IIt’s Christmas tomorrow, and though the floods may have dampened the celebrations this year, holiday spirits continue to simmer. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money buying sweets, how about making some treats at home?
City Express had a chat with pastry chef Murugan, from Hotel Hilton, about easy-to-make recipes, which are relatively cheap, and don’t require much experience and time. He shared three recipes with us with easy ingredients including nutella, flour, sugar, strawberries, dry fruits, and of course, rum, and brandy. What’s X-mas without some alcohol, after all!
First, strawberry yoghurt. “This dish doesn’t require an oven. All you need are strawberries, sugar, butter, whole egg and gelatin. Boil the sugar and strawberry puree. Set it aside. Whisk egg and sugar together in a pan and add the strawberry mix. Boil the mixture for a few minutes. Add gelatine (soaked in cold water) and stir well. Place the mixture in an ice bath and add butter. Mix well. Pour into little pots and refrigerate! If you are going to consume it within 20 minutes, you don’t need gelatin. This is the easiest recipe,” says chef Murugan.
How about some plum chocolate truffle? You need dark chocolate, fresh cream, honey, dark rum, dark chocolate, utter, raisins, apricots, cherries, dry figs, chocolate spread (nutella) and bread crumbs (to bind the mixture). “Yes, it has a lot of ingredients, but I assure you even an inexperienced person can make it within 20 minutes,” says the chef.
You probably have all the necessary ingredients, so why not take 20 minutes to try making some strawberry yoghurt, plum choco truffles, or vanilla crescent cookies?
PLUM CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES
(Eggless Without Oven, makes about 6 medium sized truffles)
INGREDIENTS QUANTITY (Gms)
Dark chocolate 100
Fresh cream 50
Honey 20
Dark rum 40
Dark chocolate 40
Butter 10
Raisins 30
Apricot 30
Cherries 30
Dry Fig 50
Chocolate spread 100
Bread crumbs (for binding the mixture) 50
METHOD
■ Mix the butter and sugar. Add the eggs
■ Add flour, almond powder, salt and cinnamon powder. Mix thoroughly
■ Take generous tablespoons of the dough (slightly crumbly), roll it into a small balls about an inch in diameter and then form into a crescent shape with fingers. Place onto parchment paper and bake at 160°C for 15-20 minutes or until a light golden brown
■ Dust with icing sugar and serve fresh Chef’s tip: Serve with chocolate dip!
■ Mix the butter and sugar. Add the eggs
■ Add flour, almond powder, salt and cinnamon powder. Mix thoroughly
■ Take generous tablespoons of the dough (slightly crumbly), roll it into a small balls about an inch in diameter and then form into a crescent shape with fingers. Place onto parchment paper and bake at 160°C for 15-20 minutes or until a light golden brown
■ Dust with icing sugar and serve fresh
Chef’s tip: Serve with chocolate dip!
■ Boil the cream with honey and butter
■ Bring cream to boil and add chocolate
■ Once the chocolate melts, add liquor, fruits and butter
■ Refrigerate until the mixture cools off
■ Roll mixture into small truffles and dip in chocolate spread
■ Refrigerate and serve
Chef’s tip: Serve with hot coffee to end a meal!
VANILLA CRESCENT COOKIE
(with oven, makes about 6 medium sized cresents)
INGREDIENTS QUANTITY (Gms)
Butter 200
Caster sugar 60
Eggs 1
Flour 265
Cinnamon powder 1
Almond Powder 180
Salt 1
METHOD
■ Mix the butter and sugar. Add the eggs
■ Add flour, almond powder, salt and cinnamon powder. Mix thoroughly
■ Take generous tablespoons of the dough (slightly crumbly), roll it into a small balls about an inch in diameter and then form into a crescent shape with fingers. Place onto parchment paper and bake at 160°C for 15-20 minutes or until a light golden brown
■ Dust with icing sugar and serve fresh
Chef’s tip: Serve with chocolate dip!