From Pound Cake to Snow Sugar Cookies: Explore these unique recipes during the festive season

Enter the kitchen and put on the chef`s hat to experiment with these festive recipes. Photos Courtesy: Audible

Christmas may be over but the festive season allows us to indulge in treats that can be eaten through this week all the wway into the new year too.

While Indian dishes are really popular, there are some classic recipes from around the world that are really favourites during this festive season. Among the many are recipes by Kerry Washington, Dr. Sharon Malone and Nicole Avant from Audible's 'Your Mama's Kitchen' podcast who share their childhood favourites.

From the rich and fruity Jamaican Fruit Cake, decadent Pound Cake and the delicate Snow Sugar Cookies, these treats are sure to delight your senses and bring holiday cheer to your home. These dishes, passed down through generations, capture the essence of the holiday season, with each bite full of tradition and love. These classic recipes are perfect for sharing with loved ones and creating lasting holiday memories.

Jamaican Fruit Cake

Ingredients:
Chopped fruits including dark and light raisins, dried fruit mixture (citron, cherries lemon and orange peel, pineapple, etc.), prunes, and currents 8 lbs (16 cups or 4 quarts)
Chop fruit in a processor or blender with sherry and rum as the liquid about a month before you plan to bake the cake. Drain any excess liquid.
Baking soda 1 teaspoon
Baking powder 1 teaspoon
Butter 1-pound (roughly 450gm)
Eggs 1 dozen
Dark brown sugar 1-pound (roughly 450gm)
All-purpose flour 4 cups
Cinnamon 2 tsp
Nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon
All-spice 1/8 teaspoon
Cloves (ground) 1/8 teaspoon

Methods:
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease pans and flour. Use baker's spray which is oil with flour for the pans. Cut parchment or brown paper to fit the top of the pan. Spray each piece to cover the pan.
3. Beat eggs, cream butter and sugar, add eggs and mix.
4. Combine dry ingredients: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, baking powder, baking soda, and flour. Add to mixture then add fruits
5. The mixture will be very thick and needs to be mixed by hand. Pour the mixture into pans and cover with a piece of greased and floured paper.
6. Bake at 250 degrees for two hours (time may vary depending on the size and weight of the pan). A pan of water should be placed at the bottom of the oven throughout the cooking time to provide steam. Check after 1 hour and periodically to test doneness by inserting a toothpick If it comes out clean, the cake is done,
7. Cool on rack. Drizzle with rum
8. Wrap in wax paper (or plastic wrap) and follow with aluminium foil
9. This mixture will make about 5 cakes depending on how large and full the pans are. The new nonstick pans work well instead of greased and floured paper.

Flavoured Pound Cake

Ingredients:
Butter (soft) 4 sticks
Sugar 3 cups
Sifted cake flour 3 1/2 cups
Extra large eggs (beaten) 6
Baking powder 1/4 teaspoon
Milk 1 cup
Lemon extract 1 teaspoon
Vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
Rum: 1 teaspoon
Coconut oil 1 teaspoon
Imitation butter 1 teaspoon

Method:
1. Beat cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs and beat well.
3. Add flour and milk interchangeably.
4. Add the lemon extract, vanilla extract, rum, coconut oil, and imitation butter.
5. Grease and flour a large Angel food tube bake pan and add the cake mixture.
6. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Bake for 75-85 minutes or until the cake is clean from inserting a toothpick.
8. Let the cake cool for at least 2-3 hours before removing it from the pan.

Snow Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
All-purpose flour 3 cups
Baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoon
Salt 1/2 teaspoon
Unsalted butter 1 cup
Room temperature brick cream cheese: 2 Oz
Granulated sugar 1 cup
Granulated sugar (On the side for rolling the cookies in) 1/2 cup
Room temperature large egg 1 no
Almond extract 1/2 tsp
Vanilla extract 1 1/2 teaspoon

Method:
1. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt until combined and set aside
2. In a large bowl, mix butter and cream cheese for about 2 minutes until smooth and creamy
3. Add granulated sugar and mix until fluffy and light in colour
4. Mix in eggs, vanilla extract and almond extract. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl to fully mix.
5. Slowly mix in flour, salt and baking powder combination on low speed
6. Remove the dough from the bowl, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours minimum to a maximum of 2 days.
7. When ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator - if it was refrigerated for more than 4 hours, let it rest on the counter for 20 minutes so that it is easier to work with
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line baking sheets with parchment paper
9. Scoop and roll spoonfuls of dough into balls and roll in granulated sugar until coated, place on baking sheet 3 inches apart
10. Gently press the cookie balls down to semi-flatten and bake for 13-15 minutes - rotate the pan midway through to ensure even baking
11. Allow cookies to rest for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before moving them to a cooling rack or serving plate.