Easy Christmas recipes for the holiday period.

There are so many fun and festive things to do over the holiday season. It’s a time to eat, drink and be merry, so the Leap in! Crew has put together a collection of easy recipes that you can prepare for your holiday get togethers or to enjoy on your own.

Whether you’re planning a Christmas feast at home or you’re bringing a dish to a party, these festive favourites are delicious and simple to prepare. That means you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time with friends and family.

Before you get started.

Check out our story – Top 5 cooking hacks for people with disability. This contains our top tips to help you set up your kitchen safely, plan your menu and use assistive technology to make cooking fun and safe.

Sweet treats perfect for a holiday feast.

Jatz white chocolate rocky road (don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!).

Recipe sourced from www.taste.com.au

With the perfect amount of saltiness and crispiness, these biscuits make the perfect addition to this Christmas classic, which is also filled with white chocolate, marshmallows, cranberries and coconut.

Ingredients:

• 360g white chocolate, chopped
• 280g pkt white and pink marshmallows
• 100g Jatz crackers, broken into quarters
• 1/2 cup (75g ) dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup (55g) shredded coconut.

Instructions:

1. Grease an 18cm x 28cm slice pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, allowing the paper to overhang two long sides.
2. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (don’t let the water touch the base of bowl). Heat for 2-3 minutes or until chocolate has softened. Remove bowl from pan and stir with a metal spoon until smooth. Cool slightly.
3. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Pour the chocolate over and stir to coat the ingredients. Spoon into the pan and spread out, pressing gently with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set.
4. Use paper to lift rocky road from pan. Cut into squares (they don’t have to be too neat). Serve or store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Mint Slice truffles (makes 15).

Recipe sourced from www.taste.com.au

Cute chocolate truffles with a surprise!

Ingredients:

• 200g packet Arnott’s Mint Slice biscuits
• 1/2 cup (125ml) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup (35g) cocoa powder
• 290g packet dark chocolate melts
• Aero peppermint block, sliced, to decorate.

Instructions:

1. Place the biscuits in a food processor and process until finely crushed. Add the sweetened condensed milk and cocoa and process until the mixture starts to come together into a ball. Transfer to a bowl and place in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm.
2. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Roll 2 teaspoonfuls of the chocolate mixture into balls and transfer to prepared tray. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes to chill.
3. Meanwhile, place the choc melts in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, on Medium, stirring every minute with a metal spoon, for 2-3 minutes or until melted and smooth.
4. Use a fork to dip balls into the melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Return to the tray. Top with Aero to decorate. Set aside for 5 minutes to set.

Caramilk cornflake Florentines (florentines with an aussie twist).

Traditionally made with nuts, candied cherries and melted chocolate, here’s a uniquely Aussie Caramilk twist take on them.

Ingredients:

• Melted butter, to grease
• 2 cups (80g) cornflakes
• 1/2 cup (105g) glaće cherries, quartered
• 1/2 cup (80g) macadamias, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup (90g) sultanas
• 1/4 cup (40g) plain flour
• 80g butter, chopped
• 1/4 cup (60ml) honey
• 2 1/2 tbs caster sugar
• 180g Caramilk chocolate, melted, cooled.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 170C/150C fan forced. Brush 18 holes of two 12-hole muffin pans with melted butter. Line bases with small rounds of baking paper, coming 5-7mm up the sides.
2. Place the cornflakes, cherries, macadamias and sultanas in a large bowl and use your hands to combine. Sprinkle the flour over and stir through.
3. Heat the butter, honey and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until melted and combined.
4. Pour over the dry ingredients and use 2 spatulas or spoons to mix until evenly coated. Divide mixture among muffin pan holes and, using wet fingers, press to gently compact. Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly golden. Leave in pans to cool completely. Use a knife to gently remove from pan and remove baking paper rounds.
5. Working one at a time, spoon melted chocolate onto the base of Florentine and use the back of the spoon to spread out. Leave, chocolate-side-up, to set. Serve.

Christmas tree shortbread recipe (serves 30).

An easy delicious recipe for an old time favourite!

Ingredients:

• 250g butter, softened
• 1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar
• 2 cups (300g) plain flour
• 1/4 cup (45g) rice flour
• 2 tsp mixed spice.

Instructions:

1. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the plain flour, rice flour and mixed spice, in 3 batches, beating well after each addition.
2. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 30 mins or until firm.
3. Preheat oven to 150°C. Use a 7.5cm tree-shaped cutter to cut shapes from the dough, rerolling excess.
4. Place on lined trays, 3cm apart. Bake for 15 mins or until light golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
5. To make the royal icing, whisk the egg white and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Gradually add the icing sugar, stirring well after each addition, until a smooth paste forms. Divide into 5 portions. Use food colouring to tint 4 portions different shades of green, leaving 1 portion white.
6. Divide the white icing portion in half. Reserve 1 portion to make the baubles. Place half the remaining white icing portion in a piping bag fitted with a 1.5mm plain nozzle. Pipe around the edges of the tree bases to make a border. Set aside to set. Add a little extra egg white and lemon juice to remaining white icing portion to make a runny paste. Spoon a little runny icing into the centre of the bases and use the back of the spoon to spread to the border. Set aside to set.
7. Place half of 1 green icing portion in a piping bag fitted with a 1.5mm plain nozzle. Pipe around edges of one-quarter of the trees to make a border. Set aside to set. Add a little extra egg white and lemon juice to remaining green icing portion to make a runny paste. Spoon a little runny icing into the centre of the trees and use the back of the spoon to spread to the border. Set aside to set.
8. Repeat, in 3 more batches, with the remaining green icing portions and the remaining trees.
9. Pipe remaining white icing in piping bag over the green trees in a zig-zag pattern to make the garlands. Divide reserved white icing into 3 portions. Use food colouring to tint each portion blue, pink or yellow. Place yellow icing in a piping bag fitted with a 1.2mm nozzle. Pipe over the biscuits to make baubles. Repeat, in 2 more batches, with pink and blue icing. Set aside to set.