Christmas 2017: Savour these decadent delights with your loved ones this festive season

With Christmas being round the corner, we all are getting geared up for a holiday feast. The dessert that caps off the meal is just as important as the mains. To make your Christmas sweeter than before, here are some lip-smacking desserts that we would like to share:

Maple Fudge

Maple Fudge

Ingredients:

• 500 ml maple syrup;
• 45 ml butter
• 250 ml 35% cream
• 125 ml walnuts, chopped

Method:

• In a large saucepan, bring maple syrup and butter to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes.
• Add cream and continue cooking until the temperature reads 118 °C (245 °F) on a candy thermometer.
• Meanwhile, grease and line a square pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• Remove maple syrup and cream mixture from heat and let rest for 5 minutes.
• Using a whisk, beat for 5 minutes until thick.
• Add walnuts and pour into baking pan.
• Let cool before cutting into squares

Maple And Cardamom Cake

Maple And Cardamom Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 250 g Flour
• 1 ½ tsp Baking powder
• 1 tsp Cardamom powder
• ½ cup Softened Butter
• 160 ml Maple syrup
• 2 Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• ½ cup Milk
• Frosting:
• 150 g Unsalted butter
• ¼ Maple syrup
• ½ Vanilla extract

To Decorate:

• Rose petals
• Chopped pistachios

Maple syrup

• Method:
• In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder and cardamom powder.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the butter until light and fluffy.
• Add in the eggs one by one, followed by the maple syrup and vanilla extract. Mix everything until they’re properly combined.
• Mix the ingredients in both the bowl together using a spatula.
• Mix until you’ve used up all the dry ingredients and the milk. You should have a smooth mixture at the end.
• Pour it in a non stick 8″ wide x 3″ deep cake tin. Bake at 170 degrees Celsius in a preheated oven for 25-30 mins. Check your cake after 25 mins, if its not done bake for additional 5 mins.
• Let the cake cool for atleast 2 hrs.
• For the frosting, whisk the butter until its light and fluffy. Add in the maple syrup in a steady stream while constantly whisking along with vanilla extract.
• When you’re ready to frost, split the cake in half along the width, into 2 layers. Drop dollops of the maple frosting between the 2 layers and sandwich them together. Drop the remaining frosting on top of the cake and spread with an offset spatula to even it out.
• Decorate with some chopped pistachios, rose petals and drizzle some maple syrup on top before serving.

Moist Fruit, Nut & Maple Cake

Moist Fruit, Nut & Maple Cake

Ingredients

• 250 ml (1 cup) dried dates, quartered
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) dried apricots, diced
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) dried figs, diced
• 250 ml (1 cup) dried currants
• 250 ml (1 cup) rum (or brandy)
• 250 ml (1 cup) almonds
• 250 ml (1 cup) cranberries (fresh or frozen)
• 250 ml (1 cup) softened, unsalted butter
• 250 ml (1 cup) maple sugar
• 4 eggs
• 5 ml (1 tsp.) vanilla extract
• 375 ml (1 1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
• 10 ml (2 tsp.) baking powder
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp.) salt
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) maple syrup
• Maple candy for garnish

Method

• Maple candy for garnish
• In a bowl, combine dried fruit and ½ cup alcohol. Cover and macerate for 12 hours. Add almonds and cranberries. Set aside. Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Cover 4 empty maple syrup cans or a spring-form pan with 20 cm (8”) of wax paper; allow paper to extend an extra 2.5 cm (1”). In a large bowl, beat together butter and maple sugar. While beating, add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla. In another large bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt, and then add to egg mixture. Finally add the macerated fruit. Stir the batter then pour into the cans or the pan. Bake for 2 hours or until a toothpick comes out clean. Set aside.
• In a casserole, heat maple syrup and ½ cup alcohol. Remove from heat, and then pour over cake. Sprinkle with maple candy. Let sit in the fridge for 14 days.

Maple Lava Fruitcake

Maple Lava Fruitcake

Ingredients

Maple lava filling

• 5 egg yolks
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) maple syrup
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour
• 500 ml (2 cups) milk, hot
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla

Cake

• 680 ml (2 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) baking powder
• 250 ml (1 cup) maple sugar
• 250 ml (1 cup) chilled butter, cubed
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) dried cranberries
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) dried currants
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) dried apricots, cut into quarters

Method

• For the maple lava filling, add egg yolks, maple syrup and flour to a saucepan off the heat. Whisk until texture becomes smooth and uniform. Add hot milk gradually, whisking constantly. Over medium heat, bring to a boil while whisking constantly and scraping bottom and sides of saucepan. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. To prevent skin from forming on surface, place plastic wrap directly on top of hot cream and let cool. Refrigerate until completely cool, about 3 hours.
• For the cake, add all ingredients except fruit in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse while adding a little water as needed until a ball begins to form. Add fruit and pulse gently. Remove dough from processor and form a ball with your hands. Flour ball, then wrap it in plastic wrap. Leave for 1 hour in refrigerator.
• Place rack in middle of oven and preheat to 190 °C (375 °F). Butter and flour a Bundt cake pan. Set aside one-quarter of the dough. On a floured work surface, roll out remaining dough into a large circle. Using a 2.5-cm (1″) cookie cutter, make hole in centre. Line bottom and sides of pan with dough. As dough is fragile, repair holes in dough with fingers. Roll out reserved dough and make same hole with a cookie cutter. Pour maple cream into pan and cover with second layer. Seal by pinching rim with fingers.
• Bake in oven for 45 minutes. Remove cake from oven and let stand on wire rack for 20 minutes before removing from cake pan.

Dark Chocolate Wholegrain Cupcakes with Maple Syrup Cream Cheese Frosting

Dark Chocolate Wholegrain Cupcakes with Maple Syrup Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

Dry Mix

• 100 g wholewheat flour {aata}
• 30 g cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• Pinch salt
• 50 g walnuts, chopped
• 50 g dark chocolate chips

Wet Mix

• 75 g butter
• Zest of orange
• 50 g brown sugar
• 25 ml Grade B maple syrup
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 100 ml buttermilk

Maple cream cheese frosting

• 150 g cream cheese
• 3 tbsp Grade B maple syrup

Instructions

Whole wheat dark chocolate muffins

• Preheat oven to 180C
• Place all ingredients for dry mix in a large bowl and stir well to mix. Reserve.
• Place all the wet mix ingredients EXCEPT buttermilk in bowl of stand mixer. Whisk for 2-3 minutes on medium high speed.
• Add the dry ingredients alternatively with the buttermilk in 3 lots. Stir until mixed. Don’t overmix.
• Turn into 6-8 cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes until done.
• Eat as is, warm or at room temperature. Cool completely if you wish to frost them.

Maple cream cheese frosting

• Place cream cheese and maple syrup in a large bowl
• Whisk with an electric hand beater until smooth. Transfer to piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. Pipe over cupcakes.
• Sprinkle over maple flakes if desired.