Helen Goh’s recipe for edible Christmas baubles | The sweet spot
These edible baubles make a joyful addition to the Christmas table or tree.Soft, chewy, marshmallow-coated Rice Krispies are studded with pistachios and cranberries, chocolate and ginger, or peppermint candy cane; they’re as fun to make as they are to eat, and they make a perfect little gift.To add a ribbon for hanging, cut small lengths of ribbon, then loop and knot the ends.Push the knotted end gently into the top of each ball while it’s still pliable, then reshape around it, so it holds the knot securely as it sets.Alternatively, wrap each bauble in cellophane, then gather at the top and tie with a ribbon, leaving a long loop for hanging.
Prep 10 min Cook 30 min+ Makes 10 x 40g ballsFor the pistachio and cranberry baubles 50g unsalted butter, cut into 4 or 5 pieces, plus extra for greasing150g mini marshmallowsFinely grated zest of 1 orange ½ tsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp flaky sea salt 90g Rice Krispies 70g dried cranberries 60g shelled pistachios, plus 50g extra, roughly chopped, for sprinkling30g desiccated coconut80g white chocolate, meltedDeep green or gold ribbon, for tyingFor the chocolate, orange and ginger baubles 50g unsalted butter 140g mini marshmallows 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder 60g dark chocolate, chopped, plus 100g extra, melted, for dippingFinely grated zest of 1 orange½ tsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp flaky sea salt 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground ginger 100g Rice Krispies50g candied ginger, roughly choppedEdible gold dustCopper or rich-red ribbon, for tyingFor the peppermint candy cane baubles 50g butter 150g mini marshmallows, plus 50g extra to fold in1 pinch fine sea salt1¼ tsp good-quality peppermint extract 100g Rice Krispies 80g white chocolate, melted50g candy canes, crushed with a rolling pinRed and white stripe or silver ribbon, for tyingFor the pistachio and cranberry baubles, line a large oven tray with baking paper.In a wide, heavy-based saucepan, melt the butter over a low heat, then add the marshmallows and stir gently until smooth.Add the orange zest, vanilla and flaky salt, then, working quickly, fold in the Rice Krispies until evenly coated.Mix in the cranberries and 60g pistachios until evenly distributed, then leave to sit for five to 10 minutes, until cool enough to handle, but still pliable.Lightly oil or butter your hands, then scoop up small handfuls of the mix roughly the size of a mandarin (about 40g each) and drop them on to the lined tray – don’t shape them yet.
Once the mixture has firmed slightly, press and roll into balls.(If adding a ribbon, do so now.) Put the coconut in a small bowl and roll each “bauble” in it to cover lightly, then return to the tray.Drizzle or pipe with melted white chocolate and, while still hot, scatter with the chopped pistachios.For the chocolate, orange and ginger baubles, follow the method above, adding the cocoa and chopped chocolate at the same time as the marshmallows.
When the chocolate and marshmallows have melted, add the orange zest, vanilla, sea salt, cinnamon and ginger, then fold in the Rice Krispies and candied ginger.Shape them into roughly 40g balls as outlined above.Half-dip each bauble in the melted chocolate and sprinkle with edible gold dust.For the peppermint candy cane baubles, follow the method for the base recipe above, substituting the flaky sea salt for fine salt and the vanilla for peppermint extract.After the five- to 10-minute cooling period (and before scooping up handfuls of the mixture), fold through the 50g extra mini marshmallows.
Shape them into slightly smaller (30g) balls, then drizzle or pipe with melted white chocolate and sprinkle with the crushed candy canes.
Chocolate tart and zabaglione: Angela Hartnett’s easy make-ahead Christmas desserts – recipes
When you’re the cook of the house, you spend quite enough time in the kitchen on Christmas Day as it is. And, after those time-consuming nibbles, the smoked salmon starter and the turkey-with-all-the-trimmings main event, the last thing you want is a pudding that demands even more hands-on time at the culinary coalface. For me, the main requirement of any Christmas dessert is that it can be made well in advance, not least because, by the time the pudding stage comes around, I’ll be completely knackered and more than ready to put up my feet and finally relax (or, more likely, fall asleep on the sofa).Prep 15 minRest 3 hr+Cook 40 minServes 6-8For the sweet pastry500g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 150g caster sugar 250g cold butter, diced2-3 eggs, lightly beatenFor the filling640g 70%-cocoa dark chocolate, broken into small pieces800ml double cream 64g glucose syrup 64g cold butter, cubed 100g roasted hazelnuts, lightly choppedPut the flour and sugar in a large bowl, stir to combine, then add the diced butter and work it in with your fingertips until the mix takes on the consistency of rough breadcrumbs. Add two of the beaten eggs, then mix until the dough comes together into a ball; if need be, add the third beaten egg, but take great care not to overwork the dough
I called my recipe book Sabzi – vegetables. But the name was trademarked. And my legal ordeal began
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Choice taste test: the best Australian supermarket Christmas ham is also ‘one of the cheapest’
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How to turn excess nuts and seeds into a barnstoming festive pudding – recipe | Waste not
Last Christmas we visited my in-laws in Cape Town, where, at over 30C, a traditional Christmas pudding just didn’t feel quite right. But my mother-in-law and her friend created the most delicious feast: a South African braai (barbecue) followed by an incredible ice-cream Christmas pudding made by mashing vanilla ice-cream with a mix of tutti frutti, candied peel, raisins and cherries. This semifreddo is a take on that dessert: a light frozen custard that still carries all the festive flavours.Tutti frutti semifreddo Christmas puddingWe stopped using clingfilm in our kitchen 15 years ago now, because it’s not easily recycled and because of health concerns about the possible transfer of microplastics into our food. Most semifreddo recipes tell you to line the freezer container with clingfilm, but I suggest using no liner at all, or silicone-free, unbleached baking paper instead
The great Christmas taste test: I tried seven fast food offerings. Which will make me feel festive?
From a cranberry katsu curry to a dozen thickly glazed doughnuts, the biggest chains are getting Christmassy. I found out which seasonal meals will leave you carolling and carousing – and which will leave you coldBy now, most major fast food outlets will have launched their festive special. There is no established framework for what “festive” means, and no recognised metrics of Christmassyness. It could be indicated by a lurid green/angry red colour in a place you’re not expecting it (McDonald’s Grumble Pie, I’m looking at you); or an existing thing, made into a more seasonal shape, or the introduction of a quintessential Christmas ingredient, such as a brussels sprout (though seriously, food giants, get over yourself if you think it’s cinnamon – this is an autumn spice).I am not here to critique the essentials of fast food (I love it)
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