Baking and cooking during the holiday season can be quite a dizzying affair.

Too many cooks in the family, different meal preferences and general holiday hysteria can mean chaos in the kitchen.

Although there are plenty of well-loved recipes that take centre stage this time of the year, it’s also the season to explore modern twists on delicious classics.

Keep your festive feast prep short and experiment in the kitchen with these simple ideas using Snowflake baking mixes:

Flavoursome and rich
The Snowflake Savoury Muffin Easymix isn’t limited to scrumptious muffins. Make melt-in-your-mouth dumplings, to enjoy with stew. Once your stew is prepared, reduce heat and simmer.

Simply prepare the Easymix as directed, mixing into a soft dough, then spoon heaped tablespoons of the dough into the stew. Cover with the lid and simmer for 15 minutes.

Comforting classic
Use the Snowflake Savoury Muffin Easymix to make a crusty chicken pot pie in minutes. Instead of making shortcrust, prepare the Easymix as directed and spoon the batter over your pie filling. Bake in a preheated oven at 180˚C for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with mash, gravy or salad.

Sweet tooth pleaser
Malva pudding is a firm local favourite and is delicious served with ice-cream, cream or custard as a festive dessert. Add a kick to this local delicacy by adding cinnamon to your Snowflake Custard Powder. Once you’ve prepared the sponge according to the instructions on the Snowflake Creations Malva Pudding pack, add extra decadence by mixing Amarula liqueur into the sauce to pour over the pudding.

Strawberry bliss
Don’t buy a Swiss roll for that special trifle you make every year. Make your own delicious strawberry cream Swiss roll using the Snowflake Vanilla Flavoured Muffin Easymix.

Bake the premix in a greased, lined, 23×23 cm Swiss roll pan. Remove from the oven and allow to cool while you whip 240ml heavy cream with 80ml castor sugar until it forms stiff peaks. Add four tablespoons of puréed strawberries, fold in 120 ml chopped strawberries and spread the mixture across sponge cake. Carefully roll up, sprinkle with castor sugar, then slice and layer with your other trifle ingredients.

Aromatic indulgence
Instead of making a (labour intense) dense fruitcake, make a batch of light, spice-infused muffins to enjoy on Christmas morning. Mix dried fruit cake mix into prepared Snowflake Bran Muffin or Vanilla Flavoured Muffin Easymix, as well as half a teaspoon of dried, mixed spice. Bake until cooked through, then serve with jam and cream, or cheese. Best enjoyed while opening presents.

For the full list of Snowflake premix packs, check products at www.snowflake.co.za. For more delicious recipes and other helpful kitchen tips and tricks, follow the Snowflake Facebook page.

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