What Christmas desserts are you baking/buying?

[sonti]

If you're going to say you bring broccoli and chicken to Christmas dinner then GTFO.

What are you buying or baking?

I need some ideas. I was thinking Nanaimo bars but that's a lot of work. Cupcakes?

[Keltron]

If you're going to say you bring broccoli and chicken to Christmas dinner then GTFO.

What are you buying or baking?

I need some ideas. I was thinking Nanaimo bars but that's a lot of work. Cupcakes?

A friend of mine is a professional cake baker (she makes all those decorative cakes and cupcakes) and she asked if I'd eat cake if she made something in the shape of a barbell or kettlebell or something. I told her not to do a stack of multi colored bumper plates because that would be too easy... We both agreed that a barbell would be too hard so a kettlebell laying on it's side is what she's going to do..

will post pics when she makes it

[sy2502]

Italy has several Christmas specific desserts, and I always try to get them even though they are deadly in terms of calories. My favorites are

pandoro:



panettone:



torroncini


I buy them because I suck at baking and these sweets are pretty hard to make right.

[Keltron]

torroncini


I buy them because I suck at baking and these sweets are pretty hard to make right.

Is that nougat in there? What part of Italy are you from?
(negged for no tiramisu btw).

[Romina81]

Just tried this today...might make it for christmas it was so good!
blue velvet cake

[sy2502]

Is that nougat in there? What part of Italy are you from?
(negged for no tiramisu btw).

Aha lol, but tiramisu isn't a specific Christmas dessert, it's a year long goodness

I spent the 1st third of my life in Milan, the 2nd in Sicily, the 3rd in the US.

[Echo814]

So far I have made some short bread cookies that I will decorate today. For Christmas dinner I plan on making a chocolate mousse pie and maybe a cheesecake.

[UgotItbad]

Lord, both my boys made gingerbread houses which I cannot stay out of for the life of me... can't wait for this season to be over!

[sy2502]

My manager always buys sweets for everyone around this time. I got dark chocolate peppermint cady. Awesome! I hate chocolate peppermint! Thanks boss, that way I won't even be tempted to eat them.

[BalhamBeast]

Being English I have to recommend traditional Christmas Pudding, but it's a lot of work and a long cooking time (plus, it's more or less required that you set fire to the thing before you serve it).
Alternatively, the Italian sweet Panforte is wonderful. You could buy it from a deli or look up recipes online and make your own.
That blue velvet cake looks terrifying. I bet it'd give you the green poops the next day (like that time I had too many blue cocktails at Jungle Jim's...)

[LisaSkinnoble]

I made shortbread cookies this year, and butterscotch squares.

Shortbread:

1/2 cup (125 mL) Corn Starch
1/2 cup (125 mL) icing sugar
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (175 mL) butter, softened

Directions

1. Sift together corn starch, sugar and flour. With wooden spoon, blend in butter until a soft, smooth dough forms.

2. Shape into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls. If dough is too soft to handle, cover and chill for 30 to 60 minutes. Place 11/2 inches (4 cm) apart on ungreased baking sheets; flatten with lightly floured fork. Alternatively, roll dough to 1/4 inch (6 mm); cut into shapes with cookie cutters.

3. Decorate with candied cherries, coloured sprinkles or nuts, if desired.

4. Bake at 300°F (150ºC) for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on wire rack.

VARIATION: To make crescents, add 1/2 cup (125 mL) ground almonds or hazelnuts to flour mixture. Shape into logs about 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick and 3 inches (7 cm) long. Curve into crescent shapes. When baked and cool, dip ends in melted chocolate.

Butterscotch Squares:

1 cup butter, softened, divided 250 mL
2 cups packed brown sugar 500 mL
2 eggs 2
2 tsp vanilla 10 mL
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 625 mL
1 tsp baking soda 5 mL
3 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant) 750 mL
1 can sweetended condensed milk (not evaporated) 300 mL
1 pkg CHIPITS® Butterscotch Chips 300 g
1 cup CHIPITS® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips 250 mL
1 1/4 cups sliced almonds, divided 300 mL

Directions:
1 Heat oven to 350°F (180° C). Reserve 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the butter; set aside for filling.
2 In large bowl, beat remaining butter and brown sugar in a bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla until creamy.
3 In medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and oats. Mix into butter mixture.
4 In large saucepan, mix reserved 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter, sweetened condensed milk, butterscotch chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Cook over low heat, stirring often until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in 3/4 cup (175 mL) of the almonds.
5 Press 2/3 of oat mixture into parchment paper-lined 15-1/2 x 10-1/2-inch (39 x 27 cm) jelly roll pan. Spread chocolate mixture evenly over base. Crumble remaining oat mixture over filling. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup (125 mL) almonds on top.
6 Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until top is lightly brown. Let cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.

Makes about 40 squares.

[Fawnl]

All I have made this year is butter tarts, cheery tarts, blueberry tarts and these weird uber chocolate coconut balls.

We split the baking in the family now. Makes it a lot less work.

[Kitteh]

It's going to be 40c here for Christmas, so I'm keeping the dessert light and cool.
Chocolate creme caramel and jelly slice.

[UnaChispita]

Just tried this today...might make it for christmas it was so good!
blue velvet cake

Romina,

Do you have a recipe? I have seen red velvet, but not blue velvet!!

[latebloomingmom]

normally I make seven or eight variaties of cookies but budget is tight right now
so I made my sons chooose their favs

sugar cookies in christmas shapes, frosted and decorated
7 layer bars with chocolate and coconut
molasses cookies rolled in sugar

[latebloomingmom]

I need a good recipe for cheesy potatoes..thought I had one but cant find it now
I'd like to make it with the ham for Christmas dinner



are you cooking Christmas dinner?
what's on the menu?

[Lioness27]

I am probably just going to bake gingerbread cookies

but, for Christmas meal, we are making brisket!! and mashed potatoes yummy

[texaschik]

I am making a batch of chewy coconut macaroons. Easiest and fastest recipe to make and the cookies are always a hit.
Ingredients

2-1/2 cups flaked coconut
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 can (14 ounces) fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract

Directions

In a bowl, toss the coconut, flour and salt. Stir in milk and extract until blended (mixture will be thick and sticky).
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 3 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 300° for 18-22 minutes or just until golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 32 cookies.

Nutritional Analysis: One cookie equals 83 calories, 3 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 1 mg cholesterol, 41 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 2 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch.

[CathyVee]

Every year at the beginning of December, I get together with my sister-in-law and our kids and have a marathon cookie baking weekend. I lost count but I think we made at least 12 kinds of cookies plus fudge and dark chocolate peppermint bark. The picture I posted is the bags of treats that I gave my co-workers (way too tempting to have that stuff in the freezer ).

[DaniGrrl]

I made pizelles, 2 batches of Christmas Crack, and Nutter Butter Santas. The santas always go pretty quickly because my kids love them. No one likes pizelles in my house except me but making them reminds me of my grandmom and it just doesn't feel like Christmas to me without them. Christmas Crack is amazing - but addicting and as you can practically taste the calories, I try to stay away from it. Lol. Ive taken a few bites here and there - I'm bulking might as well enjoy it!!!

[whatevergirl]

I made pizelles

you had me at pizelles

<< bowing down to you in awe...srs

are they hard to make?

[ilovethe80s]

I do not feel like baking with all the cooking and other stuff to do, trying to get in the mood If I get some motivation, will be tiramisu cheesecake and a jamaican rum cake.

If not, then will do an easier cheesecake (maybe peppermint bark or something easy but festive).... and I think people are going to be mad if I don't make the rum cake so I'd better just get in the mood do it. So much work though. I spend every holiday in the kitchen so am turning into a grinch now haha. Plates of cookies too but I already baked and froze all of that earlier in the month.

[Romina81]

Romina,

Do you have a recipe? I have seen red velvet, but not blue velvet!!

I didnt know about the blue velvet until recently either
I'm thinking of using this blue velvet muffin recipe (makes enough batter to fill 3 8 in. round pans)
http://www.keyingredient.com/recipes...lvet-cupcakes/

[Lioness27]

I am making a batch of chewy coconut macaroons. Easiest and fastest recipe to make and the cookies are always a hit.
Ingredients

2-1/2 cups flaked coconut
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 can (14 ounces) fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1-1/2 teaspoons almond extract

Directions

In a bowl, toss the coconut, flour and salt. Stir in milk and extract until blended (mixture will be thick and sticky).
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 3 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 300° for 18-22 minutes or just until golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 32 cookies.

Nutritional Analysis: One cookie equals 83 calories, 3 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 1 mg cholesterol, 41 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 2 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch.

OMG I love coconut macaroons!!!