‘Tis the season of feasting to the heart’s and tummy’s content. Every family has a special Christmas dinner they cook. Christmas is one of the most joyous occasions of the year when you can spend time with your family, so why not start some new rituals as well? Despite the fact that traditional Christmas fare is usually a hit, testing out ol’ dishes with a fresh, zingy newness is always a green flag. The search for intriguing Christmas dishes should begin now if you are hosting Christmas this year.
To make the search an easier one, we have 3 exciting recipes to savor the taste buds of all who are present at your Christmas party to share the fun and frolic. A Christmas isn’t a happy Christmas without Christmas decorations, Christmas cake, sending Christmas cards to those who tried their best but couldn’t be present due to a hectic schedule, the children chorusing “Jingle bells, jingle bells…”, guests admiring the Christmas tree decorations, opening up the Secret Santa gifts after suppressing the curiosity for so long, and a warm, fuzzy feeling of togetherness.
So, here are some recipes for a welcome drink, a snack platter with a Christmassy twist, and a delicious cake to make your Christmas party worth remembering, and don’t be surprised if you hear anyone saying, “It’s so much better than the last Christmas party I attended!”
1. White Hot Chocolate
If you're in "full-on Christmas mode," delighting yourself with decorations and gingerbread, going on walks to watch the lights, reading holiday classics, baking cookies, writing letters to Santa, and sipping way too much hot chocolate, why not try something different this year? After all, it’s so much fun!
Ingredients
a. 6 ounces of white chocolateb. 3 cups of milk
c. ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
d. Sugar and salt (according to preference)
Instruction
The white hot chocolate is a cinch to whip up, which means you can make as much or as little as you need. It’s basically three ingredients and a few easy-peasy steps.
b. To help the chocolate melt, continually whisk.
c. It's done when the milk is warm and the chocolate has melted.
d. To neutralize the sweetness, add a dash of salt.
Nestip: Top it with whipped cream, white chocolate chips, multicolored sprinkles, Christmas candy canes, or marshmallows.
2. Mini Strawberry Crepe Cake
The strawberry cream crepe cake has buttery crepes layered up with fluffy whipped cream and juicy strawberries. The cake's fanciful ruffled edge is created by layers of paper-thin crepes, but it's actually quite easy to make and doesn't even need turning on the oven! The outcome has a sponge-like texture and a flavour similar to strawberry shortcake.
But there’s a secret to this recipe. The strawberries are in the form of candy, so we have baked strawberry candy mini crepe cake as your new Christmas cake recipe but, a bit quirky and fun!
Ingredients
a. 2 large eggs at room temperatureb. 1 cup/260g all-purpose flour
c. 1 cup whole milk
d. ½ cup water
e. ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
f. ⅕ tbsp granulated sugar
g. ½ tsp vanilla extract
h. A pinch of salt
i. 20 strawberry jelly candies
Instruction
a. In a blender, combine all the ingredients for the crepe and process for 15 to 20 seconds, or until completely smooth. Preferably, put all the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.
b. While heating a crepe pan or an 8 to 10-inch nonstick pan over low heat, let the batter settle for 5 minutes. The pan should be sizzling hot but not boiling.
c. The skillet/pan is covered with a stick of butter. Pour between 1/4 and 1/3 cup of batter into the heated pan while rotating the pan, ensuring that the batter distributes evenly to and around the pan's sides. With a dab of batter, patch up any small holes.
d. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until the top is no longer shining and the edges are just beginning to curl and develop a light golden color. Lift the crepe's edges with a rubber spatula. If a crepe is too hot, use a big rubber spatula to assist flip it. Gently raise the edge of a crepe with your fingertips and swiftly flip it.
e. Let cook for 1-2 more minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a single layer on a baking sheet or wire rack to cool for a few minutes while cooking additional crepe(s), then stack on a plate once cool. Repeat until you've made at least 18 crepes. Set aside.
f. For the filling, place the heavy cream, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a large bowl with a hand mixer. Whip on medium speed for several minutes until very soft peaks form. Whisk in the powdered sugar until firm peaks form, taking care not to over-mix.
g. Place one crepe on a cake stand or plate and spread a thin layer of whipped mascarpone on top (about ¼ cup per layer). Sprinkle a thin layer of chopped strawberry candies over the cream and top with another crepe. Repeat, adding chopped strawberries to every other layer. Spread all the remaining whipped cream on top, and top with halved or whole strawberry candies (or, you might use strawberries as well). Chill for at least 30 minutes or up to a day before slicing.
Nestip: For layering 20-24 crepes, it’s helpful to use two different pans to make the process faster.
3. Wreath Snack Platter
Imagine planning a Christmas party and the guests have gathered around with a glass of wine in their hands. Now, what they demand is an appetizer to become the perfect side dish of the tasteful wine. Hence, while planning the Christmas dinner, you should always have an amazing starter recipe up on your sleeves. But you may ask, “Why amazing?” First impression is the last impression. Snacks aren’t just snacks when served with a twist. And what if we say we can help you make the perfect Christmas wreath for a platter? Let’s find out!
Ingredients
a. Slices of salamib. Pieces of apples, cucumber, and orange
c. Cherry tomatoes
d. Cheese cubes
e. Pretzels and chips
f. Mint leaves
g. Sauce of choice
Instruction
1. Use a round platter or a wooden tray and place it on a Sabai mat to give it a rustic look.
2. Boil the slices of salamis to a light texture. Curl them up and fix the curl with a toothpick.
4. Place the fruit slices, salamis, cheese cubes, cherry tomatoes, and mint leaves on the platter one by one in a perfect alignment.
5. Place the sauce in a dip bowl, and put the bowl on the platter.
6. Your snack wreath is ready to serve and surprise the guests with a Christmassy cheer.
Nestip: Some freshly sauteed sausages can also be used.
The season for Christmas gatherings, making cookies, and entertaining is in full swing. What are you preparing, baking, or hosting? not yet sure? Comment below and let us know!
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