KITCHEN TABLE
SPREAD SOME CHRISTMAS JOY
Jessie is a baker on a mission to spread seasonal joy. With super cute, easy and delicious treats from Chocolate Overload! (Penguin Random House, $27.99) sure to bring you Christmas cheer!
CHRISTMAS CHEER CUPCAKES
Image credit: Chocolate Overload!
180g unsalted butter, room temperature
180g caster sugar
2 medium eggs, room temperature
150g self-raising flour
30g cocoa powder
2 tbsp milk
Buttercream
200g salted butter, room temperature
400g icing sugar
2 tbsp milk
Green food colouring
Decoration
50g mixed red and green chocolate beans (I used Christmas M&Ms)
Heart-shaped sprinkles
Christmas sprinkles
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan and line a 12-hole cupcake tin with 12 paper cases.
Cream the butter and caster sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Fold in the flour, cocoa powder and milk to make a smooth chocolate cake mixture.
Divide the mixture evenly between the paper cases, filling each one three-quarters full.
Bake for 20-22 minutes until risen and springy to the touch. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
To make the buttercream, beat the butter until soft and pale in colour. Sift in the icing sugar and add the milk. Beat well until smooth. Mix in a few drops of green food colouring to dye the buttercream a Grinch-like green.
Fit a large piping bag with an open-star nozzle and fill with the green buttercream. Pipe tall swirls of buttercream on top of each cupcake.
Decorate using the chocolate beans and sprinkles, placing a heart sprinkle at the very top of each to add some Christmas cheer!
Baking tip: Swap the heart sprinkles for gold stars to turn these cupcakes into adorable Christmas trees.
ELF’S BREAKFAST BARK
Image credit: Chocolate Overload!
300g milk chocolate, chopped
100g white chocolate, chopped
Candy canes
Pretzels, crushed
Green, red and white chocolate beans (I use Christmas M&Ms)
Mini marshmallows
Christmas sprinkles
Line a large flat baking sheet with some greaseproof paper.
Melt the milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl in the microwave for 60-80 seconds until smooth, or set over a pan of simmering water, until melted. Set aside for now.
Melt the white chocolate in the same way as the milk chocolate above.
Pour the melted milk chocolate onto the baking sheet and use a spoon to spread it out into a thin rectangular shape.
Drizzle the white chocolate on top, then use a toothpick to create a swirly pattern.
Scatter over the candy canes, crushed pretzels, chocolate beans, mini marshmallows and Christmas sprinkles.
Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours or until set, then break into shards and enjoy!
SNOWMAN’S PUDDLE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
Image credit: Chocolate Overload!
Cookies
200g smooth peanut butter
150g light brown sugar
1 medium egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
Decoration
6 white marshmallows
200g white chocolate, melted
12 small peanut butter cups (I use Reese’s Mini Cups)
6 chocolate or pretzel sticks (I use Matchmakers)
Edible gold balls
Chocolate writing icing
Orange strand sprinkles
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan and then line two large baking sheets with greaseproof paper.
Mix the peanut butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract and baking powder together in a mixing bowl.
Drop 12 heaped teaspoons of the mixture onto the baking sheets, leaving 5cm space between each so they have room to spread out as they bake.
Bake for 8 minutes until golden and firm, then leave to cool completely.
To decorate, use scissors to cut each marshmallow in half widthways and place one half on top of each cookie.
Spoon the melted white chocolate on top of the marshmallows halves to make a melted snowman “puddle”.
Add a peanut butter cup at an angle for each snowman’s hat. Break up the chocolate or pretzel sticks and add two for the snowman’s arms. Add two edible gold balls to each for the buttons.
Finish by using the chocolate writing icing to add two dots for the eyes and an orange strand sprinkle for the carrot nose.
Chocolate Overload! is published by Penguin Random House, $27.99.