‘Tis the season to serve sensational Christmas food. If you’re hosting a large group for your Christmas party, you may like to serve a Christmas themed dessert buffet. Fill it with lots of bite-sized treats with our ideas below and match it to your Christmas décor theme to spread the holiday cheer.
Meringue Reindeer Cookies
You’ll Need:
- 4 egg whites at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup super fine granulated sugar or caster sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Brown food colouring
- Coloured mini chocolate candies in brown & red
- Black decorating gel
- Chocolate flavoured almond bark
Method:
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
- Add egg whites to a clean, dry mixer bowl. With whisk attachment, beat egg whites on low until frothy (approximately 30 seconds). Add vinegar and cornstarch and beat another minute until soft peaks form.
- Slowly pour in the sugar and vanilla and beat 4 – 5 minutes until stiff peaks form. Add in the food colouring and mix until incorporated.
- Transfer meringue to a decorating bag with a 2A tip.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper and pipe reindeer heads by dragging the tip to create an oval then mounding the bottom to create the nose.
- Add a candy coated chocolate to the tip of the “nose” and add dots for eyes with the black decorating gel.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper and pipe reindeer heads by dragging the tip to create an oval then mounding the bottom to create the nose.
- Add a candy coated chocolate to the tip of the “nose” and add dots for eyes with the black decorating gel. Melt almond bark and pipe antlers onto parchment paper and allow to harden completely.
- To attach the antlers to the head: Arrange two antlers on parchment paper then drop a dollop of the melted almond bark on the bottom of each antler. Gently place the reindeer head over the chocolate dollops and allow to harden.
- Peel the parchment paper from the reindeer and serve.
Recipe: I Heart Kitchen
Oreo Christmas Bauble Cookies
You’ll Need:
- 24 Oreo biscuits
- 200 g white chocolate
- Green food colouring (liquid)
- Red food colouring (liquid)
- Sprinkles
- Silver cachous
Method:
- Line a large baking sheet with baking paper, and unwrap the Oreo biscuits. Melt the chocolate either in a microwave, or in a heatproof bowl over simmering water.
- Place each Oreo into the chocolate, one by one, covering it completely and then fish it out with a fork, and shake off as much excess as you can. Continue until all the Oreos are covered.
- Divide the remaining chocolate between two bowls, and tint one green and the other red. Decorate the cookies to look like Christmas baubles – use the green to make a tree or wreath pattern, and decorate with sprinkles and cachous and the red for other accents.
- Place in the fridge to set for at least an hour, and serve.
Recipe: Kidspot
Snowman Macron Cake Pops
You’ll Need:
- Macaron biscuit
- 125g almond meal
- 150g pure icing sugar
- 100g egg whites (approx 3 eggs) aged 1-7 days
- 65g caster sugar
- Royal icing, or other decorations
- Peppermint infused white chocolate ganache
- 150g dark chocolate, chopped
- 75ml cream
- 1/4 tsp peppermint essence
Method:
Macaron biscuit
- Prepare baking trays with double sheets of baking paper. Trace 3cm circles onto one of the sheets of baking paper as a guide for piping your snowman bodies, leaving a few cm between each and enough room above for the heads; make sure the side with the ink/lead is facing down so it does not come into contact with your food.
- Process almond meal and icing sugar together in a food processor, then sift through a fine mesh sieve; sift mixture twice more, then set aside.
- Beat the egg whites until foamy; continue beating on low speed, adding caster sugar a tablespoon at a time. Increase to high speed and beat until mixture forms stiff peaks and is glossy. You should be able to hold the mixture above your head without it falling.
- Fold the almond meal mixture into the meringue a third at a time.
- Using your spoon or spatula, swipe the mixture against the side of the bowl, scoop the batter from the bottom and plop it upside down. This movement deflates the meringue. You need to repeat this process until your batter is sufficiently runny. To test, look for the following signs: Your batter will slowly slide back down the sides. If you scoop up a bit of batter with your spatula or spoon and let it drop back into the bowl, it will fall slowly, form a small mound on top of the rest of the batter slowly sink back into it. Another good way to test is by getting a teaspoon of batter and plopping it into a small plate. If the peak formed when it falls from the spoon sinks back into the batter within 15 seconds, it is done.
- Fill a piping bag with a 1cm round nozzle, and pipe rounds of macaron batter onto the circles you marked as a guide. Allow the batter the spread, then pipe the heads above the bodies. Once done, bang your trays against the counter to knock any air out of the batter. Set aside your macarons aside to dry at room temperature. This will take 45mins-1 hour. Macarons are sufficiently dried when the batter does not stick to your finger when touched.
- Preheat oven to 200°C or 230°C fan-forced.
- Place tray in the oven, reduce temperature to 140°C or 130°C fan-forced. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Here is where you need to experiment, as every oven is different and it will make a difference for macarons. Keep an eye on them and make sure your shells don’t char. Shells will be ready when they can be lifted from the baking paper without sticking. 25 minutes did it for me. temperature by about 10°C and baking for 10-15 minutes longer.
- Set aside to cool.
Chocolate Ganache
- Set aside the chocolate in a bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream and peppermint essence to the boil.
- Pour cream over chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is combined.
- Allow to cool to room temperature.
- Whip the mixture until light and fluffy (optional).
To assemble, spoon or pipe ganache onto half of the macaron shells. Sandwich with the remaining halves, then pipe on the snowman’s features. Macs are best after a day in the fridge but can be eaten immediately.
Recipe: Cake Crumbs
For more Christmas cooking inspiration, head to our Pinterest page!