Cadbury recently launched its Festive Range just in time for the holiday season. Now, as we start to wind-down from the year and get ready for some much needed family time, Cadbury has some delicious festive-inspired recipes to share and enjoy.

Despite the challenging year, we all have something to be grateful for. What better way to express gratitude and appreciation to those around you than with a home-made gift – deliciously baked treats made with love and beautifully presented (that’s if you can resist eating them yourself beforehand).

Try your hand at Butterscotch Reindeer Truffles, Festive Gingerbread Mince Pies, Cinnamon Shortbread Christmas tree decorations or Dream Snowball Men.

Slow down, reflect and show your appreciation to the ones you love. After all, ‘Tis the season for giving back especially to those who have given you everything this year.

 

[divider]LET’S GET BAKING[/divider]

‘Thank you for being a dear’ reindeer truffles

Ganache / Truffle filling

  • 300 g (2 slabs) chopped Cadbury Dairy Milk Butterscotch and Crushed Almonds
  • 120 mL fresh cream
  • 80 g cubed room temperature butter

Method:

  1. Chop chocolate and place it in a medium size bowl.
  2. Heat cream on the stove or in the microwave until it begins to boil, for approximately one minute.
  3. Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate.
  4. Start to stir, add butter and mix until smooth (you can microwave for a further 20sec if mix still has lumps).
  5. Cover with clingfilm and allow to set in the fridge for about three hours.
  6. Scoop the truffle balls from the set mix and drop the balls into cocoa powder or melted chocolate.
  7. Take the truffle out of the coating and place on a tray for decoration.
  8. Repeat this step until the mixture is finished.
  9. Add pretzel ears, eyes and noses.
  10. Allow to set and you are ready to serve.

 

‘You’re the all-things-nice to my ginger spice’ mince pies

Pastry

  • 375 g cake flour (plus extra for rolling out your dough)
  • 250 g room temperature butter
  • 125 g castor sugar (plus extra for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method:

  1. Cream butter with castor sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
  2. Sift flour into the bowl.
  3. Add vanilla essence.
  4. Gently fold the mix together until it’s lightly combined. Don’t overmix.
  5. Wrap in clingfilm and allow to rest in the fridge for an hour.
  6. Lightly flour a clean, cool surface. Roll out the dough to half a centimetre thick and cut out 12 rounds with a glass, then cut out 12 stars for the topping.
  7. Grease a muffin pan with oil or spray and cook. Place the round cut pastry on the centre of the muffin mould and apply pressure with forefingers.

 

Filling

  • 150 g chopped Cadbury Dairy Milk Festive Gingerbread
  • 80 g cubed butter
  • 2 eggs

Method:

  1. Melt chopped chocolate and butter in the microwave.
  2. Whisk in the eggs.
  3. Pour mix into your lined muffin tins.
  4. Place pastry stars on top of each.
  5. Sprinkle with castor sugar and cinnamon.
  6. Bake at 165°C for 16 minutes.
  7. Allow to cool take out the tray and enjoy.

 

‘You’re the coolest…’ ice-cream snowmen

Ingredients

  • One tub of vanilla ice cream
  • One bag of Cadbury Dream Whispers Snowballs
  • Cookies for the base
  • Choc chips for eyes and buttons

Method:

  1. Take ice cream out of the freezer, allow to soften slightly and, with your fingers, gently push in half a bag of Cadbury Dream Whispers Snowballs. Smooth the ice cream with a spoon and place back into the freezer.
  2. Save 10 Cadbury Whispers Snowballs for your final decoration.
  3. Pour the rest of the Snowballs into a plastic sealable bag and beat with a rolling pin until crushed into “snowflakes”.
  4. Empty your crushed Snowballs crumbs into a medium size bowl.
  5. In a small tray, line-up your cookie bases.
  6. To create the body of your snowman, scoop a ball of ice cream, then drop it into the crushed Snowballs crumbs and roll it around until coated. Remove the ball from the bowl and place on the cookie base. Repeat this with a smaller ball for the head of the snowman. Place into the freezer and allow to set.
  7. Once hard, take out of the freezer and add the nose, eyes and buttons to finish off your snowman. Now you’re ready to serve.

 

‘Reasons to celebrate you’ shortbread decorations

Ingredients

  • 375 g of flour
  • 250 g of room temperature butter
  • 125 g castor sugar
  • 150g (1 bar) Cadbury Dream Cinnamon Crunch

Method:

  1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and castor sugar.
  2. Chop a third of the Cadbury Dream Cinnamon Crunch bar and add your sifted flour.
  3. Add flour into the mixing bowl and gently combine your cookie dough.
  4. Be careful not to over mix as this will harden the cookies.
  5. Cling wrap your dough and allow to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  6. Roll out your rested dough to a 1 cm thickness.
  7. Cut out shapes and place on a baking tray.
  8. Use a small cutter to remove holes for the decorations’ strings.
  9. Bake at 180°C for 15 minutes until lightly golden.
  10. Melt the rest of the chocolate and dip the cookies. Place your decorations while the chocolate sets.
  11. Tie a string on each and hang them on the tree.

 

The Cadbury Festive Range is available from all major retailers nationally.

For more information on the Cadbury Festive range visit www.cadbury.co.za and join the conversation @CadburyDairyMilkSA (Facebook) or @Cadbury_SA (Twitter and Instagram) #CadburyFestive #GlassAndAHalf