With Christmas time rolling around, what better way to have fun during the holidays than with food? We’ve listed some simple Christmas-themed recipes that you can try to make and share with your family this Christmas break.
Recipe 1: Hot Chocolate Bombs
This first recipe has been trending all over social media these days: the Hot Chocolate Bomb. These chocolate bombs do not just make a perfect cup of hot chocolate, but are a perfect gift this holiday season too! Simply drop the chocolate sphere into a warm glass of milk, and watch it unfold into everything you want and more in a holiday drink.
To make this treat, you will need:
- A chocolate sphere mold (preferably 2.5 inches in size)
- Milk chocolate
- Marshmallows
- Hot chocolate
- White chocolate to decorate (but you can really top it off with anything your heart and tummy desires!)
Steps:
Begin by melting the milk chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl for 15 seconds, and repeat until the chocolate is all melted and smooth.
(Blanner, 2020)
Pour about a tablespoon of melted chocolate onto your spherical molds and evenly distribute it around the mold using the back of a spoon.
(Blanner, 2020)
Add the filled mold into the freezer for 7 minutes for the chocolate to harden. After 7 minutes, slowly remove the hardened spheres and place them onto a baking sheet.
(Blanner, 2020)
Into half of the chocolate spheres, add a tablespoon of hot chocolate mix and 2 tablespoons of marshmallows (You can definitely add more, just be sure that the sphere does not overflow!)
(Blanner, 2020)
Add a microwave-safe plate into a microwave and heat it just until the plate is warm to touch. Take the other half of the chocolate spheres that are unfilled and melt the edges using the warm plate. Seal the sphere with the melted edges to the other half to create the chocolate bomb.
(Blanner, 2020)
Finally, the final step is to decorate! This step is optional but highly recommended to add that personal touch. You can decorate with melted white chocolate, sprinkles, cookie crumbs, or anything you like.
(Blanner, 2020)
…and your Hot Chocolate Bombs are finished! Simply drop it in warm milk and watch as the bomb melts into a perfect hot chocolate drink. The last and final step is to enjoy!
Recipe and pictures from: https://julieblanner.com/hot-chocolate-bombs/
Recipe 2: Christmas (Cinnamon Sugar) Cookies
This next recipe makes Cinnamon Sugar Cookies, perfect to pair with your Hot Chocolate Bombs or to eat on its own! This recipe is a break from the usual chocolate chip cookie and provides much more room to decorate and stylize for the holiday season.
Steps:
In a bowl, combine 1 cup of softened butter, 1 cup of vegetable oils, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. Mix until smooth. Add 2 eggs and mix.
(Anna, 2018)
In the same bowl, add 4 ½ cups of flour, ½ teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar, and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Give it one more mix, and plop it into the fridge for 1 hour.
(Anna, 2018)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Celsius.
(Olsen, 2018)
After 1 hour, roll the dough into circles or cut it into any shape of choice and place onto a baking sheet. Bake the dough for 8-10 minutes.
(Cinnamon-Sugar Cut-Out Cookies, 2014)
Let the cookies cool and decorate with any icing or toppings of your choice!
(Cinnamon-Sugar Cut-Out Cookies, 2014)
Just like the last recipe, the final step is to enjoy your fresh batch of warm Cinnamon Sugar Cookies! You can even leave them for Santa to eat on the night of the 24th. Who knows? Maybe they will all be gone by morning!
Recipe from: https://julieblanner.com/cinnamon-sugar-cookies/
Recipe 3: Gingerbread Cookies
Now, this last one is a classic that you must try: the notorious Gingerbread Cookies recipe!
In a mixing bowl, beat your butter (2/3 cup, room temperature) for 1 minute until smooth and creamy.
Add 3/4 cup of brown sugar and 2/3 cup of molasses and beat on medium-high speed until it’s all mixed and creamy-looking. Then, beat in 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract on high speed for 2 minutes.
Set that aside and in a separate bowl, combine together 3 and 1/2 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon allspice, and ½ teaspoon of cloves together.
Change the speed to low and slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined.
The cookie dough will be thick and somewhat sticky. Divide the dough in half and place each onto a large piece of plastic wrap, wrapped tightly, and pat down, creating a disc shape. Chill the discs for 3 hours (or preferably overnight).
Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Flour a surface, as well as your hands and the rolling pin. Remove the cookie discs from the refrigerator. Roll out disc until ¼ inch thick and use shape cutters to shape them into little gingerbread men! Place the cookies on the baking sheets and bake for about 9-10 minutes!
You may add sugar icing to spice things up a bit and decorate the cookies. Alas, let these delicious treats cool down a bit before you eat and forget to share them with the family!
Recipe and pictures from: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/best-gingerbread-cookies/
Enjoy! Don’t forget to share the treats with your family and leave some food for Santa!
Happy Holidays!
Article by Lea F. (Grade 10); Feature image by Renoa K. (Grade 10)
The views expressed in this article represent the personal views of the author and should not be taken to represent the views of Dragon’s Print and Cebu International School.
References:
Anna. (2018, October 5). The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe. Crunchy Creamy Sweet. https://www.crunchycreamysweet.com/the-best-chewy-snickerdoodles/
Blanner, J. (2020, October 29). How to Make Hot Chocolate Bombs (with Video) | Julie Blanner. Julie Blanner. https://julieblanner.com/hot-chocolate-bombs/
Cinnamon-Sugar Cut-Out Cookies. (2014, December). Bake at 350°. https://www.bakeat350.net/2014/12/cinnamon-sugar-cut-out-cookies.html
My Favorite Gingerbread Cookies | Sally’s Baking Addiction. (2015, December). Sally’s Baking Addiction. https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/best-gingerbread-cookies/
Olsen, C. (2018, July 24). You’re preheating your oven wrong. Reviewed Ovens & Ranges; Reviewed.com. https://www.reviewed.com/ovens/features/youre-preheating-your-oven-wrong
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