Holidays around the world

• ¼ c sugar
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 3 c milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 loaf, stale French bread, Italian bread, brioche, or challah, sliced 1 inch thick
• Oil for frying, (olive or canola)

For the cake:

• 4 medium beets, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened
• Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• Salt
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup warm water
• ¼ cup safflower oil
• 1 teaspoon pure
• vanilla extract
• Vegetable oil cooking spray

For the chocolate glaze:

• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¾ teaspoon light corn syrup
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

For the cake:

1. Cover the beets with 2 inches of water in a pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until very tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp paring knife, about 30 minutes. Drain. Puree beets in a food processor until smooth.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and ¾ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, water, oil, vanilla, and 1 ¼ cups beet puree (reserve remaining puree for another use).
3. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan (3 inches deep) with cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment, and coat with spray. Pour batter into the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool in a pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Turn out cake from pan, and discard parchment. Let cool completely, right side up.
4. Trim the top of cake using a serrated knife to create a level surface. Transfer cake, cut side down, to a platter. Pour chocolate glaze over the top, and let set, about 30 minutes.

For the glaze:

1. Bring heavy cream and corn syrup to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan. Pour over chocolate in a bowl, and let stand for 1 minute. Stir until chocolate melts and mixture is shiny and smooth. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Use immediately.

For the fish

• 12 ounces cod filet (340g, rinsed clean, pat dry and cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 3 cups canola oil (for frying)
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
• ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
• ⅔ cup cold seltzer or club soda

For the sweet and sour sauce

• ¼ cup red onion (cut into a 1-inch dice)
• ¼ cup red bell peppers (cut into a 1-inch dice)
• ¼ cup green bell peppers (cut into a 1-inch dice)
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• ¾ cup canned pineapple chunks
• ¾ cup pineapple juice from the can
• 2 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
• ⅓ cup water
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch (mixed into a slurry with 2 tablespoons water)

For the sponge

• 120 ml. almond milk
• 65 gr. rye flour
• 30 gr. fresh yeast
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar

For the dough

• 285 gr. of bread-making flour
• 60 gr. brown sugar
• 1 pinch of sea salt
• The zest of ½ lemon
• The zest of ½ orange
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon or ground speculoos
• A few drops of orange blossom water
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tbsp. malt extract
• 2 tbsp. applesauce
• 70 gr. coconut oil
• 60 ml. almond milk

For the filling

• 300 gr. of the dried fruits that you like the most

For the glaze

• The juice of ½ lemon
• ½ cup of powdered sugar
• 1 pinch of baking soda
• 1 tsp. arrowroot or corn starch

For the sponge

1. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients, cover with film and let rest for 1 hour or until it bubbles and doubles its volume.

For the dough

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar and salt, set aside.
2. In another container, mix the apple puree with the zest, the extracts, the orange blossom water, the cinnamon and the malt extract, set aside.
3. Add the sponge to the flour mixture, mix.
4. Add the applesauce mixture, mix.
5. Now add the coconut oil and almond milk.
6. Knead until integrated.
7. Let ferment in the covered bowl for 2 hours or until doubled in volume.
8. Turn the dough out onto a floured counter, degas (squash a little to break up any air bubbles).
9. Incorporate the dry fruits and roll up so that couples are available.
10. Knead a little more.
11. Form a bun (if you are going to make the large sweet bread) or separate into 2 buns.
12. Place the bun in a sweet bread mold brushed with coconut oil.
13. Cover with a cloth and let it double in volume again.
14. Turn on the oven at 350º F.
15. Cook for 40 to 50 minutes, until the pan dulce looks golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
16. Let cool on a rack.

For the glaze

1. Sift the powdered sugar, baking soda and starch and gradually add lemon juice, beating with a wire whisk.
2. Put into a piping sleeve.
3. When the sweet bread is cold, decorate with the glaze and stick more nuts on top.
4. Store the pieces of panettone wrapped in film or in ziplock bags.They last approximately 10 days.

• 1 ½ parts Dewar’s White Label Whisky
• ⅓ part Honey syrup
• 3 parts hot water
• 3 dried cloves, per glass
• freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus a slice of lemon to garnish each glass
• cinnamon sticks, to garnish each glass

1. Combine the whisky, ​honey ​syrup, hot water and cloves in a toddy ​g​lass and stir gently until completely combined. ​Squeeze in lemon juice, to taste. ​Remove the cloves, then garnish with ​a​ ​slice of lemon and cinnamon stick.​