Pink champagne jellies with lycees in fragrant syrup Christmas dessert

Ingredients recipe

Jellies
750ml bottle pink champagne or sparkling wine
1 cup (215g) caster sugar
2 tbs gelatine powder
1/4 cup (60ml) hot water

Lychees in fragrant syrup
1 cup (215g) caster sugar
1 cup (250ml) water
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthways
1 lime
1 tbs julienne fresh ginger
1kg fresh lychees (about 24), peeled

Method of recipe


1.To make the jellies: combine champagne and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until sugar dissolves.

2.Sprinkle gelatine over hot water in a cup and whisk briskly with a fork until gelatine dissolves. Stir gelatine mixture into champagne mixture. Pour evenly among eight 150ml plastic jelly cups. Place on a tray in the fridge and set aside overnight or until set.

3.For lychees in fragrant syrup, use a zester to remove rind from lime. Juice the lime. Combine lime rind and juice, sugar, water, vanilla bean and ginger in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Place lychees in a heatproof bowl, then pour over the hot syrup. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill.

4.To serve: dip base of jelly cups briefly into very hot water. Use the point of a hot, small thin bladed knife to form an air pocket at the edge, then turn out onto serving plates. Serve with lychees and syrup.

Christmas truffle Peppermint

Ingredients recipe

1/4 cup thickened cream
400g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons mint-flavoured cream liqueur
2 x 35g Peppermint Crisp bars, crushed
50g good-quality white chocolate, chopped

Method of recipe


1.Combine cream and 200g chocolate in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on medium (50%) for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute with a metal spoon, or until melted and smooth. Stir in liqueur. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool. Stir through Peppermint Crisp. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours or until firm.

2.Line a tray with baking paper. Using 2 teaspoons chocolate mixture at a time, roll into balls. Place on tray. Freeze until firm.

3.Place remaining dark chocolate in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on medium (50%) for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute with a metal spoon, or until melted and smooth. Using a fork, dip truffles in melted chocolate, shaking off excess. Return truffles to tray. Refrigerate until set.

4.Place white chocolate in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on medium (50%) for 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds with a metal spoon, or until melted and smooth. Spoon chocolate into a snap-lock bag. Snip off one corner and pipe chocolate over truffles. Refrigerate until set.

White chocolate truffles dessert

Ingredients recipe

500g white chocolate, broken into pieces
180g unsalted butter, chopped
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs silver cachous

Method of recipe
1.Line the base of a 2cm x 8cm bar pan with baking paper.
2.Place the chocolate and butter in a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of warm water and stir constantly over low heat until chocolate and butter have melted and mixture is completely smooth. Remove from the heat and stir through vanilla extract. Pour mixture into the bar pan and sprinkle with silver cachous, then chill for 3 hours or until set.
3.To serve, remove from the pan and cut into slices or cubes.