Want to dish out some exotic Christmas delicacies for your party? Whip up a food frenzy with these baking ideas. Feasting and partying are the twin byproducts of Christmas season. If you plan to call your friends over for a sizzling X’mas soiree, here are a few ideas for some exotic but easy-to-bake dishes that you can cook at home and impress all your guests, leaving them asking for more. So, whip up a Christmas frenzy with these options and make merry!Almond Cupcakes Ingredients3 1/2 cups sifted cake flour1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt1 cup vanilla-flavored almond milk1 teaspoon vanilla extract1/2 teaspoon almond extract1 cup (2 sticks) butter1 1/3 cup sugar, divided8 large egg whites1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar1/4 cup prepared almond paste, divided by teaspoonfuls and rolled into ballsAlmondsPreparationPreheat oven to 375°F. Place cupcake liners in a cupcake pan. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt on a sheet of parchment paper. In a small bowl or measuring glass, combine almond milk, vanilla and almond extract. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add 1 cup sugar and beat on high speed until fluffy. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the almond milk mixture and beating on low speed after each addition. Move this mixture to a large bowl. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in the standing mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Use a rubber spatula to fold 1/4 of the egg whites into cake mixture in the large bowl. Then fold the remaining egg white mixture until batter is well combined. Fill each cupcake liner halfway with batter and bake for five minutes. Remove from oven and lightly place prepared almond paste atop each cupcake. Top with batter. Bake until a tester comes out clean, around 15-18 min. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 min and move to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve chilled, garnished with sugar coated almonds. Tip: To give your dish a cheery Christmas feel, you can sprinkle some rose petals over the cup cakes. Recipe by Almond Board of CaliforniaChristmas Plum pudding Ingredients2 eggs 60 gm castor sugar 2 chocolate sponge 25 gm refined flour 60 gm rum soaked fruit 75g m green apple 100 gm white butter 25 ml fresh cream 2 gm baking powder Caramel colour as required 100 gm chocolate spongeFor the Sponge recipe3 eggs 70 gm grain sugar 10 ml warm water 1 ml vanilla essence 10 ml refined oil 70 gm refined flour 14 gm coco powder METHODWhisk eggs and sugar until it gets fluffy.Soak the dry fruit with rum and combine all the dry ingredients together, including the grated apple. Fold gently with sponge mixture, then add a little caramel for colour. Pour the mixture into the baking tin and cover with silver foil. Steam bake at 160°C for 20-25 minutes. SPONGE RECIPE Whisk eggs and sugar together until fluffy, but don’t overbeat it. Mix water and oil together and combine into the egg mixture. Combine flour and cocoa powder together and sieve. Fold flour and egg mixture together, gently bake it at 180°C for 10-12 minutes.
Recipe by The Park, Delhi
Almond Butter Cake
Ingredients1/2 cup flour 1 tsp baking powder1/2 cup ground almonds10 oz almond paste unsalted butter 3/4 cup sugar 5 large eggs 2 tbsp brandy PreparationPreheat oven to 350° F.Line the bottom of a 10-inch cake pan or spring form pan with parchment paper. (For individual cakes, the batter may be baked in 12 individual cake rings lined with parchment paper, or in deep muffin tins that have been buttered and floured.) Sift together the flour and baking powder. Stir the ground almonds and set aside.Place the almond paste and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and, beginning on low speed, beat until blended.Increase the speed to medium and continue beating until the butter and almond paste are smooth and no lumps remain. As you beat, gradually add sugar. Add eggs one at a time, then the brandy.Continue beating until the mixture has lightened in colour and is very fluffy. On low speed, add the flour mixture and mix just until roughly combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and with a rubber spatula, fold the batter until smooth.Turn the batter into the pan and smoothen the surface. Bake in the centre of the oven for 45-50 minutes or until the top of the cake is golden and the edges of the cake just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.Place on a wire rack to cool before taking it out of the pan. Wrap in plastic wrap and leave at room temperature overnight or for up to two days.Just before serving, sift icing sugar over the cake and pipe or drizzle thin lines of melted chocolate over top.Serve with poached pears, lightly sweetened whipped cream and chocolate sauce.