Nutcracker Cones Recipes

Steps:

• Put an oven rack in the lowest position with a 6-inch clearance above and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cut six 6-inch squares of heavy-duty foil and wrap each sugar cone to cover completely, tucking in any excess. Spray the outside of the foil generously with cooking spray and set aside. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl.
• Unfold the puff pastry onto a work surface and cut it into 3 equal rectangles using the natural fold lines as your guide. Cut each rectangle into four 9-by-3/4-inch strips. You should have 12 strips (2 strips per cone).
• Wrap the cones in puff pastry: Starting at the pointed end of the cone, wrap 1 puff pastry strip around the cone, overlapping slightly, to cover. Brush the end of the strip with some egg wash, stick a second strip to it and continue wrapping until the cone is completely covered. Seal the end of the second strip of dough by tightly pressing it to some of the wrapped puff pastry, using some egg wash to help the strip adhere. Repeat with the remaining cones and strips.
• Brush the puff pastry all over with egg wash and put the cones pointed-end up on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the puff pastry cones are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet on a wire rack, then remove the foil-lined sugar cone from inside each and discard. Fill the puff pastry cones with desired fillings such as: berries and cream, no-bake cheesecake filling, chicken salad, or scrambled eggs and smoked salmon.

Steps:

• Add the rum, vodka, gin, elderflower liqueur, peach schnapps, lemonade, fruit punch and orange juice to a very large pitcher and stir to combine. Keep chilled in the refrigerator until ready to serve or immediately pour into ice-filled rocks glasses.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put an oven rack in the lowest position with a 6-inch clearance above. Cut six 6-inch squares of heavy-duty foil and six 1-inch squares of heavy-duty foil. Using the larger foil squares, wrap each sugar cone, molding to the shape of the cone to cover completely and tucking in excess. Spray the outside of the foil generously with cooking spray and set aside.
• Brush the 6 tortillas on both sides using 2 tablespoons of oil. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of Parmesan over each side of each tortilla. Curl a tortilla into a cone shape with a closed point and a 3-inch-diameter top and secure the seam with a toothpick. Trim the top of the cone with scissors to make an even edge. Slip the sugar cone inside the tortilla cone to help hold its shape and put it on a large baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, oil, cheese, and cones.
• Bake for 5 minutes, then wrap the tip of each cone with the small foil squares to keep the tips from burning. Return to the oven until the cones are lightly browned and crisp and hold their shape, 5 to 7 minutes more. Remove the foil tips, and gently remove the foil cone inserts and toothpicks. Discard the toothpicks. Unwrap and reserve the sugar cones for another use. If the tortilla cones are still soft, return them, empty, to the oven, to cook until crisp, 1 to 2 minutes more.
• Meanwhile make the sausage filling. Add 2 teaspoons oil to a medium pan over medium-high heat, then add the sausage and peppers. Cook, stirring often and breaking the meat apart, for 1 minute. Continue to cook undisturbed to allow the sausage to brown, 1 more minute. Scrape up the browned bits and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is cooked through and browned, about 4 minutes more. Add the pizza sauce and cook until heated through, 1 minute. Set aside and keep warm until ready to use.
• Cover the top of a deep pot with heavy-duty foil, wrapping it taut over the top. Using the tip of a knife, cut six 1-inch Xs in the foil spaced evenly apart. When the cones are cool enough to handle, place one cone in each of the slits.
• Sprinkle a pinch of the mozzarella inside each cone. Add 1 tablespoon of sauce, followed by a pinch of cheese, another tablespoon sauce and another tablespoon of cheese in each cone. Repeat with the remaining cones. Bake the pizza cones on the lowest rack of the oven until the cheese is melted and the sauce is hot, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately with crushed red pepper, oregano and torn basil leaves.

Steps:

• Cook the frozen mashed potatoes according to the package instructions. Cook the popcorn chicken according to the package instructions.
• Whisk together the honey, hot sauce and crushed red pepper flakes in a small bowl until combined.
• Using an ice cream scoop, scoop about 1/4 cup of the mashed potatoes into each cone and top with 3 to 4 chicken pieces. Drizzle the hot honey mixture over the top and serve.

Steps:

• For the caramel nut pies: Roll dough to 1/4-inch and fit into 4 small flan rings and chill. Combine sugar with enough water to cover in saucepan and place over high heat. Cook sugar to caramel stage (a maple syrup color). Carefully add glucose, cream, milk, salt and walnuts to caramel mixture. Cook the mixture, while stirring, until it is thick like pancake batter. Let the mixture cool. Spread the cooled mixture into the bottom of chilled tartlet shells. Pipe or spread creme d'amandes over the caramel. Bake tarts in a preheated 350 degrees F oven until evenly browned on top. Allow tarts to cool, cut into 4-inch slices and finish with sweetened whipped cream before service.
• For the Chocolate Espresso Bonbons: Put the chocolate into a work bowl. Dry roast the espresso beans in a saute pan over a medium flame until a strong coffee aroma is present. Coarsely crush the beans on a cutting board with the bottom of a pan. Make an infusion with the hot espresso beans and cream. Allow the mixture to steep for at least 30 minutes. Strain the cream into a clean pan. Bring the infused cream to a boil and pour over the chocolate. Gently stir the ganache until the chocolate is incorporated. Let cool slightly. Stir in the coffee liqueur, salt and softened butter. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally. Line coffee cup bonbon molds with tempered chocolate, tapping to make sure molds are lined and have no air bubbles. Once chocolate is set, fill molds with espresso ganache leaving room to seal molds. Seal molds with tempered chocolate, allow to set and remove from molds. Finish bonbon cups with a swirl of mascarpone cream "froth" and dust with cocoa.
• Sift flour and salt together and set aside. Place the butter in a mixer and beat until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten egg, beating until just incorporated. Add flour mixture all at once until it forms a ball. Fatten dough into a disk and chill.
• In a mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and almond paste until light and fluffy and smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, incorporating fully. Add pastry cream powder or cornstarch and mix to combine. Add rum and brandy.
• Blend ingredients together and fit into pastry bag for easy piping.

Steps:

• In a saucepan bring the water and 1/2 cup sugar to a boil. Let cool then pour into a shallow pan and freeze overnight. The next day, scrape the surface of the ice with a metal spoon to make shaved ice. Store in the freezer until ready to serve. To make the toppings, puree the raspberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and strain to remove the seeds and set aside. Blend the grape juice concentrate with the mint leaves in a blender and strain and set aside. Whisk together the citrus juices and honey and set aside. Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop a ball of the shaved ice onto 4 cones. Drizzle with various syrups and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Sit the cones in a muffin tin to hold them upright.
• Put the butter, flour, custard powder, vanilla, sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Beat together with an electric whisk until smooth. If you have nimblefingered little helpers, hand round pairs of teaspoons and set them to work filling the cones. If you're making them yourself, spoon the cake batter into a food bag or disposable piping bag, snip off the end to give you a wide hole, then pipe into the cones, filling them ¾ full - this will enable you to get the batter right to the bottom.
• Bake the cone cakes, still in the muffin tin, for 30 mins until a skewer poked into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool.
• To decorate the cakes, beat the butter until smooth, then add the icing sugar and vanilla, and beat again until well mixed. Put into a piping bag fitted with a big star nozzle, then pipe icing on top of each cake as you would a cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, cherries, drizzles of sauce - whatever you like.