Merry Christmas 2023: Finally, ’tis the season to indulge in the sweet symphony of Christmas cheer, and what better way to spread joy than with the enchanting aroma of freshly baked cakes wafting through your home? Also, if you want to try something new this year, here are a few exciting recipes that will add a fresh feel to your Christmas celebrations. As the festive lights twinkle and carols fill the air, let’s embark on a culinary journey that promises mouth-watering delights.
1. Yule Log Cake (By Sumit Kumar, Corporate Chef, Leisure Hotels Group)
Ingredients:
- White flour: ¾ cup, 100 gm,
- Dark coco powder: 1/3 cup, 40 gm
- Baking powder: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: ½ tea spoon
- Egg white: 4
- Egg Yolk: 4
- Granulated sugar: ¾ cup, 150 gm
- Sour Cream: 5 table spoon, 70 gm
- Butter, melted: ¼ cup
- Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon
Mascarpone whipped cream filling:
- Whipping cream: 1 ¼ cup, 300 ml
- Powder sugar: ¾ cup, 90 gm
- Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: 1 pinch
- Mascarpone cheese: 225 gm
Whipped Chocolate Ganache:
- Dark chocolate grated: 200 gm
- Whipping cream: 1 cup
Garnishing:
- Black grapes and berries (optional)
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 17×12-inch jelly roll sheet pans with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment paper sticks up at least an inch above the sides of the pan on all sides. You’ll use the parchment paper later to lift the cake out of the pan and roll it up.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar and whisk together until well combined.
- Add the sour cream, melted butter and vanilla extract and whisk together until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and gently whisk together until well combined, then set aside.
- Add the egg whites to a large mixer bowl and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold about 1/3 of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen up the batter.
- Add the remaining egg whites and gently fold together until well combined.
- Spread the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and immediately lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment paper and place it on the counter.
- While the cake is hot, use the parchment paper the cake was baked in and start at the shorter end of the cake to slowly roll the cake up. Set the cake aside to cool completely.
- When the cake has cooled and is ready to be filled, make the filling. Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt to a large mixer bowl and whip on high speed until soft peaks form.
- Add the mascarpone cheese to the whipped cream and whip until stiff peaks form. It will happen fairly quickly.
- Unroll the cake roll very carefully, looking out for areas where it may be sticking to release it. You can use an offset spatula or something similar and run it along the parchment paper as you unroll the cake to help release it as it unrolls.
- Spread the filling evenly onto the unrolled cake, then roll it back up without the parchment paper.
- Wrap it up in plastic wrap with the seam side down and refrigerate for at least an hour to firm up.
- When you’re read to decorate the cake, make the chocolate ganache.
Add the chocolate to a medium sized bowl and set aside. Heat the cream in the microwave just until it begins to boil, then pour it over the chocolate. - Allow the chocolate and cream to sit for a few minutes, then whisk until smooth. Let the ganache cool to about room temperature (or cooler, you don’t want it too warm/thin), then transfer to a large mixer bowl.
- Whip on high speed until lightened in color and thick enough to spread.
- To decorate the cake, use a large serrated knife to gently cut off a piece of the log about 3 inches in length. Make the cut with a slight diagonal.
- Use some of the chocolate ganache to attach the small log to the side of the larger log.
- Spread the remaining chocolate ganache all over the cake, then use a fork to create bark-like lines all over it. Decorate with fruits and berries.
- Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.
2. Oreo Mint Truffle (By Chef Reetika Mitra)
Ingredients:
- 20 Oreo Biscuits (regular vanilla flavoured)
- 100 gms Cream Cheese
- 1 Tsp Mint Extract or Essence (optional)
- 7 or 8 Pistachios roughly crushed
- 100 gms White Chocolate
- 100 gms Dark or Milk Chocolate
Method:
- Line a tray with butter or a parchment paper and keep it ready.
- Separate the biscuits of the oreo from the vanilla cream filling and keep the latter in a small bowl.
- With the aid of a spoon mash the vanilla cream to smooth texture. Add the mint extract and the crushed pistachios to it. Mix well.
- In a food processor or using a regular electric mixer, crush the Oreo biscuits to a coarse. Add the cream cheese to the food processor or a blender jar and blend well together until the cream cheese is properly infused with the powdered oreo.
- Now scoop about 2 tbsp at a time and shape them into smooth round balls with the help of your palms. Gently press each of the oreo balls into well-like moulds and insert 1 Tsp of the vanilla cream mixture with the mint extract and crushed pistachios. Pinch and close the ends of the biscuit and cream cheese to re-shape them back to their previous round form.
- Next place all the oreo balls on the prepared tray and chill them in the freezer for 15 minutes. If you opt to place them in the refrigerator section, chill them for a good 30 minutes.
- In the meantime melt the respective chocolates separately and keep them ready. I have put the two types of chocolate in separate bowls and microwaved them. Once the oreo balls are chilled, taken them out, dip and coat them with the melted chocolate. You can use a spoon to pour some of the melted chocolate from the top. Place them on a wire rack with a butter paper below to catch some of the excess chocolate dripping.
- Allow to cool and set.
3. Classic French Opera Cake (By Chef Arjyo Banerjee, Vice President Culinary and Central Kitchen, Compass Group India)
The Classic French Opera Cake, doubled in layers to make six layers of almond sponge cake, three layers of coffee French buttercream, three layers of rich chocolate ganache, and topped with a chocolate glaze!
Ingredients for Joconde Sponge:
- Almond Flour – 100 grams
- Granulated Sugar – 150 grams
- Salt – 3 grams
- Vanilla Extract – 5 grams
- Eggs, Room Temperature – 3 grams
- Egg Whites, Room Temperature – 3 grams
- All-Purpose Flour – 60 grams
Ingredients for Coffee Soak –
- Coffee – 180 grams
- Granulated Sugar – 50 grams
Ingredients for Chocolate Ganache –
- Dark Chocolate – 150 grams
- Heavy Whipping Cream – 120 grams
Ingredients for Coffee French Buttercream –
- Granulated Sugar – 200 grams
- Water – 60 grams
- Egg Yolks (at room temperature) – 4 grams
- Unsalted Butter – 240 grams
- Salt – 3 grams
- Espresso Powder (dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water) – 10 grams
- Vanilla Extract – 10 grams
Ingredients for Chocolate Gaze –
- Dark Chocolate – 120 grams
- Coconut Oil – 15 grams
Method:
Joconde Sponge
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) for convection (350°F/177°C for conventional) and grease a 6″ square cake pan (or multiple pans as needed for six layers).
- In a large bowl, combine almond flour, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and whole eggs. Beat the mixture at high speed for 2-3 minutes until the colour lightens and the batter becomes fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, beat 1/4 cup of granulated sugar with egg whites at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form (about 1-2 minutes). Avoid over-whipping (check the troubleshooting section if needed).
- Gently fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter with a clean spatula until fully incorporated. Repeat with the remaining egg whites in two more additions.
- Gradually sift half of the flour over the batter, folding gently until combined. Then repeat with the remaining half. Pour the melted butter around the bowl’s edge and fold gently until fully incorporated.
- Pour 1/6 of the batter (about 3.5oz) into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to spread it evenly. Bake the cake for 7 minutes on the middle rack until it releases slightly from the pan’s edge and springs back when pressed.
- Invert the cakes onto a flat surface and repeat with the rest of the batter, yielding six thin layers in total.
Coffee Soak
- Brew coffee and mix it with sugar until the sugar dissolves. Set it aside to cool completely.
Chocolate Ganache
- Place the chocolate in a medium-heat-safe bowl. Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it simmers (not boils).
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, cover the bowl, and let it sit for 2 minutes. Stir the chocolate until the cream is fully incorporated. Cover the bowl and allow the ganache to cool completely to room temperature.
Coffee French Buttercream
- In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and water. Swirl the pan until the sugar dissolves completely. Place the saucepan over medium heat until the mixture simmers gently. Lower the heat to low, cover with a lid, and let the mixture simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer with the fitted whisk attachment. Turn the mixer up to high speed and let it whip while the sugar mixture cooks.
- Use a candy thermometer to monitor the sugar, aiming for 240°F (116°C). Lower the mixer speed to medium, and slowly drizzle the hot syrup into the egg yolks while whipping. Increase the mixer speed to high and whip for 5–10 minutes until the yolk mixture becomes pale, fluffy, and cool to the touch.
- Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, until each chunk is fully combined and the buttercream appears smooth and creamy.
- Scrape the bowl’s sides and bottom, add vanilla, dissolved espresso, and salt. Increase the mixer speed to high for 1-2 minutes until fully combined.
Assemble
- To assemble the cake, place the first cake layer on a flat surface and generously brush it with coffee soak. Spread a layer of buttercream, matching the cake layer’s thickness, on top.
- Add another cake layer, repeat with coffee soak, and spread a layer of chocolate ganache, matching the cake’s thickness. Repeat with the remaining layers and smoothen the edges as much as possible. Refrigerate the cake for 2–3 hours to set.
- Trim the cake’s edges to smooth them. Use the remaining buttercream to frost the chilled cake until it is fully covered. Refrigerate for about an hour until the buttercream firms up, then prepare the chocolate glaze.
Chocolate Glaze
- Place the chocolate and oil in a small aluminium bowl. Set the bowl over a small simmering pot of water (about ¼ – ½ cup of water) to create a double boiler.
- Stir the chocolate frequently until smooth and silky. Allow it to cool for 5 minutes before pouring it over the cake.
- Chill the cake in the fridge for a few minutes to let the chocolate set.
- For clean slices, run a large serrated knife under hot water, dab off the excess water, and slowly cut grooves into the chocolate before slicing down to avoid cracking.
- Serve each slice on a plate, appreciating the intricate flavours and textures of the Joconde Sponge, complemented by the coffee soak, luscious buttercream, and rich chocolate ganache.
4. Choco – Orange Cake (By Chef Ranveer Brar, Hershey’s)
Ingredients:
Dry ingredients
- 100 grams refined flour (maida)
- 1 tablespoon cocoa (unsweetened)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
Wet ingredients
- 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
- 100 grams butter
- 100 grams sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
Equipment Needed
- 2 Mixing bowls
- 1 whisk
- 1 spatula
- 1 loaf tin or cake tin
- 1 knife
Method:
- In a bowl, mix the flour, cocoa (unsweetened), baking powder, cinnamon and orange zest.
- Use another bowl to cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time followed by the vanilla essence, flour mixture, orange juice and chocolate syrup.
- Mix the contents in the bowl with a spatula.
- Transfer it into a loaf tin or a cake tin. Bake at 160°C for 25-30 minutes.
- Slice and serve with a beverage of your choice.
5. Christmas plum cake (By Chef Ranveer Brar, Hershey’s)
Dry Ingredients:
- 150 gms unsweetened cocoa
- 175 gms refined flour (maida)
- 150 gms powdered almond
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
Wet ingredients:
- 150 ml chocolate syrup
- 250 gms softened butter
- 150 gms castor sugar
- 5 eggs
- 25 gms mixed fruit jam plum jam
- 100 gms tutti frutti mixed candied fruits
- 2 tbsp icing sugar, for garnish
Other ingredients
Butter paper
Equipment Needed
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Fork
- 1 Spoon, for mixing
- 1 Whisking machine
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Baking tin
Method:
- Pre-soak tutti frutti in chocolate syrup for one week at least (optional).
- In a mixing bowl, mix refined flour, almond powder, unsweetened cocoa and baking powder. Use a fork to mix well and keep it aside on a platform.
- Take another mixing bowl, add butter and castor sugar and whisk them together until it turns creamy in texture and pale yellow in colour.
- Add one egg at a time and whisk further until it’s creamy.
- Pour in chocoalte syrup, plum jam and tutti frutti.
- Then, whisk gently, allowing enough air into the batter.
- Line a baking tin with butter paper and pour in the cake batter. Tap gently to ensure there are no air bubbles left.
- Preheat the oven at 180° Celsius and bake the cake for 35-40 minutes at 180*C or until evenly cooked.
