Baked with Love: Holiday - Winning Recipes

Print Recipe

Sally and Amy's ‘Becky’s Winter Wonderland’ Snow Globe Cake Centerpiece

Course:

Dessert, Cake

Seasonal Event:

Christmas

Pink Champagne Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Spray two 8” round cake pans with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, set aside.
2. Spray two 6” round cake pans with cooking spray and set aside.
3. In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, set aside.
4. In another bowl, combine the liquid egg whites, pink champagne, vanilla extract, lemon extract and canola oil until well combined, set aside.
5. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. While mixing on low speed, add the dry and wet ingredients alternately. Starting and ending with the dry ingredients.
6. The 8” round cake pans should have 3 cups batter per pan. The 6” cake pans should have about 1.5 cups per pan. Pour cake batter into prepared pans and bake 25-30 minutes or until the cakes are pulling away from the sides of the pan and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
7. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes before turning cakes to and moving cakes to freezer to cool completely.

Sugar Cookie Dough:

1. Preheat oven to 180F/350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Whisk baking powder, kosher salt, and flour in a medium size bowl until well combined, set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in vanilla extract and egg.
4. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until well combined and dough is pulling away from the sides of the mixing bowl. DO NOT CHILL, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
5. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut cookies with a miniature Christmas cookie cutters and a star cookie cutter and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges turn slightly golden.
6. Remove cookies from the oven and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes on your baking sheet, before transferring to a cooling rack. Place cookies into the freezer to expedite the cooling process.

Pink Champagne Buttercream:

1. Cream softened butter until smooth and light in color. Blend in the salt, vanilla extract, and lemon extract. Gradually add the confectioners sugar with champagne until ingredients are fully incorporated.
2. If desired, add heavy cream 30 ml at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Glass dome:

1. Fill a helium quality balloon with tepid water. Place balloon in a small bowl or measuring cup over a baking mat or parchment paper, set aside.
2. In a medium sized saucepan, combine 100 grams water, 100 grams of corn syrup, and 200 grams of granulated sugar. Stir until just combined. Heat mixture over medium-high heat to 155C/310F. Remove sugar mixture from heat and allow to cool to 110C/230F.
3. Carefully pour sugar mixture over balloon. Repeat process once.

Sugar Cookie Icing:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl until desired consistency is reached. Tint with food coloring gels. Transfer icing to piping bags.

Glass Dome Decorations:

1. Place food coloring gels on a palette. Knead desired food coloring gels into marzipan to shape a Christmas tree and Christmas gifts. Knead food coloring gels into fondant. Use fondant to make a puppy and a rug.

Marzipan and Fondant Decorations:

1. Form decorations with hands. Once formed, place on parchment paper. Then transfer to fridge.
2. Once the cakes are cool, assemble and crumb coat the cake
3. Start by assembling the 8 inch layers with frosting between each layer. Then assemble the 6” layers on top of the 8 inch layers with frosting between each layer.
4. Crumb coat the outside, place cake in the fridge.

Tint the Buttercream and Decorate the Sugar Cookies:

1. Tint most of the buttercream light pink, reserve 215 grams white buttercream. Tint approximately 320 grams buttercream green, and tint approximately 320 grams buttercream red. Transfer to piping bags.
2. Frost the crumb coated cake pink. Use the additional colors of buttercream to add designs to the side of the cake with desired piping tips.
3. Decorate the sugar cookies with desired colors and sanding sugar.

Finishing Touches:

1. Decorate Cake top of the cake with the sugar dome decorations and sugar dome. Add sugar cookies to the sides of the cake.

Print Recipe

Ben and Gabrielle's ‘Merry Cocoa to All, and to All a Good Bite!’ Snow Globe Cake Centerpiece

Course:

Dessert, Cake

Seasonal Event:

Christmas

Hot Chocolate Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and prep two 6-inch and two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper and spray sides with nonstick spray.
2. Stir 2 packets or 6 tbsp of hot chocolate powder into 2 cups of milk and set aside
   
   • 6 tbsp hot chocolate mix powder (Swiss Miss)
   • 2 cups whole milk (room temp) – 480ml
3. Combine all the dry ingredients into bowl of stand mixer and stir on low until combined.
   
   • 4 cups all-purpose flour – 530g
   • 3 cups granulated sugar – 600g
   • 4 tsp baking soda
   • 2 tsp baking powder
   • 1 tsp salt
4. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and hot cocoa mixture and stir on low until combined.
   
   • 1 cup vegetable oil -240ml
   • 4 eggs, room temp
   • 3 tsp vanilla extract
   • 1 ⅓ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder – 120g
5. In a small bowl on stovetop, heat 2cups of hot water until a simmer. Remove from burner and slowly pour the hot water into the cake mix. Batter will be thin.
   
   • 2 cups hot water – 480ml
6. Pour into prepared cake pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Set aside to cool before frosting.

Sugar Snow Globe:

1. Fill balloon with cool water until reaches about 6-inch diameter. Knot and sit on top of ramekin and parchment paper.
2. Read instructions of isomalt brand. If similar to the one we practiced with, combine 2 cups isomalt sugar with ½ cup water (4:1 ratio) in a small stovetop on medium heat, stirring until dissolved.
3. Once dissolved, insert candy thermometer and cook without stirring until temperature reaches 320 degrees F or 160 degrees C.
4. Remove from heat and pour over water-filled balloon.
5. Let sit until ready to decorate cake. To remove water, snip a small cut right about the knot and gently pour out water.

Sugar Cookies:

1. Using stand mixer, beat butter with sugar until smooth
   
   • 1 ½ cups unsalted butter (room temp) – 341g
   • 2 cups granulated sugar – 400g
2. Add in eggs and vanilla and bit until combined
   
   • 4 large eggs (room temp)
   • 1 tsp vanilla extract
3. Add flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until combined
   
   • 5 cups all-purpose flour – 625g
   • 2 tsp baking powder
   • 1 tsp salt
4. Put dough in refrigerator for ~15 min (or as long as possible) to allow it to cool before rolling
5. After dough has cooled a bit, preheat oven to 400*F (200*C), line baking sheet with parchment paper, and dust counter with flour (for rolling dough)
6. Roll dough to ¼ - ½ inch thick and cut out cookie shapes (stockings)
7. Bake cookies for 6-8min (should be very lightly browned)
8. Allow to cool before frosting
9. Frost some with red and some with cream-colored buttercream. Add sprinkles.

Peppermint Buttercream Frosting:

1. Mix softened butter on medium-high heat until creamy
   
   • 3 cups unsalted butter, room temp – 339g
2. Add powdered sugar in increments while mixing on low
   
   • 10 - 11 cups powdered sugar – 1260g
3. Add milk, peppermint, vanilla extract, and salt and mix on low until combined
   
   • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
   • 1 ¼ tsp peppermint extract
   • 4 ½ tbsp whole milk, room temp
   • ½ tsp salt

Assemble Cake:

1. Apply crumb layer and allow cake to chill in refrigerator
2. Set aside ~⅓ of frosting for later. Add red and brown/black food coloring to ~2/3 of frosting to get maroon color of chimney
3. Coat both layers in maroon frosting and smooth
4. Use white frosting and small circular tip to apply brick lines around cake (helps to work as a team to spin cake)
5. Use thicker/decorative pipe to apply brick line at edges of the cake and along the bottom
6. Add black food coloring to the remaining red food coloring to create chimney hole
7. Options for Santa’s legs:
   
   • Marshmallows covered in red frosting, topped with white frosting, and use mashed cake + frosting + black food coloring to make boot shapes
   • Use fondant to create legs, adding colors for each part
8. Top with dome!

Print Recipe

Rosa and Rosana's ‘La Vigilia’ Snow Globe Cake Centerpiece

Course:

Dessert, Cake

Seasonal Event:

Christmas

Almond Cake:

1. Turn on oven to 350 degrees F & grease/line cake pans
2. In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
3. Add the vanilla and eggs one at a time until incorporated
4. Sift together all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl-the pour into mixing bowl alternating with the milk until incorporated
5. For the layers, scoop 6 spoons pf batter into each 9 inch pan and 4 spoons of batter into each 6 inch pan then bake for 15 min
6. Remove and let cool in flash freezer

Raspberry Filling:

1. In a small bowl combine cornstarch and water to create a smooth slurry
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the slurry and all ingredients except vanilla
3. Stirring occasionally, let it come to a boil for 5 minutes or until thickens
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla
5. Let it come to room temperature before chilling

Chocolate Ganache:

1. Heat the heavy whipping cream in a microwave, pour over the chocolate chips. Add the almond extract and stir until it becomes a thick smooth consistency
2. Place in the freezer to allow it to cool and thicken, then using a hand mixer whip the ganache until it becomes fluffy, then set aside

Anisette Sugar Cookies:

1. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip together the butter and sugar
2. Add the anise and eggs and beat until combined
3. Add the dry ingredients and continue to mix until combined
4. Shape into a disk, cover and let chill while the oven is preheating
5. Set the oven to 350 degrees F and line a cookie tray
6. Roll out the chilled dough and cut the shapes needed
7. If the room is warm-place the shaped dough back in the freezer. When ready bake for 10 min
8. Remove and let cool before you ice

Sugar Cookie Icing:

1. In a bowl with a hand mixer, combine all ingredients. Separate the icing into bowls and stir in food gel
2. Fit piping bags with piping tips and pour icing into the prepared bags
3. Decorate the sugar cookies

Buttercream:

1. Mix sugar until fluffy and doubled in size. Add sugar and extract and whip until smooth
2. In separate bowls, color accordingly, then prepare in the tipped icing bags

Snow Globe Dome:

1. Using a balloon, fill a balloon with water and tie it making sure to remove the air bubbles
2. Place on a narrow opening object
3. In a pot over medium heat, combine all ingredients, moving the pot to stir
4. Using a candy thermometer, allow the sugar to come to 300 degrees F
5. Pour the melted sugar over the balloon and let it cool before removing the water, then set aside

Assemble the Cake:

1. Pipe the ganache on each layer followed by the raspberry preserve filling
2. Stack each tier using dowels if needed
3. Crumb coat the cake in chocolate ganache and let chill
4. Roll out the fondant then cover each cake tier
5. Stack the tiers and decorate
6. Place the sugar dome over the top of the tier
7. Step back, YOU DID IT!

Print Recipe

Sally and Amy's ‘When the World Falls in Love’

Course:

Dessert

Seasonal Event:

Christmas

Note: To get started, 12 egg whites out of the refrigerator to come to room temp. and set aside.

Peach Ice Cream:

1. Line the inside of a large bowl with plastic wrap, set aside.
2. Drain the can of peaches in heavy syrup. Roughly chop 1/2 cup of drained peaches, set aside. Purée one cup of the peach pie filling, set aside.
3. In a stand mixer, combine heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, vanilla, and kosher salt in a bowl fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk over medium speed until all ingredients are well combined.
4. Pour whisked ingredients and puréed pie filling into ice cream maker. Churn until soft ice cream starts to form. Pour roughly chopped peach pieces into soft ice cream and churn for an additional amount of time until chopped peaches are fully combined. Press soft ice cream into plastic wrapped lined bowl. Place bowl into the freezer.

Vanilla Sponge Cake:

1. Meanwhile, while the peach ice cream is being made. Preheat oven to 190C/350F.
2. Spray a 12” round cake pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat 6 eggs for about 1 minute over medium speed. Over medium speed, slowly add sugar and vanilla.
4. Turn mixer to high speed and beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla until they are fluffy and light yellow, this usually takes about 6-8 minutes.
5. In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder and whisk until combined. Once egg mixture is ready, sift dry ingredients into egg mixture.
6. Carefully fold flour mixture in until no flour streaks remain, being careful not to deflate the sponge cake batter. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.
7. Remove cake from the oven to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Turn cake out and place into freezer to cool completely.

Butter Pecan Ice Cream:

1. Finely chop pecans. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté pecans in butter until nutty and fragrant. Remove pecans from skillet and place them into a heat proof bowl, then stir in brown sugar until fully combined. Place pecan mixture in the refrigerator to cool.
2. In a stand mixer, combine heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk over medium speed until all ingredients are well combined.
3. Pour whisked ingredients into ice cream maker. Churn until soft ice cream starts to form.
4. Remove buttered pecans from refrigerator and pour into soft ice cream.
5. Churn for an additional amount of time until buttered pecans are fully combined.
6. Remove bowl of peach ice cream from freezer. Press soft ice cream on top of the peach ice cream layer and return the bowl to the freezer.

Salted Caramel Sauce:

1. In a large saucepan, combine sugar, water, and corn syrup. Stir until well combined. Heat ingredients in saucepan over medium-high heat. Do not stir, if crystallization starts to occur on the sides of the saucepan, use a wet pastry brush to gently brush the sides of the saucepan.
2. Once the sugar mixture begins to take on color, carefully watch until mixture turns amber. Remove the saucepan from heat and carefully pour in vanilla, then stream in heavy whipping cream, whisking constantly. Be careful of the steam coming off of the pot while whisking.
3. Stir in salt, transfer to a bowl of a stand mixer and beat for 5 minutes over medium speed. Transfer caramel to a heat proof bowl to cool completely.

Pecan Shortbread:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Prepare a quarter sheet pan with parchment paper, leaving a hangover of 2” on each side, set aside. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Slowly add flour until dough starts to come together. Fold nuts into dough.
2. Press dough into prepared pan and bake for 15-20 minutes of until golden brown.
3. Remove shortbread from pan, crumble, and transfer to a sheet tray into the fridge to cool.

Meringue:

1. Combine egg whites, cream of tartar, and kosher salt in a large, completely clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Stir ingredients on low speed until mixture becomes foamy.
2. Increase speed to high gradually add sugar, about 1 Tablespoon at a time, stirring after each addition until sugar is dissolved (about 15-20 seconds between each addition).
3. Beat until mixture is thick, shiny, and has increased in volume. Mixture should have stiff peaks and sugar should be completely dissolved.
4. Stir in vanilla extract and any other extract you may like to use. If using food coloring, add the food coloring at this stage, too.
5. Fit a large disposable piping bag with a large tip and fill piping bag with meringue. Pipe meringue into desired design.

Build The Baked Alaska:

1. Place the cake onto display.
2. Spread cooled Caramel Sauce over the top of the vanilla sponge cake.
3. Remove Ice cream bowl from freezer, carefully remove ice cream mound from plastic wrap in bowl.
4. Place ice cream on top of the caramel topped cake.
5. Use different style large tips to pipe meringue all over the ice cream and cake.
6. Use a kitchen torch to torch meringue.
7. Return baked Alaska to the freezer until ready to serve.

Print Recipe

Rosa and Rosana's ‘I Still Believe’

Course:

Dessert, Cake

Seasonal Event:

Christmas

Chocolate Sponge Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Grease and line pans with butter and parchment paper
3. Make cocoa mixture by boiling water then whisking in cocoa until smooth. Set aside in freezer
4. Sift all dry ingredients into a bowl
5. In a stand mixer fit with a paddle, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (8-10 min)
6. Add eggs one at a time. Then on low speed alternate the cocoa mixture and dry ingredients in 4 intervals
7. Divide the batter then bake cakes for 20-30 min
8. Once baked, cool in flash freezer until ready to cut and assemble

Buttercream:

1. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter until fluffy. Spoon sugar spoonfuls at a time until well blended. Add the Nutella and beat on medium
2. Stir in extract, salt and whipping cream and beat on high until stiff and fluffy. Set aside

Nutella Filling:

1. Sprinkle gelatin into cold water and set aside until firm
2. Place whipping cream and Nutella in a stand mixer with whisk attachment. When the gelatin is set, place the bowl in the microwave for 10 seconds or until liquid. Begin to beat contents in mixer, then add the gelatin as a steady stream and beat until medium stiff peaks are achieved
3. Toast hazelnuts over medium heat then dip into melted chocolate and set aside to cool
4. Remove cakes from pans
5. Cut 10” square in half, leave the 2x5” and cut the last 5” diagonally
6. With the 2^nd 10” square-cut circle using a circular cookie cutter (I will provide) to form the engine
7. Align the pieces to create the train shape. Then disassemble, and restack piping a layer of buttercream and Nutella mousse on each cake. Cut a rectangular hole in the body of the cake and fill with “coal” covered hazelnuts. Use dowels to reinforce the cake as it being stacked
8. Crumb coat the cake with buttercream and place back in freezer until ready to fondant
   

Roll out the fondant and cut the following pieces:

1. 6x6 square for roof
2. Circle for front of engine
3. 2x rectangular windows
4. 1 square door
5. Strips for the grill
6. 10 small circles and 2 larger for the wheels
7. Mold a log and sphere disk onto a 6 gauge armature wire to make the chimney
8. Make a medium then smaller log for other chimneys
9. Make a cube then insert the ball light for train light
10. Roll out black fondant and cover the train
11. Place train on the display board
12. Attach fondant details
13. Paint more details using the edible dust
14. Attach cotton candy to the wire to make the smoke

Print Recipe

Ben and Gabrielle's 'The City of De-Lights'

Course:

Dessert

Gingerbread Pieces:

1. Preheat oven to 375*F (190*C) and 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
2. In stand mixer bowl, combine butter, molasses, sugar and beat until creamy
   
   1. ½ cup unsalted butter (softened) - 113g
   2. ½ cup brown sugar (packed) - 100g
   3. ½ cup unsulphured molasses - 120ml
3. Add in egg, vanilla extract, ginger, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and salt and stir until well combined
   
   1. 1 large egg
   2. 2 tsp vanilla extract
   3. 1 ½ tsp ground ginger
   4. 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
   5. ¼ tsp ground cloves
   6. ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
   7. ½ tsp salt
4. Add flour 1 cup at a time while mixing on low speed until fully combined and dough is smooth and stiff.
   
   1. 4 cups all-purpose flour - 500g
5. Sprinkle flour on counter and divide dough into 2 balls
6. Use rolling pin to roll out dough to ⅛ - ¼” thickness
7. Use pizza cutter, sharp knife, multi-purpose blade/chopper to cut templates of dough, starting with the bottom section of the tower (A shapes)
   
   1. Lay these pieces on prepped backing sheets and bake for 11-13 min (until edges begin turning brown)
   2. **Make sure to re-measure each one using template, then re-measure when they come out of the oven and use serrated knife to trim edges
8. Cut out the top section of the tower, along with fountain (oval or rectangle)
   
   1. Bake these pieces for 10-12 min
9. Cut remaining small pieces (peak)
   
   1. Bake these for 4-5 min
10. Once all pieces are re-measured and trimmed, place in freezer or refrigerator to speed up cooling

Meringue Royal Icing:

1. With an electric mixer, blend ingredients on low speed, then beat on high speed for 7 min (can help to time this!), or until the mixture holds stiff peaks
   
   1. 4 cups (1 pound) powdered sugar - 480g
   2. 3 tbsp meringue powder
   3. 6-8 tbsp warm water
2. If icing is too thick, add water 1 tsp at a time

Grandma Lil’s Cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F and line baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Combine baking soda, flour, and salt
   
   1. 2 tsp baking soda
   2. ½ tsp salt
   3. 4 ½ cups flour - 563g
3. In a separate bowl, mix softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar
   
   1. 2 tsp vanilla extract
   2. 1 ½ tsp ground ginger
4. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract with butter mixture
   
   1. 4 large eggs
   2. 2 tsp vanilla
5. Add in dry ingredients and add chocolate chips
   
   1. 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
6. Make tiny cookie balls on baking sheet, increasing slightly in size to make trees
7. Bake for 6 -10 min

Chai Spice Buttercream Frosting:

1. Make chai spice by mixing cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cardamom until combined
   
   1. 1 tsp ground cinnamon
   2. ½ tsp ground ginger
   3. ⅛ tsp ground allspice
   4. ½ tsp cardamom
2. With a paddle attachment on a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until creamy (2 min).
3. Scrape bowl and add powdered sugar, heavy cream, 1 ¾ of chai mix, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, and beat on low until partially combined, then increase to high speed and beat for 2 min (until creamy)
   
   1. 1 ½ cups unsalted butter (room temp) - 340g
   2. 5-6 cups powdered sugar - 720g
   3. ¼ cup heavy cream - 57g / 2oz
   4. Pinch of salt
   5. 1 ¾ tsp chai spice mix (will have leftover… can add to taste)
4. Add powdered sugar or cream to get to desired consistency

Assemble Eiffel Tower:

1. Assemble 4 A-shaped lower sections of tower, securing pieces to the board and to each other using royal icing
2. Separately, assemble 4 pillars of tower and allow to dry
3. Use royal icing to glue lights inside of lower tower
4. Use royal icing to begin piping on criss-crossing design on lower section of tower
5. Once top section icing has dried, place it on top of lower section and glue together with royal icing
6. Add criss-crossing pattern to upper section
7. Top tower with triangle pieces or cookie shape
8. Spray the tower with gold edible color spray

Additional Decor:

• Cookie trees - Add green-colored frosting on top of cookies and stack them to make trees
• Water fountain - Crush jolly ranchers into smaller pieces. Place crushed pieces in microwave safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between. Pour this into the gingerbread fountain feature.
• Decorate ground with white leftover frosting

Print Recipe

Susan & Saman's ‘Sidi Joon’s Saffron Trifle’

Course:

Dessert

Seasonal Event:

Christmas

Orange Cake (Base Layer):

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper.
2. Zest first, then juice the orange(s). Set juice aside and reserve zest for later.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter until smooth. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until pale and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing.
5. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
6. Fold dry ingredients into the wet batter gently using a spatula.
7. Add the orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla extract, folding in gently until fully combined.
8. Divide batter evenly between the two 8” (depending on the trifle bowl) prepared pans. Tap to release air bubbles.
9. Bake at 400°F for 6–7 minutes on the middle rack, then reduce to 375°F and bake for another 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
10. Cool completely, slice in half for layering.
    

Saffron–Orange Blossom Glaze:

1. In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar. Heat gently until sugar dissolves (do not boil).
2. Remove from heat. Stir in saffron water, orange blossom water, and orange juice.
3. Let the glaze cool to warm or room temp before using.
4. Once your cake layers are fully cooled, use a pastry brush to lightly dab or brush the syrup across the surface of each cake cube or layer.

Saffron Phirni à la Sholeh Zard (Layerable Custard-Style)
Method:

1. Sift rice flour into a medium bowl. Whisk in 300ml cold milk to form a smooth slurry. Let rest 5–10 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, mix the xanthan gum into the sugar (this prevents clumping later).
3. In a medium saucepan, combine: 600ml whole milk, Sugar + xanthan gum mixture, Pinch of salt
4. Heat gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until just below boiling (~70–80°C / 160–175°F).
5. Reduce heat to medium-low. Slowly whisk in the rice flour slurry in a thin stream while constantly whisking to avoid lumps.
6. Once incorporated, add: saffron water, Rosewater, Ground cardamom. Adjust to taste.
7. Continue to whisk gently over medium-low heat for 10–15 minutes, or until the custard thickens to a spoonable, glossy pudding consistency. It should coat the back of a spoon and fall in soft mounds when dropped.
8. Stir in butter and remove from heat.
9. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve if needed for ultra-smooth texture.
10. Transfer to three 8” pans. Chill in fridge until fully set (20–30 min).
11. Pipe or spoon neatly into trifle layers as needed.

Rosewater Mascarpone Whipped Cream and Orange Blossom Mascarpone Whipped Cream:

1. In a chilled mixing bowl with the whisk attachment, whip the mascarpone and vanilla extract on medium speed until medium peaks form.
2. Then gradually add the powdered sugar and pour in 1 of the 3 cups of heavy cream, whip until the mascarpone topping begins to form its shape (soft-medium peaks).
3. Then gradually drizzle down the side of the bowl the final 2 cups of cold heavy cream to the bowl and whip until medium stiff peaks form.
4. Divide the batch evenly into two bowls.
5. Fold in the rosewater into one bowl (Version A), and the orange blossom water and zest into the other bowl (Version B). Adjust to taste. It should be fragrant but not soapy.
6. Chill both variations in the refrigerator until ready to layer or pipe.

Fruit Gelatin Layer:

1. Bloom the gelatin: In a medium bowl, sprinkle the 32g gelatin over 300ml cold pomegranate juice. Let sit for 5 minutes to fully bloom and soften.
2. Warm the base liquid: In a large saucepan, combine 900ml water with optional sweetener of pomegranate molasses and/or sugar. Adjust to taste. Heat gently until hot and dissolved (do not boil).
3. Dissolve gelatin: Stir in the bloomed gelatin into the warm juice-water mixture until completely dissolved and smooth.
4. Cool the base: Stir in up to 250ml crushed ice and gently mix until cooled to just above room temperature. Discard unmelted ice.
5. Prepare molds: Line the base of three 8” circular pans with parchment if needed. Arrange fruit, pat dried, evenly and loosely in a single layer. Sprinkle salt over fruit.
6. Pour gelatin mixture: Carefully pour the cooled gelatin liquid over the fruit. Use a spoon to gently press fruit below the surface if needed.
7. Chill to set: Refrigerate for 45 minutes until fully set. To speed up, you may chill in the freezer for 20–25 minutes, but avoid freezing completely.
8. Check doneness: Press lightly with your fingertip. The gelatin should spring back without leaving an impression.
9. Cut and store: Store chilled until ready to layer in the trifle.
   

Layer from Bottom to Top:

1. Orange cake and syrup glaze
2. Orange blossom whipped cream
3. Fruit gelatin
4. Saffron phirni
5. Orange cake and syrup glaze
6. Fruit gelatin
7. Rosewater mascarpone whipped cream (with ring of sliced figs and crushed pistachios around glass)
8. Orange cake and syrup glaze
9. Saffron phirni
10. Orange blossom mascarpone whipped cream
11. Fruit gelatin
12. Orange cake and syrup glaze
13. Saffron phirni
14. Rosewater mascarpone whipped cream
15. Decorative Top:

• Pomegranate seeds
• Crushed pistachios
• Dried rose petals
• Saffron threads
• Orange zest
• Mint Sprigs

*Tips:

• Don’t overspread the phirni at the edges of the layers, dollop just in middle
• Don’t squish the sliced fruit when putting cake on top
• Use generous portion of the mascarpone whipped cream

Print Recipe

Sally and Amy's I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas Tree

Course:

Dessert

Cuisine:

Christmas

For the gingerbread cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C degrees. Grease an 8”, 7”, two 6”, and two 4” cake pans with cooking spray. Line each pan with parchment paper. Whisk together your dry ingredients, and set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with bowl and paddle attachment, beat together your sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Slowly add in your eggs and molasses until fully combined. Slowly add in your hot water until batter is fully combined. Divide batter evenly among cake pans according to pan size. Bake for 25 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool for 10 minutes before turning them out on a wire rack. Place cake layers into the freezer to expedite the cooling process.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Whisk baking powder, kosher salt, and flour in a medium size bowl until well combined, set aside.Cream butter and sugar until smooth.Beat in vanilla extract and egg. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until well combined and dough is pulling away from the sides of the mixing bowl. DO NOT CHILL, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll dough to ¼ inch thickness. Cut cookies with a miniature Christmas cookie cutters and a star cookie cutter and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges turn slightly golden. Remove cookies from the oven and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes on your baking sheet, before transferring to a cooling rack. Place cookies into the freezer to expedite the cooling process.
3. Meanwhile, make the buttercream. Meanwhile, make the butter cream by whipping the butter over medium speed in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Slowly add in the confectioner's sugar. While mixing over medium speed, add vanilla extract, then add heavy whipping cream one tablespoon at a time until a smooth buttercream forms. Load the buttercream into a piping bag.
4. Once the cakes are cool, spread buttercream on the largest layer. Add each layer from largest to smallest with buttercream in between each layer. Use a dowel to secure the layers before trimming the cake layers into the shape of a Christmas tree. Crumb coat the trimmed cake. Pipe buttercream details onto the tree using a Wilton 172 and Wilton 1M piping tip.
5. Pipe buttercream onto cooled cookies and gently press the cookies into colored sanding sugars.
6. Once the tree is fully frosted, decorate the tree with sugar cookies and pearls. Place the star cookie on the top of the tree.

Print Recipe

Susan and Saman's Dark Bark & Snow Yule Log

Course:

Dessert

Seasonal Event:

Christmas

DIRECTIONS:
Chocolate Sponge Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Line a large jelly roll pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray or grease and flour well.
2. Wipe the metal bowl of a stand mixer with acidic liquid to remove fat residue.
3. In the clean bowl, whisk the 7 egg whites with a pinch of salt and a ¼ teaspoon of cream of tartar until they become foamy and go from yellow to white. Gradually add 50 grams of the granulated sugar while continuing to beat until the egg whites reach a soft peak stage (peaks that curl softly, not stiff). Do not over beat. Keep at room temp. Clean out the mixing bowl.
4. Clean your mixing bowl thoroughly and beat the 7 egg yolks with the remaining 50 grams of sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Whisk for 5-7 minutes until the mixture lightens to a pale yellow, and thickens to creamy butter-like consistency.
5. In a separate bowl, sift and mix 70 g cake flour, 21 g cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt and gently fold this flour mixture into the yolk mixture and hand mix for one minute until well blended.
6. Incorporate a small portion of the beaten egg whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites gently to avoid deflating the batter. This batter should be fluffy but not overly thick since the cake will be rolled. Its ok to pop some of the air bubbles but not all of the air bubbles, so don’t over due it. You want it pourable and airy — slightly thicker than pancake batter — but not stiff or foamy.
7. Line a Jelly Roll pan with parchment paper and grease heavily.
8. Pour batter evenly onto prepared pan and spread with an offset spatula without overworking it. Once batter is in pan, run finger/thumb around the edge of the pan to keep the batter from sticking to it.
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched with a finger (avoid overbaking) or it begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.
10. Loosen edges with offset spatula and move cake to cooling rack. Leave the parchment paper underneath.
11. Let cool completely. Can take 20-30 minutes.[KR1] 
    *NOTE: The sponge needs to be rolled just right, too warm and it tears, too cool and it cracks. So timing and confidence of rolling is important.

Mascarpone Filling:

1. Chill the bowl of your stand mixer with ice for 5-10 minutes or until bottom of bowl is cold to the touch.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the mascarpone, cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt.
3. Whip on high until soft peaks form (i.e., when you lift the whisk out and hold it upside down, a peak of cream flops over itself), 1-2 minutes.

Buttercream:
Red & White Buttercream for Mushrooms:

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine your shortening and unsalted butter. Mix until smooth consistency, about 2 mins.
2. Add powdered sugar, meringue powder, vanilla extract, heavy cream, and salt. Start mixing on a low setting in short spurts to incorporate and avoid powder flying everywhere. Then increase speed and beat for another 2-4 minutes.
3. As frosting is mixing in bowl, set out two piping bags, each with a round and open piping tip, like Wilton tips 8 and 10.
4. Once frosting is mixed, remove half of (it will be white) to set aside in another bowl for mushrooms.
5. In the mixing bowl with your remaining buttercream, add a few drops of red food gel to color the rest of the frosting. Mix until desired consistency, roughly 1-2 more minutes.
6. Set aside bowls of red and white frosting.
   
   1. No need to wash the bowl that had red frosting, as it’ll be the one used for cocoa buttercream.
7. Take a rubber spatula to each bowl to smooth frosting and pop air bubbles. Spend 3-4 minutes doing these motions to achieve nice, smooth frosting.
8. As you finish smoothing each bowl of frosting, add it into the piping bags, fitted with round open tips.
9. On a piece of wax paper on a baking sheet or tray, pipe white mushroom stems and red mushroom caps of various sizes.
   
   1. Leave some frosting behind in bags to use as “glue” later to connect pieces.
10. Once piped, add white sprinkles onto red mushroom tops.
11. Freeze the tray of mushrooms as you proceed with the main, chocolate frosting recipe.

Mushroom Assembly Instructions (Only bring out mushrooms right before preparing final board for display, so in last 10-15 minutes**.):

1. Cut top of mushroom stem to make it flat, add some buttercream from the remaining bags to glue the cap on top to form several mushrooms.
2. Gently peel red caps from wax paper to apply to the tops of the mushroom stems.

Chocolate Buttercream:

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer where your red frosting was, combine unsalted butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Start mixing on a low setting in short spurts to incorporate and avoid powder flying everywhere. Then increase speed and beat for another 5 minutes.
2. Taste test. Thin it out as needed with another tablespoon or two of heavy cream.
3. Once happy with flavor and consistency, use a rubber spatula to smooth frosting. From the middle of bowl to its edges, watch as the tears and bubbles disappear. Spend 3-4 minutes doing these motions to achieve nice, smooth frosting.
4. Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a textured piping tip (like Wilton tip 1M).
5. Use piping bag to apply chocolate frosting to log once log is cooled, rolled, and ready.

Chocolate Bark (for decoration):

1. Add about 1 inch of water to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer.
2. Lay out a large piece of parchment paper on a flat surface, large enough to spread your chocolate bark.
3. Place 2/3 of the chopped chocolate into a medium stainless steel or heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over the saucepan, ensuring it doesn’t touch the water (double boiler method).
4. Heat gently on medium low, stirring constantly, until the chocolate reaches 113–120°F (45–49°C).Do not exceed 120°F, as this can damage the chocolate.
5. Remove the bowl from heat and place it on a towel to stabilize.
6. Immediately stir in the remaining 1/3 of finely chopped chocolate (“seed” chocolate).
7. Continue stirring until the chocolate cools to 82°F (28°C). The seed chocolate helps form stable crystals for proper tempering.
8. Gently rewarm the chocolate by briefly placing it back over the warm water until it reaches 88–90°F (31–32°C).Do not exceed 90°F, or you'll need to temper again. You are now ready to use.
9. Optional: Spread a small amount on parchment paper. If it sets within 5–10 minutes with a shiny finish and a clean snap, it’s properly tempered.
10. Spread the tempered chocolate in a thin, even layer on the parchment, longer than your Yule log cake, using an offset spatula.
11. Use a fork or notched spatula to drag horizontal streaks across the surface for a bark-like texture.
12. Sprinkle 2 tbsp roasted pistachios and a pinch of salt over the surface while the chocolate is still wet.
13. Gently roll or curve the parchment paper to create a curled bark effect.
14. Allow the chocolate to set at a cool room temperature, or refrigerate briefly until firm.
15. Unroll the parchment and break the chocolate into jagged shards of various lengths and widths.

Roulade Assembly and Decoration:

1. Cover the entire surface of the cake with mascarpone filling. Don’t overfill the end.
2. Sprinkle roasted crushed pistachios (around 70g).
3. Using the parchment paper as an aid, roll the cake on the long side, especially tight on the first 1 - 2 rolls. Roll cake with parchment, then pull up parchment, then roll again.
4. Refrigerate the cake as time allows.
5. Cut the ends for a clean edge. Cut a small section and assemble as a branch to the log.
6. Lightly pipe and smooth the outside and ends of the cake with the dark chocolate buttercream.
7. Create texture on the ends for the tree rings.
8. Layer chocolate bark on the edges.
9. Mix remaining crushed pistachios with matcha powder to add moss. Can mix in the excess cut ends for spongy look.
10. Remove mushrooms from freezer to assemble them before adding them to yule log display.
11. Add powdered rosemary tucked near log and under mushrooms
12. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top for snow effect.