Yummy sweet treats for Christmas

As you get into a joyous mood to embrace the new year, how about treating your loved ones to some sweet surprises? Toss your calorie chart out of the window, and indulge in some delectable cakes during this festive time ofthe year.

As you get into a joyous mood to embrace the new year, how about treating your loved ones to some sweet surprises? Toss your calorie chart out of the window, and indulge in some delectable cakes during this festive time ofthe year.

Indulge your sweet-tooth this Christmas (Photo: Shutterstock)

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So, what are you waiting for? Get the ingredients out and choose from a host of exciting Christmas recipes that kitchen experts have picked out for you. We've also put together some smart tricks to make your baking ride absolutely smooth. You can go for the all-time classic cakes like plum or dundee, or try something exotic like a chocolate yule log.

Plum pudding

Ingredients: 1 kg butter 1 kg refined flour 1 kg sugar 100 ml dark rum 150 ml brandy 10 gm cinnamon sticks 10 gm mace 10 gm nutmeg powder 20 eggs 100 ml milk 150 gm cashewnuts 150 gm raisins 100 gm tutti frutti.

Method: Mix rum, brandy, cinnamon sticks, mace and nutmeg in a pan and soak the nuts in the mix. Cover and keep it in a dry place overnight, so that the dry fruits absorb the spirits. Take butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and whip. Add beaten eggs to this. Gradually, add refined flour, milk and soaked nuts, mixing all the while. Grease a 1 kg aluminum cake mould with butter, pour the batter in it and bake at 180°C for one hour. Unmould the cake and leave it aside to cool down for at least five hours. Once cooled, serve the cake with custard sauce.

By Chef Sanjay Kumar, Rodeo, Delhi

Dundee cake

Ingredients: 500 gm butter 500 gm sugar 10 eggs 250 gm almonds 200 gm almond powder 500 gm maida 15 gm baking powder 100 gm double cream 75 ml honey

Method: Beat butter and sugar in a bowl. Add eggs and beat until the mixture becomes pale yellow. Add double cream. Mix almond powder, maida, sugar and baking powder separately. Mix it with the butter mixture and add honey. Put the mixture in the mould and arrange peeled almonds on top. Bake in the oven at 150°c for 30-35 minutes. Cool it down and glaze with honey.

By Chef Newal Kumar Nailwal, Jaypee Greens Golf and Spa Resort

Gingerbread house

Ingredients: 280 gm rye flour 90 gm flour 75 gm caster sugar 2 gm mixed spice 7 gm ginger powder 185 gm honey 2 gm baking soda 100 ml water 4 gm salt For icing: 4 egg whites 600 gm icing sugar 2 ml vanilla essence 1 lemon For coffee glaze: 40 gm coffee powder 200 gm caster sugar 100 ml water 10 gm glucose.

Method: Make a dough with rye flour, caster sugar, mixed spice, ginger powder, honey, baking soda, water and salt. Rest the dough for two hours. Now, roll it on a dough sheet and dock with a dough docker. Cut the sheet in the desired shape and put it on the tray. Bake it at 200°C for 14 minutes. Beat egg whites and icing sugar, vanilla essence and lemon juice. For the coffee glaze, mix coffee powder and glucose and add boiled water and sugar. Now, paste the ginger bread tiles with icing and allow to set. Finish the house with royal icing and decorate with Christmas cookies, candies, chocolate etc.

By Rishabh Anand, The Leela Palace

Chocolate yule log

Ingredients: For sponge: 4 eggs 110 gm sugar 100 gm flour 25 gm cocoa powder For filling: 500 gm dark chocolate 500 ml cream 250 gm mixed frozen berries 100 gm chocolate shavings for decoration.

Method: For the sponge, whisk eggs and sugar over a bain-marie until hot. Now whisk on high speed in a separate bowl until it's thick and foamy. Then, whisk slowly to stabilise the mix. Add melted butter and fold in the flour. Bake in a pan at 220°c and keep aside. Now, boil the cream, add dark chocolate and mix until smooth. Take the sponge sheet, place it on the butter paper, spread the mixed berry and roll it up. Freeze overnight. Cut the roll into a log shape, pipe chocolate and cream mix on top, and decorate with chocolate shavings and icing sugar.

By Chef Anil Kumar, Pullman Gurgaon Central Park

Rasberry white chocolate mousse

Ingredients: 250 gm frozen raspberries 2 tbsp caster sugar 2 tbsp orange liqueur 400 ml whipping cream 180 gm white chocolate.

Method: Blend raspberries until smooth, and strain through a sieve to remove seeds. Add caster sugar, liqueur and stir so that the sugar dissolves. Keep aside. Now, warm 60 ml cream and chopped white chocolate in a saucepan on low heat, and stir till the chocolate melts. When it cools down a bit, stir in 1 tbsp of the raspberry sauce, and transfer to a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whip the remaining cream to soft peaks. Fold into the melted chocolate mix, one-third at a time, until no streaks remain. Now, layer the mousse and sauce into glasses and you're done.

By Chef Ashish Ugal, The Taj Mahal Hotel

Passion fruit cake

Ingredients: For cake: 4 egg whites 90 gm flour 30 gm almond powder 90 gm sugar 1 tsp vanilla essence 30 gm butterFor stuffing: 125 ml milk 125 ml cream 20 gm cornstarch 50 gm sugar 3 egg yolks For mousse: 200 gm whipping cream 120 gm passion fruit puree 12 gm gelatin 50 gm sugar For glaze: 150 gm cream 150 gm chocolate 30 gm butter.

Method: Beat egg whites. Add sugar, almond powder, flour, vanilla and butter. Bake at 200°C for five minutes. For the mousse, whip cream and add puree, gelatin, sugar and keep aside. For the stuffing, cook cream, milk and rosemary with one half of the sugar. In a bowl, mix the other half with egg yolks and cornstarch. Add to the pan and cook for three minutes, strain and keep aside. For the glaze, cook cream, chocolate, butter and let it cool down to room temperature. Now, in a half moon mould, place a layer of mousse, a strip of cake and rosemary stuffing in the middle. Put another layer of mousse and a piece of cake. Freeze for an hour, glaze and decorate with fruits and chocolate.

By Chef Raul Martinez Ramirez, La Bodega