3 Holiday Desserts
Headed to some holiday parties? If you signed up to bring something sweet - guess what, this is what everyone’s looking forward to at these parties, so don’t fumble it! Part of the magic of the holidays is the decadence of all the sweets and the creativity and charm of the displays. Some of our most nostalgic smells and tastes come from our favorite holiday desserts. Here are some home-run desserts that will end up making your contribution a big hit!
25 minutes prep time, 2 minute cook time, 5 servings
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 25 oreos, crushed
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp powdered sugar
- 2 and 2/3 cups heavy cream. (Keep this in the fridge until it's ready to use! Needs to be cold.)
- ⅓ cup + 5 tbsp Bailey’s Irish cream liquor
- Start by making the chocolate first. Put the chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl then heat the milk in a small pan over medium heat until simmering. Pour over the chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes. Stir until the chocolate is entirely melted and smooth. Microwaving for 15-sec intervals can work if some chunks remain. Set aside.
- Next, make the Whipped Cream. Add the heavy cream, ensuring that it is cold and freshly out of the fridge. Add to a large mixing bowl, mix in the vanilla, powdered sugar, & 2 TBSP Bailey's. Set the electric mixer to high speed until stiff peaks form.To check and see if it's done, turn the mixer off, lift the beaters straight up, and peaks of the whipped cream will be able to stand on their own. Stop mixing as soon as it reaches this point.
- Put 2 and 1/2 cups of the whipped cream into a separate, medium bowl. Fold the chocolate mixture into this bowl with the portioned-out whipped cream. Taste and add a splash of additional Bailey's if desired. I added 2 TBSP to the chocolate, and 1 TBSP more to the plain whipped cream.
- Assemble the Layer of oreo crumbs, then the chocolate cream, followed by the Bailey's whipped cream; repeat until each glass is full.
- Serve + Store: Enjoy right away! These parfaits can keep well in the fridge if they’re covered for about 1-2 days. It’s not recommended to make them any more than a day ahead.
10 minutes prep time, 45 minute cook time, 12 servings
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- fresh whipped cream, for topping
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup very hot water
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 1/2 tbspns baking soda
- 1/2 tbspn ground cloves
- 1 tbspn ground ginger
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- banana for topping
- 1 cup unsulphured molasses
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions:
For the Vanilla Cream Sauce:
1) Add sugar, butter and cream to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until butter has melted.
2) Bring mix to a boil, stirring frequently, for 3-5 minutes.
3) Remove from heat and add vanilla.
Let cool for a few minutes before serving over cake.
- 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
- 8 candy canes, crushed
- 12 oz. chopped semisweet chocolate
- 12 oz. chopped white chocolate
1) Start by melting the chocolate: You can microwave them or double boil the chocolate chips. Put the chocolate chips or baking pieces in a large heatproof bowl and microwave on low in increments of 30 seconds, taking out the bowl from the microwave and stirring between each increment. You’ll be using a lot of chocolate chips, so you'll want to keep stirring to make sure the ones on the bottom get melted, not burnt. Another way to melt chocolate chips—especially this many—is using a double boiler on the stovetop. Achieve this by placing a glass bowl on top of some simmering water so that the steam melts the chocolate. Avoid getting water in the bowl because this will make the chocolate seize.
2) Once the melted chocolate has been poured onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, sprinkle the bark with candy canes, you just need to refrigerate the bark for 20 minutes, or until it's firm.
3) Next, you’ll need to break it up. As soon as the bark has set completely, break it apart with your hands to achieve that rustic, unplanned look. Each piece will look different - this is intentional. If it’s too thick to break with your hands, use the flat side of a meat mallet. If you’re aiming for cleaner cuts, use a sharp knife that has been dipped in hot water and dried.
