Sweeten Your Season

Pastry Chef Mollie Turner's Holiday Ginger Pudding Cake

Indulge in the warmth and spiced decadence of this Ginger Pudding Cake, a favorite holiday comfort dessert by Pastry Chef Mollie Turner. This rich, aromatic dessert captures the essence of the holiday season with its bold flavors of ginger, molasses, and warm spices, perfectly complemented by a bourbon-infused hard sauce. Irresistibly spiced - it’s the perfect showstopper for your festive gatherings. Enjoy a slice with family, friends, or savor it yourself by the fire.

Ingredients
Yields: 1 cake

• 4 oz Fresh ginger, peeled
• 1 cup Oil
• 1 cupMolasses
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Hot water
• 2 teaspoons Baking soda
• 2.5 cupsFlour
• 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons Pepper
• 2 teaspoons Clove
• 5 Eggs

How to Make

1. Peel ginger and blend with hot water and baking soda.
2. Combine the ginger mixture with the remaining wet ingredients (oil, molasses, eggs).
3. Sift together the dry ingredients (sugar, baking soda, flour, cinnamon, pepper, clove).
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined.
5. Bake at 325°F until set in your choice of mold or loaf pans.

Hard Sauce for Ginger Pudding Cake

• 8 oz Butter
• 4 cups Powdered sugar
• 9 oz (Maker’s Mark recommended) Bourbon

1. Cream butter and powdered sugar until fluffy and slowly add bourbon.
2. Garnish the cake with candied ginger and serve with the sauce.

Half Moon's Traditional Jamaica Fruit Cake

Savor the rich tradition and festive spirit of Jamaica with Half Moon's timeless fruit cake. Each slice of this indulgent cake embodies the island’s warmth, blending lush flavors of rum-soaked fruits, fragrant spices, and a hint of lime. Perfect for sharing, this beloved treat invites you to bring a piece of Jamaica’s holiday joy to your table.

Ingredients:
Yields 1 sheet pan or desired molds of 20 pieces

• 8oz butter
• 8oz sugar
• 1 bottle browning sauce
• 9 eggs
• 16oz flour
• 5tsp baking powder
• 1oz salt
• 1oz cinnamon
• 1oz nutmeg
• 2oz vanilla
• 2oz lime juice
• 10oz -soaked blended assorted fruits of your choice [recommend: 4oz raisins, 3oz prunes, 3oz cherries]

*Soak fruits 2 days ahead in 4 cups of white rum and 1 bottle of red-label wine. This allows your fruits to be cured by absorbing the flavor from the liquid.

How to Make:

1. Using a paddle attachment combine sugar & butter using the creaming method.
2. When the mixture becomes light and fluffy in volume add the browning sauce and allow to incorporate into the creamed mixture.
3. Combine eggs, vanilla, and lime juice and add gradually to the creamed mixture.
4. Get a dry clean bowl and combine all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt)
5. Mix the combined dry ingredients into the creamed mixture.
6. Then add soaked blended fruits and mix well.
7. Pour into desired containers of choice and bake at 350°F or 176°C for 60mins.

*If using a silk mold fruit cake will bake faster, approximately 30mins maximum.

*Cakes can be water baths by adding water to another container and placing it underneath the product to be baked.

8. Make a small portion of rum soak by mixing both rum & wine and applying it to cakes as they are out of the oven. (apply this method while the cake is still hot)
9. Served cool with a topping of your choice. 

Pastry Chef Leanne Wood’s Eggnog Gingersnap Tiramisu

Imagine eggnog mascarpone cream layered between coffee-dipped ginger snap cookies, topped with a layer of whipped cream and dusted with cocoa powder. It's a crowd-pleaser holiday dessert that everyone loves. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups of heavy whipping cream
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 ¼ cups mascarpone
• ½ cup eggnog
• 14-18 ginger snap cookies 
• ½ cup strong black coffee (espresso preferred)
• 1 tablespoon light or dark rum

How to Make

1. In a large bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form and set aside. You can use either an electric mixer or a whisk.
2. In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and sugar on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the mascarpone and mix just until well combined. Add ¼ cup eggnog and mix on low speed until combined and creamy. Then fold in ¼ of the whipped cream. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, stir together coffee, remaining eggnog, and rum.
4. Spread 2 tablespoons of the mascarpone cream in the bottom of a 9" x 7" casserole dish to lightly cover the bottom.
5. Dip the ginger snap cookies into the coffee mixture on both sides and arrange about 7-9 cookies on top of the cream. Spread half of the cream on top. Repeat this step one more time.
6. Pipe the remaining whipped cream on top, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Sprinkle with cocoa just before serving. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Chef Tori Dublino's Pumpkin Mousse

Delight in the cozy flavors of fall with Chef Tori Dublino's luscious Pumpkin Mousse. This creamy, spiced creation combines smooth pumpkin purée, rich cream, and warm pumpkin spice for a dessert that captures the essence of the season. Each spoonful is airy and velvety, making it perfect for sharing as a sweet finale or as a unique addition to a holiday charcuterie board.

Ingredients

• 15 oz (2 cans) Pumpkin 
• 6 cups Heavy cream 
• 1-1/2 cups Granulated Sugar 
• 1Teaspoon Pumpkin spice
• 2 Tablespoons Vanilla extract

How to Make:

1. Combine pumpkin, 2 Cups of Cream, sugar, and pumpkin spice in a medium sauce pot. Simmer for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
2. Cool Completely- (Either in the refrigerator or out on the counter)
3. In a KitchenAid mixed or with a hand mixer, whip the remaining 4 Cups of cream until whipped to soft peaks. Set aside until pumpkin is cool.
4. Fold the pumpkin mixture into the whipped cream until combined.

Scoop mousse into a bowl with some whipped cream on top and enjoy! This mousse can also be used on a charcuterie board as a dip for holiday pretzels and cookies.

West End Social's Holiday Cocktails

Get festive with West End Social's delightfully spirited holiday cocktails. The Harvest Manhattan brings all the cozy fireside vibes with Woody Creek Bourbon. For a playful twist, try the Melted Snowman Martini and for lovers of all things pumpkin, the Pumpkin Pie Martini is a creamy blend of vodka, Bailey’s, and pumpkin spice. Raise a glass and toast to the joy of the season.

Harvest Manhattan -

• 2oz Woody Creek Bourbon
• .75oz Amaro Nonino
• .5 maple syrup
• Apple Cider rim

Melted Snowman Martini -

• 2oz Whipped Cream Vodka
• 2oz Kahlua
• 2oz Half and half
• Garnish with sprinkles to make smiling face

Pumpkin Pie Martini -

• .75oz Whipped Cream Vodka
• .75oz regular Vodka
• .5oz Monin Pumpkin Spice
• .75oz Baileys
• Mix pumpkin spice and sugar for rim

Chef Remy Fünfrock’s Cinnamon Rolls

Indulge in the comforting aroma and taste of Chef Remy Funfrock’s irresistible cinnamon rolls. Each bite of these rolls reveals layers of pillowy dough, swirled with rich butter, brown sugar, and a generous dusting of cinnamon. Baked until golden and finished with a creamy, smooth frosting, these cinnamon rolls are a decadent treat perfect for cozy mornings or sweet holiday gatherings.

Ingredients

Prepares 10 Servings

DOUGH

• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups whole milk, warmed
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 5 ½ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt

FILLING

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

FROSTING

• 3 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 ½ tablespoons whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar

How to Make

1. Generously butter two 9” x 6” pans.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together warm milk, melted butter, and granulated sugar. The mixture should be warm (between 90-100˚F). If it is hotter, allow to cool.
3. Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the warm mixture. Let set for 1 minute.
4. Add 4 cups of all-purpose flour to the milk mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until combined.
5. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.
6. After 1 hour, the dough should have nearly doubled in size. Remove the towel and add an additional 1½ cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Stir well, then turn out onto a well-floured surface.
7. Knead the dough lightly, adding additional flour as necessary, until the dough just loses its stickiness and does not stick to the surface.
8. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about ½-inch thick.
9. Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar and cinnamon.
10. Roll up the dough, forming a log, and pinch the seam closed. Place seam-side down.
11. Cut the log in half, then divide each half into 8 evenly sized pieces. About 1½ inches thick each.
12. Place 8 cinnamon rolls in each cake pan evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.
13. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
14. To prepare the frosting. In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together cream cheese, butter, 
15. whole milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar, until smooth.
16. Remove plastic wrap. Bake the cinnamon rolls in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.
17. While still warm, drizzle evenly with frosting.