Christmas Cranberry Pound Cake

You’ll love to make this Christmas White Chocolate Cranberry Pound Cake and you can use fresh or frozen Cranberries. It’s sure to be a hit with all your guests and will make a gorgeous homemade gift too.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

• 187 grams cake flour-sifted (it’s about 1 ½ cups plus 3 Tablespoons flour but you better measure it on kitchen scale because the cake could be dense or dry if you overdo it with the flour )
• ½ teaspoons baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1cup cranberries (fresh or thawed)
• 5 oz. white chocolate chunk
• ½ cup unsalted butter ( room temperature)
• 300 grams sugar ( 1½ cups)
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup mascarpone cheese
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons browned butter

For Frosting:

• ¼ cup butter(softened)
• 4 oz.cream cheese
• 1½ cup powdered sugar (or more to make it thick enough to spread on top of the cake)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Garnish:

• handful dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ½ cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the convection air oven to 325 F (if you don’t have convection air oven raise the temperature to 350 F and you will have to rotate the pan half way through the baking time)
2. Butter and flour 8.5x4.5x3 inches loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
3. Combine cake flour, baking powder and salt and sift it three times, set aside.
4. In a small sauce pan over medium heat brown 2.5 tablespoon butter until it’s nice amber color, remove the foam and set aside to cool.
5. Whisk the egg with vanilla extract and set aside.
6. Mix the butter on medium speed until it’s creamy, slowly add sugar and continue beating until it’s creamy.
7. Add heavy cream and mascarpone, and beat on medium speed.
8. Turn mixer on low speed and gradually add dry ingredients alternately with eggs.
9. Add handful flour in chocolate chunks and toss them to cover evenly. Toss cranberries with a handful flour to cover them completely.
10. Add chocolate chunks in the batter and stir well, then gently stir in cranberries
11. Pour the batter into prepared loaf pan, smooth the top and gently tap the pan on working surface to remove the air bubbles.
12. With a butter knife draw a line down the center of the pound cake and pour browned butter into the line.
13. Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean (about 55 to 65 minutes). Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool on the rack.
14. When the cake is completely cooled prepare the glaze.
15. With a mixer, cream together softened butter and cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add in powdered sugar and beat until smooth, mix in vanilla extract. Spread on top of the cake.Place the cake in the fridge until the frosting is set.
16. When the frosting is set melt ½ cup white chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a small sauce pan over low heat until it’s smooth( cool if it’s too thin)
17. Sprinkle the cake with dried cranberries and drizzle with chocolate. (You can drizzle the chocolate with a spoon or transfer it into small zip-lock bag, cut off the corner and pipe the chocolate over the cake).

Click Here to view their website and see other delicious recipes.

Source:  omgchocolatedesserts.com

3D Christmas Tree Cookies

Your friends and family will be amazed by this 3D Gingerbread Cookies Christmas Tree! It’s made from layers of Gingerbread Cookies, Gum Drops and Candy.


Ingredients:

Wilton's 3-D Cake Kit from Michal's

Directions:

	Prepare and roll out dough following recipe directions. Use cutters from set to cut two shapes of each cutter size. Bake and cool cookies.
	Prepare *royal icing following mix package directions. Tint a large portion green; reserve some white. Cut approximately ¼ in. off tops of spice drops. Cut ½ in. off rounded top of large gum drop. Place cut sides down on parchment paper-covered cookie sheet. *Royal icing takes at least 8 hours to set, so you will want to start your project at least one day in advance of serving.
	Use tip 16, a cut disposable decorating bag and white icing to pipe swirl on top of candy. Let set, about 45 to 60 minutes.
	Use round tip from set, a cut disposable decorating bag and green icing to assemble tree on foil-wrapped cake circle according to kit instructions.
	Use round tip from set, a cut disposable decorating bag and green icing to pipe zigzags on each cookie tip, working with one whole side of tree at a time.
	Immediately attach confetti sprinkles, icing decorations, mini jawbreakers and small cupcake decorations.
Repeat decorating all sides of the tree. Use icing to attach large gum drop to top of tree. Let set overnight.

Gingerbread House Preservation Tips:

• Let your gingerbread house dry in a warm room for 24 hours.
• Place the dry house in a well-ventilated room and spray well with varnish.
• Warning: A brush might knock off candy.
• Make sure to cover the house completely with varnish – inside door frames and windows included. Spray the inside first, and then circle the outside.

You can use these tips to preserve your gingerbread Christmas tree, gingerbread houses and cookies. You can cut holes in gingerbread cookies and loop ribbon through to make homemade Christmas ornaments. What a lovely memory to hang on the tree year after year!

Click Here to check out the tutorial of  this recipe and to view their website for other great recipes.

Source:  michaels.com

Pecan Cranberry Tart

This tart has all the goodness of pecan pie with a sweet-tart hit from the cranberries. It's served with Sweet Buttermilk Ice Cream; buttermilk adds tang to ice cream giving it a frozen yogurt-like taste.

Ingredients:

• 1 Recipe Tart Shells, recipe below
• 3 egg whites
• 2 whole eggs
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 cup light-colored corn syrup
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise or 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups pecans halves, toasted
• 1 cup cranberries

Tart Shells:

• 2/3 cup softened butter
• 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 3 cups all-purpose flour

   

  Directions:

   

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare Tart Shells. In medium bowl beat egg whites and whole eggs until combined; set aside.

  2. In small saucepan combine butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; add to pan with bean. Bring just to boiling over medium heat. Gradually whisk into egg mixture. With slotted spoon remove and discard vanilla bean.

  3. Arrange pecan halves and cranberries in cooled tart shells. Pour syrup mixture over.

  4. Place tarts on large baking sheet. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until filling is set. Makes 2 tarts (10 servings each).

   

  Tart Shells:

   

  1. In mixing bowl beat butter with electric mixer on medium-high until light. Add powdered sugar and kosher salt; beat 1 minute. Beat in eggs and egg yolks; beat 1 minute more. Gradually beat in flour. Divide dough in half. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate 1 hour. On lightly floured surface, roll each half to 16x6-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer to two 14x5-inch rectangular tart pans with removable bottoms. Trim edges. Chill 1 hour. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake 10 minutes or until edges begin to brown; cool.

  Make Ahead Tip:

  • Bake tart shells 1 day ahead. Wrap; store at room temperature.
    

   

  Source: recipes.com 

Chocolate Chunk And Caramel Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup light-color corn syrup
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups pecan halves
• Pastry for a Single-Crust Pie
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 6 ounces dark, bittersweet, or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• Whipped cream (optional)

Pastry for Single Crust Pie:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup butter, cut up, or shortening
• 1/4- 1/3 cup ice water

Directions:

1.For caramel sauce, in a medium heavy saucepan, heat butter over low heat until melted, stirring frequently. Stir in corn syrup, granulated sugar, brown sugar, the water, and salt. Bring to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes or until reduced to 1 3/4 cups, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Carefully whisk in cream and vanilla. Cool for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread pecans in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring once. Remove from oven.

3. Prepare Pastry for a Single-Crust Pie. On a lightly floured surface, slightly flatten dough. Roll dough from center to edge into a 12-inch circle. Wrap pastry circle around rolling pin; unroll into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate without stretching it. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry even with edge of plate. Crimp edge as desired.

4. For filling, transfer 1-1/4 cups of the caramel sauce to a large bowl. Stir in eggs until combined. Stir in pecans and chocolate. Pour filling into pastry shell. Cover edge of pie with foil to prevent over browning. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake about 20 minutes more or until filling sets. Cool on a wire rack.

5. To serve, reheat the remaining caramel sauce over low heat. Spoon warm sauce over pie. If desired, serve with whipped cream. Makes 8 servings.

Pastry for Single Crust Pie:
 

1. In a medium bowl stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening and butter until pieces are pea-size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon ice water over part of the flour mixture; toss gently with a fork. Push moistened dough to side of bowl. Repeat with additional ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all of the flour mixture is moistened. Gather mixture into a ball, kneading gently until it holds together.

Tip:

• Test Kitchen Tip:

  If you have any leftover caramel sauce, transfer to an airtight container, cover, and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To serve, heat over low heat until warm. Serve over ice cream or desserts.

Source: recipes.com

Coconut-ChocolCoconut-Chocolate Pecan Pie

 

Ingredients:

• Pastry for Single-Crust Pie (recipe follows)
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup light-colored corn syrup
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1 cup pecan or walnut pieces
• Whipped cream (optional)
• Toasted flaked coconut (optional)

Pastry for Single-Crust Pie:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 4 - 5 tablespoons cold water

Directions:

1. Prepare Pastry for Single-Crust Pie. To transfer pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin. Unroll pastry into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate without stretching. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edge. (Do not prick.) Set aside.

2. For filling: In a medium bowl, combine eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt.

3. In pastry shell, layer semisweet chocolate pieces, 1 cup coconut and pecan pieces. Pour egg mixture over all, spreading evenly. To prevent over browning, cover edge of pastry shell with foil.

4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake for 20 to 25 minutes more or till set. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and store in refrigerator within 2 hours. If you like, serve with whipped cream and sprinkle with toasted coconut. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Pastry for Single-Crust Pie:
 

1. In a bowl stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are pea-size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water at a time over the flour mixture, tossing with a fork until all of the dough is moistened. Form dough into a ball.

Source: recipe.com

Lemon-Cranberry Cake

Layers of cake, frosting, and fresh cranberry sauce make this a fantastic holiday dessert. But keep a package of fresh cranberries in the freezer so you can make this treat any time of the year.

Ingredients:

• Cake:
• 3   cups all-purpose flour
• 1   tablespoon baking powder
• 1   cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2   cups sugar
• 4   large eggs
• 3/4  cup milk
• 1/2  cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
• 1   teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1   tablespoon grated lemon rind
•  

  Filling:
• 1   bag (12 ounces) whole cranberries
• 1   cup sugar
• 1   tablespoon fresh lemon juice
•  

  Icing:
• 2   large egg whites
• 1 1/2  cups sugar
• 1/8  teaspoon salt
• 1/2  cup water
• 1   tablespoon corn syrup
• 1/2  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2  teaspoon lemon extract
•  

  Sugared cranberries (see Note)
•  

  Thinly sliced lemon, for garnish

   

  Directions:

   

  Cake:

  
  

  1.Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 9-inch-round cake pans.

  2.In a medium-size bowl, stir together flour and baking powder.

  3.In large bowl, beat butter until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar until fluffy and light colored, 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time.

  4.In a measuring cup, whisk together milk, lemon juice and vanilla.

  5.On low speed, alternately beat flour mixture and milk mixture into butter mixture, ending with flour. Stir in lemon rind. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans.

  6.Bake in 350 degree F oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed, 25 minutes. Let cake layers cool in pans on rack 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack; remove pans. Let cool.

   

  Filling:

  
  

  1.In saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to simmering over medium-high heat; cook, stirring, until berries pop and mixture thickens slightly, 5 minutes. Scrape into sieve over bowl; press through sieve, discarding seeds and solids. You should have 1 cup filling. Let cool to room temperature.

   

  Icing:

  
  

  1.In heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine egg whites, sugar, salt, water and corn syrup. Beat on medium-high speed with a hand mixer over medium-low heat until icing is thick, pure white and fluffy (soft, shiny peaks), about 7 to 9 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add extracts; beat until very thick, 1 minute.

  2.Place one cake layer on serving plate. Top with half the filling, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Top with 3/4 cup icing. Repeat with second cake layer, remaining filling and 3/4 cup icing. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining icing over sides and top of cake. Garnish with sugared cranberries and lemon slices just before serving, if desired. Makes 16 servings.

   

  Source:  recipe.com

Red Velvet Elf Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1. 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2. 1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
3. 1 teaspoon baking soda
4. 1 teaspoon salt
5. 1 1/4 cups sugar
6. 1/2 cup butter, softened
7. 2 eggs
8. 1 bottle (1 oz) red food color
9. 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
10. 1 cup buttermilk
11. 1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting
12. 12 large orange fruit gumdrops
13. 6 rolls chewy fruit snack, any flavor (from 4.5-oz box)
14. 12 small green gumdrops, cut in half
15. 12 small red gumdrops, cut in half
16. 48 semisweet chocolate chips
17. 1 pouch (7 oz) red cookie icing

Directions:

1. 1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. In small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In large bowl, beat sugar, butter and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in food color and vanilla. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk just until blended. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
2. 2Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely. Set aside 1 tablespoon frosting; frost cupcakes with remaining frosting. Cut each orange gumdrop in half; shape into triangles. Place 2 pieces on each cupcake for ears. Cut each fruit snack into 4 triangles. Place 1 triangle on each cupcake for hat, folding pointed end over. With reserved frosting, attach 1 green gumdrop half to pointed end of hat. Use red gumdrops halves for nose and chocolate chips for eyes. Pipe red icing for mouth.

Source: BettyCrocker.com

Quick Crescent Pecan Pie Bars

Ingredients:

1. Crust:
2. 1      can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet
3. Filling:
4. 1/2   cup chopped pecans
5. 1/2   cup sugar
6. 1/2   cup corn syrup
7. 1      tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
8. 1/2   teaspoon vanilla
9. 1      egg, beaten

Directions:

1. 1 Heat oven to 350°F.
2. 2 If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate dough into 2 long rectangles. Place in ungreased 13x9-inch pan; press over bottom and 1/2 inch up sides to form crust. Firmly press perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut into 2 long rectangles. Place in ungreased 13x9-inch pan; press over bottom and 1/2 inch up sides to form crust.
3. 3 Bake 8 minutes. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix filling ingredients. Pour filling over partially baked crust.
4. 4 Bake 18 to 22 minutes longer or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store at room temperature.

Source: Pillsbury.com

Coconut Custard Pie

Ingredients:

1 (9 inch) Refrigerated unbaked pie crust
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg separated
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Separate one egg and keep yolk and white separate.

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and heavy cream. Heat until just starting to boil – be sure to watch it because it will go from barely simmering to heavy boiling rather quickly. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, combine the one egg yolk, the three whole eggs (beaten), sugar, salt and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.

Slowly add in the hot milk mixture continuing to beat continuously so that the egg mixture already in the bowl does not “cook”. Once the hot milk mixture is completely blended in, add in the coconut and mix well.

Place the unbaked pie crust on a cookie sheet lined with a parchment paper or foil. Brush the insides (bottom, sides and top) with the egg white to help prevent the crust from getting soggy. Carefully pour the custard mixture into the pie crust.

Bake for 35 minutes then carefully… carefully place strips of aluminum foil over the exposed crust to prevent it from getting too dark. Reduce the oven temp to 250 degrees and bake for about another 20 minutes or until the filling is just about set. It should not be liquid but definitely not solid. It should still jiggle a little.

Remove from oven and cool on rack. When pie is just about room temperature place in refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Note: I add 3 drops of yellow food coloring just after I add the coconut to the hot milk mixture to make it look even more delicious!

Source: Hoosier Mama Pie Company

Chocolate Silk Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

1 refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on package
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/8 teaspoon salt, if desired
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup hot milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup whipping (heavy) cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate curls, if desired 

Directions:

Prepare pie crust as directed on package for one-crust filled pie using 9-inch pie plate. Heat oven to 350°. Beat granulated sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt and eggs in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 1 minute. Stir in pecans. Pour into pie crust in pie plate. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until center of pie is puffed and golden brown. Cool 1 hour.

Source: bettycrocker.com

Pumpkin Roll

Ingredients:

3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt.

Filling:

8 ounces Cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons Butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

In large bowl, combine eggs and sugar, beating with an electric mixer until thick and light yellow in color. Add pumpkin and lemon juice, mixing until blended.

In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, spices and salt. Add to egg mixture, mixing well. Spread batter into greased and waxed-paper lined 10-by-15-inch jelly-roll pan.

Bake at 350 ° for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool for 15 minutes. Place cake on clean tea towel sprinkled liberally with powdered sugar. Cool 10 minutes longer. From 10- inch side, roll cake up in towel. Set aside.

While cake is cooling in towel, prepare filling. Beat together cream cheese and butter; stir in powdered sugar and vanilla and blend until smooth.

Unroll cake. Evenly spread filling over cake. Roll up cake (without the towel). Wrap in plastic wrap. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Slice before serving. Keep leftover slices refrigerated. This pumpkin roll freezes well, and makes about 10 servings.

 Source: Foodgasms