp sugar
Method
Line a 9”x 5” loaf pan with foil and butter the bottom and sides. Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius. In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the chopped cranberries. In another mixing bowl, whisk the egg, vanilla, buttermilk, vegetable oil and sugar. With a rubber spatula, fold wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Do not overmix. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 to 38 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the toothpick inserted in few places in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan. Remove from the pan. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with sugar. Slice and serve.
GINGERBREAD SPICE CUT OUT COOKIES
Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp molasses or honey
½ tsp cinnamon powder
1 egg
3 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Method
Beat butter and sugar till creamy. Add molasses/honey, egg, vanilla essence, cinnamon powder, and mix well. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix it well. Roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut with gingerbread boy cookie cutter. Place them on a baking sheet and set it in the fridge for a few minutes before baking them for 7 to 8 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius. Take them off the baking sheet once completely cooled.
CHRISTMAS MOCKTAIL
Ingredients
4 cups cranberry juice
2 cups pineapple juice
2 cups orange juice
Sprite (optional)
Sugar for glass rims
Ice
Method
Stir juices, Sprite, and ice together in a pitcher. Dip damp edges of the glasses into sugar and frost them. Pour into glasses and serve chilled.
EGGNOG
Ingredients
4 cups milk
1 1/3 cups sugar
12 large egg yolks
½ cup bourbon
1 cup chilled heavy cream
Method
In a medium saucepan, whisk milk and sugar on medium heat. Stir till the sugar is dissolved. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks. While constantly whisking, pour hot mixture in a slow stream. Return the mixture to the pan and continue to cook on low heat and keep stirring. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes till the mixture coats the back of the spoon. Quickly strain into a bowl. Stir in the bourbon and cream. Cool completely and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate and serve chilled.