Category: Holiday Food

Dairy-free · Dessert · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food

Raw-vegan Mango Coconut Truffles

Belinda

Raw-Vegan Mango Coconut Truffles

My son, Oliver made these for us and they’re delicious! The only thing I added was a pinch of salt, which enhances the flavor.
They are raw, vegan, gluten-free, paleo-friendly and super easy to throw together in your food processor.
They also make great treats for the children, as they think they’re eating something deliciously sinful!

Makes about 30 truffles

6 oz chopped dried mango
3 ½ cups unsweetened desiccated coconut, divided
8 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp agave/maple syrup, or to taste (optional)
pinch of salt

Place the chopped mango in a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak until the mango has softened, about 1 hour. Drain well and dry on kitchen towel.

Combine the mango, a pinch of salt, 3 cups of coconut, and the coconut oil in a food processor; blend until well combined and smooth. Add agave/maple syrup if the mixture is not sweet enough.

Place in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until the mixture has hardened, about 2 hours.

Roll into small balls and dredge in remaining 1/2 cup of desiccated coconut. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone liner, and place the coated balls on top.
Freeze for about 30 minutes until the coconut oil solidifies.

Store in a sealed container in the fridge or freezer.
*Note: these balls will melt if left at room temperature.

Chocolate · Dessert · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Easy Peppermint Fudge

Belinda

It’s seriously the easiest fudge you’ll ever make.
Recipe from Ree Drummond “The Pioneer Woman”

12 servings

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz. size) sweetened condensed milk
8 whole peppermint candies, crushed

Line a square 8 x 8 pan with foil and smooth the surface. Spray foil with nonstick spray.

Combine the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a double boiler over medium heat. Heat until melted, about 5-7 minutes. Stir until smooth, then immediately pour it into the foil-lined pan.
Use a spatula to smooth the surface, then sprinkle on the crushed peppermints.

Refrigerate for 2 hours, then cut into small squares.

Baking · Chocolate · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Orange pomegranate oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

Belinda

These pomegranate oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are flavored with orange zest and extract to make the perfect winter themed cookie.
Recipe from blog “Running to the Kitchen”

Make 18 cookies

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup oat flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 egg
zest of 1 orange
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp orange extract (optional but adds to orange flavor)
3/4 cup chocolate chips
2/3 cup pomegranate arils

Combine flours, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
With a hand-mixer in a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together on high speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Add the egg, orange zest and extracts and beat again until thoroughly incorporated.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined.
Gently fold in the chocolate chips and pomegranate arils until combined.

Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
During last 10 minutes of refrigeration, preheat oven to 375°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Spoon the dough out (about 2 tablespoons each) onto the baking sheets leaving about 2 inches of space between each.
Bake for 12-15 minutes (I did 14 minutes, rotating sheets half way through baking) until edges just start to turn golden brown but middles are still somewhat soft.

Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before transferring the cookies to a cooling rack.

Breakfast · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food

Gingerbread oatmeal

Belinda

This gingerbread oatmeal is made on the stove-top using chewy steel oats, gingerbread spices and molasses for a true gingerbread taste!
Lovely for Christmas morning whilst still being healthy too.
Recipe from blog, “Running to the Kitchen”

Serves 2

1 cup steel cut oats (use gluten-free if needed)
2 tbsp ground flax seed
2 cups almond milk (or any milk of choice)
1 1/4 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp molasses

Combine the oats, flax seed and milk in a sauce pot over medium heat on the stove. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer stirring occasionally.
After about 5 minutes when it starts to thicken, reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the remaining ingredients.
Continue cooking for about 10 more minutes, stirring frequently until desired thickness is reached. Oats will be chewy but cooked.
Serve with a splash of additional almond milk, pecans and drizzle of molasses or maple syrup.

Dessert · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Ginger, passionfruit trifle

Belinda

I am a huge fan of trifle, and usually stick to a very boozy traditional one, but this one from Nigella Lawson caught my eye and you can see why. Another easy showstopper dessert!

Serves 10

About 18-20 oz store-bought sponge or pound cake or savoiardi cookies
About 4-6 oz ginger wine (I use Stones Ginger Wine, available in most wine stores)
About 18 -20 oz heavy whipping cream
4 tsp confectioners sugar (icing sugar)
8 passion fruit

Slice or break the sponge into pieces and arrange half of them in a shallow dish or stand, then pour half the ginger wine over them. Mound up the remaining half of the sponge or cookie pieces and pour the remaining wine on top
* I pour in more than the stated amount of ginger wine as I like my trifle boozy and gingery!

Whip the cream with the confectioners sugar (icing sugar) until it’s firm but not too stiff; you want soft peaks.

Scoop the insides of 2 passionfruit into the bowl of cream and fold in before mounding the cream floppily over the soused sponges.

Scoop out the remaining 6 passion fruit onto the white pile of cream s that it is doused and dribbling with the black seeds and fragrant golden pulp

Baking · Do-ahead · Fruit · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Nuts

Cranberry curd tart

Belinda2 Comments

Creamy and bright cranberry curd filling inside a gluten-free oat and nut-based tart crust makes a stunningly delicious and easy Holiday dessert.
Recipe from the food blog, “Running to the Kitchen”

Serves 8-10

FOR THE TART CRUST
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
5 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed

FOR THE CRANBERRY CURD FILLING
12 oz fresh cranberries
zest of 1 lemon
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar, divided
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a tart pan with a removeable bottom with butter or baking spray making sure to pay attention to the sides.

Combine the oats, walnuts, brown sugar and spices in a food processor. Process until finely chopped then pulse in the cubes of cold butter one by one until the mixture starts to come together.
Turn the ingredients out into the prepared tart pan and press evenly into the bottom of the pan and up the sides.
Place the crust in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Remove from the refrigerator, place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven, gently press down the middle if it’s puffed up a bit from baking and let cool while you make the curd.

Combine the cranberries, lemon zest, 3/4 cup sugar and water in a sauce pot. Bring to a simmer then lower the heat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to help break down the cranberries.
Turn off the heat and let cool for 5 minutes then transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth.
Return the mixture to the sauce pot over medium-low heat.

One by one add the remaining ingredients including the leftover 2 tablespoons of sugar to the pot whisking constantly as you go.
Once all ingredients are added to the pot, continue cooking for 10 minutes whisking constantly until the mixture has thickened.

Strain the cranberry curd over a large bowl through a fine mesh strainer using a spatula to push the curd through.
Pour the strained filling into the cooled tart crust and refrigerate for at least 3 hours until set.
Keep refrigerated until serving.
Garnish with sugared cranberries or candied lemon slices.

Chocolate · Dessert · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food

Chocolate chestnut refrigerator cake

Belinda2 Comments

Another fabulous dessert from Nigella Lawson.
It’s incredibly easy to make, and dangerously compelling to eat, one of those puddings about which everyone says ‘it’s very rich’ before going on to third helpings.


Makes: 10-12 slices

FOR THE CAKE
2 cups sweetened chestnut puree
12 tbsp soft unsalted butter
10 oz bittersweet chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids)
3 tbsp dark rum

TO SERVE
creme fraiche

Beat the puree in a bowl until it’s smooth, and then add the butter, beating again to make a well-blended mixture.
Melt the chocolate and let it cool slightly, before adding it to the chestnut and butter in the bowl.
Beat in the rum, and spoon the chocolate mixture into a 9″ x 4″ loaf tin, lined with clingfilm, in two batches, making sure the first layer reaches the corners and sides of the bottom of the tin before you smooth over the rest.
Wrap the overhanging clingfilm over the cake so that it is completely covered, and put it in the fridge to set for at least four hours, but a day or so in advance if you want.
Don’t take the loaf tin out of the fridge until you want to eat it, when you just unmold the cake, cut it into thin slices and serve with creme fraiche or sour cream.

Do-ahead · Egg based · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Sauces

Hollandaise sauce in a blender!

Belinda

Isn’t it wonderful to have a fail-safe, easy blender hollandaise recipe so your morning eggs can have this positively sexy sauce on them?
Recipe from Ree Drummond, “The Pioneer Woman”

Serves 4

2 sticks butter
3 whole eggs, separated
1 whole (juice of) lemon
Cayenne pepper, to taste

In a small saucepan, melt 2 sticks of butter until sizzling.
Separate the eggs and place the yolks in a blender.
Turn the blender on low to allow the yolks to combine, and then begin pouring the very hot butter in a thin stream into the blender. The blender should remain on the whole time, and you should be careful to pour in the butter very slowly.
Keep pouring butter until it’s all gone, then immediately begin squeezing lemon juice into the blender. You should use the juice of one lemon. And check the blender to make sure the sauce is still liquidy and moving easily through the blades. If it’s not, add a little more juice and give it a stir, then blend again.
Add in a generous shake of cayenne pepper.
If the sauce is too thick, continue to blend while adding more lemon juice.
Now pile on to some Eggs Benedict!

Dessert · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food

Amaretti Syllabub

Belinda

Syllabub is a fabulous, indulgent, silky, fluffy dessert, well worth the calories and only takes 15 minutes to make!
This Anglo-Italian version is from Nigella Lawson and with the crumbled amaretti cookies, it feels like a light fluffy trifle.

Serves 4, if you’re lucky

1/3 cup Amaretto liqueur
2 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz amaretti cookies

Pour the Amaretto liqueur into a bowl with the sugar and lemon juice and whisk to mix.
Whisk in the heavy cream and whip this mixture until it has thickened but is still soft and billowy.
Crumble 2 little amaretti cookies into each of the 4 glasses (each with a yield of about 2/3 cup)
Divide the syllabub between the glasses on top of the crumbled cookies.
Crumble another 2 cookies and sprinkle over the top of all the glasses to give a fine sprinkle of crumbs on each.
Serve the remaining amaretti cookies alongside the syllabub.

Baking · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Caramelized onion galette

Belinda

This rich, autumnal galette takes its inspiration from the flavors of French onion soup. Seasoned with Gruyère and lots of cracked black pepper, the galette dough takes the place of the crostini, and the caramelized onion filling is fortified with beef broth and sherry. The dish is great for entertaining — it can be prepared in advance — but requires a little bit of patience: You’ll need to let the dough rest for at least four hours, which allows the flour to hydrate and will make the dough less crumbly to work with. Let the tart rest for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Eat it while it’s hot or serve at room temperature alongside a salad or steak.

Recipe by Sue Li from the New York Times

Serves 6-8
TIME1 1/2 hours, plus chilling and cooling

FOR THE DOUGH:
1 ½ cups/190 grams all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Kosher salt and black pepper
½ cup/115 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 ⅓ cups/4 ounces grated Gruyère
¼ cup ice water

FOR THE ONIONS AND ASSEMBLY:
¼ cup/55 grams unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
4 large sweet onions, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rings
4 fresh thyme sprigs, plus more fresh thyme leaves for serving
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup beef broth (or vegetable broth)
¼ cup dry sherry

Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper. Add butter and 1 cup grated Gruyère to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Using your fingertips, pinch the butter and cheese into the flour to make pebble-size pieces. Drizzle in the ice water and stir to make a shaggy dough. Dump the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap and knead a few times to combine. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Prepare the onions: In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and thyme sprigs, season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and lightly golden on the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add broth and sherry and cook until the onions are browned and the liquid has mostly evaporated but the mixture is still saucy, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool for at least 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Roll the dough into a 13-inch round on a sheet of parchment. Spread the cooled caramelized onions on the dough, leaving a 1- to 2-inch border. Fold the edges in, over the onions, transfer to a baking sheet and bake until the dough is golden brown and some of the onions have browned on the edges, 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the galette halfway into the baking process.

Remove galette from the oven and sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup grated Gruyère on the crust. Bake another 5 minutes to melt the cheese. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Top with remaining thyme leaves, for garnish.