Sweeten up the Holidays with Every Day with Rachael Ray

In the December/January issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray, on newsstands now, find some great recipes that will help you sweeten up the holidays!

Sticky Toffee Pudding

10 Servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 1 hr (plus cooling)

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups chopped dates
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 ½ cups flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 ¾ cups dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
3 cups heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan. In a saucepan, bring 1 2/3 cups water, the dates and baking soda to a boil. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, ginger, baking powder and 1½ teaspoons salt. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together 2 sticks butter and ¾ cup brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add half of the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Add half of the date mixture and beat until just combined. Repeat with the remaining flour and date mixtures. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake, rotating once, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring the cream, remaining 2 cups brown sugar, 1 stick butter and 1½ teaspoons salt to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes; set aside.

Remove the cake from the oven, leaving the oven on. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes through the cake and ladle half the toffee sauce over the cake to fill the holes; set aside the remaining sauce. Bake the cake for 15 minutes more. Let cool in the pan for 1 hour, then invert onto a platter and top with the reserved sauce.

Apple Dumplings

4 servings
Prep Time: 15 min
Bake Time: 30 min


Ingredients:
Flour, for dusting
One 8-ounce can crescent rolls
1 granny smith apple - peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges
1 stick (4 ounces) butter
¾ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup Mountain dew

Preheat the oven to 350°F. On a surface dusted with flour, unfold the rolls. Place an apple wedge on the wide edge of each piece of dough and roll up; place the dumplings in an 8-ince square baking dish.

In a saucepan, melt the butter with the sugar and cinnamon over medium heat; stir in the Mountain Dew. Pour the mixture on the dumplings. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes; remove the foil and bake 15 minutes longer.

Orchard Fruit Pie

8 Servings
Prep Time: 30 min (plus chilling)
Bake Time: 1 hr 10 min


Ingredients:
2 ½ cups plus 1/3 cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
6 tablespoons ice water
2 pounds granny smith apples
1 pound bosc pears
2/3 cup cranberries
¾ cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a large bowl, mix together 2 ½ cups flour and the salt. Add the butter and, using your fingers, blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle in the ice water and mix until the dough just holds together (if necessary, mix in 1 tablespoon more ice water at a time).

Turn out the dough, gather into a ball, then halve the dough ball. Pat each half into a disk, wrap with wax paper and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400°F. On a lightly floured work surface, using a rolling pin, roll out 1 disk into a 13-inch round. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin, roll out 1 disk into a 13-inch round. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin, then unroll it over a 9½-inch pie pan. Press the dough into the bottom of the pan, letting the excess hang over the edges. Refrigerate.

Peel and coarsely chop the apples and pears; place in a large bowl. Add the cranberries, ¾ cup sugar and the lemon juice and toss. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cup flour and toss. Pour into the chilled pie shell and set aside.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the remaining dough into a 13-inch round. Roll the round onto the rolling pin and unroll over the filling. Trim the excess dough, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Roll up the edges of the crusts and crimp. Cut three vents into the center of the pie. Brush the crust with water and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake the pie until golden, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Cherry Breakfast Cake

8 to 12 Servings
Prep Time 15 min (plus cooling)
Bake Time 40 min


Ingredients:
4½ cups flour
1½ cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
Two 10-ounce bags frozen cherries, thawed and drained

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-13-mnch baking dish. In a medium bowl, using your fingers, combine 3 cups flour, the brown sugar and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix in all but 2 tablespoons butter until large crumbs form; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the egg and the buttermilk.

In a medium bowl, stir together the remaining 1½ cups flour, the granulated sugar, baking powder and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Add the egg mixture and stir to form a thick, smooth batter. Fold about a third of the reserved crumb mixture into the batter; spread evenly into the prepared baking dish.

Scatter the cherries over the batter; sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture on top. Bake the cake until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes, Transfer to a rack to cool for about 20 minutes before serving.

Champagne Chocolate Mousse

6 Servings
Prep Time 20 min
Cook Time 10 min

Ingredients:
1 cup chocolate chips
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons sparkling white grape juice or sparkling cider
3 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
¾ cup heavy cream, chilled
1 tablespoon raspberry jam


In a heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate chips, butter and 2½ tablespoons sparkling grape juice. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water and stir until the chocolate is melted; let cool.

In another heatproof bowl over simmering water, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and remaining 2½ tablespoons juice until thick and warm but not cooked, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the melted chocolate; let cool to room temperature.

Using an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form; transfer ¼ cup to a small bowl and refrigerate. Let the remaining cream stand until it reaches room temperature, then, using a large rubber spatula, fold into the chocolate mixture until smooth. Spoon into glasses and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Stir the raspberry jam into the remaining ¼ cup whipped cream and top each mousse with some of the raspberry cream.

Caramel Apple Cobbler

6 Servings
Prep Time 15 min
Bake Time 1 hr (plus cooling)

Ingredients:
8 apples - peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brandy
1½ sticks (6 ounces) plus
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon salt
1½ cups flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup chopped pecans, toasted
2 cups whipped cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease a 9-by-i 3-inch baking dish; add the apples. In a saucepan, bring the heavy cream, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, the brandy, 2 tablespoons butter, the vanilla and ½ teaspoon salt to a boil, whisking. Lower the heat to medium and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes; pour over the apples.

In a food processor, combine the flour, remaining ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt and the cinnamon. Cut the remaining 1½ sticks butter into ½-inch pieces; add to the flour mixture and pulse until coarse crumbs form; stir in the nuts.

Scatter the topping over the apples and bake until golden, 1 hour. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve with the whipped cream.