Chocolate Hazelnut Bread Pudding

 Is it dessert or is it breakfast?  Whatever it is, it is delicious!!  I used Nutella for my Hazelnut spread and a good quality white bread.  This is very simple and is a great idea over the holidays from Food and Drink Magazine 

3 large eggs
½ cup (125 mL) whipping cream
1 ½ cups (375 mL) milk
¼ cup (60 mL) light brown sugar
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
⅔ cup (150 mL) chocolate hazelnut spread
10 slices good-quality homestyle white sandwich bread, crusts removed
3 tbsp (45 mL) unsalted butter, soft ened, divided
¼ cup (60 mL) chopped toasted hazelnuts

1 Beat eggs in a medium bowl until uniform. Add whipping cream, milk, sugar, salt and vanilla and whisk until fully blended. Set aside.

2 Spread about 2 heaped tbsp (30 mL-plus) of chocolate hazelnut spread over each of 5 slices of bread. Top with remaining slices of bread. Spread top slices of each sandwich with softened butter (saving about 1 tbsp/15 mL) for baking dish).

3 Generously butter the inside of a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33-cm) or similar volume baking dish.

4 Cut sandwiches into quarters on the diagonal and lay in baking dish (butter-side up) alternating rows of 1 to 3 triangles depending on shape of pan, leaning each row onto the one that came before. Drizzle egg mixture overtop moistening all of the bread. Let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature. Sprinkle with hazelnuts.

5 Heat oven to 350°F (180°C).

6 Bake bread pudding for 45 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, bread is crisp and lightly golden and bread in the centre is puff ed. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 6 to 8

Maple Oat Scones with Candied Bacon

 Sweet and savoury, this recipe from Food and Drink is decadent!

CANDIED BACON
10 slices bacon 2 tbsp (30 mL) maple syrup, divided
3 tbsp (45 mL) brown sugar, divided

SCONES
3 ½ cups (875 mL) all-purpose flour
1 ¼ tsp (6 mL) baking soda
2 ½ tsp (12 mL) baking powder
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
2 cups (500 mL) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 ¼ cups (310 mL) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
¾ cup (175 mL) maple syrup, plus extra for brushing
¾ cup (175 mL) buttermilk
Whipped cream and maple syrup for serving (optional)

1 For the candied bacon, line a baking sheet with parchment; set aside. Working in 2 batches, place the slices of bacon in a cold frying pan in a single layer. Pour over 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the maple syrup and sprinkle with half the brown sugar. Turn heat to medium-low. Once sizzling starts, turn heat to low. Cook gently for 15 to 20 minutes turning often (cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your slices). Remove to prepared baking sheet when browned and shiny (bacon will harden as it cools). Cool to room temperature. Repeat with second batch. Cut or break into small pieces. Reserve, covered, at room temperature. Bacon can be made up to 2 days in advance.

2 Preheat oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

3 For the scones, in a large bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, oats and 1 cup (250 mL) of candied bacon (reserve remaining bacon for garnish). With a pastry blender (or fingertips) work butter into flour mixture until pieces of butter are the size of chickpeas. In a separate bowl whisk together ¾ cup (175 mL) maple syrup and buttermilk; add to flour mixture. Stir until it just comes together.

4 Turn dough out onto work surface and press into a 10 x 10-inch (25 x 25-cm) square, about 1 ½ inches (4 cm) thick. Using a sharp knife cut into 12 equal-sized rectangles. Place on prepared baking sheet and brush with extra maple syrup. Top each with an equal amount of reserved bacon. Bake on centre rack for 20 to 25 minutes or until they are golden brown and cooked through. Remove from oven and brush with more maple syrup. Serve with whipped cream and extra maple syrup, if desired.

Makes 12 scones

Sticky Toffee Muffins with Ginger Snap Crumble

 What a great festive treat.  I love the smell of Gingerbread baking and this recipe does not disappoint!  The dates make it moist and sweet.

MUFFINS
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup (250 mL) dates, packed
½ cup (125 mL) currants
1 ¼ cups (310 mL) water
1 tbsp (15 mL) baking soda
¼ cup (60 mL) unsalted butter, soft
¾ cup (175 mL) dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
1 tsp (5 mL) salt

TOFFEE SAUCE
1 cup (250 mL) dark brown sugar
½ cup (125 mL) unsalted butter
1 cup (250 mL) 35% cream
10 gingersnap cookies

1 Preheat oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Generously grease a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

2 In a large saucepan, bring dates, currants and water to a boil on medium high; reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Take off heat; add baking soda and stir. Set aside.

3 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; mix until well combined. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 additions alternating with the date mixture; mixing between additions until just combined.

4 For large muffins, divide batter between 9 of the cups using ½ cup (125 mL) of batter for each. For smaller size, divide evenly between 12 cups, filling about three-quarters full. Bake in centre of oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool 5 minutes.

5 Meanwhile, make the sauce. Bring the sugar, butter and cream to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, keeping a close watch, as it can boil over quickly. Remove from heat; reserve. Place the ginger snap cookies in a resealable plastic bag and smash with a rolling pin or the bottom of a sturdy glass until crushed into small chunks; reserve.

6 Line a baking tray with parchment. Remove muffins from pan and dip tops into toffee sauce. If the sauce has thickened too much, warm it slightly. Place on prepared tray and sprinkle with crushed ginger snap chunks. Serve warm or at room temperature. The muffins will keep for 3 days in an airtight container or frozen for up to 3 weeks.

Makes 9 to 12 muffins

Eggnog Rice Krispie Squares

 Even my teenager liked this one!  Great for the holidays and easy to decorate.  From Food and Drink Holiday 2022

1/4 cup (60 mL) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan
5 cups (1.25 L) mini marshmallows
1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) rum extract
1/2 tsp (2 mL) freshly grated nutmeg
6 cups (1.5 L) Rice Krispies or other puffed rice cereal
4 oz (115 g) pure white chocolate, chopped
1 cup (250 mL) Cinnamon Toast
Crunch cereal

1. Butter a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 32-cm) metal baking pan. Line bottom and long sides with a single piece of parchment paper. (This will make it easy to remove squares for cutting.)
 
2. In a medium pot over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add marshmallows. Using a silicone spatula, stir, often at beginning and constantly near end, until melted and smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in rum extract and nutmeg. Fold in rice cereal until it’s evenly coated with marshmallow goo. Transfer to prepared pan and press into even layer—a plastic dough scraper makes this easier. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.
 
3. Lift squares out of pan onto a cutting board. Cut 4 by 6 rows to make 24 squares. Place squares on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
 
4. In a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water—bottom of bowl should not touch water—melt white chocolate, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Cool 5 to 10 minutes then transfer to a disposable piping bag. Cut a tiny hole at tip and drizzle chocolate over squares. Roughly break Cinnamon Toast Crunch with your fingers while sprinkling over squares. Refrigerate until chocolate has firmed up, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to airtight containers lined with parchment paper. (If layering, place parchment between layers.) Store at room temperature up to 2 days.

Makes 24 squares

London Fog Tiramisu

 An elegant take on Tiramisu..  From Food and Drink Holiday 2022.

5 egg yolks
1/3 cup (80 mL) honey
1 vanilla bean
4 bags good-quality Earl Grey tea, preferably Davids
3 tbsp (45 mL) brandy
1 cup (250 mL) crème fraîche
1 cup (250 mL) mascarpone
1/2 tsp (2 mL) lemon zest
24 to 30 ladyfingers (or savoiardi in Italian)
1/3 cup (80 mL) grated white chocolate

1. In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, place egg yolks and honey. Scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean into the bowl, reserving pod. Whisk on high until mixture  is pale, yellow and voluminous, about 6 minutes.
 
2. Place vanilla pod and tea bags in 1 cup (250 mL) boiling water. Steep 15 minutes. Strain into a shallow bowl and add brandy.
 
3. Transfer yolk mixture to a different bowl. Place crème fraîche in bowl of stand mixer (no need to wash bowl) and whip until its volume increases by one third, about 3 minutes. Add mascarpone and mix until just combined. Gently stir in yolk mixture. Add lemon zest and mix until combined.
 
4. Quickly dip both sides of a ladyfinger into tea mixture, being careful not to soak it, then place in an 8-inch (20-cm) square baking dish. Cover entire bottom of baking dish with a layer of dipped ladyfingers, breaking to fit as needed.
 
5. Spread half of mascarpone cream mixture in an even layer over ladyfingers. Dip remaining ladyfingers in tea mixture and make a second layer on top of cream. Spread remaining cream over ladyfingers. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
 
6. When ready to serve, sprinkle white chocolate evenly overtop. Cut into slices and serve.

Serves 6 to 8

Ginger Basque Cheesecake

 This is moist and I loved the Ginger flavour for it, perfect for your holidays.

1 3/4 cups (425 mL) whipping cream
2 tbsp (30 mL) finely grated ginger
1 tbsp (15 mL) finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup (60 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) dried ginger
Softened butter for greasing pan
3 1/2 blocks (each 250 g) Philadelphia-style cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 tsp (5 mL) pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp (2 mL) fine sea salt

1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk cream, grated ginger and lemon zest. Let stand 30 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids. Discard solids and set cream aside.
 
2. Sift flour and dried ginger into a small bowl. Set aside.  
 
3. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
 
4. Butter a 10-inch (25-cm) springform pan. (Butter helps parchment stick to pan.) Line bottom with one 12 x 16-inch (30 x 40 cm) sheet of parchment paper, pleating to fit in pan. Dab parchment with butter. Lay another parchment sheet on top on a diagonal so it covers inside of pan and there are 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) of overhang. (Dab with butter to help sheets stick to each other.) Place pan on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
 
5. In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium-low speed until smooth and sugar has dissolved, stopping to scrape down bowl once, about 2 minutes. Raise speed to medium. Add eggs one at a time, waiting until the previous one is incorporated before adding next. Add yolks and mix until combined. Reduce speed to medium-low. Add reserved infused cream, vanilla and salt. Mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Stop and scrape down bowl. Sprinkle flour mixture over batter. Mix on low until combined, about 30 seconds. Pass through fine sieve into a large mixing bowl to remove any lumps. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
 
6. Bake on middle rack until puffed and top is evenly brown, but the centre is still jiggly, 55 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven. When cool enough to handle, transfer cake to a cooling rack. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 3 days before serving.
 
7. Remove outer ring of pan. Grabbing parchment, lift cake out of pan bottom and carefully place on serving platter. For a rustic presentation, cut it right on parchment paper. For a neater look, cut away parchment using the tip of a sharp paring knife. Cut slices with a sharp knife run under hot water, wiping clean between cuts.

Serves 12

Peppered Wreath Cookies

 I love the spicy kick that black pepper gives these cookies.  They will be a big hit over the holidays!

From Food and Drink Holiday 2022

2 3/4 cups (675 mL) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2 tsp (2 mL) freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp (2 mL) fine sea salt
1/2 tsp (2 mL) cinnamon
1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cloves
1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (60 mL) light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 large egg
1/2 tsp (2 mL) pure vanilla extract
2 cups (500 mL) icing sugar
3 tbsp (45 mL) whole milk
White nonpareils or sprinkles (optional)

1. Combine flour with pepper, salt and spices in a small bowl. Set aside.
 
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars on medium speed until smooth, 1 minute. Stop and scrape down sides of bowl. With machine on medium-low, add egg and vanilla, and mix until almost combined. Gradually add flour mixture and mix until dough comes together. Divide dough in half and shape into discs. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour.
 
3. Arrange racks in top and bottom thirds of oven. Preheat to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment.
 
4. Lightly flour work surface. Working with one disc at a time, roll out dough to 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick. Using a 2 3/4-inch (7-cm) scalloped-edge cutter, cut into rounds. Using a 1 1/2-inch (4-cm) scalloped-edge cutter, cut out centres of each round. Arrange on prepared baking sheets, 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Gather and re-roll scraps then cut out more wreaths, repeating until dough is used up.
 
5. Bake in the top and bottom thirds of oven, switching sheets halfway through, until cookies have set, 14 to 16 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets 5 minutes then transfer to a rack and cool completely.
 
6. Whisk icing sugar and milk in a small bowl until smooth. Using an offset spatula, spread evenly over cookies, pushing to edges. Transfer to rack and immediately sprinkle with nonpareils, if using. Let stand until dry to the touch, at least 20 minutes. (Cookies will keep at room temperature in an airtight container up to 5 days.)

Makes 36 cookies