LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2021

CHARCUTERIE CHALET This alternative gingerbread house is for the adults! It’s best served as an appetizer, as the chalet is made with a crispy cracker and held to- gether using a savoury cream cheese “frosting.” Get imaginative with the decorations, adding any extra details you like. Find the templates to make this chalet at lcbo.com/foodanddrink.

panels, 2 roof panels and 1 each front and back panels. Arrange pieces on prepared baking sheets, 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Reroll scraps and cut into cracker shapes. 4 Prick crackers all over with a fork. Bake in top and bottom thirds of oven, switching sheets halfway through, until crackers are crisp and lightly golden brown, 25 to 30minutes. Remove to a wire rack. Let cool completely. Repeat with any remaining cracker pieces. 5 For the spread, place cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat together until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides. Add Parmesan cheese, rosemary and salt. Beat to combine, 30 seconds. Scrape spread into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap until ready to use. 6 To assemble house, place half of cream cheese spread in a piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip, about 1/4 inch (5 mm), refilling as needed. Turn front wall piece back- wards so flat side is facing out. Pipe cream cheese spread along back edges of front wall and 1 side wall. Position pieces at a 90-degree angle and place on a serving board. Prop up pieces with a can or other object, if needed. Repeat process with back wall and a second side wall. Place house in fridge to help set cream cheese spread, about 15 minutes. 7 To attach roof, pipe cream cheese spread along peaked edges of front and back walls. Position roof pieces into place. Pipe along peak where 2 roof pieces meet. Place back into fridge to set completely, about 15 minutes. 8 To make roof shingles, remove casing and very thinly slice salami. Cut each slice into half-moons. Cover roof with a thin layer of cream cheese spread. Attach roof shingles, starting at bottom of roof and working in rows, overlapping salami pieces slightly. Add extra cream cheese spread, as needed. 9 To make bread stick walls, spread a thin layer of cream cheese spread on both side walls. Stack bread sticks on side walls. 10 For front of house, spread a layer of cream cheese spread on front of house. Cut out a door shape from slice of cheddar cheese. Place on front of house. Add mini bread sticks around door frame, cutting to fit. Use a small slice of a mini meat stick for door handle, attaching with cream cheese spread. Create details using fresh herbs, other meats, cheeses, olives and garnishes. Once finished decorat- ing, place in fridge until ready to serve. 11 When ready to serve, place assorted meats, cheeses and vegetables around house. Serve on same day as construction. Makes 1 chalet

Mix on low speed until mixture is crumbly. In- crease speed to medium and mix until mixture starts to clump into a dough. Tip mixture onto countertop. Press together dough and knead a few times until smooth. Shape into 2 discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes. 4 Lightly flour countertop. Working with 1 disc at a time, roll out dough 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick, adding extra flour if dough is sticky. Using template, cut out 6 side pieces, 6 roof panels, 3 front panels, 3 back panels, 3 platform pieces and 3 chimneys (optional). Use leftover scraps and cookie cutters to make cut-outs such as small trees or snowmen. 5 Arrange pieces on prepared baking sheets, 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Chill for 20 minutes. 6 Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until cookies are lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. 7 For the vanilla buttercream, place butter, icing sugar, cream, vanilla and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attach- ment. Beat on low speed to combine. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Place half of icing into a piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip, about 1/4 inch (5 mm), refilling as needed. 8 To assemble houses, place 1 side wall piece standing up; pipe buttercream along base and edges of front wall and standing side wall. Position pieces at a 90-degree angle to attach and place on a platform piece. Repeat process with back wall and a second side wall. Pipe buttercream along peaked edges of front and back walls. Position roof pieces into place so longest edges are where roof meets. Pipe buttercream along peak where 2 roof pieces meet. Attach chimney, if using, using butter­ cream. Place in fridge to set, 15 minutes. Con­ tinue assembling remaining houses. 9 Now that your mini houses are assembled, decorate any way you wish. Use a very small piping tip to decorate fronts, sides and roofs using remaining buttercream. Dust with sanding sugar and add nuts, candies, sprinkles, marshmallows and chocolate chips. Colour ic- ing, if you wish, or use a different size or shape of piping tip to add details. Place in fridge to set, about 20 minutes. Serve on same day as construction. 3 Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).

FENNEL & CUMIN CRACKERS 4 1/2 cups (1.125 L) all-purpose flour 2 tsp (10 mL) fennel seeds 1 tsp (5 mL) cumin seeds 2 tsp (10 mL) salt 1 cup (250 mL) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes

1 cup (250 mL) cold water ROSEMARY, PARMESAN & CREAMCHEESE SPREAD 1 pkg (250 g) cream cheese, at room temperature 3/4 cup (175 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/2 cup (125 mL) finely grated Parmesan cheese 1 tsp (5 mL) finely chopped fresh rosemary 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt TO ASSEMBLE 8 oz (225 g) salami, 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) in diameter Bread sticks Thinly sliced cheddar cheese Mini bread sticks Assorted olives Mini meat sticks Siljan crispy cups, for planters Bocconcini pearls Gherkins Assorted fresh herbs, such as thyme and rosemary Assorted crudités Assorted deli meats 1 For the crackers, combine flour, fennel seeds, cumin seeds and salt in a food proces- sor. Pulse to combine. Add butter to flour mix- ture. Pulse until butter has broken down into pea-size pieces. With the processor running, slowly pour in water and process until a dough comes together. Tip cracker dough onto countertop. Form dough into 2 discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. 2 Arrange racks in top and bottom thirds of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 3 Working with 1 disc at a time, roll dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch (5 mm) thickness. Using template, cut out 2 side Assorted cheeses Assorted crackers

Makes 3 shacks

SHOP ONLINE AT LCBO.COM

265

FOOD & DRINK HOLIDAY 2021