December, the Christmas month, so many treats to eat and make. I have so many recipes I could post but have had to restrict myself to just a few. I hope you enjoy these recipes – I do. They are also great recipes kids can help with too. Have fun and have a great Christmas.
SHORTBREAD STARS WITH LEMON GLAZE
SHORTBREAD:
2 cups plain flour
2 tablespoons rice flour
200g unsalted butter
1/3 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Packet of silver cachous
GLAZE:
1 cup pure icing sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice, strained
Yellow or orange food colouring
Preheat oven to 180°C and line two biscuit trays with baking paper.
Place the flours, butter and sugar into a food processor bowl and, using the pulse action, press the button for 30 seconds or until the mixture is fine and crumbly. Add the rind and juice and process for 20 seconds, or until the mixture forms a dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 20 seconds or until smooth. Roll out to a 7mm thickness and cut out 6cm star shapes. Bake for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
To make the lemon glaze, place the icing sugar and lemon juice in a heatproof bowl over a pan of hot water. Stir until smooth. Dip the biscuits face down in the glaze and drain the excess. Dip a toothpick or skewer into the food colouring and draw lines into the icing on the biscuit before it set. Decorate the centers with a silver cachou.
The shortbreads should keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
ROCKY ROAD CHRISTMAS TREE
750g milk melts, melted
250g dark choc bits
500g marshmallows
250g coarsely chopped licorice
100g dark melts, melted (for serving)
100g white melts, melted (for serving)
You will also need a large sheet of cardboard, 64cm x 36cm in size.
Cover one side of the cardboard with baking paper, securing with tape or staples. Find the centre of the long end of the cardboard and draw a line down the centre to use as a guide. Make a cone shape form the cardboard by drawing the right hand corner towards the centre line, ensuring baking paper is on the inside. Secure in place with staples or tape. Bend the unsecured cardboard around, wrapping tightly to form a cone making sure the tip end of the cone is completely closed. Trim the base so the cone will stand straight when set. Stand the cone in a vase or tall jar to hold in place.
In a large bowl, combine melted milk melts, unmelted dark choc bits, marshmallows and licorice together until well combined. Spoon mixture into the cone, pressing down well. Allow the cone to stand upside down in the vase/jar until set, about 1 – 2 hours. Once set the cone can be stored on its side in the fridge for anywhere up to 3 weeks.
Just prior to serving, carefully remove the cardboard and stand the tree on a serving plate. Drizzle with dark and white melts. Press a star or candle into the tope and decorate with Christmas decorations.
When cutting, place the tree on its side on a chopping board to slice, into rounds, then roughly chop. Serve. Enjoy!
CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS TREES
250g packet plain sweet biscuits, crushed
1 cup desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 tablespoon honey (optional)
395g can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup white or dark melts
Coconut, sprinkles, silver and gold cachous, for decoration
Combine biscuits, coconut, baking cocoa, honey and sweetened condensed milk in a large bowl, mix well. Shape teaspoonfuls of chocolate mixture into cone shape, refrigerate until firm. Drizzle top of cones with melted white or dark chocolate melts, decorate as desired, allow chocolate to set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
CHRISTMAS WREATH
1 large packet of Chocolate Ripple Biscuits
500ml thickened cream
½ cup castor sugar (optional)
Vanilla essence
Mint leaves (lollies)
Maraschino cherries
Whip the cream with the vanilla essence (and sugar if preferred) until thick and standing in peaks. Place cream on a biscuit and add another. Continue working biscuits into a circle. One the circle is complete, cover with remainder of cream and refrigerate.
To decorate place 3 or 4 mint leaves with 2 or 3 cherries at various places around the wreath to look like holly. Fill the centre of the wreath with a variety of Christmas lollies or decorations.
Makes a great centre piece on the Christmas dinner table.
MICKEY MOUSE
Ice
Vanilla ice-cream
Whipped cream
Maraschino cherries
Cola soft drink
Place ice in serving glass – preferably a highball glass. Add cola soft drink until two-thirds full and carefully add a scoop of ice-cream. Top with cream and garnish with 3 cherries.
Luckiest Mum In The World
