Food glorious food! Christmas is the season to get stuffed and gain weight while regretting your choices lol
My sister is the cook in the house and I’m the baker. I randomly bake at midnight just because I’m inspired, I don’t know if I’m addicted to cookies or the art of baking, maybe both.
In this post I’m sharing the desserts I am making for Christmas day. This year I needed to make them very simple just because I have limited time to prepare. I also decided on four different desserts so anyone who stopped by for Christmas would have a selection to choose from. These recipes are so easy and quick to make.
I will write the standard ingredients and method but I constantly alter recipes just to experiment.
Merlot Poached Pears
(The syrup is amazing!)
Ingredients
750ml bottle Merlot or other red wine
200g golden caster sugar
2 cinnamon sticks, snapped in half
1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways then halved across to make 4 strips (you can also supplement with vanilla essence)
4 firm pears
Method
Tip the wine, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla into a deep medium pan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Add the peeled pears, making sure they are fully covered by the wine, then simmer for 30 mins until they are just tender. If the pears are very ripe, they may be ready in 20 mins. Can be made up to 2 days ahead – leave the pears in the syrup in the fridge until you’re ready to finish the recipe.
Remove the pears from the pan and boil the syrup for 30 mins to reduce it and make it syrupier. Cool, then chill for up to 2 days. Remove from the fridge 1 hr before serving.
Caramel Brownies (dangerously delicious)
Ingredients
For the cake:
1 box chocolate cake mix (you can also use brownie mix)
1 cup evaporated milk
115g butter, melted
1 pack of chocolate chips
For the caramel filling:
1 bag caramels, unwrapped*
1/3 cup evaporated milk
Method
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray (or just use butter like I do)
In a medium bowl, combine cake mix, 1 cup evaporated milk and melted butter.
Mix until combined (batter will be thick and look like mousse).
Spread HALF of the batter into the baking pan and bake for 10 minutes.
While it is baking, in a medium sauce pan, over medium heat, combine caramels with 1/3 cup evaporated milk.
Stir frequently until caramel is melted and smooth.
When brownie is partially baked, take out of oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Then drizzle with prepared caramel sauce.
Take the rest of the cake batter and spread onto caramel layer.
Bake for an additional 20-25minutes (until the center is set).
*I had such a difficult time finding a bag of caramel so I ended up buying chocolate covered caramel…worked just as well.
Banana Bread with Almonds (My taster finished this first)
Ingredients
140g butter, softened
140g caster sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
140g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
50g icing sugar*
A handful of almonds, crushed
Method
Heat oven to 180C/160C.Line a loaf tin with baking sheet.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then slowly add the eggs with a little flour. Fold in the remaining flour, baking powder and bananas.
Pour into the tin (I added crushed almonds on top) and bake for about 30 mins or until baked.
Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then remove to a wire rack
*Mix the icing sugar with 2-3 tsp water to make a runny icing. Drizzle the icing across the top of the cake and decorate as pleased (This is optional. I chose to skip this step and dust icing sugar on top instead).
Vanilla Christmas Cookies (I had help from a mini chef)
Ingredients
140g icing sugar, sieved
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
250g butter, cut into small cubes
375g plain flour, sieved
200g icing sugar, sieved (to decorate)
Method
Tip the icing sugar, vanilla extract, egg yolk and butter into a mixing bowl, then stir together Add the flour and mix to a firm dough. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 20-30 mins. Heat oven to 170C and line baking sheets with non-stick baking paper.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about the thickness of two £1 coins. Cut out Christmassy shapes and place on the baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 mins until lightly golden
Lift the biscuits onto a wire rack to cool. Meanwhile, mix the icing sugar with a few drops of cold water Spread and decorate as pleased.
There you have it! My Christmas dessert for this year. What do you plan on making for dessert?
It’s a wrap for day seven! Don’t forget to follow me on all my social media platforms so you don’t miss out on any information! See you tomorrow for Blogmas day eight!
XO