HOLIDAYS 2021
ANGELA FERRARA-MCELLIN
An adult treat is Boozy Cranberry Cointreau Chocolate Tiffin. The name of the alcohol-laced
confection is a mouthful, but so is the taste.
Here’s a recipe for a lovely festive treat that Angela Ferrara-McEllin includes on her holiday gift trays. She believes that nothing
says “I love you” quite like an edible homemade gift. Try this easy and indulgent tiffin, packed with Cointreau Orange liqueur,
three types of chocolate, shortbread and Christmassy cranberries and/or cherries. You don’t have to include the edible glitter but
it does add a certain festive flair. Cut into small pieces and wrap in cellophane with a pretty ribbon to treat your friends and family.
HOLIDAY 2021: 51
restaurants in 40 states for a restaurant corporation.
While a serious number of the classes focus on
baking, there are additional options, such as
Navarette’s multipart class on mother sauces. Outof
the-ordinary lessons include the Home Indian
Cooking Classes taught by Chandra and Kamla
Melaram, which guide students in recreating from
scratch a host of traditional Indian home-cooked
dishes such as sofrito, yellow split pea dahl, potato
curry and, of course, curry paste.
“We do everything except fry,” Ferrara-McEllin said.
COOL SUMMER CAMPS
During the summer, the academy hosts a robust
group of summer baking camps such as the Wizarding
Workshop camp that Ashely Giganti’s daughter,
Cora, attended.
“She came home every day so excited to tell me >>
Boozy Cranberry Cointreau
Chocolate Tiffin
Method
Step 1
Line a 20-21cm/8 inch square baking tin with cling film plastic
wrap — leave an overhang on either side to cover the tiffin while
setting. Put the cranberries and/or cherries in a microwavable
bowl, pour 3 tbsp. of Cointreau over them and cover with cling
film, then microwave for 30 seconds. Leave covered, so that the
Cointreau soaks into the fruit.
Step 2
Melt 150g each of the dark and milk chocolate along with the
butter in a pan until completely melted. Remove the pan from the
heat then stir in the soaked fruit, the rest of the Cointreau, the
shortbread pieces and the orange peel. Spoon into the prepared
tin and smooth the top. Tap the pan on the counter a couple of
times to help settle the mixture. Cover with overhanging plastic
wrap and put in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until firm.
Step 3
Melt the remaining dark, milk and white chocolate separately,
then spoon randomly over the top and swirl together using a
cocktail stick or the tip of a paring knife, sprinkling a little glitter
here and there as you swirl.
Leave to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
Let it come to room temperature before slicing, so that the
chocolate on top doesn’t shatter.
30 minutes + setting
Makes 36
Easy to make
Ingredients:
• Dried cranberries or quartered dried cherries
or a mix of both 225g
• Cointreau or Grand Mariner 6 tbsp
you can use 5 tbsp. orange juice mixed with
1 tbsp. orange extract if you want it nonalcoholic
• 72% dark chocolate* 250g, chopped into small
pieces
• Good quality milk chocolate* 250g,
chopped into small pieces
• Unsalted butter 100g
• Shortbread cookies 300g, crumbled into chunks
• Candied Orange Peel or Mixed Peel 100g,
finely chopped
• Good quality white chocolate* 200g
• Edible gold glitter to sprinkle, optional.
* I prefer Callebaut Chocolate but you can also use Lindt
or Moser Roth available in Aldi