Can't wait to make a Buche de Noel! Telephone Melts / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Tis the time to haul out the bakeware! I love baking, especially in the cold weather months, as it warms up our home. It’s been really cold in L.A. lately! Below are a few dessert recipes I’m planing to make for our different Christmas celebrations.
Gingersnap Pear Cheesecake – In my post about non-traditional Thanksgiving desserts, I said how much I love cheesecake because of it’s versatility. For Christmas, try one with pears and a gingersnap crust. The flavors complement each other wonderfully. Best thing is that if you know how to make a basic cheesecake, you can have this done in no time. Another thing I like is that it travels well to parties and it can be made ahead of time.
lordog / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Don’t get me wrong, I love apple and pumpkin pie — served warm with a scoop (or two) of vanilla bean ice cream. These pies complete a Thanksgiving meal. But if you’re in charge of dessert this year, change it up a bit and try your hand at making one of these six non-traditional turkey day sweets. (If you’re in charge of the bird, here’s how to cook a perfect turkey.)
Flan
If you’ve never tried flan, you’re missing out! This is a custard topped with caramel that’s similar to creme brulee. I’ve taught several friends how to make this decadent dessert using my family’s recipe. I like that it’s so easy to make and it keeps well in the fridge so you can make it ahead. The Food Network’s Ellie Krieger has a pumpkin flan recipe similar to mine. You can either use ramekins for individual portions or make one to share. If you’re traveling, don’t flip it till you arrive or you’ll end up covered in caramel.
Chocolate sorbet. Credit: jules:stonesoup/Flickr
This recipe for easy chocolate sorbet in the Sunday New York Times Magazine Food Issue caught my eye. So simple! Such promise! So cheap! Sunday’s issue included recipes for 11 other desserts, plus starters, drinks, and main courses. Note, I have NOT tried this recipe but hope to this weekend. Maybe I’ll make this today if I can get out of work early (doubtful). It is a lot cheaper than buying ice cream because I already have all the ingredients on hand.
Ingredients
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
2 c boiling water
1 tsp vanilla extract
Ice cream maker or large container
Directions
Mix sugar and cocoa powder, then stir in boiling hot water with a whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Add vanilla. Pour into your ice cream maker and stir as per the directions on your maker. Or, pour into a large container and stir every half hour to make granita. I’m new to granita, but Wikipedia says it is a semi-frozen dessert that has a coarser, more “crystalline texture” than its cousins, sorbet and Italian ice. Sounds fine to me!
