Dessert

Waffles

Tiramisu

Cupcakes

Desserts in a Glass

Pudding

This December at Kitchen Stories is all about feel-good festive food! No matter what you’re celebrating or with whom, our December recipes have something for every one and for every occasion. Best of all, they’re fun and unfussy, so you can focus on winding down for the year. Stay tuned throughout the month by bookmarking <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/stories/introducing-our-feel-good-festive-issue">this article</a>, where we’ll collect all our recipes and articles. Don’t forget to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kitchenstories_official/" rel="nofollow">follow us on Instagram</a> for even more. Happy December!

Desserts are surely the highlight of any festive meal. The sweet finale rounds off the evening and everyone quickly makes room for more, no matter how many courses came before. The choice of what dessert to serve, however, is not always as easy as saying yes to a second helping. So to make your search for the right holiday treat that much easier, we’ve put together a broad selection of cakes and desserts for special occasions for any level of dedication. There are the all-time classics, super simple desserts, impressive cakes from around the world, and even great desserts to pack and take along—so not matter what you&#x27;re looking for, there&#x27;s something for everyone! 

Classics are classics for a reason. Prepared since time immemorial and loved for generations, you absolutely can&#x27;t go wrong with these desserts. Our top tips: — <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/molten-chocolate-cake">Chocolate lava cake</a> — <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/classic-creme-brulee">Crème brûlée </a> —<a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/pear-strudel-with-vanilla-ice-cream"> Pear strudel with vanilla ice cream</a> — <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/marzipan-stuffed-baked-apples">Baked apples with marzipan filling </a>

Classic tiramisu

If relaxing, low-effort holidays are your goal, these Christmas desserts can all be prepared in advance. Better still, they’re simple and elegant in appearance. We love these recipes: – <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/chocolate-truffles">Chocolate truffles</a> – <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/mixed-berry-and-speculaas-cookie-crumble">Mixed berry and speculaas cookie crumble</a> – <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/tonka-bean-and-baked-apple-parfait">Tonka bean and baked apple parfait</a> – <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/super-easy-mixed-berry-slab-pie">Super easy mixed berry slab pie</a>

Tonka bean and espresso panna cotta

These cakes are the perfect end to a feast. We’re looking forward to our new recipe for speculaas cheesecake with pecans, chosen by you, the community!  Try these recipes: — <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/cherry-chocolate-rum-cake">Cherry chocolate rum cake</a> — <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/gingerbread-loaf-cake">Gingerbread loaf cake</a> — <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/american-apple-pie">American apple pie</a> — <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/goan-bebinca-layered-coconut-cake">Goan Bebinca (layered coconut cake)</a> — <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/flourless-five-spice-chocolate-cake-with-ginger-cream">Five-spice flourless chocolate cake</a>

Speculaas cheesecake

Of course, for special occasions, you may crave special dishes, too. If so, this is the perfect opportunity to venture into more elaborate recipes. Our personal favorite? <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/poached-quince-with-mascarpone-and-hazelnut-crunch">Hanna&#x27;s new recipe for poached quinces with mascarpone</a>. Choose from: — *New* <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/upside-down-mulled-wine-and-orange-cake">Upside-down orange and mulled wine cake</a> — <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/tiramisu-layer-cake">Tiramisu layer cake</a> — <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/cinnamon-pavlova-with-apple-pear-compote-and-mascarpone">Cinnamon Pavlova with apple-pear compote and mascarpone</a> — <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/candied-kumquat-and-caramel-cake">Candied kumquat and caramel cake</a> — <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/german-crown-cake-frankfurter-kranz">German crown cake (Frankfurter Kranz)</a>

Poached quince with mascarpone and hazelnut crunch

Desserts in a glass are a super easy way to end a meal. Since they’re already portioned out, you can easily make them and store them in the fridge in advance. Our top recipes: — <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/gingerbread-trifle-with-spiced-oranges-and-cinnamon-cream">Gingerbread trifle with spiced oranges and cinnamon cream</a> — <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/cinnamon-panna-cotta-with-mulled-wine-cherries">Cinnamon panna cotta with mulled wine cherries</a> — <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/zabaione-with-sour-cherries">Zabaione with sour cherries</a> — <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/vegan-chocolate-mousse-with-aquafaba">Vegan aqua faba chocolate mousse</a> — <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/creamy-yogurt-white-chocolate-parfait-with-orange">White chocolate and orange parfait</a> — <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/lemony-tiramisu-in-a-glass">Lemony tiramisu in a glass</a>

Apple crumble in a glass

Especially after a hearty, substantial feast, you might just be after a lighter dessert. These recipes are just the thing.  Stay fresh with these recipes: – <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/mini-passion-fruit-cheesecakes">Passionfruit cheesecake</a> – <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/matcha-ice-cream">Matcha ice cream</a> – <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/soy-vanilla-pudding-with-blueberry-sauce">Soy vanilla pudding with blueberry sauce</a>

Panna cotta with passion fruit sauce

What are your favorite festive dessert recipes? Let us know in the comments below!

Sweet ideas from easy desserts to festive cakes

35 Festive Desserts for Any Level of Dedication

The last thing we feel like doing in peak summer? Spending time over a hot stove. So you can maximize your time in the sun (or the shade), our August issue is dedicated to the (nearly) no-cook recipes we turn to when it’s just “Too Hot to Cook”. To stay up to date, <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/stories/everything-we-want-to-eat-when-its-just-too-hot-to-cook">check back here</a> for a full list of our latest recipes and articles, and don’t forget to follow us on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kitchenstories_official/" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a> for more!

Ice cream is standard for any hot summer day, or any day over 20 degrees celsius in Germany. This summer, we’re introducing something more exciting: an ice cream dessert, wrapped in a pillowy, soft and chewy wrapper, you might have guessed it by now...mochi ice cream! It’s another food trend that I am more than happy to witness. If you haven’t tried it yet, we’re here to tell you, you should, and how to even make it at home.

Mochi ice cream is a small ball of ice cream, encased in sticky rice dough. It is <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/09/success/mochi-ice-cream/index.html" rel="nofollow">believed to be a Japanese-American spin-off</a> from mochi, a traditional Japanese dessert, made with steamed and pounded mochigome (a short grain glutinous rice). Mochi has been enjoyed for centuries and spawned different<a href="https://www.byfood.com/blog/travel-tips/the-beginners-guide-to-mochi" rel="nofollow"> variations</a>. Daifuku mochi, a small dough filled with red bean paste, is the most common sort outside of Japan, and is where mochi ice cream took its shape from. This delicate fusion-y treast has become more mainstream in the past years, foremost in the US and then marching on to Europe. You can find mochi ice cream at Asian grocery stores, some supermarkets, or at some Japanese restaurants, where it’s offered as a dessert option. The best way to eat it? Go the traditional way with <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/iced-matcha-tea">green tea</a> or <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/cold-brew-latte-3-ways">iced coffee</a>.

Making mochi ice cream at home is easier than you think, it only needs three ingredients: water, sticky rice flour and sugar. Plus, a little bit of patience and time! 

Check our recipe and video to learn how to make mochi ice cream!

Homemade mochi ice cream

A few useful tips for making mochi ice cream at home!

The process starts with pre-scooping ice cream into small balls and freezing them in advance. It will make assembling easier when the ice cream is frozen and solid. Muffin pans and silicon molds are the best helpers to keep them in shape. You can use them later for the readymade mochi too. If you don’t have them, use egg cartons and plastic wrap.

The key is in making the dough. Instead of laboriously steaming and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSgdaEPrcbA" rel="nofollow">pounding the rice</a>, we took a shortcut by mixing water and sticky rice flour, which can be found online or in almost any Asian grocery store.   The dough needs some heat to come together. In the recipe, we heat it in the microwave twice (you can do it even three times), alternatively, you could also steam or heat in a pan over low heat, which takes a bit longer than microwave. The dough should be evenly mixed and reach a smooth, sticky consistency. You can also add some food coloring before heating—even a natural one like matcha powder, to make your little treats even more Instagramable. I would go with the same color as your filling!  Be generous with starch (corn starch, or tapioca starch, which we used) to make it easier to work with when you knead the dough: the excess starch will be brushed off. Roll the dough out while it’s still hot, then cut out discus with a cookie cutter (or a glass). When the wrappers are ready, let them cool down.

To point out the obvious, on a hot summer day, the ice cream melts faster than you’d think. Wrap the mochi ice cream one scoop at a time and put it back in the freezer right away. Also, the longer the mochi dough stays in the air, it will get drier. So start with small batches...practice makes perfect. You can use any ice cream filling to your liking, from <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/vanilla-ice-cream">vanilla</a> to chocolate—even better if it’s from your favorite gelato place in town. My favorite flavors are matcha ice cream (check out our <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/matcha-ice-cream">homemade recipe here</a>), mango, and black sesame.  Or, as Hanna’s suggests, use vegan ice cream to make this dessert completely vegan!

—<a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/make-ice-cream-cookie-sandwiches-with-lisa">Make ice cream cookie sandwiches with Lisa</a> —<a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/homemade-spaghettieis-german-ice-cream-sundae">Homemade Spaghettieis (German ice cream sundae)</a> —<a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/ice-cream-filled-profiteroles">Ice cream-filled profiteroles</a>

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