Tips for Adapting Recipes at Christmas Time
This Christmas Use “Christmas Flavorings” to Jazz Up Your Baking
With Christmas approaching, you might need some fresh ideas for baking this December. Below I’ll give you some helpful hints for customizing recipes to fit this Christmas season. I’ll also give you a great dairy-free chocolate pudding recipe. I have a close friend who is lactose intolerant, and I always try to make her something dairy free at Christmas when she comes to visit for a few days each December.
Substitutions Are Acceptable
Many typical cookie or cake recipes can be updated for the Christmas season by a few small substitutions. You certainly can make your favorite cake exactly according to the recipe, but you might also want to give it a “Christmas update.” I have found that both crème de menthe and peppermint extract are great substitutions for vanilla in a chocolate cake or cookie recipe. You certainly have to like mint for either of these choices to satisfy you, but a mint chocolate cake is a perfect choice for December. I suppose my head is filled with thoughts of red and green, so I love incorporating Christmas flavors into my baking too.
Candy Canes: The Versatile Sweet
Mini candy canes make great coffee stirrers during the Christmas season, so stock up on some now. Crushed candy canes can be used as a topping for cakes or brownies, and you can even frame the outside of a round cake with round peppermint candies around the perimeter.
Everyone Loves Chocolate
The following recipe is a dairy free pudding recipe that will even satisfy dairy lovers.
Dairy Free Chocolate Pudding
2 cups rice or soy milk (you can use any nondairy milk substitute including oat milk or almond milk)
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons vanilla
Use a double boiler or a metal bowl and pot if you don’t have one. Whisk together all ingredients except the vanilla. Allow the mixture to boil continuing to stir constantly. Cook at least another two minutes after boiling until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. You can use any flavoring or extract that you choose in place of the vanilla. Peppermint extract is a great choice during the holidays, and you can top the pudding with crushed candy canes! Place the pudding in individual parfait glasses and chill for several hours.
This Christmas try to incorporate peppermint flavoring and peppermint candies into your baking. Christmas is a magical season, and you can transform ordinary recipes into scrumptious desserts by making small modifications.