Non-Alcoholic Rum Balls

I am sneaking this last entry into my Christmas Series right before we welcome in the New Year!  This is my brother's favourite dessert at Christmas, my mom makes them every year.  They are very simple to make and pack a lot of flavour.  They also don't have to go in the oven, which makes them even more simple!

I am so excited for the New Year and have a lot of plans for recipes to add to my collection on this blog.  I have been getting really into slow-cooking, so keep an eye out for that!

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas, and I wish everyone an awesome New Year! :)


Ingredients:

200 grams Graham Wafer Crumbs (1 package of Honey Maid Brand)
1 Cup Icing Sugar
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
1/2 Cup Corn Syrup
1 TB Rum Extract
2 tsp Instant Coffee dissolved in 2 tsp water (you can substitute juice)


Directions:

1.    Place dry ingredients in food processor and process until fine.

2.  Transfer to electric mixer and add the remaining ingredients.  Beat until well combined.

3.  Shape into balls and store on wax paper in air tight container in fridge.

4.  Enjoy!

Nut Butter Marshmallow Bars

5 more days til Christmas!!!  This is one of my sister-in-law's favourite Christmas recipes.  It is so easy to make and it tastes like a creamy, white chocolate fudge.  Due to some allergies in my family I make this recipe with Golden Pea Butter, which has the same consistency as Peanut Butter.  We love it!

This recipe is gluten-free, depending on what nut butter you choose, and can also be dairy-free depending on which chocolate chips you use!

It is really getting down to crunch time now, there is so much that still has to be done before Christmas! 

Ingredients:

Equal Parts:

Chocolate Chips
Peanut Butter (I used Golden Pea Butter)
Marshmallows



Directions:

1.  Begin by melting the chocolate chips 10 seconds at a time in the microwave until melted.  Stir between each 10 second interval.

2.  While the chocolate is still hot, add the peanut butter/pea butter.  Stir until completely combined.

3.  Add the marshmallows right away and stir.  Place in a buttered baking dish.  I just used a glass tupperware.  I did 1/2 cup of each ingredient and it sat about 1 inch high in the tupperware.

4.  Let it sit in the fridge until it has reached a fudge-like consistency.  You can then cut into shapes or into squares.

St. Nicholas Cupcakes

Greetings! This is another entry for my Christmas Series.  This particular recipe is my mother's favourite at Christmas.  It is our traditional, family recipe which we make every year.  I can't remember a Christmas when we didn't have this!  

It started as the St. Nicholas Cake.  It was made in a bundt pan and was decorated in the same way, with four sets of blossoms on top.  We started making the cupcakes about 5 years ago when cupcakes starting to get so popular!  I prefer them this way because they cook quite a bit faster (the cake would take almost an hour to cook), and they are easier to gobble up on Christmas Eve!  

This cake is very light, due to the 4 eggs in the recipe.  The almond extract adds such a unique and festive flavour.  I absolutely love this cake, and it isn't quite Christmas until the house smells like sweet almonds.

In other news, I think I am basically done all of my shopping for Christmas!  How about you guys?  



Ingredients:

Cake:

2 Cups White Flour
1 3/4 Cups White Sugar
2 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch  Salt
1 Cup Crisco Shortening
3/4 Cup Milk (Any kind will do, I used soy)
1 tsp Almond Extract
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
4 Eggs


Glaze:

1 1/2 Cups Icing Sugar
1/2 tsp Almond Extract
2 1/2 TB Warm Water

ALSO:  You will want to get some red and green glace cherries for the garnish!


Directions:

1)  Start by preheating your oven to 365 degrees.

2)  Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in your electric mixer.

3)  Add the shortening, milk and extracts and beat for 2 minutes.

4)  Add the eggs and beat for another 2 minutes.

5)  Fill greased cupcake liners 3/4 full.  Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  As always, if you notice your cupcakes getting too brown on top, place a greased sheet of foil over the top.  Crease the foil in the middle to make a tent so it does not stick to the cupcakes.

6)  While the cupcakes are cooling you can start the glaze.  Combine all of the ingredients in the mixer until it is smooth.

7)  Before you put the glaze on the cupcakes you will want to cut your cherries.  The red cherries get cut in half, and the green cherries get cut into 8 pieces, you will need 4 to make the leaves as shown here:

8)  Cover the cupcakes in the glaze, we took the liners off and placed the cupcakes upside down to see how that would look.  You can leave them in the liners if you would prefer!  Arrange the cherries as seen in the picture below, making sure the green leaves are all going in the same direction.  It is important to place the cherries before the glaze sets, otherwise when you put the cherries on the glaze will begin to crack.

 

9)  Enjoy!!  Only 14 more days until Christmas!  Yay!