Spreading holiday cheer with a freshly baked sweet treat is the way to anyone’s heart, but the busy season can make it tricky to carve out time to make everything from scratch. Step in a few helpful shortcuts that cut kitchen prep time without compromising on taste.
Create festive treats in minutes with these simple cheats
1/ Pre-made puff pastry
Lay the pre-rolled pastry in between two baking sheets and bake until lightly golden and crisp. Cut into 5x 2 inch strips and stack with fresh raspberries, and whipped cream for Napoleon in minutes.
2/ Whip It Up
Warm cream (we love Lactantia 35% Old Fashioned Cream) on stovetop with dark chocolate and a splash of vanilla. Chill until cool and whip until light and fluffy to create a quick mousse sans eggs.
3/ Easy cookie ‘frosting’
Top homemade gingersnap biscuits, cupcakes or cake with a dollop of pre-bought creamy, silky dulce de leche.
4/ Enhance mincemeat with coffee
Steep your favourite dried fruit in a strong espresso (try Melitta M-Xpress) and a splash of rum a day before baking to enhance deep earthy.
5/ A different kind of sandwich
Traditional butter cream frosting can be too sweet. Step in Philadelphia new whipped frosting that adds a hint of tang to counter the sugar. Smear between two dark chocolate cookies for a clever twist on the sandwich cookie.
Bonus Tip
Spice chewy yet crisp cookies are a sure sign of the holiday season, instead of an elaborate house why not try simple cookies dusted with sanding sugar and slathered with dulce de leche. Arrange them on a three-tiered stand, and decorate with seasonal fruit and foliage. CSL
This original food article first appeared in the Winter 2019/2020 issue of City Style and Living Magazine.
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