LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2024

Get in Tune from page 108

MARSHMALLOW-TOPPED GINGERBREAD BARS

CHRISTMAS-TREE CHEESE TOWER A homemade cheese ball is the way to go so you can pick your cheese and add lots of fresh flavours. Here, we’ve worked it into a tree shape, but feel free to roll it into the classic ball and experiment with other herbs and nuts that you love. It’s important to bring the cream cheese and butter just to room temperature, but no warmer (or they’ll be too soft, which makes it harder to shape the mixture). 1 cup (250 mL) shredded cheddar or Gouda 3 tbsp (45 mL) butter, at room temperature 3 tbsp (45 mL) chopped chives 2 tbsp (30 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice 11/2 tsp (7 mL) Worcestershire sauce 1/4 tsp (1 mL) smoked paprika (optional) COATING 2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped parsley 2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped chives 2 tsp (10 mL) coarsely chopped rosemary 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped dried cranberries or apricots, or a mix 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped nuts such as pistachios 1. To prepare cheese mixture, in the bowl of a food processor, whirl cheeses with butter, chives, lemon juice, Worcestershire and paprika. If mix ture is very soft, refrigerate until firm. 2. Lay out a piece of foil on the counter. Lay a long piece of plastic wrap overtop. Dollop about half of the cheese mixture in the centre of the plastic wrap. Top with a smaller dollop and then another small dollop until you’ve used all the mixture. Pull all four corners of the plastic wrap up around the cheese. Working from the base, shape the cheese mixture into a tall cone shape with a wide base. Bring foil up around it to hold this shape in place. Refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours. 3. Just before serving, prepare coating mixture by sprinkling herbs, cranberries and nuts on a large plate. Swirl to mix. Remove “tree” from refrigerator and reshape, if needed. Carefully pull back foil and plastic wrap. Roll outside of “tree” in coating before standing it up and setting on a large serving dish. Top with a star shaped cracker or small decoration that can be removed. Serve cheese with sliced baguette or crackers for spreading. CHEESE MIXTURE 8 oz (225 g) block cream cheese, at room temperature

Whippy marshmallow topping and swirls of dulce de leche adorn these classic holiday cookies-turned-bars. Make them in advance, but be sure not to overbake them—tenderness is key here! Vegetable oil for greasing pan 11/2 cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour 1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder 1 tsp (5 mL) ground ginger 1 tsp (5 mL) kosher sea salt or 1/2 tsp (2 mL) table salt 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground allspice 3/4 cup (175 mL) melted unsalted butter, cooled 3/4 cup (175 mL) lightly packed brown sugar 2 eggs 1/4 cup (60 mL) molasses 1 tbsp (15 mL) vanilla extract 1 container (213 g) store-bought Marshmallow Fluff 3 to 4 tbsp (45 to 60 mL) store-bought dulce de leche 1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Oil an 8 × 8-inch (2-L) baking dish, then line with parchment paper. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour with baking powder, ginger, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. In a large bowl, whisk cooled butter with sugar and eggs. Whisk in molasses and vanilla, until mixed. Add flour mixture and whisk just until evenly mixed. Scrape batter into prepared baking dish. 3. Bake in centre of preheated oven until golden around the edges and baked, but still a bit damp in the centre, about 20 minutes. Be careful not to overbake or cake will become dry. Let cool on a wire rack until cool enough to handle. Carefully lift parchment and cake to a cutting board. Cut into bars and serve warm, or at room temperature, topped with Marsh mallow Fluff and drizzled with dulce de leche. If making ahead, store bars without toppings in an airtight container for up to 1 day, and top with Marshmallow Fluff and dulce de leche just before serving.

MIX & MATCH CHAMPAGNE ROYALE When the mood to savour a delicious liqueur strikes, we’re reminded of an elegant and über flexible, Royale-style cocktail—the French art of topping a liqueur with a sparkler. 1 oz liqueur (see p. 113) 4 to 5 oz extra dry or brut sparkling wine or Champagne Soda water (optional) 1 orange or lemon peel strip or fresh or frozen (and defrosted) cranberries 1. Pour liqueur into a coupe or cocktail glass. Top with sparkling wine. (If using a sweeter liqueur and sparkling wine, use a mix of spar kling wine and soda water.) Stir to mix. If using citrus, pull thin strip of peel from fruit avoiding the white pith. Pinch over the surface of the drink. Rub around the exterior of the rim. Twist around a cocktail pick or skewer cranberries before using to garnish. This throwback ’90s-style Martini offers up nos talgia and a sweet dessert-style sipper all at the same time. 11/2 oz vodka 1/2 oz coffee liqueur such as Kahlúa Coffee Flavoured Liqueur (LCBO 10213, $32.95) 2 oz brewed good-quality espresso or coffee, chilled 1/2 oz chocolate-flavoured syrup Sifted cocoa powder Spoonful of Marshmallow Fluff 1. Pour vodka, liqueur, coffee and chocolate syrup into an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake until chilled. Strain into a coupe or cocktail glass. If desired, hold a piece of paper over half of the cocktail and lightly dust cocoa through a small sieve overtop covering half of the top for a dramatic design. Using two spoons, dollop Marshmallow Fluff over cocktail. Makes 1 cocktail MARSHMALLOW-FLUFF ESPRESSO MARTINI

Makes 12 bars

Makes 1 cocktail

Serves 8 to 10

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———————— HOLIDAY 2024