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Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : December 20, 2017 12:47 PM IST
Tired of the regular Christmas plum cakes and marzipan sweets? This Christmas, whip up some unusual desserts for your guests. These may not be made entirely made up with healthy ingredients, but they will be definitely healthier than a lot of the other Christmas desserts you're going to have because we're ve replaced sugar with maple syrup in some recipes and also added in some high-nutrition additions. Here are some healthy Christmas recipes you can try this year.
Cream fudge
Ingredients:
- 540 ml maple syrup
- 45 ml (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 250 ml cream
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 10 pretzels, in pieces
- 190 ml (3/4 cup) dark chocolate, in chips or chopped
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) dried cranberries
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) pistachios, shelled and chopped
Method:
In a large saucepan, bring the maple syrup and butter to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes.
Stir in cream and continue cooking until candy thermometer reaches 118 C (245 F).
Meanwhile, butter a 33 x 23 cm (13 x 9 in.) baking sheet or pan and set aside.
Remove the preparation from the heat and stand for 5 minutes. Beat with a whisk for 5 minutes until thick.
Pour the mixture onto the baking sheet or into the pan and let cool 2 minutes before sprinkling the surface with pretzels, chocolate, cranberries and pistachios.
Cut into squares without removing from pan and allow cooling for 2 to 3 hours.
Once the cream fudge has cooled down, cut the squares over the previous marks and unmold.
Panna Cotta cake with maple jellies
Ingredients:
- Vegetable oil (for the pans)
Jellies
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) water
- 2 envelopes of unflavoured gelatine
1 cup water
- 375 ml (1 1/2 cup) maple syrup
- 250 ml (1 cup) cranberry juice
Maple pannacotta
- 4 envelopes of unflavoured gelatine
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) cold water
- 750 ml cream
- 250 ml (1 cup) maple syrup
- 1 L (4 cups) plain Greek yoghurt
- 10 ml (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
Maple whipped cream
- 750 ml cream
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) sugar
- A few drops of vanilla extract
Oil two 20 cm (8 in.) square baking pans and set aside.
Jellies
Pour 60 ml (1/4 cup) of water into two bowls and sprinkle one envelope of gelatine on each. Leave to soften 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine maple water and half of the maple syrup. In another, combine the cranberry juice and the other half of the syrup. Bring the contents of the saucepans to a boil, add a bowl of gelatine in each and mix until dissolved. Pour each mixture into a 20 cm (8 in.) square pan and refrigerate 4 hours or until well set.
Maple pannacotta
In a bowl, sprinkle the gelatine over the water and leave to soften 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, pour the cream and maple syrup, heat on low heat a few minutes until the cream is steaming.
Add a little hot cream to the gelatine to dissolve it completely, and incorporate the gelatine into the remaining mixture of cream and maple syrup. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and let cool.
Stir in yoghurt and vanilla and refrigerate for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Oil two 20 cm (8 in.) round pans, cover the bottom with parchment paper and set aside.
Cut the jellies into cubes, place them on the pannacotta and fold in gently. Pour into the round moulds, using a spatula to even the surface and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Maple whipped cream
In a bowl, with an electric mixer, whip the cream to obtain soft peaks. Add maple sugar and vanilla extract while whipping until firm peaks appear.
Mounting
Slide a knife along the inner sides of the moulds. Gently, unmold and transfer the first cake onto a serving plate. Garnish with a little whipped cream. Unmold and place the second cake on top of the first one.
Pour the rest of the whipped cream into a pastry bag with a fluted tip. Decorate the cake with rosette of whipped cream and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
Cheesecake in a jar with fresh fruits and almond crumble
Almond crumble
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) almonds, chopped
- 190 ml (3/4 cup) quick-cooking rolled oats
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) sugar
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) butter, melted
Cheese filling
- 250 g cream cheese, room temperature
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) maple syrup
Fruit filling
- 1 box of fresh raspberries or strawberries
- 2 clementines, peeled and in wedges
- Some pomegranate seeds
- A few fresh mint leaves, minced
- 190 ml (3/4 cup) maple syrup
Almond crumble
Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F), with cooking grid in the middle.
In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the melted butter and mix until the mixture is just moistened and sticks to the fingers. Spread over a cookie sheet.
Bake in centre of the oven for about 10 minutes or until the crumble is well browned. Let cool on a rack, and break into pieces if necessary.
Cheese filling
In a medium-size bowl, whisk cheese and maple syrup to obtain a smooth, homogeneous mixture.
Fruit filling
Mix all the ingredients.
Mounting
Spread the fruit filling at the bottom of each jar. Fill with cheese mixture and top it all with the crumble.
Try these DIY Christmas decorations with your kids.
