S'mores Pie

Recipe from Sprinkle Bakes

S'mores Pie

Ingredients:
For the base
200g digestives
60g unsalted butter, melted
pinch of salt
1tbsp caster sugar
For the filling
480ml double cream
500g dark chocolate, broken up
4tbsp brandy (optional)
For the marshmallow meringue
3 egg whites
½ tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
50g caster sugar
200g marshmallow fluff
100g mini marshmallows


Method:
1. For the base, crush the biscuits with a rolling pin or in a food processor and mix in the butter, salt and sugar. Once well combined, press into the bottom and a little up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan and refrigerate.

2. For the filling, heat the cream in a medium-large saucepan until simmering. Remove from the heat and mix in the chocolate. Stir or whisk until all the chocolate has melted, then mix in the brandy. Pour the ganache into the base and refrigerate for a few hours until set (this can be frozen to reduce setting time).

3. For the meringue, beat the egg whites and vanilla extract until foamy. Beat in the salt and sugar until the meringue holds firm peaks. Beat in the marshmallow fluff and fold in the mini marshmallows. Top the pie with the marshmallow meringue and brown with a blow torch or place under a hot grill.

Chocolate, Coffee and Whisky Torte

Recipe found on The Cake Hunter

By halving all the the quantities below, this cake can be made in a 6 inch cake pan (still with three layers).

Chocolate Torte with Coffee Whisky Mascarpone

Ingredients:
For the chocolate torte
400g unsalted butter
400g dark chocolate, broken up
2tsp vanilla extract
10 eggs, separated
300g caster sugar
200g ground almonds
100g cocoa powder, sifted
For the coffee whisky mascarpone
2tbsp instant espresso powder
6tbsp whisky or warm water
2tbsp icing sugar, sifted
500g mascarpone
For the truffles
200g dark chocolate, chopped
85ml double cream
1tsp vanilla extract

Method:
1. Pre heat the oven to 180°C/ 350F/Gas 4. Grease a 25cm cake pan.

2. Melt the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir in the vanilla extract.

3. Beat the egg yolks and 100g of caster sugar until pale. Fold in the melted chocolate mixture, ground almonds and cocoa powder.

4. Beat the egg whites until frothy, then gradually incorporate the remaining caster sugar, continuing to whisk until the meringue holds stiff peaks. Fold a third of the meringue into the chocolate mixture, then carefully fold in the rest. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out fairly clean. Leave to cool before slicing into three layers.

5. For the truffles, heat the chocolate, cream and vanilla extract until the chocolate has melted; stir to achieve a smooth consistency. Chill or freeze for at least an hour and a half before rolling into about twelve little balls and then rolling in cocoa powder (reserve some of the ganache for drizzling on top of the cake).

6. For the mascarpone filling, mix together the espresso powder and whisky. Mix into the mascarpone and sugar and use to sandwich the cake layers.

7. Top the torte with the truffles. Heat the remaining ganache until remelted, then use to  drizzle over the torte.

Mince Pie Cookies

Recipe from Jamie Oliver

Mince Pie Cookies

Ingredients:
250g unsalted butter
140g caster sugar1 egg yolk
zest of one clementine, grated
300g plain flour400g mincemeat

Method:
1. Pre heat the oven to 180°C/ 350F/Gas 4. Line baking trays with baking paper.

2. Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk and clementine zest.

3. Sift in the flour and mix through the mincemeat, reserving a couple of tablespoons.

4.Divide the dough into little blobs and place on the baking trays. Dot the remaining mincemeat over the cookies and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden and set on the outside with a soft centre.

Gingerbread House 2.1

A little late, but here we go- 2012's gingerbread house (though 2011's remains intact to this day...).
The recipe for the gingerbread is the same as that used for last year's gingerbread house. The templates were adapted from here.

Christmas Rocky Road

Recipe from Nigella Lawson

Christmas Rocky Road

About 24 sqaures

Ingredients:250g dark chocolate
150g milk chocolate
125g unsalted butter
4bsp golden syrup
200g amaretti biscuits
150g brazil nuts
150g glace cherries
125g mini marshmallows
1tbsp icing sugar

Method:
1. Melt the chocolates, butter and golden syrup in a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water.

2. Crush the biscuits and nuts and add to the melted chocolate. Mix in the cherries and marshmallows.

3. Transfer to a baking pan (approximately 25x30cm) and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set. Slice into squares and dust with icing sugar.

Christmas Pavlova

Recipe from What Katie Ate

Christmas Pavlova

Ingredients:For the meringue
¼ lemon
4 egg whites
200g caster sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
2½ tsp cornflourFor the filling420ml double cream
60ml crème de cacao blanc
1tsp vanilla bean extract
red berries

Method:
1. Pre heat the oven to 140°C/ 275F/Gas 1. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Rub the inside of a large mixing bowl with the lemon.

3. Whisk the egg whites in the bowl until completely frothy, then gradually pour in the sugar, whilst continuing to whisk, until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla extract and sift over the cornflour and whisk until well combined and firm peaks form.

4. Transfer the mixture onto the prepared baking tray and gently spread around into a fluffy disk with slightly raised edges, being careful not to deflate the meringue. Bake for an hour, turning the tray around after the first hour. Turn off the oven and leave the pavlova inside to dry out for a further hour.

5. For the filling, whisk the cream with the liquor and vanilla to a soft-peaking consistency. Spoon or pipe into the centre of the pavlova and top with the berries.

White Chocolate & Ginger Cheesecake Bars

White Chocolate Ginger Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients:
For the base
300g ginger nuts
50g unsalted butter
½ tsp ground ginger
2tbsp preserved ginger, finely chopped
pinch of salt
For the filling
200g white chocolate, broken up
200g mascarpone
200g cream cheese
For the syrup
30g unsalted butter
40g dark brown sugar
1tbsp golden syrup
½ tsp ground ginger
2bsp preserved ginger, finely chopped

Method:
1. For the base, crush the biscuits with a rolling pin or in a food processor and mix in the butter, ground ginger, preserved ginger and salt. Once well combined, press into the bottom of a 20x30cm pan and refrigerate.

2. For the filling, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. In a separate bowl, soften the mascarpone and cream cheese. Mix in the white chocolate and pour the filling into the biscuit base. Return to the fridge for at least 8 hours.

3. For the syrup, heat the butter, sugar and syrup in a saucepan. Once melted, stir in the ground and preserved ginger.

Cherry & Chestnut Brownies

Recipe from Jamie Oliver

 

Cherry & Chestnut Brownies

Ingredients:175g unsalted butter
200g dark chocolate, broken
75g dried cherries
75g roasted chestnuts, chopped
100g plain flour, sifted
75g cocoa powder, sifted
1tsp baking powder
300g golden caster sugar
4 eggs
icing sugar, for dusting
crème fraîche, to serve
zest of one orange, to serve

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/mark 4. Grease and line a 20x30cm pan.

2. Place the butter and chocolate into a heatproof bowl over a simmering pan of water and heat until completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the cherries and chestnuts.

3. Fold in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and sugar into the melted chocolate mixture and once combined, beat in the eggs.

4. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until set around the edges and top but a little squidgy inside. Leave to cool on a wire rack before dusting with icing sugar and serving with crème fraiche and orange zest.