Well well, it’s Christmas Eve Eve. Most of us are finishing up work for the year and finishing off preparations for a big weekend of celebrating! Hopefully you’re nearly finished all your shopping, but if you’re still stuck on what to make for Christmas dessert, hopefully this post will help! I thought I’d get into the festive spirit with a pepperminty round up of Christmassy recipes featuring candy canes!
I had a lot of fun putting this together because it’s such a great chance to see how creative other bloggers can be! From show-stopping cakes to gorgeous homemade gifts and celebratory cocktails, I never realized how versatile those red and white striped candies could be.
Picture Credits: Tartelette & Gourmet Traveller
1. One of my favourite bakers, and macaron maker extraordinaire Tartelette baked up some gorgeous Candy Cane Macarons, which I think are totally stunning. Her detailed recipe also makes macarons seem a little less scary!
2. If you’re a more experienced (or adventurous!) macaron maker, you could attempt Adriano Zumbo’s Candy Cane Macarons. Red and white mixture is marbled together and actually piped into candy cane shapes! They’re absolutely beautiful but I think I’ll leave this one to the experts! The caramelized candy cane ganache filling sounds wonderful though.
Picture Credits: Cake and Allie & My Recipes
3. Out of all the Candy Cane Cupcake recipes out there, this one from Cake and Allie has to be one of the most beautiful. I love the marbled red and white frosting!
4. This amazing Candy Cane Cake would absolutely steal the show at Christmas lunch! Coated with pulverized candy cane pieces, I think it would also be totally deliciously decadent if you used a fudgy chocolate cake as well.
Picture Credits: My Recipes & Spicy Icecream
5. I think these cute Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies would make delicious little gifts for friends and family this Christmas. But to make them even more awesome, they are sandwiched together with peppermint icing. Yum!
6. This recipe has fond memories for me, baking with my sister. Which is kind of appropriate as she also helped out with today’s recipe, but more on that later! These easy Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies were inspired by a Donna Hay recipe and are the perfect treat to make with the kids, or to leave out as a bribe, I mean, snack for Santa.
Picture Credits: Tablespoon & Hungry Girl Por Vida
7. This recipe for Candy Cane Martini Jelly Shots is so creative, not to mention pretty! Perfect little adults-only treat for a Christmas party, and a great concept to experiment with.
8. I have just discovered this gorgeous blog, Hungry Girl Por Vida but I’m totally in love with the gorgeous photos and recipes such as these Candy Cane Truffles. Give them as gifts or stir into warm milk for a decadent peppermint truffle hot chocolate, you can’t go wrong with this great, simple recipe!
Picture Credits: A Taste of Koko & Raspberri Cupcakes
9. I’ve been obsessed with chocolate “bark” since I made that crazy Sprinkle Bark Cake, and so of course I had to include Peppermint Bark in this roundup! A Taste of Koko has a beautiful version with not one but three layers of chocolate and a generous sprinkling of crushed up candy cane pieces.
10. I love the sound of the Candy Cane Chocolate Syrup (also known amongst us as “awesomesauce”) that my friend Steph made to top this stack of festive red and white pancakes. I can only imagine how awesome this would have tasted!
Picture Credits: Country Living & My Recipes
11. If you’re still looking for a delicious homemade gift, this Peppermint Hot Chocolate Mix might fit the bill! Packaged up in a pretty jar, I know I’d certainly love a thoughtful (and delicious) present like this! Or, you could make a batch of this for yourself in case hot chocolate cravings strike. It will last for up to six months in an airtight container.
12. Of course I had to booze it up at some point, and this Candy Cane Martini fits the bill nicely! I think this minty martini would be absolutely perfect for holiday parties.
13. I’m totally thrilled with how this crazy idea turned out – a Candy Cane Spider! Americans might know these better as an Ice Cream Soda or Float but in Australia, we’ve always known them as “Spiders”, but whatever you call it, it’s a delicious creamy drink made with ice cream and topped up with a carbonated drink like Coca Cola or root beer.
I decided to get creative and try a festive version made with candy cane ice cream, white crème de cacao and lemonade. I used a fantastic and easy “no churn” recipe which was also delicious on its own. After that, just put two scoops of ice cream in a tall glass with the white chocolate liqueur (if you like, if you’re making this for the kids, just leave it out) and top with lemonade! An easy Christmassy drink in seconds! I also just want to wish all my wonderful readers a very Merry Christmas and a happy and safe break! Hope it’s filled with lots of good food! xox
Boozy Candy Cane Spiders
Serves 1
No Churn Candy Cane Icecream (adapted from Vanilla Bean Blog)
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon peppermint extract (or to taste)
• 2 tablespoons white crème de cacao (optional)
• 2 cups cold heavy cream
• Crushed candy canes (I used 6 regular candy canes)
Candy Cane Spider
• Crushed candy canes, extra, to line rim
• Glucose syrup or honey
• 2 scoops candy cane ice cream
• 15ml white crème de cacao (optional)
• Lemonade (or Sprite) to top up
To make candy cane ice cream, stir together condensed milk, vanilla, peppermint and white crème de cacao in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl or in a stand mixer, beat cream on high until stiff peaks form. With a rubber spatula, gently fold whipped cream into condensed milk mixture. Stir in crushed candy canes and pour into a regular size loaf pan. Freeze until firm, for about 6 hours or overnight. Keeps up to one week in the freezer.
To make the spider, rub a small amount of glucose syrup or honey around the rim of a tall glass with your finger. Place crushed candy canes onto a plate and press rim of the glass into the candy. Place 2 scoops of candy cane ice cream into the glass. Pour over crème de cacao and top up with lemonade. Serve immediately.
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