Holiday Baking: Unleashing the Magic of Homemade Treats
Holiday Baking with California Walnuts! Whether you’re whipping up festive cookies, decadent cakes, or healthy treats, these recipes are sure to add a touch of goodness and health to your celebrations. Apple Walnut Palmiers and more await you in the kitchen!
Apple Walnut Palmiers
Apple Walnut Palmiers (image courtesy: Ashima Raina)
Ingredients: 2 cups walnut pieces, coarsely chopped; ½ cup apple jelly (you can use apple jam also); ½ cup honey; ½ teaspoon cinnamon; 500g package puff pastry, thawed
Preparations:
1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine walnuts, apple jelly, honey, and cinnamon.
4. Divide the mixture between two sheets of puff pastry and spread the mixture evenly.
5. Shape the palmier by rolling up the edges of the pastry to form a pinwheel.
6. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
7. Slice each palmier roll into 16 even slices and bake until golden brown.
Tip: Make your palmier rolls in advance and refrigerate!
Cheese, Walnut & Hot Honey Monkey Bread
Cheese, Walnut & Hot Honey Monkey Bread (image courtesy: Ashima Raina)
Ingredients: 50g butter; 200ml milk; 500g strong white bread flour; 7g sachet dried yeast; 2 medium eggs, beaten; 100g Stilton cheese, crumbled; 150g runny honey; ½ teaspoon mild chili powder; ½ teaspoon chili flakes; 100g California walnuts, chopped
Preparations:
1. Melt the butter with the milk and cool until lukewarm.
2. Combine flour, yeast, salt, milk, and eggs to form a rough dough.
3. Knead the dough and add Stilton cheese.
4. Let the dough rise, then divide and form balls.
5. Drizzle with hot honey mixture and layer in a tin.
6. Bake until golden brown.
Tip: Serve as part of a Christmas buffet with meats and salads!
Cinnamon Chelsea Buns
Cinnamon Chelsea Buns (image courtesy: Ashima Raina)
Ingredients: 500g strong white bread flour; 7g sachet dried yeast; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 50g caster sugar; 200ml milk; 2 medium eggs, beaten; 50g butter, softened; 50g mixed peel; 50g walnuts, chopped
Preparations:
1. Mix flour, yeast, cinnamon, sugar, and salt.
2. Add milk, eggs, and butter to form a dough.
3. Let the dough rise, then roll and fill with cinnamon sugar.
4. Cut into buns, place in a tin, and let rise.
5. Bake until golden brown.
Tip: Try different fillings like raisins instead of cherries!
Ginger, Walnut & Fig Loaf Cake
Ginger, Walnut & Fig Loaf Cake (image courtesy: Ashima Raina)
Ingredients: 200g unsalted butter; 2 stem ginger, finely chopped + 3 tablespoon ginger syrup; 100g dark brown soft sugar; 2 teaspoons ground ginger; 2 large eggs; 200g self-raising flour; 75g walnuts, chopped + 6 whole walnuts; 2 fresh figs, halved
Preparations:
1. Combine butter, ginger syrup, sugar, and ginger in a saucepan.
2. Mix in eggs, flour, and chopped walnuts.
3. Transfer to a tin, top with figs and walnuts.
4. Bake until a skewer comes out clean.
Tip: Brush with stem ginger syrup for extra flavor!
