Have yourself a very sweet Christmas with this collection of festive desserts.
The season to be jolly is just around the corner and what better way to celebrate than with a selection of sinful desserts. So, instead of heading out and getting your favorite fruit cake, trifle and etc. why not make some in the comfort of your own kitchen! It’s not going to be a walk in the park but we can assure that you will have fun.
Raspberry Ripple Trifle
Ingredients
- 2 x 85g packets raspberry jelly crystals
- 2 cups boiling water
- 450g madeira cake
- 1/3 cup white rum
- 2 cups thick vanilla custard
- 300ml thickened cream
- 2 teaspoons icing sugar mixture
- 300g frozen raspberries, thawed, crushed
- Thawed frozen raspberries, to decorate
Method
- Place jelly crystals in a large heatproof bowl. Add boiling water. Stir to dissolve. Stir in 400ml cold water. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until just set (it should be thick and syrupy).
- Cut cake into 1.5cm-thick slices. Cut each slice in half. Arrange half the cake over base of a 12 cup-capacity serving bowl. Drizzle with half the rum. Spoon over half the jelly. Top with custard. Arrange remaining cake on custard. Drizzle with remaining rum. Top with remaining jelly.
- Using an electric mixer, beat cream and icing sugar together until stiff peaks form. Fold crushed raspberries through cream to create a rippled effect. Spoon mixture over jelly layer. Cover. Refrigerate overnight. Top with raspberries. Serve.
Christmas Fruitcake
Ingredients
- 1/8 cup chopped dried cherries
- 1/8 cup chopped dried mango
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup dried currants
- 2 tablespoons chopped candied citron
- 1/4 cup dark rum
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup dark rum, divided
Method
- Soak cherries, mango, cranberries, currants, and citron in 1/4 cup rum for at least 24 hours. Cover tightly, and store at room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Butter a 6×3-inch round pan or loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; mix into butter and sugar in three batches, alternating with molasses and milk. Stir in soaked fruit and chopped nuts. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons rum.
- Cut out one piece parchment paper and one piece cheesecloth, each large enough to wrap around the cake. Moisten cheesecloth with 1 tablespoon rum. Arrange cheesecloth on top of parchment paper, and unmold cake onto it. Sprinkle top and sides of cake with remaining rum.
- Wrap the cheesecloth closely to the surface of the cake, then wrap with paper. Place in an airtight tin, and age for at least 10 weeks. If storing longer, douse with additional rum for every 10 weeks of storage.
Egg Nog Panna Cotta
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (60ml) cold water
- 20g (2 sachets) powdered gelatine
- 2 1/2 cups (600ml) cream
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) store-bought ready-made custard
- 1/3 cup (80ml) brandy
- 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice powder
- 2 tablespoons icing sugar mixture, sifted
Peach and Cherry Compote
- 2 cups (500ml) water
- 1 cup (220g) sugar
- 3 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 yellow peaches, cut into wedges
- 2 white peaches, cut into wedges
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, extra
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen thawed cherries
Method
- Place water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatine over the water and set aside for 5 minutes or until gelatine has set and is spongy
- Place the cream, custard, brandy, mixed spice and icing sugar mixture in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved and mixture is well combined. Whisk if any lumps form.
- Once the custard mixture is hot (but not boiling), slowly add the gelatine mixture. Stir for 2-3 minutes or until the gelatine has fully dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour into a greased rectangular (5-cup capacity) tin. Cover and refrigerate for 5 hours or until set.
- To make syrup: Place the water, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and add the peaches. Simmer for 1-2 minutes then remove the peaches with a slotted spoon. Set aside to cool slightly, then peel away the skin (reserve skin).
- Sprinkle peaches with extra lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Meanwhile, return the syrup to the heat, add the peach skins and increase heat to high. Simmer for 4-5 minutes or until the syrup has reduced and thickened slightly. Cover and chill completely.
- To serve, turn the chilled panna cotta on to a large serving platter. Top with the peaches and cherries and drizzle with a little syrup.
Bread and Butter Pudding
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 300ml pure cream
- 1/4 cup caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 thick slices white bread, crusts removed
- 40g butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sultanas
- 2 tablespoons demerara sugar
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 5cm-deep, 17cm x 28cm (base) baking dish. Whisk eggs, milk, cream, caster sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in a bowl.
- Spread both sides of each bread slice with butter. Cut each slice in half diagonally. Arrange half the bread in rows in prepared dish. Sprinkle with half the sultanas. Repeat with remaining bread and sultanas.
- Pour egg mixture over bread. Sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and set. Serve.
Sticky Chocolate Raisin Pudding
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raisins, chopped
- 2 tablespoons dark rum, warmed (see note)
- 75g dark chocolate, chopped
- 125g butter, chopped
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup plain flour
- 1/4 cup self-raising flour
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- Double cream, to serve
Chocolate Sauce
- 100g dark chocolate, chopped
- 1/3 cup thickened cream
Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Grease 4 holes of a 6 hole, 3/4 cup-capacity texas muffin pan. Combine raisins and warm rum in a small bowl. Stand for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.
- Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar for 3 to 4 minutes or until thick and creamy. Beat in warm chocolate mixture. Fold in raisin mixture. Sift over flours and cocoa. Fold to combine. Spoon mixture into prepared holes. Bake for 15 minutes or until puddings have risen but are still slightly soft in the centre. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Turn out onto serving plates.
- Meanwhile, make Chocolate sauce: Combine chocolate and cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir for 3 to 4 minutes or until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Drizzle puddings with sauce and serve with double cream.
