Christmas without desserts is like a birthday without any cake. But all of us aren’t born Master Chefs, so here are 5 super-easy dessert recipes to get you into that much awaited Christmas spirit!
1. Risalamande
Risalamande or Risengrød is a classic Danish take on the simple rice pudding. This is a traditional dessert pudding served during Christmas dinner, and it even has a little game dedicated to itself. One typically hides a whole almond in one of the servings of the dish, and whoever gets the bowl with the whole almond gets a prize! Are you ready to serve this fun and easy Christmas dessert to your guests? We know it’s a yes!
Ingredients
• 200 g of Healthy Alternatives – Varaichi Tandul/Rice
• 800 ml. of Healthy Alternatives – Fresh Cow’s Milk
• 50 g powdered sugar
• 1 vanilla bean (scraped)
• 75 g Healthy Alternatives – American Almonds
• 300 ml whipping cream
Instructions
1. Place the rice in a heavy bottomed saucepan along with the milk and the scraped vanilla pod and seeds. Stir well to combine until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Cook for around 30 minutes over a moderate heat until all of the milk is absorbed, stirring occasionally to ensure the rice does not catch.
2. Once cooked, remove the vanilla pod and leave the rice to cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, set aside one whole almond for serving and use a sharp knife to finely chop the rest.
3. Once the rice has cooled, mix through the chopped almonds. Lightly whip the whipping cream in a separate bowl and gently fold it through the rice pudding.
4. Place the single almond in one of the bowls and spoon over the rice. Once the bowls are filled, swap them round a few times until you can no longer remember which dish contains the almond.
5. Serve the pudding cold, topped with fruit compote. Don’t forget to buy a prize for the person who finds the almond!
2. Cinnamon Bun Muffins
Begin your Christmas morning with these mouth-watering and healthy cinnamon rolls. With this Christmas sweet on your plate, it’s sure to be a Merry Christmas!
Ingredients
Muffins:
• 1 cup blanched almond flour
• 2 tbsp. coconut flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. sea salt
• ¼ tsp. grapeseed oil
• ¼ cup Healthy Alternatives – Organic Honey
• 3 large Healthy Alternatives – Free Range Organic Eggs
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
Topping:
• 2 tbsp. Healthy Alternatives – Organic Honey
• 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. grapeseed oil
Instructions
1. To make the muffins, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, blend together grapeseed oil, Healthy Alternatives – Organic Honey, Healthy Alternatives – Free Range Organic Eggs, and vanilla extract.
2. Blend the dry ingredients into the wet and scoop a scant ¼ cup at a time into lined muffin cups.
3. To make cinnamon topping, combine Healthy Alternatives – Organic Honey, cinnamon, and grapeseed oil in a small bowl. Spoon the toppings onto the muffins.
4. Bake the muffins for 8-12 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool muffins for 2 hours then frost it with cream cheese frosting (optional).
3. Treacle Tart
This is a traditional British Christmas dish, loved by everyone for its sugary crusty deliciousness. The tart is a buttery shortbread filled with golden syrup, breadcrumbs and lemon zest. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla whipped cream, pour some syrup over the tart, and you’ll be everyone’s favourite Christmas chef without a doubt.
Ingredients
Pastry:
• 225 g Healthy Alternatives – Organic Wheat Maida
• 110 g butter (chilled and diced)
• 1 Healthy Alternatives – Free Range Organic Egg (beaten)
Filling:
• 450 g maple syrup
• 85 g breadcrumbs
• Pinch of ground ginger
• 1 lemon (zest)
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
Instructions
1. In a bowl, rub the butter into the flour with your fingers until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the egg with a knife, then knead on a clean, lightly dusted work surface to form a smooth dough.
2. Use the dough to line a loose-bottomed tart tin, prick the base all over with a fork and leave to rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 190 (C).
3. Line the pastry with parchment paper and weigh down with rice or ceramic baking beans. Bake the pastry blind for 10-15 minutes, remove the paper and rice/beans and return the pastry case to the oven for a few minutes more, until light golden-brown.
4. For the filling, mix together the filling ingredients in a bowl and pour into the pastry case. Return to the oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Drizzle some maple syrup over the tart. Serve hot or cold with vanilla whipped cream.
4. Austrian Linzer Cookies
Always a children’s favourite Christmas sweet – this Austrian specialty has a fruit filling sandwiched between two soft cookies dusted with powdered sugar. You can bake as many as cookies as you want, in unlimited shapes and designs. All you need is these ingredients, your oven mitts, and some holiday spirit!
Ingredients
• 150 g softened butter
• 50 g powdered sugar
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 Healthy Alternatives – Free Range Organic Eggs
• 1 tsp. cinnamon powder
• ½ tsp. ground cloves
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg powder
• Pinch of salt
• 150 g Healthy Alternatives – Organic Wheat Maida (sifted)
• 150 g raspberry jam/preserve
• 75 g finely ground Healthy Alternatives – American Almonds
• 75 g ground Healthy Alternatives – Finest Hazelnuts
• 1 tbsp. rum (optional)
Instructions
1. Beat the butter and powdered sugar until fluffy and add the spices, egg yolks and rum (optional). Mix the nuts and flour in a little bowl and add to the dough. Combine everything and quickly shape the dough into a disc. Cool the dough in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees (C) and roll out the dough to about 3-4 mm. Cut out different Christmas themed shapes using Linzer cookie cutters. Bake the cookies for about 8 Minutes, take them out and let them cool.
3. In a little bowl, mix the jam with the rum (optional) and spread this jam on the bottom half of your cookies. Dust the lattice-part of the cookie with icing sugar. Top the jam-half with the upper half and store the cookies in metal tins.
4. These cookies get better with time and should rest at least a week in the tins.
5. Flourless Chocolate Cake
This moreish chocolate cake will tempt even Santa to come and join in on the festive feast. The
Christmas dessert menu can never be complete without the Christmas cake. Nobody can resist a good cake, after all!
Ingredients
• 200 g of unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 200 g L’Exclusif Dark Chocolate Baking Bar
• 1 tbsp. strong coffee
• 6 large Healthy Alternatives – Free Range Organic Eggs
• 250 g castor sugar
• 70 g cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees (C). Grease a 20 cm. spring form cake tin with a little butter and line with greaseproof paper.
2. Rest a medium heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water on a medium-low heat. Break in the chocolate, roughly chop, and add the butter, then allow to melt, stirring occasionally until smooth and glossy. Carefully remove the bowl from the heat, stir in the coffee and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Separate the egg yolks and whites between two large bowls. Whisk the egg whites for 1 to 2 minutes, or until soft peaks form. Add the sugar to the yolks and beat for 7 minutes, or until pale. Sift in the cocoa powder and 1 pinch of sea salt, then gently fold to combine.
4. Stir in the melted chocolate mixture, then gently fold through the egg whites until smooth. Transfer it to the prepared tin and place it in the hot oven for around 1 hour, or until the inserted skewer comes out clean.
5. Allow it to cool completely before serving with a dusting of cocoa powder and fresh berries (optional).
‘Tis the season of joy and desserts, and now you’re all set for a sweet, sweet December! Don’t have all the ingredients? Get them here at Nature’s Basket!
Winter calls for warm, lip-smacking drinks and a classic hot chocolate is on the top of that list. Check out our recipe for a unique Spiced Hot Chocolate and try it yourself!
