5Easy Christmas Dessert Hacks

Christmas Tree Meringue Cupcakes

Either buy readymade vanilla cupcakes or use a cake mix to make your own. You can find store-bought meringues at any supermarket that you can use to decorate your cupcakes to look like little trees. No holly sprig? Some large mint leaves and pomegranates should do the trick

Festive Cookie Platter

Absolutely no effort in this one—sable biscuits are available year-round at any bakery or supermarket—but it’s all about the presentation. Choose a plain platter or wooden board and arrange your cookies adding conifers, tinsel and some plastic greenery that you can pick up from any stationery store.

Dress It Up Yule Log

This is the easiest hack in the book. Chocolate, English cake or fruitcake are the best companions to plain winter drinks like tea or a mug of steaming cocoa. Buy some ready made cakes from the bakery or supermarket and wrap with plastic Christmas decorations. You can also use rosemary sprigs topped with pomegranate if they’re handy. Serve on a bed of sprinkled powdered sugar for a dramatic effect.

Drink Up!

This one is outright cheating, but your guests will love you for it. As they do every year, Starbucks brings back their festive favorites including the Toffee Nut Frappuccino. Nothing beats the rich buttery flavor of sweet toffee combined with the warmth of toasted nuts blended with Starbucks’ smooth espresso and velvety steamed milk to make the Toffee Nut Latte. The holiday menu also features Ginger Bread Latte, a sweet and spicy flavor combination, and the Signature Hot Chocolate, which will satisfy any chocoholics’ cravings. And, they deliver!

Lazy Cake Snowballs

You only need four ingredients for these simple but delicious sweets; grownups and kids alike all love them! To make 24 snowballs, empty 3 tins of plain Puck cream and beat in 150g of unsweetened cocoa powder. Using a rolling pin, break up 4 packs of butter cookies (Danish is a tried and true favorite). Roll in biscuit crumbs, keep adding until the mix is no longer runny or sticky. Form into small balls, place on a tray and refrigerate. Before serving, take out balls and roll in powdered sugar before dropping each one into a cupcake case. Pipe a little cream on the top of each one and garnish with marzipan holly shapes.