Decadent desserts
Hazelnut cream pavlovas and hot toddy puddings make Christmas even sweeter
’ve been relativity controlled when it comes to pandemic baking projects. Believe me, I want to make all the breads, focaccia and pies I’ve seen all over social media. Filling the house with temptation just isn’t a good idea for me. But the guardrails are off this holiday season.
I want to bake for family, friends and neighbors. Sweet supplies fill my baking cabinet. New this year: sturdy containers to package desserts for front porch drop-offs and boxes for mailing.
Nearly every one of my baking marathons include meringues. These airy, sugar confections symbolize friendship — I’ve bonded with some of my closest friends over crisp and gooey meringues.
This holiday season, I’m baking individual disks of vanilla-scented beaten whites for the base of pavlovas. After baking, a swirl of hazelnut chocolate spread proves an easy upgrade.
The meringues keep well in a sealed plastic box or tin for several days. I package them separately from their chestnut cream filling (which needs refrigeration) so they can be assembled just before decorating with candied orange rind and mint sprigs. They also taste great topped with ice cream — peppermint gets my vote.
A hot toddy signifies comfort — my mother would make the simple hot cocktail (which comprises hot water, honey, lemon and a spirit, such as bourbon) to soothe sore throats. Now, we warm whiskey with lemon and honey to celebrate a snowy evening by the fire.
I can’t literally embrace my friends, but I can send them a hot toddy spice cake, complete with a small jar of hot toddy sauce and thin strips of candied ginger and fresh pomegranate seeds.
British chef Heston Blumenthal’s hot toddy bombe, sold in pretty boxes at Waitrose grocery stores in the U.K., inspires the spice cake. His individual ginger spiced cake has a molten center and loads of sherry, whiskey and rum. The recipe here simplifies that idea with
I strongly encourage you to make a double batch of the sauce — it’s absolutely great on everything, even French toast.
Sweets with memories and meaning will fortify us. Happy holidays. Stay safe and keep baking.