Holiday Recipes

Written by Eloise Audy and Delia Claudette Dumpangol

With the holiday season nearing, I’m sure we are all busy getting ready for a break from school and some free time at home with our family or friends. In this article we will be sharing our tried and true recipes that are sure to bring the festive spirit. 

1. Moist Banana Bread with Chocolate chips & Walnuts

Difficulty : Easy!

Ingredients : 

• 2 cups / 256g of all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 
• 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt 
• 1/2 cup / 114g unsalted butter, melted 
• 1 cup /200g granulated sugar 
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk 
• 1/4 cup / 62g  sour cream 
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract 
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed 
• 1/2 cup / 64g semi-sweet chocolate chips 
• 1/2 cup / 64g chopped toasted walnuts 

Steps : 

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and grease with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. In another large bowl, mix together melted butter, sugar, egg and egg yolk, sour cream, and vanilla. Add mashed bananas and stir until combined. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until just combined. 
4. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts and transfer to the prepared loaf pan.
5. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool for 10 minutes in a pan, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely

2. Christmas Coloured Tortilla Bowls

Difficulty : Easy!

3. Charlotte Cake

Difficulty : Intermediate

The French strawberry charlotte cake (“Charlotte aux Fraises”) with white chocolate and pink ladyfingers makes a delicious celebration cake.

Ingredients :

• 25–30 ladyfingers*
• ¼ cup (50g) sugar
• ½ cup (120 ml) water
• 7 ounces (200g) white chocolate, chopped
• 10.5 ounces (300g) mascarpone cheese
• 3 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 15.8 ounces (450g) fresh strawberries, halved and/or sliced

Steps :

FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE:

1. Beat mascarpone cheese with a hand mixer or a stand mixer equipped with the whisk attachment for about 1 minute, until soft.
2. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave in 30-second increment, until completely melted. Add to the mascarpone and stir until combined.
3. Add lemon juice to the egg whites and beat with a hand mixer until firm peaks form. Add about ¼ egg whites to the white chocolate filling, then fold in the rest of the filling very carefully. It must be light and fluffy. Set aside.

FOR THE SYRUP:

1. In a saucepan, heat up water and sugar over medium heat until it starts bubbling. Stir and remove from heat to cool slightly.

FOR ASSEMBLING:

1. Line an 9.8-inch (25 cm)** round springform with parchment paper (bottom and rims).
2. Take a ladyfinger and soak the flat side (the bottom) in the syrup. Place it against the side of the pan, rounded-side facing out and flat side (soaked side) facing inward. Repeat and arrange the ladyfingers all around the sides of pan, nice and snug to avoid gaps. Place the rest of the ladyfingers in one layer at the bottom of the pan.
3. Pour half of the white chocolate mousse inside the pan, then add an additional layer of soaked lady fingers on top. Cover with a thin layer of sliced strawberries, ladle the rest of the mousse on top, and smooth it out with your spatula.
4. Place the strawberry charlotte cake in the refrigerator to set for at least 4 hours (ideally overnight), until the mousse is set***.

When the Charlotte is chilled and set, carefully remove it from the springform, peel off the parchment paper from the edges and place on a serving tray

5. Decorate with fresh strawberries, mint leaves, dust with confectioners’ sugar, slice it, and enjoy!