Capture the magic of winter when you make these raspberry jam linzer cookies shaped like snowflakes. Sandwiched with raspberry jam and coated in a heavy dusting of powdered sugar, these cookies will look lovely on a holiday dessert spread.
Read MoreAs if the dreamy combination of peppermint and chocolate wasn’t enough, these peppermint patty brownies feature three perfect layers: a thick, fudge brownie, a sweet peppermint middle and a smooth chocolate ganache to top them off for a perfect holiday treat.
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Start to finish: 7 minutes
Impresses: 2
Ingredients
For the lemon curd:
Zest of 1 lemon
2/3 cup lemon juice (about 1½ lemons)
¼ cup granulated sugar
3 egg yolks
2 ⅓ tablespoons unsalted butter
For the crust:
2 sleeves graham crackers
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
For the cheesecake filling:
⅓ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
1 1/3 cup heavy cream, cold
16 ounces cream cheese, cold
3/4 cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Method
For the lemon curd:
In a small, heat-proof bowl, add all ingredients. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisk the mixture constantly until butter melts and everything is fully combined. After a few minutes, the mixture will thicken slightly. The curd is ready when it coats the back of a spoon and leaves a clear line when you run your finger through it, or when it reaches 150 F. Strain the curd through a mesh sieve, then refrigerate until ready to use.
For the crust:
Line a 9-by-9-inch pan with parchment paper. Set aside. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until they reach a flour-like consistency. Add graham cracker crumbs to a large bowl and mix in sugar and melted butter. Press the crust in an even layer into the prepared pan. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
For the cheesecake filling:
Pour ½ cup heavy cream in a measuring cup and heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir in powdered gelatin and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the remaining 1⅓ cup heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-whip. Transfer the whipped cream to a separate bowl and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla until fully combined. Pour heavy cream and gelatin mixture in the cream cheese mixture and mix on medium speed until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture in several batches. Spread the cheesecake filling on top of the crust into an even layer. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
To assemble:
When ready to serve, place cheesecake on a serving tray and top with lemon curd. Garnish with roasted lemon slices, if desired. Cut into bars to serve and enjoy!
Start to finish: 1 hour 30 minutes
Impresses: 9-by-5-inch loaf
Ingredients
For the loaf:
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup almond flour
1 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Zest of 3 lemons
½ cup + 1 tablespoon plain whole milk Greek yogurt
½ cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup + 3 tablespoons lemon juice (about 2½ lemons)
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
For the icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons plain whole milk Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons creme fraiche
1 tablespoon lemon juice
For assembly:
Figs
Honey
Method
For the loaf:
Heat oven to 350 F and line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving the ends sticking out for easy removal. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon zest. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, eggs and vanilla until fully combined. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, and bake 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. You may need to tent the loaf with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent the top from getting too dark.
Transfer the loaf from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely before topping with icing.
For the icing:
In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients until fully combined.
If the icing is too thick, add more lemon juice until it reaches the desired consistency.
To assemble:
Top the cooled loaf with icing and decorate with halved figs and honey.
Start to finish: Active: 3 hours | Inactive: 2 hours–overnight
Makes: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
For the chocolate cookies:
2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
½ cup (42 grams) dutch-process cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup (150 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
⅔ cup (132 grams) granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-4 tablespoons water
For the buttercream:
1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter
1 cup (113 grams) powdered sugar
2–3 tablespoons heavy cream
Orange food gel
Method
For the chocolate cookies:
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add in egg yolks and vanilla extract, and mix until fully combined. Add in the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. If the dough is a little dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until it’s wet enough to stick together.
Shape the dough into 2 disks, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out cookie dough to ¼-inch thick. With a jack-o’-lantern cookie cutter, cut out the cookie dough (half with a face and half plain). Place cut-out dough in the freezer for 10 minutes. Repeat until all the dough is cut out, chilling the scraps before rolling out again.
While the cut-out dough is chilling in the freezer, heat oven to 350 F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the cut-out dough on prepared baking sheets, and bake the cookies for about 12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet.
For the buttercream:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add in powdered sugar a little at a time, mixing between each addition. Once all the powdered sugar is added, continue mixing until completely smooth. Add 2–3 tablespoons of heavy cream to reach the desired spreadable consistency. Transfer half the buttercream to another bowl, and stir in 2–3 drops of orange food gel.
To assemble:
Pair the cookies up. Spread either white or orange buttercream on the bottom cookie and sandwich with the top cookie.
Start to finish: Active: 3 hours | Inactive: 2 hours–overnight
Makes: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
For the chocolate pots de crème:
1 cup (227 grams) chocolate milk
1 cup (227 grams) heavy cream
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2 egg yolks
For the ghost meringues:
2 (70 grams) egg whites
½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
Black sugar pearls (for the eyes)
Method
For the chocolate pots de crème:
In a medium saucepan, whisk chocolate milk and heavy cream, and bring to a simmer. Chop chocolate into chunks and place in a large bowl. Pour hot chocolate milk/heavy cream mixture over chocolate and let sit for 1–2 minutes. Gently stir the mixture until the chocolate is fully melted and everything is fully combined. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
Quickly whisk egg yolks into chocolate mixture until fully combined. Pour chocolate into 4–6 cups and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
For the ghost meringues:
Heat oven to 200 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites and sugar. Place the bowl over a small saucepan with simmering water. Whisk frequently until the mixture reaches 160 F on a candy thermometer.
Immediately remove the bowl and use an electric mixer to whisk the meringue to stiff peaks. Transfer meringue to a piping bag fitted with a medium round piping tip.
On the prepared baking sheet, pipe the meringue upward to create ghosts. Add 2 black sugar pearls for the eyes.
Bake the meringues for 1 hour; and then turn off oven and leave for 1 hour. Remove from oven to cool completely.
Notes: If you can’t find black sugar pearls for the ghost eyes, try this hack: Poke mini chocolate chips backward into the meringue for eyes.
Start to finish: 1 hour 20 minutes
Makes: 9-16 slices
Ingredients
For the cake:
1¼ cups (150 grams) all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
5 large egg yolks
¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup (80 grams) whole milk
5 large egg whites
For the tres leches:
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
6 ounces evaporated milk
¼ cup (56 grams) whole milk
For the whipped cream:
1 cup (227 grams) heavy cream, cold
¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
For assembly:
¼ cup candy corn
Method
For the cake:
Heat oven to 350 F and grease a 9-by-9-inch pan with softened butter.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, add egg yolks and granulated sugar. With an electric mixer, whisk on high speed until the mixture is very pale in color and has doubled in volume. Mix in vanilla extract and milk. Then, gently fold in the dry ingredients in 2 additions, until just combined.
In a separate medium bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped egg whites into batter until fully combined, careful not to deflate it.
Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the middle is fully puffed up and the top is evenly golden. Allow the cake to cool for about 30 minutes, then use a fork to poke holes all over the cake.
Pour tres leches over the cake, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator overnight.
For the tres leches:
In a medium bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and whole milk.
For the whipped cream:
In a medium bowl with an eclectric mixer, whisk heavy cream and sugar until soft peaks form.
To assemble:
Just before serving, top the cake with whipped cream and decorate with candy corn.
Notes: Since the cake soaks overnight, it’s the perfect make-ahead dessert. The day before, whip up the cake batter, bake it and soak it overnight. Just before serving the next day, top with freshly whipped cream and candy corn.
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Impresses: 2
Ingredients
For the chocolate milkshake:
1 pint vanilla ice cream
¼ cup chocolate milk
3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
For the whipped cream:
¼ cup heavy cream, cold
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
For the witch’s hat:
3 ounces chocolate
1 ice cream sugar cone
1 round stroopwafel or thin cookie
Black sanding sugar
Purple ribbon
Method
For the chocolate milkshake:
In a blender, combine ice cream, chocolate milk and chocolate syrup until smooth. Drizzle chocolate syrup on the inside of a milkshake glass, and then pour the chocolate milkshake into the glass. Top with homemade whipped cream and the witch’s hat and enjoy!
For the whipped cream:
In a medium bowl with an eclectic mixer, whisk the heavy cream and sugar until soft peaks form.
For the witch’s hat:
In a shallow bowl, add chocolate and heat in the microwave in 20 second intervals until fully melted. Cut the tip of the sugar cone off and dip in the chocolate. Place back on the cone at an angle. Freeze for a few minutes until set.
Dip the bottom of the sugar cone in the chocolate and place in the center of the round stroopwafel or thin cookie. Freeze for a few minutes until set.
Spread an even layer of chocolate on the hat and immediately sprinkle black sanding sugar all over. Freeze again for a few minutes until set.
Tie purple ribbon around the hat and place on top of your chocolate milkshake.
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