Chocolate Truffles, Mini Butter Tarts with Cranberries and Walnuts, Shortbread with Crystallized Ginger

"Loving the holiday sweets!"

Hello followers!
Well, the countdown to Christmas is on and it's time to get swept up in that festive mood and get down to some delicious holiday baking! Cookies, squares, bars and cakes are just some of those good old holiday treats that get made but once a year. I must admit that I am not too keen on sweets, but during this time of year, I treat myself. Come on, how could anyone pass up piece of Grandma's shortbread? Or Mum's fruit cake topped with marzipan and royal icing? Here are some of my sweet Christmas recipes that I have developed over the last couple of years and I even came up with a new one for you all. Everyone likes chocolate truffles, right?! Ha! Once a year, everyone! Once a year!

Chocolate Truffles
(makes about 48)

300gr dark chocolate, about 70% cocoa solids, broken into small pieces
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 cup 35% whipping cream
1/2 cup cocoa powder

Put the cocoa powder into a medium sized bowl, set aside. Combine the chocolate and butter pieces into a medium sized bowl. Pour the cream into a small saucepan and heat on high until it begins to boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and butter, allow to rest for about a minute. Stir the mixture until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Turn the chocolate mixture out into a shallow dish and place into the fridge until it is firm, about an hour. Using a melon baller or measuring spoon, scoop out heaping  teaspoons of chocolate. Working fast, quickly shape them into a ball, drop into a bowl of the cocoa and toss around with a spoon until fully coated. Refrigerate until serving. Make up to 3 weeks ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Variations:

Amaretto and Dark Chocolate Truffles
Stir 1/4 cup amaretto liquor into the chocolate mixture. Chill and shape as above, but coat in 1 cup chopped almonds instead of the cocoa.

Orange and Dark Chocolate Truffles
Stir 2 tbsp orange zest into the chocolate mixture. Chill and shape as above, but coat in 1/2 cup white sugar combined with 1 tbsp orange zest instead of the cocoa.

Sea Salt and Dark Chocolate Truffles
Stir 1/2 sea salt into the chocolate mixture. Chill and shape as above, but coat in 100gr grated dark chocolate instead of the cocoa powder. Sprinkle with a little extra sea salt to garnish.

Chili and Dark Chocolate Truffles
Stir 1/4 tsp Mexican chili powder into the chocolate mixture. Chill, shape and coat in cocoa powder as above. Sprinkle with a little extra chili powder to garnish.

The sauce can be made a few days ahead, refrigerated and simply heated up in a small saucepan or easily in the microwave.

Sticky Date Cake with Toffee Sauce
(makes 16 pieces)

1 ¼ cup dates, pitted
1 ¼ cup water
½ tsp baking soda
½ cup butter
¾ cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

Toffee Sauce

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup 35% cream
½ cup butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 20cm x20cm baking tin (8 inch x 8 inch).

Place the dates in a medium sauce pan with the water and bring to a boil. Simmer for a few 2 to 3 minutes to soften the dates, remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda. Set aside to cool, then transfer to a food processor and process until smooth. Cream the butter and sugar with and electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in one egg at a time until fully incorporated (remember to scrape down the sides). Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt and the dates. Pour the batter into the greased tin and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer that is pushed into the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Meanwhile, make the caramel sauce by placing all of the sauce ingredients into a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and stir until the sauce has come together and is slightly thickened. Serve the cake warmed  or at room temperature with the warm caramel sauce.

I decided to add ginger to my Grandma's shortbread recipe. Yum! They keep up to a week in an airtight container at room temperature.

 

Shortbread with Crystallized Ginger
(makes one clay mold, plus a dozen cookies or about 4 dozen cookies)

1 cup + 2 tbsp butter
3/4 cup icing sugar
2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp ground ginger
pinch of salt

Preheat  oven to 325 degrees.

With an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in the rest of the ingredients and knead lightly until it comes together (the dough is a bit crumbly, but the butter will soften with the heat from your hands). Dust your clay mold with some icing sugar, then press the dough into the mold and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes until it is evenly browned. Allow to cool for 10 mins, turn upside down onto a cutting board and tap the mold to release the shortbread. Cut into wedges while it's still warm.

Or, divide the dough into 4 pieces. Place each on a large piece of waxed paper and roll into a log with your hands until about 5 cm thick. Wrap the log in the wax paper and place in the freezer for an hour. Remove from the freezer, sit for 5 mins, cut into slices 1cm thick, place on an ungreased tray and bake for 20 to 25 mins until lightly browned.

The quintessential Canadian sweet!

Make your butter tarts a day ahead and keep in an airtight container at room temperature. Also, if you are a cranberry lover, replace the dried cranberries with fresh.

Mini Butter Tarts with Cranberries and Walnuts

(makes 24 mini tarts)

350 gr pastry, homemade or store bought
3 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp cider vinegar
pinch of salt
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 400.
Roll out pastry to 1/2 cm thick and cut out appropriate sized rounds, place them into lightly greased tart tins and refrigerate until the filling is done. In a bowl, vigorously whisk together the butter, brown sugar, egg and pinch of salt until the sugar is dissolved. Bring the tart tins out from the fridge, place several pieces of the walnuts and the cranberries into each shell. Pour the filling in until is it 3/4 full. Bake in the oven for about 10 to 12 mins until the pastry is browned and the filling is bubbling. Allow the tarts to cool in the tins before gently removing them.