My Best Christmas Recipes | Adventures with Sugar

The recipe

Mishy's Easy Eggless Fruitcake

Makes two 20cm fruit cakes

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Method

Method: eggless fruitcake

Combine your wet ingredient mixture: Place the margarine, oil and water into a bowl and heat it on the stove until all the margarine has melted and everything is well combined, and comes to a gentle simmer. There is no need to boil this aggressively, as this is not a boiled fruitcake recipe. Don't be alarmed if it looks slightly split – you are combining water and the oils from the margarine, so naturally they will not mix.
Add in the condensed milk and vanilla: Once the mixture has come to a simmer, add in the condensed milk and vanilla essence. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely.
Prepare your cake tin and oven: Whilst the wet ingredients are cooling, preheat the oven to 180˚ Celsius. Grease and line the base and sides of two 20cm cake tins with baking paper and set aside. I have baked this in a square tin, round tins and even a Nordic Ware snowflake pan. If you are using a pan like the snowflake pan, where you cannot line it with baking paper, brush the pan thinly with softened butter, making sure there are no large clumps of butter. Then dust with about a tablespoon or two of cake flour to coat the entire pan. Ensure to flip the tin over and tap out the excess flour so only a thin coating remains – otherwise the flour remains raw as your cake bakes and looks messy.
Toast your pecan nuts: Toasting nuts really unlocks their natural oils and flavour. So for maximum flavour impact, I suggest you do not skip this step. Simply place the nuts on a baking tray and toast for 5 – 8 minutes, keeping a close eye on them.
Prepare the fruit: Use a bigger bowl than you think you will need, as everything is going to get added to this bowl. To ensure the cherries look pretty when you cut into the cake, I reserve about 5 red and five green to be thrown whole into the mix, then cut the rest in half. To these cherries, add the fruit mix, cranberries, citrus peel and toasted pecan nuts.
Add in the dry ingredients: Add in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda to the fruit mixture and coat the fruit and nuts in the flour.
Add in the wet ingredients: Pour a quarter of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Do this three more times until all the wet mixture is used up. The batter is quite liquid so do not be alarmed by this, just ensure you have mixed in the flour well and there are no streaks in the batter.
Bake the cake: Pour the batter into your cake tins and bake for 25 – 35 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Decorate and enjoy: Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes, before removing and letting it cool completely. Then dust with a bit of icing sugar and decorate with seasonal cherries, for festive flair.

The recipe

Gingerbread Pudding

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Method

Method: gingerbread pudding

Preheat the oven and prepare the dish: Preheat the oven to 180˚ Celsius. Grease a 20cm square baking dish with some cooking spray and set aside. You want a fairly high dish so that the syrup has enough volume to be poured into. I have tested this in a 5 cup bundt tin as well and it works wonderfully, with it being fully soaked through. To make it in a 10 – 12 cup bundt tin, double the recipe and reduce the temperature to 160˚ Celsius.
Beat the sugar and eggs: Beat the sugar, vanilla and eggs until pale and voluminous – approximately 5 minutes.
Add the syrup, molasses and butter: Then add in the golden syrup, molasses and melted butter, beat to incorporate.
Prepare the milk: Add the vinegar and bicarbonate of soda to the milk and stir. The mixture will tend to become frothy.
Combine: Add the flour, cocoa, ground ginger and mixed spice and milk mixture to the egg and sugar mixture and mix to combine.
Bake: Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the pudding comes out clean. (The pudding does darken a fair bit due to the apricot jam’s high sugar content. If you do feel it is getting past a very deep brown, it is best to cover it with some aluminium foil). If baking it in a 10 – 12 cup bundt tin, bake for 40 – 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Make the sauce: Whilst the pudding is baking, get on with making the sauce.

Method: sauce

Make the sauce: When the malva pudding is at the halfway mark, place all the ingredients, except the brandy, in a medium size saucepan and heat on medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Let it boil for 3 – 4 minutes then turn off. Add the brandy, if using.
Pour over the sauce: When the pudding comes out of the oven, prick the pudding with a fork and pour over the sauce immediately. It is best to use the back of a spoon to break the pressure from the sauce damaging the soft sponge of the pudding.
If using a bundt tin: If you are using a bundt tin, wait five minutes until you can loosen the pudding slightly. Then pour in half the sauce and let it seep in before flipping over, this could take about 2 minutes to soak through. Ladle the remaining syrup over the top of the bundt tin.
Serve: Serve the pudding whilst warm, with custard and/or ice cream.

What should I know about making this recipe?

Malva puddings are not typically baked in a bundt tin, why change that?

I feel that baking it in a bundt tin makes it more festive. It also allows me to control the amount of soaking sauce into the pudding, so it does not become too soaked. I can then serve the remaining sauce on the side.

Also, I hate bundt tins because they always stick!

Preparing a bundt tin is very important. Firstly, brush liberally with melted butter, getting it into all the corners especially. Then dust well with cocoa powder, until the entire tin is coated. Flip the tin over and tap out the excess cocoa powder. Set in the fridge for 5 minutes to set the cocoa.

I cannot find molasses anywhere?

Substitute this with an extra tablespoon of sugar, though some of the treacly taste of the pudding will be lost.

I do not want to use alcohol in the recipe, substitute?

Substitute out the alcohol, in the sauce, with water.

Are there any differences in baking it in a bundt tin vs 20cm baking dish?

Yes, there is! The bake times and the oven temperature vary. To begin, the recipe given below is for a 20cm baking dish. If you want to bake it in a bundt tin like I have done, double the recipe. For a bundt tin, bake it for 40 minutes at 170˚ Celsius.

The recipe

Gingerbread Cupcakes with a Caramel Centre and Eggnog Buttercream

Makes 12

adventureswithsugar.com/gingerbread-cupcakes-with-a-caramel-centre-and-eggnog-buttercream/

Method

Method: gingerbread cupcakes

Preheat the oven and line the tin: Preheat the oven to 180˚ Celsius. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Combine the dry ingredients: Place the butter, muscovado sugar, molasses, self-raising flour, malted milk powder, spices and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl.
Whisk the wet ingredients: In a separate jug, add in the eggs, milk and vanilla essence. Whisk by hand for about 30 seconds.
Add half the wet ingredients: Pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix for about 45 seconds.
Add the rest of the wet ingredients: Then add in the remaining wet ingredients and mix on medium speed until the batter comes together and becomes voluminous, about 1 minute more. Do not worry if the batter looks slightly curdled.
Fill the liners and bake: Divide equally between the 12 cases and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Method: salted caramel sauce

Add the sugar to the pot: Place the sugar in a large pot so that the sugar just covers the base of the pot (if the sugar feels too much, I suggest making the caramel in two batches).
Caramelise the sugar: Heat the sugar until it just turns a deep amber colour. You want it to take on some flavour, so do not let it be too light.
Add the butter: Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter.
Add the cream: Then slowly pour in the cream, constantly whisking all the time.
Return to the heat: Return to the stove for just 20 more seconds and then remove.
Add the salt: Crush the flaked salt and add it to the caramel sauce.
Let cool: Set aside to cool.

Method: eggnog buttercream

Make the syrup: Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Heat over low heat while stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
Beat the egg yolks: In the meanwhile, put the egg yolks in a stand-mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat until thick and foamy.
Pour in the syrup: When the sugar syrup reaches 116˚ Celsius, remove it from the heat. Slowly stream it into the egg yolks, by pouring it down the side of your mixer.
Mix until cool: Continue mixing until the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch and the yolk mixture has cooled to room temperature.
Add the butter and vanilla: Add in butter one cube at a time allowing each piece to incorporate before adding the next. Add vanilla. Continue mixing until buttercream is smooth and creamy (about 5 – 6 minutes).
Add the rum: Add in the rum and mix until combined.

Method: assembly

Hollow out the cupcakes: Make a hole in the centre of the cupcake, stopping just before you reach the bottom.
Fill with caramel: Pipe some caramel into the cupcake.
Pipe the buttercream: Pipe a generous swirl of buttercream on the cupcake.
Decorate: Decorate with a gingerbread cookie.
Repeat: Repeat for all 12 cupcakes.

The recipe

Cherry and Amaretto Pies

adventureswithsugar.com/cherry-and-amaretto-pies/

Method

Method: cherry and amaretto filling

Soak the fruit: Place the cherries, cranberries and citrus peel into a bowl and pour over the Amaretto. Cover with cling wrap and allow to sit overnight in the fridge (if not longer) to allow the cherries to soak in the flavour.
Macerate: On the day you are going to make the pastry, before doing so, add the remaining ingredients to the fruit and Amaretto, toss well to coat and place again in the fridge to macerate. This draws out some of the liquid from the cherries to prevent a soggy pie.
Drain the juice: Once you are ready to fill your pies, drain out all the liquid from the cherries into a medium, shallow pan. Set the fruit aside for now.
Reduce the juice: Cook the juice on medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken and become like a jam consistency.
Combine with the fruit: Add this back to the strained fruit and toss well to combine. By cooking down the liquid separately from the fruit, the cherries are still kept as distinct pieces rather than turning into mush.
Fill the pies: Fill as instructed in the rest of the recipe.

Method: sweet shortcrust pastry

Combine the dry ingredients: Place the flour, ground almonds, salt and icing sugar into a food processor and pulse a few times to combine.
Add the butter: Place the butter in and pulse a few more times. This will be about five to six pulses. You just want the butter to look like large, irregular breadcrumbs.
Add the egg yolk and milk: Add in the egg yolk and milk and pulse until the mixture looks fine and bread-crumb like.
Bring the pastry together: Tip onto a clean surface and use your hands to bring together, until the pastry just holds.
Divide and chill: Divide this into two equal portions, pat to form a disc and place in the fridge for an hour to chill.

Method: almond frangipane

Cream the butter and sugar: Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the remaining ingredients: Add in the remaining ingredients and cream until a paste-like filling is formed.
Set aside: Set aside until ready to use.

Method: assembly

Grease the tin: Lightly grease a 12-hole standard-size cupcake tin with some baking spray.
Line the tin with pastry: Roll out the pastry to about 3cm thickness and use a circular cookie cutter to cut out circles which are about 2cm wider than the diameter of your cupcake tin. Place these into the cupcake tin to form the case, neatly trimming away any excess.
Cut out the lids: Then cut out the lids, to fit over the top. These can be a bit thicker, about 4cm pastry thickness.
Fill the pies: Pipe a layer of frangipane onto the base of the tart and then top generously with the filling. You want it to be slightly heaped.
Seal with the lids: Use the egg white to brush the pastry lids on the underside, to glue them to the pastry cases and seal the pie with the lid.
Cut a steam vent: You can use a pastry cutter to cut a little hole in the middle of the lid (if you are doing this, do it before sealing the pie) or make a little x on the top of the pie to allow steam to escape from the pies, so that they do not leak.
Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 190˚ Celsius.
Freeze: Place the pies in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.
Egg wash: When ready to bake, combine the egg yolk and milk together to make a wash. Brush over the pies.
Sprinkle with sugar: Sprinkle some demerara sugar for some additional crunch.
Bake: Bake for about 20 – 30 minutes, until the pies are looking golden brown.
Cool and turn out: Let cool in the tins for about 10 minutes to let the pastry rest, before removing and allowing to cool completely on a cooling rack.

The recipe

Super Easy Fruit Mince "Pies"

Makes 12 – 15 mince pies

adventureswithsugar.com/super-easy-fruit-mince-pies/

Method

Method: traditional fruit mince

Bring to a boil: Add all the ingredients to a pot except for the vanilla, brandy and preserved ginger. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a gentle simmer.
Simmer until thick: Cook on medium heat for about 20 to 30 minutes until the mixture has thickened, stirring the mixture regularly to prevent sticking.
Add the brandy, vanilla and ginger: About 5 minutes before it is done, stir in the brandy, vanilla and fold in the preserved ginger. Let cool completely before using. If the mixture feels too thick, thin it out with a bit of boiling water.
Taste and adjust: Adjust sweetness with sugar and lemon juice and spices to taste.
How much you need: You will need approximately 300g to make this recipe.

Method: mince pies

Preheat the oven and prepare the tin: Preheat the oven to 200˚ Celsius. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick baking spray, such as Spray and Cook. If you are really worried about sticking, you can use cupcake liners.
Combine the dry ingredients: Place all the dry ingredients, except the icing sugar for dusting and the cold butter into a large bowl.
Rub in the butter: Whisk to combine, then drop in the cold butter and rub with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Bring the dough together: Continue to work the mixture until it holds together and you have a pliable dough. Remove about a third and put it into the fridge to firm up, as this will be the crumble topping.
Press in the bases: Press the remaining mixture into muffin tins to form a base, being mindful to press the dough well into the edges, so that the edge of the case is not too thick.
Fill and top with crumble: Fill to a level top with the fruit mince, then remove the remaining dough from the fridge and crumble on top of the fruit mince.
Bake and cool: Bake for around 20 – 25 minutes, until the tops of the pies have turned a golden brown. Then remove and let cool for about 30 minutes, before trying to turn out. If they do not cool a bit, they will be too soft to remove and will just crumble.

The recipe

Easy, Buttery Shortbread

adventureswithsugar.com/easy-buttery-shortbread/

Method

Method: shortbread

Combine the dry ingredients: Place the flour, cornflour, rice flour, salt and sugar into a food processor and whizz to combine. Alternatively, if doing this by hand, whisk to combine.
Add in the butter: Add the cold butter, diced into cubes, and the vanilla, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. If not using a food processor, rub the cold butter into the flour with your fingers.
Bring the dough together and chill: Tip the dough onto a clean work surface and bring together with your hands. Do not overknead the dough. Pat out to about 1cm – 1.5cm in thickness, wrap in clingwrap and place in the fridge to chill for an hour.
Preheat your oven: Preheat the oven to 170˚ Celsius. Remove the dough from the fridge and cut into your desired shape. I used a decorative cookie tin, but there is a lot which you can do including just slicing it into fingers. Make a few pricks with a fork for the steam to escape.
Bake the shortbread: Bake the shortbread for 15 – 20 minutes until just tan. Then remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 130˚ Celsius. Let the shortbread cool for about 10 minutes before popping them back into the oven for a further 10 – 15 minutes. Keep a close eye on them as they should not get too brown.
Cool and dust with caster sugar: Let the shortbread cool until firm enough to handle without breaking, then dust with more caster sugar and leave to cool completely.

The recipe

Lemon and Raspberry Linzer Cookies

adventureswithsugar.com/lemon-and-raspberry-linzer-cookies/

Method

Method: Linzer cookies

Flavour the sugar: Rub the lemon zest and sugar together to release the oils.
Combine the dry ingredients: Then place this, together with the flour, cornflour, salt and almonds in the food processor. Pulse a few times to combine.
Add the butter: Add in the butter and pulse until you have a breadcrumb-like dough.
Add the eggs: Then add in the egg and egg yolk and continue to mix until the dough begins to come together into large balls.
Bring the dough together: Tip onto your work surface and bring it together with your hands, trying not to overwork it.
Roll out the dough: Divide the dough into four equal pieces and roll each piece of dough in between two sheets of baking paper, until it is about 5mm thick.
Chill: Place in the fridge to rest for an hour.
Preheat the oven: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180˚ Celsius. Grease and line about 4 cookie sheets with baking paper.
Prepare the dough: Remove one of the four discs, gently dust your countertop with flour. Flip one side of the dough onto the dusted counter and then peel away the baking paper.
Cut out the bases: Using a 6cm round cutter (or any other of your choice), cut out the bases of your cookies and place them on your baking sheet.
Bake: Bake the cookies for 9 – 10 minutes, until they're only just beginning to turn a very light gold at the edges; they will, overall, still be pale. Transfer straightaway to a cooling rack.
Cut out the tops: Repeat the same process with the second disc of dough, but this time using a 3cm cutter to cut a hole in the centre of the dough to form the top of the cookie.
Let cool: Let the cookies cool completely before decorating.

Method: filling

Make the filling: Beat the cream cheese until soft, then add the icing sugar and milk to make a filling.
Fill the bases: Add some of the filling to the base of the cookie, then add some raspberry jam.
Decorate the tops: Decorate the top half of your cookies with some royal icing and let it dry completely.
Sandwich: Then sandwich the base of the cookie with the top.

The recipe

Cranberry, Pistachio and Almond Nougat

adventureswithsugar.com/cranberry-pistachio-and-almond-nougat/

Method

Method: nougat

Prepare the tin: Line the base of a 20cm square tin with baking paper and grease the edges of the tin. Lay a sheet of rice paper, cut to fit the tin, on top of the baking paper. Then set aside.
Roast the nuts: Preheat the oven to 170˚ Celsius and roast the nuts on a baking tray for about 8 – 10 minutes.
Keep the nuts warm: Turn the oven off and leave the door slightly ajar, but leave the nuts in until you are ready to mix into the nougat. The mix will seize up if the nuts are added cold.
Combine the syrup ingredients: In a medium-sized pot, combine the sugar, water, glucose, golden syrup, honey, vanilla essence and salt and whisk to combine.
Cook the syrup: Place the pot over a medium heat and let the mix simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook the syrup for 10 – 15 minutes, until the temperature on the sugar thermometer is close to 116˚ Celsius.
Whisk the egg whites: At this stage, place the egg whites in a bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment and whisk on medium speed to form soft peaks.
Add half the syrup: When the temperature on the thermometer reaches 118˚ Celsius, pour half of the syrup into the egg whites in a steady stream. Continue to whisk on a steady speed and return the remaining syrup to the stove.
Cook the rest of the syrup: Continue to simmer the remaining syrup until it reaches 140˚ Celsius.
Add the remaining syrup: Pour the syrup into the egg white mixture in a steady stream, all the time whisking.
Whisk until thick: Continue to whisk for another 6 – 8 minutes until you have a thick, ribbon-like consistency.
Fold in the nuts and cranberries: Using a metal spoon, fold through the nuts and cranberries. Place into the lined tin and even out with an offset spatula.
Cover with rice paper: Cover the top with more rice paper and press down firmly to remove air bubbles.
Set and cut: Set aside overnight to set. Then run a hot knife along the sides to remove from the tin. Cut as desired.

The recipe

The Ultimate Peppermint Crisp Showstopper

adventureswithsugar.com/the-ultimate-peppermint-crisp-showstopper/

Method

Method: chocolate ganache

Prepare the chocolate: Make sure the chocolate is broken into small pieces to ensure it melts easily. Place in a medium size bowl, as you will be adding the cream to this, and then set aside.
Prepare the cream: Place the cream in a medium size saucepan and heat on medium heat until the cream comes to a simmer. This means you will see little bubbles on the side of the saucepan and the cream will begin to steam. Do not let it boil aggressively.
Make the ganache: Pour the hot cream onto the chocolate and let it stand for a minute, to melt the chocolate. Then, using a spatula, stir the ganache together to create a smooth glossy mixture. Ensure it is well mixed and all chocolate has melted, and there are no clumps left behind. If you are unsure, I suggest passing the ganache through a sieve just to be safe.
An important final note on the ganache: We want the ganache we put in the middle of the dessert to be a firmer set than the one we use to pour over the completed dessert. To this end, let your ganache set completely before using it in the middle of the dessert. You may then need to heat the remaining ganache for about 5 seconds to thin it out. You should be able to drop a little onto a plate and have it drip down slowly, whilst not running off the plate. This will ensure a slow drip down your dessert and not just run off and look messy.

Method: Peppermint Crisp tart filling

Prepare your Peppermint Crisp chocolates: Begin by chopping all of the Peppermint Crisp chocolates. I recommend chopping about 3 fairly chunky, to give some texture to the tart. The cold chocolate gives a nice crunch. Chop the remainder a bit more finely to add flavour.
Whip the whipping cream: Mascarpone has the tendency to overwhip and become grainy, so to avoid wasting ingredients, I suggest whipping the cream to stiff peaks and setting aside.
Whip the mascarpone and Caramel Treat together: Place the mascarpone and Caramel Treat in a large bowl (you will be adding the cream to this bowl, so ensure to use a larger one than you feel necessary) and whip for about 45 seconds to a minute until well combined.
Make the filling: Then add in the whipping cream and fold into the mixture to combine. Follow this by folding in the Peppermint Crisp.

Method: assembly and decoration

Line the tin: Line a 30cm x 11.5cm x 8cm baking tin with clingwrap/clingfilm. Make sure it is well lined so as to make for easy release.
Create a biscuit shell: Use the Tennis Biscuits to create a shell around the tin. You will need to trim some biscuits to fit the corners. I do like a good puzzle 😉
Add in half the filling: Add in half of the peppermint crisp mixture followed by half of the depitted cherries.
Add a biscuit layer: Add a layer of Tennis Biscuits then a layer of chocolate ganache with the 3 tablespoons you set aside, followed by another layer of Tennis Biscuits.
Add in the remaining filling: Add in the rest of the peppermint crisp mixture and the remaining cherries and cover with a final layer of Tennis Biscuits to seal.
Let rest: Cover the Tennis Biscuit base with some cling wrap and set in the fridge overnight.
Decorate: Remove the clingwrap from the base. Flip the dessert onto your serving platter and remove the tin. Remove the remaining cling wrap. Pour over the chocolate ganache, which needs to be at the correct temperature for the perfect drip (see the final note above on making the ganache). Use an offset spatula to edge the ganache just off the sides and let it drip down. To finish off the decorating, sprinkle a row of Peppermint Crisp down the middle, then add alternate piping of the ganache and whipped cream, by using a star nozzle. Finally, place the cherries down the middle to complete the final look.

The recipe

Cremora Tart

adventureswithsugar.com/cremora-tart/

Method

Method: base

Make the crumbs: Blitz the Tennis Biscuits until they are like fine breadcrumbs, then add in the lemon zest and butter and mix to combine.
Press into the tin: The mixture should resemble damp sand, but not be overly wet. Press into your 26cm tart tin, making sure to press in the edges well.

Method: filling

Mix the cream, yogurt and Cremora: Place the double cream and yogurt in a large mixing bowl and mix to combine. Then add the Cremora and continue to mix.
Add the condensed milk and lemon juice: Add in the condensed milk and lemon juice. It will begin to thicken.
Set: Pour the mixture into your tart tin and let set for 8 hours – perfect for making ahead.
Decorate: Decorate as elaborately or as simply as you like. I’ve seen people drizzle granadilla pulp on top which is great too. I have used nectarines and raspberries, with a bit of pistachio.

The recipe

Pineapple Fridge Tart

adventureswithsugar.com/pineapple-fridge-tart/

Method

Method: pineapple fridge tart

Strain the pineapple: Strain the pineapple chunks and set the syrup aside. Remove about two tablespoons of the chunks for the final decoration and set aside.
Make the jelly: Add 150ml pineapple juice to a medium size saucepan and heat until it comes to a boil, then remove from heat and dissolve the jelly. Add the iced water and set aside to cool a bit.
Whip the cream: In a medium mixing bowl, whip the whipping cream to soft peaks and set aside.
Make the filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, condensed milk and lemon juice together. Then mix the slightly cooled jelly mixture into the cream cheese mixture.
Fold in the cream, pineapple and chocolate: Finally fold in the whipping cream, followed by the pineapple chunks and white chocolate.
Layer the biscuits: Begin by layering your Tennis Biscuits in a 23cm by 33cm casserole dish. Dip each biscuit briefly in the pineapple juice and layer.
Add half the filling: Then add half the pineapple mixture and a drizzle of about a third of the passionfruit pulp.
Repeat the layers: Repeat the layer of biscuits and the remaining pineapple mixture and a third of the passionfruit pulp.
Top with cream: Finish with a final third layer of biscuits and pipe on the whipped cream. Sweeten the cream with a tablespoon of icing sugar.
Decorate: Then decorate with the chocolate curls, remaining passionfruit pulp, pineapple chunks and lime zest.
Set in the fridge: Leave to set in the fridge for a minimum of 8 hours before slicing and enjoying.

The recipe

Christmas Tree Pavlova

adventureswithsugar.com/christmas-tree-pavlova/

Method

Method: Christmas tree pavlova

Trace the circles: Line two baking sheets with baking paper, and trace circles of varying sizes which decrease to form the shape of the tree. I used 17cm, 12cm and 7cm for the three main discs, and piped a small meringue for the top of the tree.
Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 120˚ Celsius.
Set up a bain-marie: Set a pot of water to boil on the stove, then lower down to a simmer. Find a bowl which will fit over the pot, to create a bain-marie. You want the steam from the water to gently heat your egg and sugar, without touching the bowl.
Heat the egg whites and sugar: Place the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a bowl and place over the pot of simmering water. Whisk by hand for about three minutes, until the mixture is warm, and the sugar has dissolved.
Whip the meringue: Take the meringue off the heat and continue to whip with either a stand mixer or hand mixer, until you have stiff and glossy peaks. This will take at least 5 minutes with a stand mixer and perhaps longer if using a hand mixer.
Fold in the cornflour and vanilla: Once your meringue has a nice stiff peak, add the corn flour and vanilla extract and fold it through the meringue.
Set some aside for piping: As an extra step, you can use a star tip, a leaf tip or even a round tip nozzle to add a bit of decoration to the outside of the meringue once you have formed your three meringue discs. If you want to do this, set aside about three tablespoons of meringue which you will pipe later.
Shape the discs: Then pile the meringue inside the three circles you have traced, on your baking paper, and spoon/pipe a little fourth meringue for the tip of your tree. Smooth the meringue out until you have nice tall discs of meringue.
Pipe the border: If you have chosen to do so, you can then use the extra meringue set aside to pipe a little border around the discs to add a bit of decoration to your tree.
Dry in the oven: Place the meringues in the oven to dry for about 1 – 1.5 hours. It is important that they dry at a low temperature, or the outsides will get too brown. Check on them after about 1 hour, and then every 15 minutes, thereafter to make sure they do not brown too much. The meringue should feel firm on the outside when you touch it. You should also be able to lift it off the baking paper with relative ease. Be careful though, as the shells are fragile.
Cool and store: Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely. If not using on the same day, you can store them in an airtight container until ready to use.
Assemble just before serving: You want to finish the tree just before serving, as the cream will start to dissolve the meringue over time, and the meringue will lose its crispness.
Stack the tree: To finish, whip the cream to soft peaks and pile it onto the largest meringue disc, decorating with berries in between. Then add the second disc, adding more cream and berries followed by more cream and berries and finally your last meringue topper.
Decorate: You can decorate your tree as you like, with more berries on the outside, some edible gold leaf, crushed pistachios, toasted flaked almonds etc.

The recipe

Very Berry Pavlova

Prep 45 minCook 1 hr 45 minTotal 4 hr

adventureswithsugar.com/very-berry-pavlova/

Method

Method: pavlova

Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 110˚ Celsius and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Whip the egg whites: Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar in a grease-free bowl until nice and foamy.
Add the sugar: Then begin adding the sugar a tablespoon at a time. Wait about 10 seconds, until each spoonful is incorporated, before adding the next.
Check the sugar has dissolved: Rub a little of the meringue between your fingers to make sure it is grit free.
Add the lemon, vanilla and cornflour: Then add the lemon juice, vanilla and cornflour and whisk briefly to combine.
Shape the pavlova: Pile the meringue onto the lined baking sheet in about a 20cm circle and create a dome-like shape. Smooth the sides out like you're icing a cake.
Draw the ridges: Then draw lines up the sides at an angle with the side of a palette knife. Go deeper than you think, as it will lose some of its definition.
Bake: Bake the pavlova for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Just check that it does not get too brown – it will take on a tan colour.
Cool in the oven: Then turn the oven off and let it cool in there for another hour.

Method: crème diplomat

Heat the milk: Whilst the pavlova is baking, heat the milk and vanilla until just coming to a boil.
Whisk the yolks: Whilst that is heating, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour together.
Temper the eggs: Add half of the milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly whilst doing so. Then add this egg mixture back into the pot and return it to a medium heat.
Thicken: Cook gently for a minute or two, whisking all the time, until the mixture begins to thicken.
Let cool: Transfer to a bowl, place a piece of cling wrap over the top to stop a skin forming and place in the fridge to cool.
Fold in the cream: Once you're ready to assemble, whip the whipping cream to soft peaks. Loosen the cooled crème pât, add it to the whipped cream and whip together until combined and the crème diplomat holds soft peaks.

Method: filling and decoration

Transfer the pavlova: Carefully transfer your pavlova to your serving plate.
Fill: The pavlova should have cracked on the top. Cut out a hole at the top and fill it with the crème diplomat.
Decorate and chill: Decorate with fresh berries and leave to stand in the fridge for about 30 minutes before serving.

What should I know about making this?

Can I use whipped cream instead of crème diplomat?

Yes. Whip 500ml whipping cream to stiff peaks with 1½ tablespoons of icing sugar and fill the pavlova with that instead.

The recipe

Lime Panna Cotta with Strawberries

adventureswithsugar.com/lime-panna-cotta-with-strawberries/

Method

Method: lime panna cotta

Soak the gelatine: Place the gelatine leaves in a bowl, cover generously with cold water and leave to soak.
Heat the milk and cream: Combine the milk, cream, lime peel and sugar in a medium pot and place over a low heat.
Boil and infuse: Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then increase the heat to medium-high heat. As soon as it comes up to a boil, remove the pan from the heat and let the lime peel infuse for an hour.
Add the gelatine: Remove the gelatine from the water and squeeze out the excess water. Add the gelatine into the milk. Set aside to cool until tepid.
Add the yoghurt and lime juice: Place the yogurt into a bowl and strain in the milk mixture, followed by the lime juice and mix.
Fill the moulds and set: Grease six moulds with the baking spray and pour the mixture into the moulds. Cover with cling wrap and leave in the fridge overnight to set.

Method: macerated strawberries

Macerate the strawberries: Roughly chop the strawberries, an hour or so before serving. Sprinkle over the icing sugar and lime zest, stirring to combine.
Turn out the panna cottas: To unmould the panna cottas, dip the mould in lukewarm water for a few seconds, place a plate on top of the mould and then flip the plate over. The panna cotta should easily release.
Serve: Spoon the strawberries over the panna cotta and serve.