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    • Divine Christmas in July Desserts

    Jul 14, 2020
    What is Christmas, or Christmas in July as the case may be, without indulging in some deliciously divine Christmas in July desserts? Impress your guests with this selection of festive sweet treats. There's something for everyone with some traditional and some not so much. No matter which you choose, you won't be sorry!

    Apple and Apricot Pie

    Give the much-loved apple pie a little twist with the addition of some apricots to the mix. It's just the thing to warm tummies on a cool winter's day and it'll be right at home on your Christmas in July menu. Prep: 0:30 Mins Cook: 0:45 Mins Serves: 6 INGREDIENTS: • 2 sheets shortcrust pastry • 800g can apple pie fruit • 1 cup dried apricots, chopped • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon • 2 tablespoons white sugar • 1 egg, lightly beaten • Icing sugar, to serve METHOD Step 1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 3cm deep, 20cm (base) pie dish. Line dish with 1 sheet of pastry, trimming edges. Place a sheet of baking paper over pastry. Half-fill with uncooked rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove baking paper and rice. Bake for a further 10 minutes or until pastry is light golden. Set aside to cool. Step 2 Combine apple, apricots, cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Spoon into pie case. Brush edges of pastry with water. Step 3 Cut 12×2cm-thick strips from remaining pastry. Arrange in a lattice pattern over pie. Brush with egg. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Step 4 Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Dust with icing sugar. Serve warm or cold. Source link: www.taste.com.au

    Baileys Cheesecake Ball

    This one is just for the adults, because sometimes we owe ourselves an extra special treat. 😉 It's got everything that the ultimate adult dessert should have - creaminess, chocolate, nuts, fruit and a sneaky dash of alcohol. And it's extra perfect because you can prepare in advance and leave in the fridge until you need it, so it ticks the box for being entertainers delight too. Just be careful to leave some for your guests! Prep: 3 Hrs 15 Mins Serves: 8 INGREDIENTS:
    • 500g cream cheese, at room temperature
    • 125g icing sugar
    • 125g dark chocolate, finely chopped
    • 80g white chocolate, melted, cooled
    • 125g honey roasted macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
    • 60ml Baileys Irish Cream liqueur
    • 125g mixed berries, to serve
    • Assorted biscuits, to serve
    METHOD Step 1 Use electric beaters to beat the cream cheese and icing sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the Baileys and melted white chocolate. Step 2 Form the cream cheese mixture into a ball in the bowl and place in the fridge for 2-3 hours or until firm. Step 3 Place the combined honey roasted macadamia nuts and dark chocolate on a large plate. Carefully scoop the cheesecake ball out of the bowl. Roll gently in the nut mixture until completely coated. Place in the fridge until required. Step 4 Serve with the berries and biscuits. Source link: www.taste.com.au

    Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

    The key to nailing a divine Christmas in July dessert is to have it colour co-ordinate with the event. Well, ok, that's not necessarily the main key, of course it also needs to taste good, but if it looks the part too then that's what we call a win-win! These Red Velvet Whoopie Pies will not disappoint. Prep: 2 Hrs 10 Mins Cook: 0:40 Mins Serves: 22 INGREDIENTS:
    • 125g butter, softened
    • 3/4 cup caster sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 eggs
    • 3 teaspoons red food colouring
    • 1 3/4 cups plain flour
    • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
    • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
    • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1/2 cup buttermilk
    CREAM CHEESE FILLING
    • 75g butter, softened
    • 1 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture, sifted
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 200g cream cheese, softened
    METHOD Step 1 Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Line 4 large baking trays with baking paper. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Add food colouring. Beat until combined. Meanwhile, sift flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into a large bowl. Step 2 Add half the flour mixture to butter mixture. Stir to combine. Add vinegar and half the buttermilk. Stir to combine. Repeat with remaining flour mixture and buttermilk until just combined. Step 3 Drop level tablespoons of mixture onto prepared trays, 5cm apart, allowing room for spreading. Bake, 1 tray at a time, for 8 to 10 minutes or until puffed and cooked through. Stand on trays for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Cool. Repeat with remaining trays. Step 4 Make cream cheese filling Using an electric mixer, beat butter, icing sugar and vanilla together until pale and fluffy. Add cream cheese. Beat until smooth and combined. Sandwich level tablespoons filling between cakes to make 22 whoopie pies. Serve. Source link: www.taste.com.au  
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