12DaysChristmasBooklet PDF
12DaysChristmasBooklet PDF
12DaysChristmasBooklet PDF
Happy Holidays!
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Day 1
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Ingredients
6 ounces orange-flavored chocolate
(like Terrys Chocolate Orange), finely chopped
cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
cup whole milk, plus or minus 1 or 2 tablespoons
{Enough for 12 cupcakes}
Recipe
Melt 6 ounces orange-flavored chocolate by placing
the finely chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof
bowl. Nestle the heatproof bowl over a saucepan
filled with boiling water, making sure that the
bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Use a
rubber spatula to stir around occasionally to ensure
that the chocolate does not burn. Once the chocolate
is fully melted, remove from heat, and set aside to
cool slightly.
While the chocolate is cooling, combine cup
unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
powder, and cup whole milk in the bowl of a
freestanding electric mixer fitted with a paddle
attachment. Beat on low speed until combined, before
drizzling in the melted orange-flavored chocolate.
Continue beating on low speed until combined,
before adding 14 cup whole milk a tablespoon
at a time until the frosting achieves a spreadable
consistency. You might need one or two more
tablespoons. Once the mixture seems spreadable,
increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 2 to 3
minutes until light and fluffy. Use immediately.
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Recipe
For Peppermint Bark
Day 2
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Ingredients
12 ounces good quality semisweet chocolate,
chopped into inch pieces
1 teaspoons good quality peppermint extract,
divided into two teaspoon portions
1 pound good quality white chocolate,
chopped into inch pieces
3 candy canes, crushed into small pieces
{Makes around 1 pound of chocolate}
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Day 3
know that eating ice cream during the cold winter is strange, but
theres something irresistible about salted caramel ice cream. To me,
its the perfect dessert for a cozy night in, wrapped in warm woolen
blankets. Bake the bourbon brown butter shortbread cookies first
to add a wonderful, contrasting crunch to this creamy delight.
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Ingredients
1 cups granulated sugar, divided into 1 cup
and cup portions
2 cups heavy cream, divided into 1 cup
and 1 cup portions
1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt
teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
{Makes 24 3-inch rectangular cookies}
Recipe
Pour 1 cup granulated sugar in a medium, heavy-bottomed pot. Place over
medium heat and use a heatproof rubber spatula to stir the sugar until it starts
to melt. Once most of the sugar has melted, continue swirling the pot until the
sugar has melted evenly and is a dark amber color.
Add 1 cups heavy cream to the melted sugar (dont worry if the mixture
splatters and sizzles violently thats supposed to happen!) and continue
to cook over medium heat, using a rubber spatula to gently stir the mixture until
it turns into an even caramel. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon Maldon
sea salt and teaspoon pure vanilla extract, before allowing to cool completely
to room temperature.
In a separate medium, heavy-bottomed pot, combine 1 cup whole milk with
remaining 1 cup cream and cup granulated sugar. Bring to a boil over medium
heat, using a heatproof rubber spatula to stir occasionally.
In a large bowl, whisk together 3 large eggs. Add half of the hot milk mixture
in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Pour back into the heavy-bottomed pot
and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon,
until the resulting custard coats the back of the spoon and reaches 340 (F) on
an instant read thermometer. DO NOT LET THE MIXTURE BOIL; watch it
carefully and stir constantly with a wooden spoon.
Once the custard reaches the appropriate temperature, pour the custard through
a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl and stir in the cooled caramel. Cover custard
and chill until very cold, about 3 to 5 hours. Once the custard is chilled, freeze
in an ice cream maker according to your manufacturers instructions and enjoy
immediately. The ice cream will keep in an airtight container in the freezer for
about a week.
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Day 4
Recipe
In a medium bowl, whisk together
flour, baking powder, and salt until
combined. Set aside.
Use a double boiler (or, stack a small
pan into a large pot of boiling water,
making sure the bottom of the small
pan doesn't touch the bottom of the
large pan) and heat until both the
butter and chocolate melts make
sure you stir constantly so that the
chocolate doesn't burn. Once the
chocolate has fully melted, set aside
to cool slightly.
Use a freestanding electric mixer with
a paddle attachment to beat together
the sugar, eggs, and vanilla on
medium-high speed for at least five
minutes. When the mixture is light
and fluffy, lower your mixer speed
to the lowest setting and stir in the
chocolate and butter mixture.
Once the two mixtures have been
incorporated, add the flour/baking
powder/salt mixture from the first step.
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Day 5
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Ingredients
cup white chocolate chips,
divided into two cup portions
2 cups confectioners sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
cup dried cranberries
Recipe
Melt cup white chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan
of gently simmering water, ensuring that the bottom of the bowl does not touch
the water. Watch the pot carefully white chocolate scorches easily, so the best
way to melt it is over a slow and steady heat. Use a heatproof rubber spatula
to push the white chocolate chips around so that they melt evenly. Once the
chocolate is fully melted and can be stirred smooth, remove the bowl from heat
and set aside to cool slightly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine 4 ounces
cream cheese, 2 cups confectioners sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and about
half of the melted white chocolate. Mix the ingredients together on a low speed
until just combined, before turning up the mixer to mix on medium-high. Mix
for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Use an offset spatula to frost the top of the cooled blondie bars, creating a thick,
even-layer on top of the bars. Sprinkle with cup dried cranberries. Transfer the
remaining melted white chocolate to a piping bag (or a ziploc bag with one
of the corners cut off), and drizzle over the frosting and cranberries.
Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and bake in the preheated oven for
20 to 25 minutes, or until the center is set and it edges are beginning to pull away
from the pan. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
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Day 6
Recipe
Preheat the oven to 200 (F), centering the
rack in the oven.
In a medium, heatproof bowl, combine
4 large egg whites, 1 cup granulated sugar
and a pinch of cream of tartar. Place the
bowl over a pot of simmering water, making
sure that the bottom of the bowl does not
touch the water. Whisk the mixture until
the sugar has dissolved and the whites are
warm to the touch, testing the mixture with
your fingers.
Once the mixture is warm and the sugar has
dissolved, transfer the mixture to the bowl
of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with
the whisk attachment. Whip, starting on
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Day 7
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Ingredients
cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons light corn syrup
cup water
pinch of regular salt
cup heavy cream
teaspoon pure vanilla extract
{Makes 1 cup}
Recipe
Combine cup granulated sugar, 6 tablespoons light corn syrup, cup water
and a pinch of salt in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat.
Whisking constantly to dissolve the sugar, bring to a simmer. Let simmer for one
minute before reducing the heat to low and simmer without simmer until it turns
into a golden color.
Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the cream and vanilla, and whisk gently
until thoroughly blended, about 1 minute. Allow the sauce to cool to room
temperature. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Sprinkle the dry
ingredients on top of of the wet ingredients, and use a rubber spatula to fold the
dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Once the mixture only has one or two
flour streaks left, return to the electric mixer and continue mixing at a low speed,
streaming in cup hot water. Mix until just combined its okay if the batter
is slightly thin.
Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean,
about 40 to 45 minutes.
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Day 8
Recipe
For Peppermint Marshmallows
Ingredients
vegetable oil cooking spray
cup cornstarch
cup confectioners sugar, sifted
1 cups cold water, divided into two portions
1 ounce (or 4 packages) unflavored powdered
gelatin
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon peppermint oil
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 teaspoons red food coloring
{Makes around 50 marshmallows}
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Recipe
Day 9
Special Equipment
a chefs torch
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Day 10
he best desserts are the ones that not only taste good, but look
beautiful and are easy to put together to boot. This Gingerbread
Cookies and Cream Cake is one of those desserts; when I first brought
it out for my friends to try, they thought it was a decorative centerpiece
for the Christmas table. I laughed and explained to them that the stack
of cookies and cream was as delicious as it looked. The cake can
be enjoyed in two ways eating it immediately will give you
a satisfying crunchy texture from the fresh cookies, but letting
the cake rest overnight will allow the flavors to meld and the cookies
to soften. Kudos to Baker & Spice, one of my favorite local bakeries,
for the inspiration for this recipe!
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For the
Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
teaspoon ground cloves
teaspoon baking soda
teaspoon baking powder
Recipe
Once all the cookies are baked and cooled, make the cream. Place the bowl
of a freestanding electric mixer and its whisk attachment in the freezer for 5
minutes to chill. Once the bowl and whisk have chilled, combine 1 pound
mascarpone cheese,
1 cups heavy cream and cup granulated sugar in the bowl and whisk
on low speed until well combined. Once the mixture is well combined, increase
to medium speed and whip just until the cream becomes thick and fluffy and
holds a stiff peak but be careful and DO NOT OVERMIX. Overmixing will
cause the cream to curdle! Once it holds a stiff peak, immediately stop mixing and
add cup Grand Marnier, whisking on low speed until just incorporated.
Recipe
First, make the gingerbread cookies. In a medium bowl, whisk
together 4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest,
1 tablespoon ginger, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, teaspoon cloves,
teaspoon baking soda, teaspoon baking powder and teaspoon
sea salt until well combined. The orange zest might cause some
lumps in the mixture, but thats okay for now. Set aside.
In the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a paddle
attachment, combine cups unsalted butter and cup dark brown
sugar and beat together on medium speed, until well combined.
Add 2 eggs one at a time, only adding the next egg before the
previous one has been incorporated and scraping down the sides
and bottom of the bowl between each addition. Once the eggs have
been incorporated, turn the mixer to its lowest speed and slowly
stream in cup blackstrap molasses, continuing to mix on low
speed until fully incorporated into the mixture. Once the molasses
have been incorporated, add the dry ingredients all at once and
continue mixing on low speed, scraping down the bowl as needed
to create a unified dough. Once the dough has come together,
divide the dough into four quarters and shape each piece into
a rough rectangle about an inch thick. Wrap each piece tightly
in plastic wrap, and refrigerate the dough until it is firm enough
to roll out (about 2 hours).
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Assembly
Once the dough has chilled completely, center a rack in your oven
and preheat to 350 (F). Lightly flour a surface and use a rolling pin
to roll out the dough until it is about inch thick you want
to roll it out as thin as possible to get a good snap from your
cookies. Use a 2 inch round cookie cutter to stamp out disks,
and place them an inch apart on a baking sheet lined with
parchment paper or a Silpat mat. Gather up the scraps and re-roll
until you have at least 70 cookies. If the dough gets too warm and
hard to handle, feel free to pop it back in the freezer to chill for at
least 5 to 10 minutes to firm up before continuing.
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Day 11
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Recipe
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In the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine
1 cup heavy cream and 1 tablespoon confectioners sugar. Whisk on medium-high
speed to incorporate, before adding 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat on mediumhigh speed until just thick you want the cream to be thick and hold its shape.
Transfer the cream to a pastry bag fitted with a #230 filling pastry tip. Fill each
completely cooled profiterole with whipped cream, until the pastries are slightly
puffier from the cream filling. Be careful not overfill or cream will ooze out from
the cream puffs cracks. Alternatively, slice each profiterole in half and spoon about
a tablespoons worth of cream inside each pastry.
Preheat oven to 450 (F), placing oven racks in the center and upper
third of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and
set aside.
Recipe
Recipe
In a small saucepan, bring cup heavy cream to a strong simmer, just under
a boil. Pour over 8 ounces finely chopped chocolate and use a whisk to stir until
the chocolate is melted and smooth. Transfer to the freezer for 5 minutes to cool,
whisking halfway about halfway through to release some heat. The ganache will
thicken as it cools. Serve each profiterole in a puddle of about cup of white
chocolate ganache.
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Day 12
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Recipe
Line a baking tray with wax paper, and carefully dole out 1 teaspoon of chocolate
hazelnut spread 2 inches apart from one another. Freeze until solid, about 2 - 3
hours, preferably overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 (F) and line a muffin tin with cupcake cases.
Combine 1 cup flour, cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoons baking powder
and teaspoon salt in the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with
a paddle attachment and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and
everything is combined. Gradually pour in half of the milk and beat until the milk
is just incorporated.
Whisk together 1 large egg, teaspoon vanilla and the remaining milk together
in a liquid measuring cup, before pouring into the flour mixture and continuing
to beat until just incorporated. Scrape down any unmixed ingredients from the
side of the bowl and the paddle, before continuing to mix for another minute
until the batter is just smooth. Be careful not to overmix!
Use a tablespoon or a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop to portion out 1 tablespoon
of batter into each prepared cupcake case. Take the frozen teaspoon of chocolate
hazelnut spread and place on top of each cupcake case, before topping off with
another tablespoon of cupcake batter. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25
minutes or until the cakes are light golden and the tops of each cupcake bounce
back when touched. Let the cupcakes cool slightly in the pan, before turning out
onto a wire rack to cool completely.
When the cupcakes are cold, frost each cupcake with generous amounts
of chocolate hazelnut ganache frosting, topping each with a Ferrero
Rocher bonbon.
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Recipe
Combine 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate and 2/3 cup confectioner's sugar
in a medium, heatproof bowl.
In a small saucepan over medium, bring 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
to a gentle simmer, whisking occasionally. Pour the hot cream into the medium,
heatproof bowl containing the chocolate and confectioner's sugar mixture.
Stir the mixture with a heatproof, rubber spatula until the sugar is dissolved.
Once the sugar has dissolved, nestle the medium, heatproof bowl over a medium
saucepan of simmer water to make a double boiler be sure that the water in the
saucepan doesn't touch the bottom of your heatproof bowl. Gently cook, stirring
with a rubber spatula, until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
Remove the bowl from the heat.
In a separate, smaller heatproof bowl, whisk together 2 large egg yolks. Pour
about 1/2 cup of some of the melted chocolate mixture into the yolks while
whisking, to temper them. Pour the tempered mixture back into the larger,
heatproof bowl containing the rest of the original mixture and whisk to combine.
Add 3 tablespoons unsalted butter and whisk until smooth and completely
dissolved into the mixture. Add another cup chocolate hazelnut spread and
whisk until smooth and fully incorporated.
Allow the ganache to cool for about 15 to 20 minutes, before using immediately.
Its important that you let the ganache cool before using, or it will be too liquidy
and hard to work with. The ganache will thicken as it cools.
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Michelle Lopez
{Baker, Photographer & Author}
Michelle is a food blogger based in Portland,
Oregon. Her popular blog, Hummingbird High,
was a finalist in Saveur Magazines 2013 Best Food
Blog Awards. Michelle spends her time juggling
baking with Crossfitting and her full time job
at a software company.
Currently, her favorite dessert is crme brle
(but this rotates on an almost weekly basis).
Blog: www.hummingbirdhigh.com
Portfolio: www.hhphotography.net
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Sze Wa Cheung
{Designer, Illustrator & Enjoyer}
Sze Wa is a visual designer based in Portland, Oregon
who specializes in illustration and branding. Sze Wa
spends her spare time eating, drawing and thinking
about what kind of puppy shell eventually get.
Though she prefers to eat savory food over sweets,
her favorite dessert is tiramisu.
Blog: blog.szewacheung.com
Portfolio: szewacheung.com
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