Christmas is a time for celebrations and sweet indulgences. Get your children to help you rustle up these Christmas treats!: writes Khushboo Nehaal Jashnani

Christmas cake
(5 servings)

Ingredients
• 2 tsp black raisins
• 1 tsp green raisins
• 2 tsp orange peel
• 2 tsp cranberries
• ½ cup apple juice
• 2 tsp chopped walnuts
• 2 tsp roasted and chopped almonds
• 270 gm unsalted butter
• 3 cups maida/flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp nutmeg powder

Preparation guide
• Soak dry fruits in the apple juice overnight.
• Beat butter, sugar and brown sugar thoroughly.
• Add salt, nutmeg powder and vanilla essence. Blend well.
• Add eggs and continue to blend.
• Sift flour and baking powder, and add little by little, blending everything.
• When the mix has reached a thick, pouring consistency, add dry fruits.
• Preheat oven to 250oC.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Use a fork to pierce and check if the cake is cooked. If not, bake for another five minutes.

Star cinnamon-ginger cookies
(3 servings)

Ingredients
• 2 ½ cups maida/flour
• ¾ cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• ¼ tsp cinnamon powder
• ¼ tsp dry ginger powder
• ¼ tsp salt

Preparation guide
• Mix soft butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an eggbeater or cake blender until fluffy.
• Add eggs and vanilla essence. Continue to blend.
• On a large tray, sift maida, salt, cinnamon powder, ginger powder, and baking soda in a sieve, breaking small lumps to get fine flour consistency.
• Add flour to the butter mix little by little, blending until you have a thick dough.
• Make a large ball of dough and put inside a plastic cover. Set aside in the refrigerator for three hours.
• Roll out the dough, and use star cookie cutters to cut out the stars.
• Grease a baking tray and place the star cookies.
• Preheat oven to 175oC.
• Bake for 7-8 minutes.

Strawberry Santas
(4 servings)