This Christmas bring out the chef in you

'Tis the season to be jolly! So take the festivities to the kitchen and whip up some delectable Christmas treats for your loved ones.

These fun, simple recipes promise amazing results.

Bring out the apron, already!

Peppermint Bark

Ingredients:
Dark couverture chocolate 64%: 300 gm
White couverture chocolate: 300 gm
Peppermint extract: 7.5 ml
Candy canes, crushed: 3

Method:
- Line the underside of a 9 x 13 inch baking tray with a guitar sheet and smooth out any creases.
- Melt the dark chocolate at 45 degree C in a microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring after each.
- Stir in ½ the peppermint extract and pour onto a clean marble top to temper the chocolate to 32 degrees C.
- Using a palette knife, spread evenly onto the prepared sheet. Leave to set at room temperature.
- Follow the same procedure for the white chocolate. Make sure that the final temper reaches 29 degree C this time.
- Spread on top of the set dark chocolate in an even, thin layer.
- Sprinkle crushed candy canes and distribute evenly.
- Once set, break the chocolate into shards to serve.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Christmas Stollen



Ingredients:
Refined flour: 500 gm
Breakfast sugar: 100 gm
Fresh yeast: 20 gm
Salt: 10 gm
Unsalted butter, soft: 150 gm
Full cream milk: 250 ml
Clove powder: 2 gm
Nutmeg powder: 2 gm
Vanilla extract: 2.5 ml
Almond extract: 2 ml
Almond flour: 55 gm
Sultanas: 100 gm
Mixed peel: 125 gm
Black currants: 100 gm
Unsalted butter, melted: 25 gm
Marzipan: 225 gm

To serve:
Unsalted butter, melted: 25 gm
Icing sugar: 30 gm

Method:
- In a large bowl, add flour and sugar. Place the yeast in one corner and salt in the other. Add the softened butter and 200 ml milk and stir together.
- Add rest of the milk to make a soft dough. Place onto a floured work table and knead for 7-8 minutes till smooth.
- Mix the spices and extracts, dried fruit and peel together and knead into the dough. Place into a greased bowl, cover and allow to rise for 1-2 hours in a warm place (till it doubles in size).
- Flatten the dough to form a rectangle sheet (18*14 inches). Brush with melted butter.
- Sheet the marzipan to 14*16 inches and place on top of the dough in the centre. Roll the dough to enclose the marzipan and transfer to a lined baking tray. Allow to rise till it is double in size.
- Preheat oven to 190 degree C and bake the stollen for 1 hour or till done.
- Remove and brush with the melted butter. Coat with icing sugar to serve.

(Recipes courtesy: Chef Neha Malhotra, Sous Chef, Sheraton New Delhi)