Recipes for Christmas Desserts

Recipes for Christmas desserts are different where ever you go, but one thing will stay the same: they are fun and delicious.

Christmas is the season for sweet treats. Many people would think that Halloween is sweet treat time but, think about it, Halloween is one night of trick or treating while Christmas desserts can and are served from Thanksgiving to New Years Eve. That is a lot of time to play with your recipes for Christmas desserts.

The ingredients that can come into play include pumpkin, cranberries, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves. Pumpkin and cranberries are used because they are in season and so convey a sense of the season. The spices used in most recipes for Christmas desserts come from the Far East as did the Wise Men.

You need a rosette iron for these crisp, delicate cookies. They are deep fried so you may want to make struffoli while you have the oil hot. Traditionally, rosettes are dusted with confectioners sugar, but I like to change things up a bit and mix some cocoa powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and whatever spices I happen to have on hand together and sprinkle that mixture on the rosettes.

• 2 eggs, beaten
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of milk
• 2 tablespoons of butter, melted
• Vegetable oil, enough for frying

1. If you have an electric frying pan or a home deep fryer, this is the best time to use it. Otherwise, use a thermometer and heat the oil to 375 degrees while the batter rests.
2. Using your stand mixer, beat the eggs, salt, cardamom, and sugar in a bowl until smooth.
3. Add the milk.
4. Add the flour, half a cup at a time.
5. Add the melted butter.
6. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
7. Using a large pan that is at least two inches deep, heat one inch of oil to 375 degrees.
8. Dip the rosette iron into the oil for a minute.
9. Remove the iron from the oil and let the excess oil drip off.
10. Dip the rosette iron into the batter just to the top of the iron.
11. Dip the batter coated iron into the oil and let the rosette fall off the iron.
12. You can do two or three rosettes at a time depending on the size of your pan.
13. Let the rosette fry for 30 seconds.
14. Using a slotted spoon remove the rosette from the oil and let the excess oil drain off.
15. Drain the rosette on a rack placed in a cookie sheet or half sheet pan.
16. Place the cooled rosettes on a sheet of parchment paper or newspaper and dust with confectioner’s sugar.

Gingerbread is as traditional for Christmas as an evergreen dripping with tinsel or candy canes. Gingerbread shows up as gingerbread people or houses, but for a change of pace a gingerbread cake is fun, too.

• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup of butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 tablespoons candied ginger, minced
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup of dark molasses
• 2/3 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Using your stand mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves until light and fluffy.
5. Beat in the egg.
6. Add the molasses.
7. Set the speed to low.
8. Add half of the flour.
9. Add the buttermilk and ginger.
10. Add the rest of the flour.
11. Scrape the bowl if needed.
12. Pour the batter into the pan.
13. Bake for 30 minutes, test for doneness.
14. If a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, then the cake is done. If not, bake for ten more minutes.
15. Frost with lemon glaze.

• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (more may be needed)

1. Mix everything together until smooth.

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