Holiday Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 × 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cake mix, 1 cup of the champagne, oil, and eggs at medium speed until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in the baking pan.

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, crumble in the cooled cake along with the whipped white cake frosting and remaining ¼ cup Champagne. Beat on medium speed until the cake starts to come together.

Roll the mixture into 2-tablespoon-size balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or in the freezer for about 20 minutes to harden.

To coat the cake balls, melt the candy coating in a shallow microwave-safe bowl according to the package directions, usually 90 seconds to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Be sure not to over melt as it will burn and become too thick to stir and coat evenly. Cover another baking sheet with parchment paper.

Remove the cake balls from the refrigerator. Using a fork, gently roll a cake ball in the melted candy coating, remove, and let the excess coating drip off the fork before placing the ball on the prepared baking sheet. Immediately, while the coating is still melted, insert a paper straw, cut side down, into the top center about halfway into the cake ball. Sprinkle the coated ball with some gold shimmer sugar. Repeat with the remaining cake balls.

Allow the cake balls to set completely, and then break off any excess coating around the bottoms. Store the cake balls in a cool, dry place, covered in plastic wrap or in a sealed container.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line a 9 × 9-inch baking dish with parchment paper and coat it with a thin film of cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine the blackberries, sugar, and cornstarch. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl and using a handheld electric mixer, beat the flour, oats, brown sugar, pecans, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg until combined. Add the butter and beat on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Spread half the oat mixture evenly across the prepared baking dish. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the dish. Spread the blackberry mixture evenly over the oats. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the blackberries, but do not press down. Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden brown. Let cool completely, then slice into sixteen squares.

For the brownies, line a greased 9-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing excess paper to hang over the sides. Grease the paper. Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions adding egg(s) and substituting milk for water and melted butter for oil. Stir in cinnamon and chili powder. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake according to package directions. Cool completely on a wire rack.

For the spiced pecans, reduce oven to 300°F. Line a 15 x 10-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Grease foil. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat and add the cinnamon and chili powder. Remove from the heat and stir in pecans and sugar. Spread the pecans onto the prepared pan and bake for 15–20 minutes or until nuts are toasted, stirring once. Cool completely on a wire rack.

For the frosting, cream the butter, mascarpone, and 2 cups confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add remaining confectioners’ sugar, beating each addition until combined. Beat in milk and vanilla. Frost brownies. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For the ganache, place the chocolate in a bowl. Bring the cream just to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Pour the cream over the chocolate. Let stand for 3 minutes. Stir until chocolate mixture is smooth. Stir in chili powder, and cool slightly. Spread the ganache over the frosting. Sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until set.

Add the oats and cashews to a food processor or blender and blend until you have a fine meal. Add the agave syrup, vanilla, salt, and 1 tablespoon water and blend again briefly.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Combine with 2 tablespoons of the desiccated coconut and shape into small balls. Roll the balls in the remaining coconut.

Stored in a tin or jar in the refrigerator, the snow bites will keep for about a week.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch, round cake pans.

Combine flour, soda, salt and cocoa. Set aside. Separate eggs into two medium-size mixing bowls. Add the mashed potatoes and 1/2 cup of the sugar to the yolks. Beat at high speed 2–3 minutes or until light. Add vanilla, water and almond extract. Beat just until combined.

With clean beater, beat egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating until they hold stiff peaks. Gently fold into the yolk mixture. Then fold in the flour mixture.

Divide batter equally in the prepared pans. Bake for about 15 minutes or until firm when lightly touched. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans on a cooling rack. Then remove the cakes from the pans and cool completely.

Prepare filling by combining the cream, powdered sugar, and almond extract. Whip. Fold in cherry filling. Spread the mixture over one cake layer. Top with the remaining cake layer. Chill while preparing the glaze.

To prepare glaze, combine butter, chocolate and water in a small, heavy saucepan. Heat over low heat until the chocolate melts, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Spoon glaze over the top of the cake, allowing some to run down the sides. Chill. Before serving, garnish with additional whipped cream and cherries, if desired.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until creamy, about 3 minutes, with a hand whisk or a hand mixer. Add the egg and vanilla and continue to beat for another 3 minutes. Sift the flour, matcha powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into the mixture and gently fold in with a spatula. Coarsely chop the chocolate and fold it into the cookie dough.

Place small heaps of the dough (about 2 tablespoons each) onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Leave them as mounds; don’t flatten them. Bake for 7–10 minutes until the edges start to brown.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the tray for a few minutes, as the cookies will still be very soft just after baking. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

Stored in a cookie tin or a jar in a cool, dry place, the cookies will keep for 2–3 months.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Using an electric mixer, beat together the softened butter and granulated sugar until thoroughly combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating between each until mixed. Add the vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and 1/8 of the chilled coffee to the liquid mixture, mixing well. Continue alternating the flour and the coffee, until everything is mixed well. Taste the batter and add more coffee, depending on how strong you would like your cupcakes to taste.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full of the batter. Place them in the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove and let cool.

For the Frosting: Cream the softened butter for 3 to 5 minutes until it is light and fluffy. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, mixing well between additions. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the salted caramel and thoroughly blend. The frosting should be thick, but light and airy. Place the frosting in a piping bag, and pipe frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Place the remaining salted caramel sauce in a piping bag with a small circle tip, and drizzle slowly over the frosting. Top each with a chocolate-covered espresso bean.