Christmas 2024: Chef Nitten Chughh Shares Festive Dessert Recipes

Christmas, the festive time of the year, is just around the corner. With the Christmas hymns and twinkling lights, the overall vibe of December is too high to settle at the plain old rum cake, isn’t it? If you are someone who is looking for traditional yet interesting recipes to try out every season, you are at the right place.

To make sure that you get the best desserts at your Christmas party, Slurrp interviewed Chef Nitten Chughh, Culinary Director at Caravela Beach Resort, Goa. Not only has he shared some of his best Christmas recipes, but he also made sure to include tips to make gluten or dairy-free versions of the desserts. So, why don’t you try them at home?

Mincemeat Pies

Mince pies are a classic Christmas dessert in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world, particularly associated with the festive season. Traditionally, mincemeat pies were made with minced meat (often beef or lamb) along with dried fruits, spices, and suet. Over time, the meat was gradually replaced by more fruits and spices, and today, they are made without any meat. The word "mincemeat" now refers to a mixture of dried fruits (such as raisins, currants, and sultanas), sugar, suet, and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and sometimes brandy or rum.

Ingredients:

• 1400 g all-purpose flour
• 54 g granulated sugar
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 420 g very cold unsalted butter
• 426 g butter - unsalted
• 474 ml ice water
• 150 gms traditional Mincemeat (dried prunes, raisins, sultanas, cashew, pecan, walnut, cranberries and mild spices, almond and macadamia)
• 6 tbsp milk, for brushing powdered sugar for sprinkling

Instructions:

1. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and use a pastry blender or two knives to cut into the flour until you get pea-sized crumbs (alternatively, use a food processor). 
2. Stir in the water gradually (or pulse with a food processor) until the dough holds together when you pinch it between your fingers. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 205°C. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin or mini tart tin.
4. Roll 2/3 of the pie crust out onto a floured surface to ⅛” thickness. Cut circles out of the pie crust to fit into the tins. Roll out the remaining pie crust to the same thickness and cut out circles for lids, star shapes, or lattices (whichever you prefer). If using circles/lids to fully cover the pies, cut a slit in each pastry lid to allow the hot air to escape.
5. For a full-size pie, preheat to 190°C and bake it for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 190°C and bake for another 30 minutes or so.
6. Carefully press the pie crusts into the tins and fill them with mincemeat. Then, top them with the pie crust lids, stars, or lattices and press the edges together to seal them. Lightly brush the tops with milk or an egg wash.
7. Bake the pies for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully remove them from the muffin or tart tins, transfer them to a wire rack and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
8. Mince pies are best served gently warmed. They can be eaten with your hands or with a spoon if served with cream or even ice cream if you like.
9. Stored in the fridge in an airtight container, they will keep for up to 4 days. If they are made without meat, they will be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Miller Yule Log

“Though there are many wonderful gluten-free cake recipes on the internet – just a mouse away; yet I choose to follow my neighbour Aunty Maria’s age-old recipe. It takes an extra special cake recipe to roll it up without falling to pieces. Fortunately, this yule log recipe calls for a gluten-free chocolate sponge cake that is light and airy even without wheat flour. It's dairy-free as well, so it's ready to go for your allergy-friendly holiday,” says Chef Nitten Chughh.

Ingredients For Sponge:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup bajri flour pearl millet
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup thick yoghurt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 tsp honey

Instructions For The Sponge:

1. In a big mixing bowl, add milk, thick curd, oil, vanilla essence, and honey.
2. Mix everything together with a whisk. Mix till light and fluffy. Add the sugar.
3. Mix well till the sugar dissolves, and keep aside.
4. Sift for 3-4 times whole wheat flour, bajri flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients in two batches in the prepared wet ingredients and mix very gently till everything is mixed well and lump-free. Do not over-mix it.
6. Pour the prepared cake batter into the greased and dusted cake tin. Tap the tin for 3-4 times on the kitchen counter. This will help to remove any extra bubbles.
7. Bake in the preheated oven at 180°C for 40 -45 minutes or till the inserted skewer comes out clean.
8. Remove the tin from the oven. Run a knife through the edges of the tin and unmould the cake on the wire rack. Let it cool.
9. Cut into pieces and enjoy as a tea-time cake.

Ingredients With Tips:

For The Sponge:

• Large egg - Room-temperature large eggs are a must for this sponge cake recipe.
• Cream of tartar - This ingredient helps stabilise your whipped egg whites, ensuring your sponge is light and airy.
• Salt - Salt highlights sweetness and flavour, so don't skip it!
• Granulated sugar - Use regular white sugar to sweeten the cake batter.
• Gluten-free flour blend - I used King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour
• Cocoa powder - This gives the cake a nutty, earthy, chocolatey flavour
• Vegan butter - Melt vegan butter to give the cake a lovely richness and to make it more tender.
• Brewed coffee - Add room-temperature coffee directly to the cake batter to pump up the chocolate flavour.
• Powdered sugar - Sprinkle powdered sugar to keep the cake from sticking to the tea towel.

For The Filling:

• Vegan cream cheese - Room temperature cream cheese is easier to whip and will become nice and fluffy.
• Powdered sugar - This will sweeten and stabilise the cream cheese filling.
• Almond milk - Use it to thin out the filling as needed.

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Lightly grease the baking sheet. Arrange a piece of parchment paper on the baking sheet so the sides hang over. Lightly butter the parchment paper.
2. Add the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt to a medium bowl. Beat at medium to high speed until the mixture is frothy.
3. Add ¼ cup of the granulated sugar to the egg whites. Beat on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes.
4. In another medium bowl, sift together the gluten-free flour blend, cocoa powder, and baking powder.
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg yolks, remaining ½ cup granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for 3-4 minutes until mixture is creamy.
6. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Add the melted vegan butter and coffee and beat for another 30 seconds.
7. Add the flour mixture to the yolk mixture in the stand mixer and beat on low speed for 30 seconds.
8. Add one large spoonful of the egg white mixture to the stand mixer bowl and fold in until completely mixed.
9. Add the remaining egg whites. Softly fold the egg whites into the batter for up to 5 minutes.
10.  Make sure the mixture is fully integrated without collapsing the egg whites.
11. Scrape the batter onto the prepared baking sheet and smooth the batter to the edges. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
12. Meanwhile, place a clean dish towel on a wire rack and dust the towel lightly with 2 Tablespoons of powdered sugar.
13. As soon as the cake is done baking, flip the cake onto the towel-lined wire rack. Remove the parchment paper.
14. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the remaining powdered sugar. Start with the long side, roll the cake with the towel inside, and let it sit at room temperature to cool for 1 hour.
15. In a medium mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and powdered sugar and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl down and mix again until completely combined.
16. Add 1 tablespoon of almond milk and beat again until light & well blended.
17. Carefully unroll the cooled cake. Spread the filling inside the cake to about ¼ inch from the edges.
18. Spread the filling inside the cake to about ¼ inch from the edges. Roll the cake back up, using the towel to guide you, but do not let the towel roll up inside the filled cake.
19. Carefully move the rolled cake onto a piece of parchment paper and cover it with the parchment. Use plastic wrap to cover the entire rolled cake. Place into the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.
20.  Remove the cake and cut about ¼ of the cake off at a diagonal, then place it next to the large cake to resemble a branch. Frost the entire cake with the dairy-free chocolate frosting recipe. This does not need to be smooth, as you'll use a fork to make it look like bark. 
21. Add some whipped cream to the cake board or the plate on which the cake needs to be assembled. This will help the cake stick to it and not slide.
22. Cut the cake sponge into halves with the help of a serrated knife. Take the top uneven surface of the cake and invert it on the plate. Brush and soak the cake with the prepared cherry syrup. If you do not have a brush, then spread the syrup on the cake sponge with a spoon.
23. Use a fork and drag it over the frosted cake. Place sprigs of rosemary on the sides. Serve cool or at room temperature. Serve and enjoy!