A Taste of Tradition: Christmas Classics from Sodexo's Culinary Experts
The holiday season at Sodexo is a time of joyful connection, marked by cherished traditions that bring people together. Across sites, the air fills with excitement, perhaps most perfectly captured in our beloved cake-mixing ceremonies. Such curated communal events officially signal the beginning of a festive season. We are serving that same spirit of warmth daily in our Aspretto cafes, which have been transformed into cozy winter spaces for December.
This December, our Aspretto cafes have been transformed into Christmas-themed spaces. The menu itself is a celebration, where our chefs have curated a limited-edition selection featuring classic bakes like the jam-filled Linzer Torte, the spiced Gingerbread Cookie, and the rich Christmas Chocolate Brownie. To bring this experience home, our chefs are sharing detailed recipes for two seasonal bakes.
Linzer Torte
The elegant Linzer Torte uses a simple cake mix shortcut for the crust, making this European classic achievable for home bakers.
Ingredients:
- For the crust: 1 box (15 ounces) vanilla cake mix and 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted.
- For the filling: 1 and 1/2 cups raspberry jam.
- For the topping: 1/2 cup sliced almonds.
- For dusting: Powdered sugar.
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Combine the cake mix and melted butter until a soft dough forms.
- Press two-thirds of the dough into a 9-inch tart pan, covering the base and sides.
- Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the crust.
- Crumble the remaining dough over the jam and add sliced almonds.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 175 degrees C until golden.
- Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Gingerbread Cookies
This holiday classic fills your home with the familiar scent of Christmas.
Ingredients:
- 1 packet of cookie mix.
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened.
- 1/4 cup ginger powder.
- 2 tablespoons water.
- Extra flour for rolling.
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C or as per the cookie mix instructions.
- Mix the cookie mix, butter, ginger powder, and water to form a soft dough.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes if the dough is sticky.
- Roll out the dough, cut shapes, and place on a lined baking tray.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 175 degrees C until edges are lightly browned.
- Allow cookies to cool before decorating and serving.
The festive spirit extends beyond food. Our curated Christmas hampers and gifting options are ideal for sharing the season. Food remains a language of joy and connection.
From our kitchens to yours, we wish you a season filled with warmth and flavour. Visit our website to learn more.