With Christmas right around the corner, you might be going through our Instagram feed thinking about what you’ll make for Christmas dinner. From appetizers to the main dishes, there’s a lot to think about. And let’s not get started on Christmas desserts, like cakes and pies. Whether you’re cooking for your neighbours or a few family friends, we’ve got a list of easy Christmas dinner ideas that are sure to have everyone asking for second helpings.
Make your favourite Christmas cocktail and start bookmarking your favorites now.
Hot Chocolate Recipe by Chefs Devika Kumari and Rithvik Anantharaman, Chef Owners, Project Sweet Dish
Ingredients
Dark Chocolate (if you like sweeter hot chocolate use 50-60%, if you like your chocolate more bitter use anything above 61%) – 50 grams
Milk Chocolate (40-45%)- 15 grams
Full Cream Milk- 180 grams
Fresh Cream-20 grams
Salt – 1 gram
Vanilla Pod – ½ each
Castor Sugar (Optional) – 20 grams
Method
Scrape the vanilla pod into the milk and cream and boil it with the pod
Once the flavour is infused, strain the milk, and reconstitute the milk with the remaining amount that got lost while boiling
Chop the dark chocolate and milk chocolate and add it to the milk while continuously whisking
As soon as the chocolate is added, add the salt, and continue cooking the mixture for a minute on low-medium heat intensity. (Note: The longer you keep cooking and whisking the thicker and creamier the hot chocolate will become)
Once the mixture coats the back of a spoon, you will have the ideal consistency for a creamy hot chocolate
Serve hot!
Also Read: Christmas 2022: The Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide For Everyone On Your List
Angel’s Almond Cake by Chef & Tea Connoisseur Pallavi Nigam Sahay
Ingredients
Ground almonds (or almond meal) – 65 gm
All-purpose flour (maida) – 150 gm
Baking powder – 1½ tsp
Vanilla extract – 2 tsp
Full-fat milk – ½ cup
Large eggs – 3
Caster sugar – 120 gms
Unsalted butter, melted and cooled – 75 gms
For the topping
Unsalted butter – 100 gm
Almonds, flaked – 150 gm
Brown sugar – 75 gm
Full-fat milk – 50 ml
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease and line a 23-cm round baking tin with baking parchment.
To make the sponge, in a large bowl, place the eggs and sugar and whisk them till they are fluffy. Whisk in the milk, vanilla extract and melted butter. Sift in the flour and baking powder. Fold in the almonds. As soon as the batter is smooth, transfer it to the cake tin and bake at 180 degrees celsius for 30–35 minutes.
Ten minutes before taking the cake out of the oven, start preparing the topping. Place the butter in a saucepan over a medium flame. After it has melted, add the brown sugar and milk, bring it to a boil and add the almonds. Let it bubble for 1 minute.
At the end of 35 minutes, take the cake out of the oven carefully. With the help of a spoon or a spatula, spread the caramel mixture evenly on top of the cake, put it back in the oven and bake for 10–15 minutes or till the topping is golden.
Remove from the oven and leave it to cool for 15 minutes inside the tin. Run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake. Unmould it from the tin and let it cool for 30 minutes.
Slice with a sharp knife, serve and enjoy with tea.
Gingerbread recipe by Chef Dean Rodriguez., APCA (Academy of Pastry and Culinary)
Ingredients
Butter – 337 gms
Brown sugar – 250 gms
Baking soda – 5 gms
Salt – 3.5 gms
Ginger powder – 7.5 gms
Cinnamon powder – 2 gms
Clove powder – 1 gms
Eggs – 112 gms
Flour – 900 gms
Honey – 337 gms
Method
Cream the butter and sugar along together. Add the eggs and honey and mix a little longer.
Mix all the spice powders with the dry ingredients and add to the creamed mixture.
Rest the dough for at least 4 hours and roll to about 4mm thickness.
Cut into desired shapes and bake at 170 degrees C for about 15mins.
Mall Road Mulled Wine by Hyatt Regency, Dehradun
Ingredients
Large orange – 1
Lemons – 3
Cloves – 12
Cinnamon stick – 1
Star anise – 1
Satsumas or clementines – 2
2 x 750ml bottles red wine
Recipe
The smell of Mary Berry’s Mall road mulled wine recipe is enough to make the home feel Christmassy.
All Spice Fruit Cake
Ingredients
Unsalted butter, softened – 225 gms
Brown sugar – 275 gms
Large eggs – 5
Orange zest – 1 tsp
Almonds, ground – 75 gms
All-purpose flour (maida) – 275 gms
Allspice powder – 2 tsp
Cinnamon powder – 1 tsp
Raisins – 225 gms
Dried apricots, chopped – 225 gms
Dried cherries – 125 gms
Strong tea – 125 ml
Method
Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius. Lightly grease and line a 23-cm cake tin (with 6-cm sides) with baking parchment.
Soak the raisins, apricots and dried cherries in strong tea for at least two hours.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar till they are creamy. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Add the orange zest, ground almonds. Sift in the flour, allspice powder and cinnamon powder and fold in gently. Fold in the soaked dried fruit along with the tea.
Tip the batter into cake tin and bake for 150 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let it cool inside the tin for 10 minutes, then take it out and let it cool completely.
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