LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2025

RECIPES

Sweet Stuff from page 69

ASSEMBLY AND ICING 1 egg, beaten 2/3 cup (150 mL) icing sugar 2 tbsp (30 mL) eggnog

4. For the pomegranate-rum fudge, stir sugar, cream, corn syrup, rum and salt in a medium size pot until combined. Set over medium-high heat. Cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches soft ball stage (240 ° F /116 ° C), 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to 130 ° F (54 ° C), about 45 minutes. 5. Add pomegranate preserve and whip with hand blender until colour is uniform and texture is creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape over eggnog fudge and smooth out top. Let cool for 2 hours then cover with plastic film and refrigerate until set, about 8 hours. 6. Lift fudge out of pan. Remove and discard parchment paper. Cut into 8 rows by 8 columns to make 1-inch (2.5-cm) squares. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

TWO-TONE EGGNOG FUDGE Creamy and lightly spiced with a hint of fruiti ness, this two-tone fudge adds a fun bite-size treat to any cookie tin or festive dessert table. Customize the flavours by swapping out the rum for your favourite spirit and replace the pome granate preserves with a different variety like seedless raspberry or strawberry jam. 11/2 cups (375 mL) heavy cream 1/4 cup (60 mL) light corn syrup 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract 1 tsp (5 mL) freshly grated nutmeg 1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon POMEGRANATE-RUM FUDGE 11/2 cups (375 mL) sugar 3/4 cup (175 mL) 35% cream 2 tbsp (30 mL) light corn syrup 2 tbsp (30 mL) white rum Pinch salt 2 tbsp (30 mL) pomegranate preserves 1. Lightly grease an 8-inch (20‑cm) square baking pan then line bottom and sides with parchment, leaving overhang to lift finished fudge out. Set aside. 2. For the eggnog fudge, stir sugar, cream, corn syrup and salt in a large pot until com bined. Set over medium-high heat. Cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches soft ball stage (240 ° F/116 ° C), 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to 130 ° F (54 ° C), about 45 minutes. 3. Stir in vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. With a hand blender, whip mixture until colour has slightly lightened and texture is creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape mixture into prepared pan and smooth out top. EGGNOG FUDGE 3 cups (750 mL) sugar

1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly grated nutmeg Sprinkles for decorating (optional)

1. For the pastry, pulse flour and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse until crumbly with some larger pieces. Drizzle in eggnog and pulse until dough comes together. If it’s dry, add additional eggnog as needed. Pat dough out into a square and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour. 2. On a well-floured work surface, roll dough out to 1/8- to 1/4-inch (3- to 5-mm) thickness. Cut out 3 × 4–inch (8 × 10-cm) rectangles, rerolling scraps as needed, to yield 10 rectangles. 4. To assemble, place five dough rectangles evenly spaced on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with egg. Top with filling mixture leaving a 1/2-inch (1-cm) border around edges. Top with remaining dough rectangles to create pockets. To seal edges, press firmly with fingers, then with tines of a fork to minimize leakage during baking. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 3. For the filling, stir ingredients in a small bowl until no dry flour remains. 6. Brush pockets with egg and pierce tops 3 to 4 times with a fork or tip of a sharp knife. Bake until golden, 15 to 17 minutes. Let pockets cool completely on baking sheet. 7. Stir icing sugar with eggnog and nutmeg until smooth. Spread over cooled pockets and top with sprinkles, if using. Let icing dry before serving. 5. Preheat oven to 400 ° F (204 ° C).

Makes 64 pieces

GINGERBREAD “POP-TARTS” WITH EGGNOG FROSTING

A childhood classic gets the holiday treatment in this grown-up rendition of Pop-Tarts. Flaky pockets of eggnog pastry envelop gingerbread filling and they’re finished with eggnog icing and a scattering of sprinkles for some crunch.

PASTRY 11/4 cups (310 mL) all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

2/3 cup (150 mL) unsalted butter, cold, cubed 4 tbsp (60 mL) cold store-bought eggnog, plus more as needed FILLING 1/4 cup (60 mL) packed dark brown sugar 2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour 1 tsp (5 mL) ginger 1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon 1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cloves 1 tbsp (15 mL) dark rum 1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla extract Pinch salt

Makes 5

146

———————— HOLIDAY 2025