Whether you are hosting at home or contributing to a holiday gathering elsewhere, the Christmas feast represents goodwill and generosity, good conversation and wonderful food. Time spent around the table with friends and family can be the makings of treasured memories.
Spread some cheer with one of these luscious desserts. They have the “wow” factor and can be made in advance. Whether the protein planned is prime rib, turkey or ham, or even a tofu-based turkey substitute, these finales are scrumptious team players.
Gingerbread Cake with Whipped Cream and Lemon Curd can be prepared a day in advance. (Photo by Cathy Thomas)
Gingerbread Cake with Whipped Cream and Lemon Curd
This delectable cake can be prepared a day in advance. The cooled cake can be frosted up to 6 hours in advance and stored at room temperature; the trick for the whipped cream’s longevity is the addition of powdered sugar. That powdered sugar prevents the whipped cream from weeping. I’ve even made and frosted it a day in advance and stored it airtight in the fridge. Perfect.
Yield: 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
Cake:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Parchment paper
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground dry ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
1 large egg, beaten to blend
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
Topping:
1 cup chilled heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 cup store-bought lemon curd
Optional: Finely grated lemon zest
Special equipment: 8-inch square metal cake pan
DIRECTIONS
1. Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat pan with nonstick spray. Line bottom with parchment paper; spray paper. Whisk the flour, ground dry ginger, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Place butter in a large bowl. Pour 1/2 cup boiling water over; whisk until melted. Whisk in sugar, molasses, egg and fresh ginger. Add dry ingredients; whisk to blend. Transfer to prepared pan.
2. Bake until a tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack; let cool. Remove parchment.
3. Topping: Beat cream and powdered sugar in a medium bowl until firm peaks form. Fold in curd, leaving swirls. Spread over cake. If using, garnish with zest.
Source: epicurious.com
Alicia Hitchcock, owner of Alicia’s Cookery in Brea, offers this recipe for a cherry pie that uses a combination of cherry filling, tart cherries in juice, Kirsch cherry liqueur and ground cardamom. (Photo by Cathy Thomas)
Alicia’s Cherry Pie
Alicia Hitchcock, chef-owner of Alicia’s Cookery in Brea, bakes thousands of cookies each week. In the same timeframe, she also makes about 100 pies. That’s in addition to an untold number of sandwiches and salads made to nourish the hordes of loyal customers who frequent her eatery.
Her cherry pie is irresistible. She says that the filling was a happy mistake, a formula that came about when her husband called from the golf course asking her to make a cherry pie for his pals. His job was to stop by the market and buy canned cherries, but he bought the wrong kind, and the result was delicious. She ended up using two kinds of canned cherries, cherry pie filling and sour cherries, then spiked them with cherry liqueur, cinnamon and almond extract. Plus, her secret ingredient, ground cardamom.
Holidays often require recipe shortcuts. If you need to, you can substitute refrigerated crust for homemade from-scratch dough. Cherry pie can be prepared a day ahead of serving and stored at room temperature.
Yield: One 10-inch pie
INGREDIENTS
Crust:
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cups corn oil
1/2 cup whole milk
Parchment paper (she uses a large plastic bag cut on each side to open it)
Filling:
3 cups prepared cherry filling
3 cups tart cherries in juice (canned or frozen), drained
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided use
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided use
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon Kirsch (cherry liqueur)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder or vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 teaspoons heavy cream or milk
For serving: French vanilla ice cream
DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare crust. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a silicone spatula, mix flour, salt and sugar together in a large bowl. In a glass measuring cup, mix oil and milk together with a fork. Make a well in center of dry ingredients and pour in oil-milk mixture. Stir to combine with a silicone spatula. Place a sheet of parchment paper on work surface or open a plastic bag on work surface. Place a little less than half of the dough on open plastic bag or sheet of parchment paper. Form into disk and cover dough with overhanging plastic bag or another sheet of parchment. Roll out until 1/8-inch thick and place in 10-inch pie pan (Pyrex preferred), lifting it on the plastic or parchment and turning it upside-down to place it in the pan. Crust should just come up to the lip of the pan, if necessary, patch dough. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until nicely browned. Set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
2. Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, combine cherry filling, drained tart cherries, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, cardamom, Kirsch, almond extract and vanilla powder or extract. Stir to combine. Place filling in the baked crust, dot top with butter. Roll out the remaining dough in the same manner as bottom crust, leaving a small portion of dough behind in the bowl to use for patching when crimping; place on top of filling. Build a ridge around edge of the pie pan and crimp it, using the reserved dough to patch as needed.
3. Brush top crust with cream or milk; sprinkle with remaining cinnamon and sugar. Bake on a cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool for two hours before serving. Serve with French vanilla ice cream.
Source: Alicia Hitchcock, Alicia’s Cookery, Brea
The writer’s granddaughter poses next to a charlotte, a French dessert containing layered cake, fillings, whipped cream and ladyfingers. (Photo by Cathy Thomas)
Fresh Fruit Chalotte
Baking with my 9-year-old granddaughter Colette is a real treat for me. She watches baking shows and is adept at using a piping bag and frosting spatula. A recent project involved both of those tools and included showing her how to make bridge cuts on fresh strawberries; for the technique, two fingers hold the berry upright in place on the cutting board forming a safe, high arch away from the knife. Safe and precise.
Our recent project was to make a charlotte, a classic French dessert that includes a layered cake, fillings, whipped cream, and ladyfingers. It’s a perfect showoff kind of cake that would be welcome on the Christmas table.
We took a couple of shortcuts, using a cake mix and purchasing the ladyfingers online. Our guide was a recipe from “Kneaders Bakery and Café” by Colleen Worthington (Shadow Mountain Publishing). The recipe makes much more buttercream icing than was needed for one charlotte. The extra buttercream can be frozen airtight (for up to three months). When you’re ready to use it, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and then bring it to room temperature before re-whipping it in an electric mixer until it’s light and fluffy.
Yield: 12 to 14 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 yellow cake mix, plus ingredients designated on box
About 3/4 cup buttercream icing, see cook’s notes
Piping bag fitted with a plain 3/8-inch tip
Whipped cream: 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream, 1/3 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup mixed berry preserves or jam, such as Bonne Maman Mixed Berry Preserves
About 24 (4-1/4-inch-long ladyfingers, such as Savoiardi brand
2 cups halved and hulled strawberries
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
Cook’s notes: For buttercream frosting, in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat 2 room temperature sticks of unsalted butter on medium speed for 4 minutes. Add 2 cups powdered sugar and beat on low speed until incorporated. Add 2 additional cups of powdered sugar and beat on low speed until incorporated. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. If icing needs to be thicker, add more powdered sugar. If it needs to be thinner add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time. Leftover icing can be frozen.
DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare cake mix according to package directions for either two 8-inch cake pans, or two 9-inch cake pans. Cool for 10 minutes and invert on wire cooling rack. Cool completely.
2. Place one cake layer on a cake plate. Prepare buttercream icing (see cook’s notes).
3. Prepare whipped cream. Using a stand mixer, beat chilled heavy cream and powdered sugar, starting on low speed and increasing to high after sugar is incorporated. Beat until stiff (be careful not to overbeat). Place in refrigerator.
4. Place about 3/4 cup buttercream frosting in a piping bag. Pipe a buttercream border around the perimeter of cake. Fill inside the buttercream boarder with a thick layer of jam. Place the second cake layer on top. Pipe a border of buttercream icing around the perimeter of second layer. Spread a layer of jam on top within the buttercream border.
5. Using a frosting spatula, generously ice the sides of the cake with whipped cream. Place ladyfingers side by side around the cake, using the whipped cream to hold them in place. Place fruit on top of cake. If you make the cake a day ahead, store it in the fridge and add the fruit no more than 2 hours ahead of serving.
Source: Adapted from “Kneaders Bakery and Café” by Colleen Worthington (Shadow Mountain Publishing)
Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at CathyThomas Cooks.com.
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