Christmas Recipes

Christmas is fast approaching. What a better way to spend the season than to make sure your family wakes up to a yummy smell of baking goodies wafting through the air from your kitchen. Why am I saying this? Among all our senses, smell is the most evocative of our emotions. This is because the olfactory nest sits on the parts of our brain that also cradle our emotional memories. This means that the familiar scent of a loved one who has long gone can make you cry faster and deeper than seeing his or her photograph can. Smelling goes deep, and in this case, faster than light. This is why some could not rearrange his or her closet even years after they died. But let’s not talk about dying here, I don’t want my food blog entry to sound so morbid. My point is that when your family starts smelling baked goodies anywhere, they will always remember you and how delicious it tasted.

Now if you haven’t tried baking yet, don’t be afraid. Just like Remy (the rat who had always dreamt on becoming a chef), in Disney-Pixar’s animated film Ratatouille, I also believe anybody can cook and bake—only if they put their hearts on it. You prepare food for people that you love because you want to make them happy. What’s more, you could bake these yummy goodies and give them as presents to your friends. I have made things easier for you, with my step-by-step Christmas recipes. Enjoy!

BANANA NUT BREAD

Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

140 g Unsalted Butter

210 g Sugar

150 g Eggs

350 g Cake Flour

15 ml Baking Powder

2.5 ml Baking Soda

2.5. Ml Salt

85 g Chopped Walnut (You may also use Pecan or Cashew)

350 g Mashed Banana (Overripe Lakatan is best)

60g Chocolate Chips

Procedure:

1.      Sift together all dry ingredients.

2.      Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time.

3.      Add in dry ingredients, walnuts, mashed banana and chocolate chips.

4.      Pour over lightly greased and floured pan.

5.      Bake at 375F for 50-60 mins.

Espresso Biscotti

Servings: 20 pcs.

Ingredients:

15ml Hot Water

6g Instant Espresso Coffee (regular instant coffee will do)

120g Unsalted Butter

180g refined sugar

100g eggs

5ml salt

300g All Purpose Flour

7.5g Baking Powder

105g Almond (optional)

Procedure:

1.      Sift together all dry ingredients.

2.      Dissolve the instant coffee in hot water, set aside.

3.      Cream the butter and sugar. Add in eggs one at a time. Blend in coffee.

4.      Add sifted dry ingredients. Fold in almonds. Divide the cookie dough into two.

5.      Place it on a well-greased and floured sheet tray. Shape into logs.

6.      Bake at 350F for 30-40 mins. Or until golden brown. Allow to cool.

7.      Slice diagonally, about ½” thick.

8.      Place the cut side down on a sheet tray and bake at 275F until toasted dry.

9.      Transfer cookie on a cooling rack.

P.S. One medium sized egg is equivalent to 50g.