Although most of us are unable to celebrate the holidays with our friends and family members in person, we can still virtually celebrate and make enticing desserts to share with them. You don’t need to be a baking expert to make these simple holiday treats that all have less than 4 ingredients. Here are my 3 go-to holiday desserts that have always been a hit:
- Strawberry Santas
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This recipe is by far the easiest holiday recipe out there. There are only 3 ingredients and the results are so cute!
Ingredients:
– ~16 strawberries
– 1 cup 30% whipping cream + 1 tablespoon sugar*
– Chocolate for decorating**
Instructions:
1. Whip the cream and sugar until soft peaks form.
2. Wash the strawberries and remove the stems.
3. Cut the bottom of the strawberries so they can ‘stand’ on the plate and cut off the tip for the ‘hat.’
4. Pipe a swirl of whipped cream on the center for the ‘face’ and ‘beard.’
5. Place the ‘hat’ on top of the cream.
6. Pipe a small dollop of cream on top of the hat for the ‘pom-pom’ and 2 dollops on the body for ‘buttons.’
7. Pipe small chocolate circles on wax paper/parchment paper and use tweezers to place it on the ‘face’ as ‘eyes.’
Here is the one I made way back in 2016!
*Optional: add some cream cheese to the cream to make it taste like strawberry cheesecake
**Substitution: chocolate sprinkles and sesame seeds instead of chocolate for the eyes.
- Chocolate Truffles
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Although they look very plain, these are indulgent, chocolate balls of goodness. Trust me, these are a crowd pleaser!
Ingredients:
– 1 cup chopped chocolate (can also be chocolate chips)
– ½ cup 30% whipping cream
– Coating of your choice (Cocoa powder, matcha powder, sprinkles, crushed candy canes, etc.)
Instructions:
1. Heat the cream on low on the stovetop until it’s hot (but not boiling).
2. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate; wait 5 minutes.
3. Stir the mixture until it’s smooth and shiny.
4. Pour it into a pan and refrigerate until it’s firm (at least 30 mins).
5. Use a small spoon and scoop out the ganache. Roll them into little balls and coat them with your toppings.
Here is the one I made back in 2017!
- Christmas Tree Meringues
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These meringues make you look like you spent a long time making them, but in reality you only need 3 ingredients and a good mixer!
Ingredients
– 3 egg whites
– ¾ cup of sugar
– Splash of vanilla extract (optional)
– Green food colouring
– Decorations (optional): sprinkles, royal icing/buttercream
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 200℉*.
2. In a large bowl, beat up the egg whites while gradually adding sugar (add a third every time) until it forms stiff, glossy peaks.
3. Add green food colouring and mix until well incorporated.
4. Put the egg white mixture into a piping bag (or Ziplock bag) and pipe a large swirl.
5. Bake for 1 hour and turn off the oven after to allow the meringues to harden.
6. Use the icing/buttercream as an adhesive to attach the sprinkles.
Here is the one I made last year!
*Keep in mind that the oven temperature may vary for everyone.
You don’t have to be a pro to make fancy desserts; it’s clear that my decorating skills have greatly improved over the years (looking at you 2016) and so can yours. Bake until as much as your heart desires and remember to share the holiday spirit: drop off your desserts on your family or friend’s porch and host a holiday Zoom dinner together. The pandemic shouldn’t stop us from getting into a festive and trying out new things!