Christmas

Chocolate-coated walnut marzipan

Chocolate-coated walnut marzipan, excerpted from Advent: Festive German Bakes to Celebrate the Coming of Christmas by Anja Dunk.

Advent: Festive German Bakes to Celebrate the Coming of Christmas by Anja Dunk

Advent celebrates the magical run-up to Christmas with over 100 classic German baking recipes.

The Advent season is one of the most special times of the year, when candles twinkle, the Christmas tree is decorated, and the smells of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove fill the kitchen.

In her new cookbook Advent, Anja Dunk shares her recipes for the very best of traditional German festive bakes. From lightly spiced Lebkuchen, frosted cinnamon stars, jam-filled ginger hearts, snow-capped coconut macaroons, to marzipan-filled Stollen, edible tree decorations, lucky meringue mushrooms and a gingerbread house dripping with candies and sugar icicles, you will find delectable spiced treats to fill your Bunter Teller and share with friends and family.

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Winter village gingerbread & speculoos cake

Winter village gingerbread & speculoos cake, Peggy Porschen: A Year in Cake: Seasonal recipes and dreamy style secrets from the prettiest bakery in the world. Photography by Paul Plews.

Peggy Porschen: A Year in Cake: Seasonal recipes and dreamy style secrets from the prettiest bakery in the world Seasonal baking recipes for special occasions, from the world’s prettiest bakery. With its fairytale pink facade and picture-perfect cupcakes, the Peggy Porschen Parlour has become a destination bakery for sweet-toothed Londoners and tourists from all around the world.

Over half a million people follow Peggy’s creations and seasonal floral displays on Instagram and her customers flock to her London Parlours often dressed in ”Peggy pink” for an exquisite sweet treat.

This book pays tribute to the magic Peggy weaves with her bakes through every season. Going through the year and punctuated by special occasions like Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween and Christmas, the recipes cover cakes, iced cookies and cupcakes and reflect the changing seasons.

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Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies, Baking for the Holidays: 50+ Treats for a Festive Season by Sarah Kieffer.

Baking for the Holidays: 50+ Treats for a Festive Season

A charming holiday baking cookbook brimming with delicious, indulgent recipes, cozy winter photography, and lots of holiday cheer from Sarah Kieffer.

Here’s a festive holiday baking book to celebrate this very special time of year. Sarah Kieffer, author of 100 Cookies, beloved baker behind The Vanilla Bean Blog, and creator of the “bang-the-pan” method offers more than 50 delicious recipes for seasonal brunches, cookie swaps, and all those Christmas, Hanukah, and New Year’s Eve parties.

Delight family and friends with edible gifts and whip up some delicious baked goods to treat yourself through the long winter months after the holidays have ended. Recipes include: Triple Chocolate Peppermint Bark, Meyer Lemon-White Chocolate Scones, Pear-Almond Danish Bread, Hot Chocolate Cake, and Pumpkin Pie with Candied Pepita Streusel.

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New Year’s Day Bloody Mary Bar

New Year’s Day Bloody Mary Bar, Very Merry Cocktails: 50+ Festive Drinks for the Holiday Season. Photography by Ren Fuller.

Very Merry Cocktails features more than 50 festive cocktail recipes.

This book has something for every holiday occasion, whether a kid-friendly cookie party, an elegant New Year’s Eve soirée or a cozy night in for two.

Recipes range from timeless classics and classics with a twist to party punchbowls and zero-proof libations.

• A perfect stocking stuffer year after year
• Includes both cocktails and mocktails
• Brimming with vibrant photography

Make and enjoy seasonal drinks like Hot Buttered Rum, the Holiday Bellini, ‘Tis the Season Sangria, and Foamy Mexican Hot Chocolate.

With just the right amount of Christmas kitsch, this is an essential collection for cocktail enthusiasts, holiday hosts, and anyone who loves the holiday season. (more…)

Reindeer Bakewell Tarts

Reindeer Bakewell Tarts, Christmas with Kim-Joy: A Festive Collection of Edible Cuteness. Photography by Ellis Parrinder.

Christmas with Kim-Joy

Kim-Joy’s baked creations have charmed fans since she was in the final of the Great British Bake Off 2018. Following on from her bestselling debut book, Baking with Kim-Joy, she’s turning to everyone’s favourite time of year —Christmas!

Sharing her simple decorating techniques and her delicious flavour combinations, Kim-Joy will delight novice and seasoned bakers with— amongst many others—her melted snowman cake pops, white chocolate igloos with marshmallow seals, penguin bao buns and incredible inspiration for designing your own magical gingerbread village.

Whether you’re after ideas for edible Christmas gifts or bigger bakes to feed friends and family, you’ll find a treasure trove of adorable recipes here that will melt everyone’s heart.

Christmas 2020 is officially set to be the sweetest Christmas on record! (more…)

Snowmen Faces Cookies

Snowmen Faces Cookies, excerpted from Christmas Cookies: More than 60 recipes for adorable festive bakes by Hannah Miles (Ryland Peters & Small). Photography by Steve Painter.

Christmas Cookies

There is nothing as cozy as a day spent baking in the holiday season—filling the house with the scent of warm, sweet dough and producing delicious treats that raise a smile even before a single bite is taken out of them!

The book features tips on how to host your Christmas “cookie exchange” from clever ways to display bakes to sending out fun invitations, plus packaging ideas for gifting home-baked treats.

Decorating hints and tips and basic recipes follow, providing information on all the tools you need to bake more than 60 different cookies, from Jolly Santas, Snowmen Faces, Coconut Snowballs, Frosted Fir Cones, and Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups to Reindeer Pretzel Cookies and Meringue Snowmen.

A joyous collection of seasonal baking recipes for all the family to enjoy.

Christmas Cookies: More than 60 recipes for adorable festive bakes is available at Amazon.com and Indigo.ca. (more…)

Fresh Fruit Christmas Log

Fresh Fruit Christmas Log, Le Cordon Bleu Chocolate Bible, Photography by Le Cordon Bleu

Discover a world where chocolate is king, where this most versatile of ingredients are transformed into luscious cakes, tarts, mousses iced desserts, drinks, biscuits and sweets. Here is the ultimate collection of tempting classics as well as a selection of new and original creations. (more…)

Get the official coaster of Santa Claus (and more gift ideas!)

Here’s a rock-solid gift idea: Get the official coaster of Santa Claus. If you leave milk and cookies out for the big man, then you need one of these travertine tile coasters. Order it here for only $8 from VersaTile, a small Ottawa-based company (and a friend of Cool Food Dude.) VersaTile ships to Canada and the US.

Did you know that the Romans used travertine stone to build the Colosseum? These coasters are built to last! VersaTile’s method of transferring the images to the tile preserves the natural beauty of the stone but also allows the artwork to shine. The tiles measure 4″x4″ and are bundled by a kraft paper belly-band in a set of four. Your furniture remains protected by four cork pads on the bottom of each coaster. The coasters are heat and water resistant. To clean, simply wipe with a damp cloth.

Can’t get enough of the holidays? Get a set of travertine coasters featuring Christmas themed graphics. Order here to get 4 coasters for only $32.

Attending parties this holiday season? Versatile coasters make a great gift for your host or hostess. Choose from ready-made designs or send in a design of your own. Get a set of 4 for $32. Order here.

Get your memories set in stone with MOSAIX, VersaTile’s signature line of tile mosaics. Whether you choose a baby picture, a wedding photos or a stunning landscape, these conversation pieces are a unique and stunning addition to any home. The photo tiles used in MOSAIX undergo the same image transfer process as the coasters. For depth and texture, the tiles are mounted onto a fabric covered backing inside a shadow box. The tiles are spaced slightly apart, breaking up the image to give a mosaic effect. All the MOSAIX come complete with hanging hardware. Prices start at $65. Order here.