I don’t know about you, but what I look mostly forward to during Christmas shebang is the dessert after the meal. I’m an absolute sucker for anything sweet and this year isn’t going to be different. Last week, we asked one of the best chefs in the game to send us a recipe for the perfect Christmas dinner – the whole deal, and Chef Arun Katoch from Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts, Maldives was gracious enough to send these recipes. The best part is that all these desserts can be served with Ice-cream. Cosmo is the gift that keeps on giving, you can thank us later. 

Merry Christmas guys!

PLUM CAKE

What you need:

150 grams of raisins
150 grams of figs chopped
190 grams of dried apricots chopped
25grams of dried ginger chopped        
40 grams of candied orange peel chopped
225 grams of melted butter
380 grams of Flour
1.5 tsp of baking powder
1tsp of ground cinnamon 
½ tsp of ground ginger 
½ tsp of ground cloves
½ tsp of Salt            
300 grams of breakfast sugar
150 grams of packed brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 tbsp of molasses
1 tbsp of vanilla extract
140 grams of toasted walnuts
160 grams of apricot jam
180 ml distilled after-dinner digestif

Half cup warm water

Method:

• Stir together dried fruit, candied ginger, candied orange peel and distilled after-dinner digestif. Keep overnight.
• Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Butter two 9/5-inch loaf tins. Line them with butter paper.
• In a bowl mix dry ingredient. Flour, baking powder, spices and salt.
• In a mixer beat butter and both the sugars until smooth. Mix eggs one at a time followed by molasses and vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture. Mix till smooth. Add the fruit mixture and walnuts.
• Divide the batter between the two tins. Bake for 95 minutes or till the tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and brush the top with more liquor. Remove and place on a wired rack.
• Heat the jam glaze and water till smooth and glaze the top of the warmed cake.

MINCED MEAT PIE

What you need for the Pastry:

350 grams of all-purpose flour
225 grams of butter (or an equal mix of butter and lard, cubed)  
A pinch of salt
1 egg (beaten with cold water, as needed to bind the pastry)

What you need for the Pie:

775 grams of mincemeat
02 tbsp of confectioner’s sugar        

Method:

• To make the Pastry, gather the ingredients. Heat the oven to 400 F/200 C/Gas 6.
• Place the flour, butter, and salt into a large clean bowl.
• Rub the butter quickly into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles rough sand.
• Stir the egg into the mixture using a cold knife. Stir the egg into the mixture using a cold knife.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.
• Choose a muffin or bun tin for the size of the tart you want. Choose from a standard 12-cup muffin tin, down to small canapé size. The number of pies will depend on the size of cup you use.
• Dust a work surface lightly with a little flour and roll out 2/3 of the pastry to 1/8-inch thick. Cut circles to line the cups of your tin, don’t worry if the pastry doesn’t come to the top. Fill the pastry lined tins 2/3 full of mincemeat.
• Roll out the remaining pastry to the same thickness and cut smaller circles to fit as lids on the tarts or to be decorative, cut stars or other fancy shapes.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes (15 minutes if making canapé-sized ones), or until golden brown.

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PANETTONE

What you need:

150 grams of raisins         
30 ml hot water   
30 ml light distilled sugarcane molasses    
465 grams of all-purpose flour        
133 grams of granulated sugar         
½tsp of active dry yeast        
½tsp salt          
¼tsp lemon zest          
½ Stick of vanilla bean (split in half lengthwise)       
3 Eggs (at room temperature)      
158 ml of tepid water       
15 ml of honey        
145 grams of unsalted butter
14 grams of unsalted butter (melted)   
14 grams of unsalted butter (chilled)   
150 grams of candied citron

Method:

• In a small bowl, combine the raisins with the distilled sugarcane molasses and two tablespoons of hot water. Allow to soak at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until the raisins are plump and most of the liquid has been absorbed, at least eight hours or overnight.
• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, lemon zest and vanilla bean on low speed until combined. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, tepid water and honey. With the mixer on low speed, pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Increase the speed to medium-low and mix until all the ingredients are combined. Add the softened butter, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until incorporated before adding more. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the dough is smooth and elastic, about eight minutes.
• Drain the raisins, discard the soaking liquid, and stir together with the candied citron and one tablespoon of melted butter. Stir this mixture into the dough with a wooden spoon.
• Place the dough in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a cold oven with the door closed until it has nearly tripled in volume, 12 to 15 hours.
• Locate and discard the vanilla bean, then sprinkle the dough lightly with flour and scrape out onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle a bit more flour onto the dough, then fold the edges of the dough in towards the center, forming a loose ball, and place, seam-side down, into the panettone mold. Cover with a damp kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until the dough is just above the top of the mold, three to five hours.
• Preheat oven to 370 degrees F.
• Place the dough-filled panettone mold on a baking sheet. Place the tablespoon chilled butter in the center of the X and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out slightly moist but not wet, around 60 to 75 minutes (the panettone will be very dark).
• Remove from the oven and pierce 12-inch metal or wooden skewers all the way through the panettone (including the paper) four inches apart and one inch from the bottom so the skewers are parallel. Hang the panettone upside down over a large stockpot and cool completely before cutting. To store the panettone, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then either place in a resealable plastic bag, or wrap again in foil. (Ambien) The bread will keep at room temperature for up to one week.

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