What’s cooki(e)ng?

Mona

For Wing Commander Russel Lyall Christmas is a changed affair...while during his childhood, the day was strictly a family affair with thrust on piety; it’s all about fun and frolic with friends today. If one thing hasn’t changed, it’s the food. The traditional cakes and donuts are a part of the feast. Lyalls hosts a party after his visit to the church. Cakes, carols and candles precede the sought-after presents. With Christmas around the corner; we take a look at the Christmas goodies that Chandigarh is doling out…

Old is yummy

At Nik Bakers, delightful gingerbread houses and cookies in different shapes stand out from a range of fare they have on offer. Then there are delicious cakes — traditional plum, red velvet, chocolate praline and white forest among others. “We are very particular about our raw material. We soak our dry fruits, spices and alcohol for the year through. This year’s Christmas goodies are made of ingredients we sealed at Christmas last year and we will be doing the same for the next Christmas,” says Nikhil Mittal, the Australia-trained baker who earned a name for himself in the city in no time.

While the price range for cakes starts from Rs 450 for half a kg, there is a range of gift baskets that you can customise depending on the size and goodies you choose to put in.

Picture perfect

For Monica Sood of Monica's Puddings and Pies, this is best time of the year. Not only she loves to bake for her regular customers but also decorate her goodies with daintily toppings. “I love to do up my outlets and also my cakes. I get most my cake toppers from abroad for we still don’t get that quality and variety here yet,” says Monica, standing next to her cake in snowy white top with a tree and Santa on the sleigh. Then there are Austrian bread in wreath shape, cup cakes with delicate red and green toppings, tea breads with spices to keep you warm through the winter.

Her cakes start from Rs 600 per half a kg.

Complete package

If the city bakers are doling out delicious cakes and Yule logs, the hotels are trying to compete in gift hampers. The Lalit Festive Hamper laden with delectable and hand-picked goodies like traditional English Christmas cake, almond cake, plum cake, plum pudding, mince pies, Dresdner Christmas stollen, chocolate Yule log cake, assorted Christmas cookies, ginger bread house and many more starts at Rs 1,995.

Something special

The Taj, Chandigarh has gone a step ahead and included bubbly in its hampers and a golden leather tote for a keepsake. Starting at Rs 500 (you get a signature Taj chocolate shaped like Santa) to Rs 11,000, Taj Chandigarh Signature hamper that includes festive cookies, nuts, chocolates, jam, teas, brownies and a bottle of capers and Alexander Sonoma Chardonnay among others but we would rather recommend Something Christmassy or The Cookie Cutter for the golden tote that’s yours.

Fresh and fine

Chandigarh Baking Company at Marriot Chandigarh has prepared a fresh batch of goodies for the Christmas festivities. While their cakes start from Rs 800 for half kg up to Rs 3,500 per kg, their customised gift hampers start at Rs 2,500 with choice of cookies and cakes.

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Buche de Noel

Buche de Noel is the French name for a Christmas cake shaped like a log. This one is a heavenly flourless chocolate cake rolled with chocolate whipped cream. Traditionally, Buche de Noel is decorated with confectioners' sugar to resemble snow on a Yule log.

Ingredients

 

2 cups of heavy cream

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 egg yolks

1/2 cup white sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

6 egg whites

1/4 cup white sugar

Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Methods

* Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees C. In a large bowl, whip cream, confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until thick and stiff. Refrigerate.

* In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat egg yolks with sugar until thick and pale. Blend in cocoa, teaspoons vanilla, and salt. In large glass bowl, whip egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar, and beat. Immediately fold the yolk mixture into the whites. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

* Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and turn the warm cake out. Remove the parchment paper. Starting at the short edge of the cake, roll the cake up with the towel. Cool for 30 minutes.

* Unroll the cake, and spread the filling to within 1 inch of the edge. Roll the cake up with the filling inside. Place the seam side down onto a serving plate, and refrigerate. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

— Gaytri Sood, Pastry chef at Monicas

Christmas cake

Christmas cake is traditional cake served in many countries, with slight variations. Here’s one for you to try out. You can prepare it in advance and ice it just before Christmas.

Ingredients

 

250gm currants

250gm sultanas

100 gm dried figs, roughly chopped

100 gm glacé cherries, cut in half

100 gm mixed peel

125ml whisky, plus extra to feed

125 gm butter, softened

125 gm brown sugar

4 eggs, beaten

130 gm plain flour

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp mixed spice (cinnamon powder, nutmeg, ginger powder)

50 gm ground almonds

Grated zest of 1 lemon

50 gm whole almonds

25 gm crystallised ginger, chopped

Method

* Put the dried fruit and peel in a bowl along with the whisky, cover and leave to soak overnight. Stir well before use. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin with two layers of baking parchment.

* Pre-heat the oven to 140C. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition so the mixture doesn't curdle.

* Mix together the sifted flour, baking powder, spice, ground almonds and a pinch of salt and then fold this into the butter and sugar mixture. Add the soaked fruits, and any remaining whisky, the lemon zest, chopped almonds and ginger, and stir to combine.

* Tip the mixture into your prepared tin and smooth the surface, scooping out a small hollow in the middle to pre-vent a doming effect.

* Put the cake in the oven for about an hour, then cover with foil, and bake for another 30 minutes and then check the cake. It's done when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Check every 10 minutes until it's cooked.

* Leave it to cool in the tin. Then use the skewer to poke a few holes almost all the way through the cake, and brush them with more whisky. With the baking parchment still attached, wrap well in greaseproof paper and store in an airtight tin or a layer of foil, repeating the feeding every week or so until you're ready to ice just before Christmas.

— Nikhil Mittal, Nik Bakers