Christmas 2025: Chef Aanal Kotak Shares Baked Recipes
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As you move towards the final pages of the year 2025, the days get brighter with everything Christmas-y. From the beautifully decorated trees around the streets, twinkling lights, and themed spreads, everything about the holiday is aesthetically pleasing. After looking at dessert spreads laden with staples like yule log, plum cake, and puddings, you too can make the most of the festive season by creating Christmas treats at home. Specially curated by Chef Aanal Kotak, who is known for her refined yet approachable style of cooking, here are some baked recipes that fit the theme and are not too complicated for beginner bakers. Why don’t you give them a try and fill your kitchen with that ‘freshly baked’ aroma?

Red Velvet Rose Cookies

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

  • 100 g butter
  • 50 g icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 1 tsp red food colour
  • 135 g maida (all-purpose flour)
  • 2 tbsp milk

For Garnishing:

  • Light pink whipped cream, as needed
  • Sprinkles, as needed

Method:

  1. Beat butter, icing sugar and vanilla essence until creamy and smooth.
  2. Add red food colour and maida; combine well.
  3. Add milk gradually and knead into a soft cookie dough.
  4. Roll the dough evenly and cut out round cookie shapes.
  5. Using a heart cutter, cut heart-shaped cookies from the round ones.
  6. Place all cookies on a baking tray.
  7. Bake at 180°C for 15–20 minutes or until slightly crisp at the edges.
  8. Once cooled, pipe a rose pattern of whipped cream onto a round cookie.
  9. Place a heart cookie gently on top and coat the edges with sprinkles.
  10. Serve as elegant red velvet rose cookies.

Lemon Loaf Cake

Ingredients:

For the Lemon Loaf Cake:

  • ½ cup curd
  • 2 cups maida (all-purpose flour)
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ cup oil (vegetable or canola)
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 drops yellow food colour (optional)

For the Glaze:

  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • Lemon zest, for garnish

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 175°C. Grease a loaf tin or line it with parchment paper.
  2. In a mixing bowl, whisk curd and oil until smooth. Add vanilla essence and lemon zest; mix well.
  3. Add icing sugar and whisk until fully combined.
  4. Sift maida, baking powder and baking soda together. Add dry ingredients gradually into the wet mixture.
  5. Pour in milk and combine into a smooth batter.
  6. Add lemon juice and mix gently. Mix in food colour if using.
  7. Pour batter into the prepared tin and bake for 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  8. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then unmold and cool completely. 
  9. In the meantime, prepare the glaze by whisking icing sugar and milk. 
  10. Once you get a smooth and pourable glaze, drizzle it all over the cooled cake.
  11. Garnish with lemon zest, and your Christmas dessert will be ready.