Post Your Original (Or Favorite) Christmas Dessert Recipes Here, Please!

Cafe Society
41

I’m not much of a from-scratch dessert person, although I am the Cookie Queen around here. When I’m called on to pull off an impressive dessert that isn’t cookies, I have two favorite cheater recipes: Black Forest Tart and Raspberry-Apricot Torte.

Black Forest Tart (makes two cakes):

Using chocolate cake mix, bake in two 9" round tart pans - the tart pan will leave a nice little “bowl” on top of the cake to put the filling in. Put each tart on its own plate and let cool. Meanwhile, make some vanilla pudding (the cooked kind, NOT the instant) and let that cool to room temperature. Fill the little indentation on each tart with pudding and refrigerate until the pudding is pretty firm. Open a couple cans of whole cherry pie filling, and use a toothpick to pluck the individual cherries out of the can and lay them on top of the pudding layer in a pretty pattern. Discard the remaining cheery “goo” from the cans, or save it and serve it on top of ice cream some other time. Melt some semisweet chocolate chips in a ziploc bag in the microwave, then snip off a small corner of the bag and pipe melted chocolate in a crisscross pattern on top of the cherries. Chill. Just before serving, pipe whipped cream around the top and around the bottom of the tart. If you’re feeling really fancy-shmancy, you can put little chocolate leaves on the whipped cream poufs, too.

Raspberry-Apricot Torte:

Use french vanilla cake mix and add one teaspoon of vanilla extract to the batter OR use yellow cake mix and add one teaspoon of almond extract to the batter. Bake in two round cake pans. When cool, split the layers (I use thread to wrap around and pull through to make them even.) Place one layer on serving plate and spread about 1/3 cup of apricot pastry filling (the kind you can buy for kolacky and stuff). Add a layer of cake, then a layer of raspberry pastry filling. Another layer of cake, and another layer of apricot filling. Add the final layer of cake. Frost with cream cheese frosting (and THAT I do make from scratch 'cuz canned frosting is just YUCK). Crush some walnuts very finely and sprinkle on top, or if you’re feeling ambitious, coat the sides of the cake with the crushed walnuts and put a few walnut halves on top of the cake.

42

I gained weight just reading about LifeOnWry’s recipes! Gotta bookmark this thread for the holidays, that’s for sure.

43

Brown Sugar Cookies:
No fat used!!!

I stole these out of a Paul Prudhome book. I’ve never really liked ginger snaps, but I can eat the mess out of these. If you omit the pecans these can be rolled and cut out with cutters. We’ve even baked them into houses. Dredge these in powdered sugar if you find the large amount of spices overwhelming.

Oven 375*, sheets lightly greased,

Creme together:
1-1/2 c Light brown sugar
1/4 c water
3 tbsp honey
1 egg

Add these combined dry ingredience:
2 1/3 c. flour
2 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp allspice
1 tbsp baking soda

Add:
(optional) 1 c. ground pecans

Roll in nickle sized balls and place 1 1/2" apart on sheet. Bake 10-12 mins. These will crackle beautifuly while baking.

44

OOOOOO My turn My Turn!!! I’ve made these for several years. These cookies have a very rich flavor because of the clarified butter. Wonderful Texture!

BROWNED BUTTER COOKIES

1 c butter, unsalted
3/4 c sugar
1 egg
2 t vanilla
2 c all-purpose flour
Various decorator sugars (sugar that has been colored with food coloring and dried)

Heat oven to 350°. Melt butter over medium-high heat in heavy 2-quart saucepan. Continue cooking, watching closely, until butter foams and just turns a delicate golden color (3 to 5 minutes). Immediately remove from heat; refrigerate 30 minutes.

Combine browned butter, sugar, egg and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed until well mixed. Continue beating, gradually adding flour, until well mixed.

Roll dough into 1” balls. Roll balls in decorator sugars. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten with tines of fork.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Let stand 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely.

TIP: For creative designs try a variety of kitchen utensils to flatten cookies (meat fork, meat mallet, cookie stamps, pastry blender, bottom of patterned glass, etc.).

45

I usually make cinnamon rolls and pecan twists every year for my clients and relatives.

Rich Sweet Dough

Ingredients:
2 packages active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm (not hot) water
1 cup lukewarm milk
1 cup softened margarine or butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
4 1/2 cups sifted flour

Directions:
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Combine dissolved yeast and remaining ingredients in large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Dough will be very soft. Cover with a damp cloth. Place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Shape as desired.

Warning! Don’t knead the dough too much. It will make it tough.

Use the dough to make cinnamon rolls and pecan twists.

Cinnamon Rolls
Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 14x9-inch rectangle. Brush lightly with melted margarine. Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 2/3 cups raisins (optional). Sprinkle each oblong with half of the mixture. Roll up from 9-inch side as for a jelly roll. Cut each roll into 9 equal pieces. Place, cut side up, about 1 inch apart in two greased 8-inch square pans. Cover with clean towel and let rise in warm place, free from draft, until double in bulk, about 1 hour. (I either place it on the open door of a warm oven or in front of the fireplace if it’s cold enough for a fire.) Bake in moderate oven, 350 degrees, about 35 minutes. Frost with glaze. Makes 18 buns.

Glaze
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon hot milk
1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar

Directions:
Add milk gradually to sugar in small bowl. Blend until mixture is thin enough to spread. Makes 1/3 cup.

Pecan Twists
Combine 1/2 cup margarine or butter, 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar and 2 teaspoons corn syrup in saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil. Pour immediately into two 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pans or long oblong pans. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup chopped pecans.

Divide sweet dough in half. Roll each half into a 12x12-inch square; brush each with 2 tablespoons melted margarine or butter. Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon; sprinkle center third of each square with 2 tablespoons of the mixture. Fold one-third over the center third of each square. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of cinnamon mixture. Fold each remaining third over the two layers. Cut with sharp knife crosswise into strips 1 inch wide. Take hold of each end of strip and twist in opposite directions. Seal ends firmly. Place in prepared pans about 1 1/2 inches apart. Cover. Let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Bake in hot oven, 400 degrees, about 20 minutes. Invert pan and serve rolls warm. Makes 24 large rolls.

I also have a great recipe for pumpkin bread. Once I find it I’ll post it here if anyone is interested.

My sister has a recipe for rum balls if anyone wants it. Be warned, three will have you slurring your speech and walking funny. :smiley:

46

Anything made with pumpkin is better with Sweet potatoes :smiley:

BROTHER DOMINIC’S SWEET POTATOE BREAD
This is a batter bread, so it also makes awsome muffins. Tip: when making these types of bread is to be carefull and not overmix the dry inrgedience into the wet.

Oven 350* Pans greased (Baking time varies according to what pan you’re using.) looks sheepish I forgot to get the baking times dumb grin

Creme together:
1/4 C. butter
1 C sugar (brown if you like it better)
2 eggs

Add to above:
1/3 C orange juice
1/2 C applesauce
1 C mashed sweetpotatoes

Fold in after combining: (be carefull of over mixing here)
2 1/2 C flour
2 tbls. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp each of salt, cinamon and nutmeg
1 C. each walnuts and rasins.

Sorry Elaella but I can’t help myself for giving out this recipe. I make these into mufifns and give them to friends and family.
They are very moist and freeze well. They are quite sweet, so you may want to lower the amount of rasins a bit if you like lighter tastes. For presentation I just sprinkle w/ powdered sugar.

47

No problem, TelcontarStorm. Personally I don’t like sweet potatoes, unless they are candied without marshmallows.

48

Mmmmmm Christmas desserts. Here’s a traditional cookie recipe from my neck of the woods (New Mexico):

Biscochitos (Anise Cookies)

Ingredients
1 pound shortening
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons anise seed
2 eggs, beaten
6 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brandy (or bourbon)
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
In a large bowl, cream shortening, sugar and anise seed. Add eggs and beat well. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in another large bowl. Alternately add flour and brandy to creamed mixture until a stiff dough has been formed. Knead dough slightly. Pat or roll to 1/4- to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut dough into desired shapes. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a shaker. Dust the top of each cookie with a small amount of mixture. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.

Excuse me, but I now feel an overwhelming need to call my mom.

49

Thanks for all the great recipes. Now I would like y’all’s opinion of the above as a holiday dessert. From reading the ingredients, it sounds like it would “sit a little heavy on da tummy” after even a light holiday meal.

Thanks

Q

50

Sorry! Forgot that should be a û. not a u! :smiley:

Q

51

I wish I could give you an actual recipe for my sweet potato casserole, but there really isn’t one. In general, though, it involves:

Mashed baked sweet potatoes (about 3 large ones)
Crushed pineapple in its own juice (1 can)
Freshly grated ginger, about 1" piece
1/2 stick melted butter
Cinnamon, nutmeg
Brown sugar to taste, depending how sweet the potatoes are
A glug of molasses
A healthy slug of bourbon (about 1/2 cup?)

Mash the above together to desired degree of smoothness (personally, I like mine to still have some texture). If it’s too dry, add orange juice (pref. fresh-squeezed, or at least not from concentrate) to taste. Top with pecan halves (although at least one corner of mine is usuallytopped with marshmallows, or my sister would never give me a moment’s peace) and bake at 350 degrees until heated through and the nuts/marshmallows are browned.

52

I have a wonderful recipe for orange pastry mince pies. Unfortunately, I can’t find it at the moment. Once I’ve relocated it, I will post it.

53

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker or gingersnap cookie crumbs
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
whipped cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Make the crust by combining the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter and 1 tablespoon sugar in a medium bowl. Stir well enough to coat all of the crumbs with the butter, but not so much as to turn the mixture into paste. Keep it crumbly.

Press the crumbs onto the bottom and about two-thirds of the way up the sides of a spring form pan. You don’t want the crust to form all of the way up the back of each slice of cheesecake. Bake
the crust for 5 minutes, then set it aside until you are ready to fill it.

In a large mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice and continue to beat until smooth and creamy.

Pour the filling into the pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes. The top will turn a bit darker at this point. Remove from the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool.

When the cheesecake has come to room temperature, put it into the refrigerator. When the cheesecake has chilled, remove the pan sides and cut the cake into 8 equal pieces. Use dental floss to make a
clean cut.

Serve with a generous portion of whipped cream on top.

Serves 8.