Celebrate Christmas with easy treats this year

Christmas is around the corner and the best way to usher in festive season is to treat your loved ones with delicious desserts. From cakes to cookies to chocolate bliss balls, Del Monte brings you desserts recipes which you can whip quickly up at home for your loved ones. So, here are some delightful treats which you must try out this season to welcome the New Year.

Chocolate bliss balls with dried cranberries

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp dried Cranberries
• 1/2 cup Flax Seeds
• 1 cup Sunflower Seeds
• 3 tsp Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 cup Honey
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut, for coating
• 1/2 cup white chocolate melted, for drizzle

Method:

• In a food processor, add the flax and sunflower seeds and process until you get a fine powder.
• Add the cocoa powder and process for a few seconds.
• Add the cranberries and honey and pulse until well combined. Take it out in a bowl and place in the fridge for an hour to make it easier to roll better.
• Take it out of the fridge and roll out 3 cm diameter balls. For half the batch, coat them with desiccated coconut. For the remaining half, drizzle melted white chocolate over them with a spoon or piping bag. Store in the fridge for several days or in the freezer for months.

Chunky Chocolate Cookies

Yields: 13-15 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar/brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup Del Monte sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180C.
• In a mixing bowl, add coconut sugar, coconut oil, vanilla and egg and stir until well combined.
• Add the flours, baking soda and baking powder and whisk everything together until crumbly but wet. Fold in the sunflower seeds and chocolate chips.
• Scoop out 1 1/2 tbsp of the dough and roll to form multiple little balls. Place on a baking mat and gently flatten the dough with your hand. Bake for 10-12 mins until golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the baking mat for 10 minutes before taking them out of the oven and then place them on a cooling rack.

Gluten free and Vegan Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• ¾ Cup - Rice flour
• ½ Cup - Ragi/finger millet flour
• ½ Cup - Sunflower seeds
• ¼ Cup - Tapioca flour
• ¼ Cup - Cocoa powder
• 1 Cup - Powdered jaggery
• 3 Tbsp - Ground flaxseed mixed with 9 Tbsp water (flax-egg)
• 1 Tbsp - Coffee dissolved in ¼ cup water.
• ¼ Cup - Coconut milk
• ¼ Cup - Warm water
• 1 ½ Tsp - Baking powder
• 1 Tsp - Baking soda
• 1 Tsp - Vanilla extract
• ⅓ Cup - Olive oil
• 2 Tsp - Apple cider vinegar
• ¼ Tsp - Salt

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees for 20-30 minutes.
• Place the sunflower seeds in a blender jar with the rice flour and process it into a fine powder.
• Take this out in a bowl and add the ragi flour, tapioca flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in.
• Give it a thorough whisk so that everything is evenly combined.
• In a clean bowl, add the powdered jaggery, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, coconut milk, flax egg, vanilla extract, coffee dissolved water and give it a whisk until the jaggery is dissolved.
• Now add the dry mixture into the bowl and using a spatula, mix it until all the dry mixture is incorporated.
• Now add the warm water into the bowl and give it a final mix, until a uniform batter forms.
• Pour the batter into a greased and lined baking pan and bake the cake for 40-45 minutes until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• Let the cake cool to room temperature, top it with some chocolate ganache, caramel or fresh fruits and serve.

Pineapple and Cranberry Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose our (maida)
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1/3 Cup Del Monte Pineapple tidbits chopped
• 1/3 Cup Del Monte dried Cranberries

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Generously grease a bundt pan with butter; set aside.
• In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients.
• In a separate bowl whisk together the milk, pineapple juice, vanilla, melted butter, and egg
• for 5 minutes.
• Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture - being careful not to over mix. Add
• pineapple tidbits and gently fold to evenly combine.
• Sprinkle cranberries at the base of the greased bundt pan. Spoon batter into the prepared
• bundt pan. Evenly spread using a spatula.
• Bake for 30 - 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the toothpick inserted comes out
• clean.
• Allow the cake to cool a few minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool for a few more minutes.
• Serve warm or at room temperature