Recipes

I rarely try to make my holiday cookies in red and green colours, but every once in a while I submit to tradition. These cookies are actually a shade of burgundy (how I like my red velvet to be), but you can add extra red food colouring if you want them to be more vibrant.

INGREDIENTS

• 215 g all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 190 g granulated sugar
• 100 g light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon Red Velvet Bakery Emulsion or red food colouring
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 60 g unsalted butter
• 85 g semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
• 25 g cocoa powder
• 60 g confectioners’ sugar

METHOD

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 180°C. Line three sheet pans with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together 150 g of the granulated sugar, the brown sugar, eggs, egg yolks, canola oil, Red Velvet Bakery Emulsion, vanilla, and salt.
4. Place the butter and chocolate in a small, heavy-bottom saucepan over low heat and melt together, stirring frequently to prevent the chocolate from scorching.
5. Continue cooking until the mixture is smooth. Off the heat, add the cocoa powder to the chocolate and whisk until completely com­bined, about 45 seconds (the mixture will be thick).
6. Add the warm chocolate-butter mixture to the egg mixture and whisk together until combined. Add the flour mixture and use a rubber spatula to mix gently until combined. Cover the dough and chill the mixture for at least 6 hours and up to overnight.
7. In a small bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar and the remaining 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Scoop the dough into 1½ tablespoon portions (see note) and roll the dough in the sugar mixture.
8. Place eight cookies on each sheet pan and bake one pan at a time, rotating halfway through baking. Bake until the edges are set and the cookies are puffed but still soft in the centre, 12 to 14 minutes.
9. Move the sheet pans to a wire rack and let the cookies cool to room temperature. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

NOTE

The dough is very sticky, so using a cookie scoop works best here; I like to drop the dough balls into the powdered sugar and then gently roll them. Once they are covered, they are easy to pick up. If you don’t have a cookie scoop, you can refrigerate the dough for 15 minutes or so to help it scoop more easily.

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Carrot Cake with Burnt Honey Buttercream

These lines often come to mind whenever I create this cake—the pale, sweeping buttercream brings to mind piles of snow for sleigh-riding Narnian queens to glide upon, and the cinnamon-spice mixed with earthy carrots will warm you right to your toes.

INGREDIENTS:

CARROT CAKE

210 g large egg whites (from 6 or 7 large eggs), at room temperature
240 g whole milk, at room temperature
60 g canola oil
2 tablespoons sour cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
425 g all-purpose flour
200 g granulated sugar
200 g light brown sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch cloves
170 g unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1 in [2.5 cm] pieces
400 g finely grated carrots

BURNT HONEY BUTTERCREAM

280 g large eggs whites (from 7 or 8 large eggs), at room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
300 g granulated sugar
170 g honey
¼ teaspoon salt
60 g water
680 g unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1 in [2.5 cm] pieces
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

ASSEMBLY 

Candied Nuts (see below) for decorating

METHOD:

FOR THE CAKE:

1) Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 180ºC.

2) Grease three 8 by 2 in [20 by 5 cm] circular cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper (see page 16).

3) In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the egg whites, milk, oil, sour cream, and vanilla.

4) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, whisk together the flour, granulated and brown sugars, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and cloves by hand until combined.

5) With the mixer running on low speed, add the butter one piece at a time, beating until the mixture resembles coarse sand. With the mixer still running on low speed, slowly add a little more than half of the wet ingredients. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the ingredients are incorporated, about 30 seconds. With the mixer running on low speed, add the rest of the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 20 seconds (the batter may still look a little bumpy).

6) Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, add the grated carrots, and use a spatula to mix the batter until the carrots are incorporated.

7) Pour the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Tap the pans gently on the counter a few times to get rid of any bubbles.

8) Bake for 30 to 36 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the cakes are golden brown and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the centre comes out with a faint bit of crumbs. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto the rack, remove the parchment paper, and let cool completely.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM:

1) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until they are almost able to hold soft peaks, 5 to 7 minutes.

2) Lower the speed to low and add ½ cup [100 g] of the granulated sugar in a slow, steady stream. Beat on medium speed until the whites are stiff and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes. Let the whites sit in the bowl while you make the syrup.

3) Place the remaining 200 g of granulated sugar, the honey, and salt in a medium saucepan.

4) Pour the water over the top and gently stir just enough to wet the sugar, being careful not to mix too much so the sugar doesn’t splash up the sides of the pan. Heat over medium heat, giving the pan a little shake every once in a while, to mix the honey and sugar as they melt. When the sugar has melted and the liquid looks clear (no sugar granulates are noticeable), increase the heat to medium-high and let the liquid bubble and boil until it turns a deep golden brown, 3 to 4 min­utes. Remove the pan from the heat.

5) With the mixer running on low speed, very carefully pour about 2 tablespoons of the hot honey caramel into the egg whites, trying not to hit the sides of the bowl, and mixing until combined (pour­ing the hot mixture into a liquid measuring cup with a pourable spout works best here). Pour 2 tablespoons more caramel into the egg whites and continue mixing (this will help temper the eggs so they won’t cook). With the mixer run­ning on low speed, pour the rest of the caramel into the whites in a slow, steady stream, still trying not to hit the sides of the bowl. Beat until the mixture is completely combined.

6) Increase the speed to medium-high and whisk until the bowl cools to room temperature. Lower the speed to low and add the butter one piece at a time, beating well after each addition. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the but­tercream is completely smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes.

TO ASSEMBLE:

Place one layer of the cake on a turntable or serving plate. With an offset spatula, spread the top evenly with 450 g of the but­tercream. Place the second layer on top, and frost with another 300 g of filling. Place the third layer on top and frost the cake, top­ping with the candied pecans, if desired, and serve. Store the cake, covered, in the refrigera­tor for up to 1 day.

NOTES:

If you want more spice, add 3/4 teaspoon of ginger and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg along with the cinnamon. This carrot cake can be made with cream cheese frosting instead of the Burnt Honey Buttercream.

CANDIED NUTS

Nuts are perfect by their lonesome, but adding some caramelized sugar and salt makes them extraordinary. They make a great addition to cakes and confections.

100 g granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
¼ teaspoon salt
300 g peanuts

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. In a large skillet over medium heat, stir together the sugar, water, and salt. Cook until the sugar begins to melt, then add the nuts, stirring almost constantly until the nuts are toasted and lightly caramelized. Pour the nuts onto the prepared sheet pan and let them cool completely before chopping. Nuts can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Baking for the Holidays is a charming holiday baking cookbook brimming with delicious, indulgent recipes, cozy winter photography, and lots of holiday cheer.

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The smooth, chill appeal and easy drinkability of the Mojito is hard to beat. It’s the perfect start to a long weekend, a liquid embodiment of feeling refreshed and restored. And if you have one too many, you can always sleep it off tomorrow.

Ingredients:

6 large mint leaves

¾ oz [22 ml] simple syrup (page 18)

¾ oz [22 ml] fresh lime juice

2 oz [60 ml] white rum

Soda water, to top up

Mint sprig, for garnish

Straw, to serve

Method:

In the bottom of a cocktail shaker, muddle the mint leaves. Add the simple syrup, lime juice, and rum. Shake that shit. Strain into a highball glass with crushed ice. Top up with soda water. Garnish with the mint sprig and serve with a straw.

Classy as Fuck Cocktails

From the bestselling Calligraphuck line! Classy as Fuck Cocktails is a cocktail book that celebrates the fine arts of drinking and swearing. 

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Brownie Cookie Recipe from 100 Cookies

To celebrate World Chocolate Day we thought we'd share a DELICIOUS and oh-so-chocolatey Brownie Cookie recipe taken straight from the pages of 100 Cookies by Sarah Kieffer!

Ingredients:

116g all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking powder

3 large eggs, at room temperature

250g granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

70g unsalted butter

226g semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

25g cocoa powder

Method:

1) Adjust an oven rack to the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F [180°C]. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

2) In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder, and set aside.

3) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the eggs, sugar, and salt on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale and doubled in volume, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed and stir in the canola oil and vanilla until just combined.

4) While the egg mixture is beating, melt the butter and chocolate. Place the butter in a small, heavy-bottom saucepan set over low heat. Add the chocolate and melt together, stirring frequently, until smooth. Off the heat, add the cocoa powder to the chocolate and whisk until completely combined.

5) Add the warm chocolate-butter mixture to the egg mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.

6) Use a small scoop or two spoons to drop heaping tablespoons of batter onto the prepared sheet pans, spacing them at least 2 in [5 cm] apart, fitting 12 on a pan.

7) Bake the cookies one pan at a time, rotating halfway through baking. Bake until the cookies are puffed and cracked and the edges are set, 8 to 12 minutes.

8) Transfer the sheet pan to a wire rack and let the cookies cool completely on the pan.

The cookies are best the day of baking but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

100 Cookies

100 Cookies is a go-to baking resource featuring 100 recipes for cookies and bars, organised into seven chapters.

Coming soon!

Baking for the Holidays by Sarah Kieffer is coming this September!

A charming holiday baking cookbook brimming with delicious, indulgent recipes, cozy winter photography and lots of holiday cheer.

Read more