Christmas Dessert Recipes

By: Melissa Baker

Since Christmas is this week, I thought I would share some Christmas dessert recipes. These look absolutely amazing. I hope you get a chance to try at least one of them this holiday season. Have a very Merry Christmas! Enjoy!

French Silk Chocolate Pie

Recipe courtesy of www.AllRecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 prepared 8 inch pastry shell, baked and cooled

Directions:

1. 1. Cream butter in a mixing bowl. Gradually beat in the sugar with an electric mixer until light colored and well blended. 
2. 2. Stir in the thoroughly cooled chocolate, and vanilla extract. 
3. 3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating 5 minutes on medium speed after each addition. 4. Spoon the chocolate filling into a cooled, baked pie shell.
4. 5. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

White Chocolate Peppermint Bark

Recipe and Image Courtesy of www.JessicaInTheKitchen.com

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)
• 8 ounces white chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 candy canes (crushed)

Instructions

1. Line an 8x8 baking dish or a small cookie sheet with parchment paper, pressing to ensure it is smooth.
2. In a bowl, melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips for a minute. Remove and stir together with a spoon. The chips should melt after a few stirs but if not, microwave in 15 second increments until melted.
3. Pour into the bottom of the baking dish and spread to cover. Place in your fridge for 5-7 minutes to set temporarily. You don't want to set longer than this else the layers of chocolate may separate once hardened completely.
4. Melt the white chocolate for 1 minute in the microwave. Remove and stir vigorously - the white chocolate should be melted and creamy. If not, microwave for another 15 seconds then stir again. White chocolate can seize up very easily so work carefully with it. Stir in the peppermint extract. Allow to cool for 1 minute.
5. Move the slightly hardened chocolate from fridge, then pour over the solidified chocolate in the baking dish/cookie sheet.
6. Sprinkle with the crushed candy canes. Place in the fridge until set, about 30 minutes. Break apart into pieces when you're ready to serve it.
7. Store in the fridge in an airtight tupperware container.

Notes

TIPS:
If you're having any difficult with melting the chocolate, use a little bit (about ¼ teaspoon) of coconut oil. Coconut oil is used to help the chocolate melt (a very useful tip from my days of the baking business!) Use it sparingly as a lot can make the chocolate very very runny. Even if the chocolate doesn't seem to be melted at first, give it a few seconds and a few stirs.
You don't have to use the entire ½ teaspoon peppermint. I thought the extra peppermint contrasted very well to the chocolate and complemented it. You can use any amount you want since the peppermint candy canes on top will give it a great peppermint flavour.
The bark must be stored in the fridge

Gingerbread Fudge

Recipe and Image Courtesy of www.Sweet2EatBaking.com

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk
• 12oz white chocolate, chopped (or chips)
• 2-3 tsp ginger, sifted
• ½-1 tsp cinnamon, sifted
• ½-1 tsp nutmeg, sifted

Directions:

1. Pour the condensed milk and white chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the white chocolate chips are almost completely melted. DO NOT OVERHEAT! Stir until completely blended, melted and smooth.
2. Immediately add the spices and combine thoroughly.
3. (Optional) Add a handful of sprinkles and fold in quickly. They will melt and make the mixture an awful muddy colour if stirred for too long.
4. Transfer to an 8×8 inch aluminium foil-lined baking pan. Leave to set either in the refrigerator or at room temperature. If you live in a hot and humid climate, it’s preferable to allow to set in the refrigerator.
5. Once set, cut into cubes. Store leftovers in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

NOTES:

• Prep time doesn’t include setting time which usually takes about 3 hours.
• If stored in an airtight container, they should keep for 2 weeks.

Melted Snowmen Oreo Balls

Recipe and Image Courtesy of www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) brick cream cheese, softened
• 36 OREO Cookies (regular size), finely crushed
• 16 oz. vanilla candy wafers or melts, melted (these can be found at Walmart, target, Michaels or other craft stores)
• 48 Mini OREO Bite Size Cookies
• decorations: decorating icing or gel; multi-colored sprinkles

Directions:

1. Mix cream cheese and cookie crumbs until well blended. I like to crush the Oreos in a food processor and then add the cream cheese and process it together. It can also be done by hand though.
2. Shape into 48 (1-inch) balls; place in single layer in shallow pan. Some readers have stuck toothpicks in the top before freezing for easier dipping later. Freeze for at least 20 minutes. They can be frozen for longer. Dip balls in melted coating (see note); I do this by using a fork and tapping the fork on the bowl of my candy coating to remove some of the extra coating. If you used the toothpick option dip balls and then gently remove the toothpick and fill in the hole with melted candy coating. Place in shallow waxed paper-lined pan, allowing excess coating to pool at bottom of each ball.
3. Chill balls until coating is set.
4. Decorate with remaining ingredients as shown in photo. You can use the candy coating to adhere the hat to the head. Place in the fridge immediately to set up the decorations.
5. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Keep refrigerated.

Notes

I have used almond bark before to dip these but found that the candy wafers work better. Sometimes when you dip the balls the Oreos can leave some crumbs in the coating but the wafers tend to do this way less.
I like to divide my coating into half or fourths so that if for some reason dark oreo bits get in one bowl you have others as back up. You can even dip them twice. Once in a layer and if it has oreo bits, oh well. The second time dip them in a fresh melting coating bowl and then there are no crumbs to worry about. I only had to dip these once but in the past I've had oreo bits sneak in my white coating

Seasons Best Sugar Cookie

Recipe and Image Courtesy of www.BettyCrocker.com

Ingredients:

Cookies:

• 1 1/2cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 egg 
• 2 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

White Glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk 
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• Sprinkles
• Red edible glitter or red sugar

Directions:

• 1 In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and the butter with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and the egg. Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.
• 2 Heat oven to 375°F. On lightly floured cloth-covered surface, roll half of dough at a time 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. On ungreased cookie sheets, place 2 inches apart.
• 3 Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely.
• 4 Mix glaze ingredients until smooth and desired spreading consistency, adding a few extra drops milk if needed. Spread glaze over cookies. Sprinkle with sugars.