Thatched Gingerbread House
A beautiful gingerbread house is a great project - just the kind that makes family traditions and memories, as well as a not-to-be-missed decoration for the house and a delicious post-Christmas treat for the builders.
A beautiful gingerbread house is a great project - just the kind that makes family traditions and memories, as well as a not-to-be-missed decoration for the house and a delicious post-Christmas treat for the builders.
A braided crust and leaf-shaped cutouts give this seasonal favourite an extra-special presentation. And the flavour? Unparalleled. Our secret ingredient is tapioca starch, which thickens the strawberry juices for a glossy, clump-free filling.
Iced sugar cookies make a cheerful birthday message when placed on top of iced cupcakes. You'll need less than half of the cookie dough to make enough toppers - use the leftover dough to make tasty loot bag treats.
One of the pleasures of the cooking traditions of the British Isles is seafood pie, with its bounty of northern seafood in a creamy sauce topped with flaky pastry. You can make the pie a day ahead and refrigerate it or freeze it. If you prefer, use pie pastry (one double-crust recipe) instead of puff pastry.
Brilliant blue icing and a fun speckled effect make this show-stopping chocolate cake look like a robin's egg. For best results, practise your speckling technique on waxed paper before tackling the cake. The speckling can get a little messy, so protect the cake plate with strips of waxed or parchment paper.
Comfort food at its finest, this classic creamy casserole packs buttery herb-flecked pastry and rich savoury chicken in every delightful bite.
This season is all about over-the-top indulgent desserts, and this one definitely takes the cake!
It is hard to believe that this entire meal for 6 can be prepared in under an hour. The ingredients in this main course and side dishes are completely Canadian (including the Canola oil), but just like our country's unique cultural mosaic -- they have been flavoured with exotic spices and other wonderful additions which highlight Canada's tolerance and respect for people of other lands. The lamb was reared in Ontario and the eggplant can be grown in almost any Canadian garden. I sometimes serve the lamb with chick pea fries and chuckle when I remind my Indian in-laws that Canada and Australia are now growing garbanzo beans, too.
It's easy to add wow factor to a simple layer cake using stunning ombré icing, a white chocolate drip and a crown of candy bark.
This impressive gingerbread house is a treat to decorate. Download the templates at canadianliving .com/gingerbreadhouse and use it to cut your shapes. Then, use any leftover dough to make gingerbread people, animals and other decorations for your house. Look for cake boards at craft stores, or ask your local bakery for one.