Beautiful Hot Chocolate

Beautiful Hot Chocolate (Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros)

2/3 cup chopped best-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
2 cups milk
1/2 heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon confectioner’s sugar
Unsweetened cocoa powder or ground cinnamon, to serve

Heat the chocolate and milk in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon so it doesn’t burn (chocolate burns easily). Bring [...]

Campton Place Hot Chocolate

Campton Place Hot Chocolate (The Secrets of Baking by Sherry Yard)

1 recipe Master Ganache (recipe follows)
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup cream
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon Tia Maria or vanilla extract

Bring the milk and cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk to dissolve. Remove from [...]

Chocolate Yule Log

Chocolate Yule Log Cake (Eat Feed Autumn Winter by Anne Bramley)
For photos and comments check out the link above.
Meringue Mushrooms:

1 large egg white, room temperature
Pinch of cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar

Cake:

1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder
6 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons [...]

Christmas Vanilla Sugar Cookies

Christmas Vanilla Sugar Cookies (At Home with Magnolia by Allysa Torey)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream [...]

Cranberry Corn Muffins

Cranberry Corn Muffins (Holiday Entertaining from Williams-Sonoma)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk (2% is fine too)
2 tablespoons corn oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (preferably organic)
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. [...]

Gingerbread Muffins

Gingerbread Muffins (Feast by Nigella Lawson)

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 egg
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup whole milk (I used 2% and they turned out fine)
1/4 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
6 tablespoons vegetable or corn [...]

Maple Apple Tartlets

Maple Apple Tartlets (Eat Feed Autumn Winter by Anne Bramley)

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed (you will have one leftover in your package)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
3 small to medium baking apples
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a small bowl, mix the [...]

Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake (The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather)
Ginger Crust:

2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies (about 40 cookies)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Pumpkin Filling:

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground [...]

Warm Cranberry Crumble Tart

Warm Cranberry Crumble Tart (The Art and Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet)

1 recipe Flaky Pie/Tart dough, baked and cooled in a 9-or 9 1/2-inch tart pan

Filling:

5 cups (20 ounces) fresh cranberries
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 medium orange
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Topping:

1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup [...]