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Spiced Apple Bread with Coffee syrup, covered with chocolate glaze!
If you are still in a rush before the Christmas Eve dinner, and a dessert is only a mystery, I've got you covered!
Fast and easy dessert, so festive and full of Christmas flavors.
So, less talking, more making, go ahead, and Merry Christmas to you all!
And here are some very last Christmas facts for this year ;)
Christmas wasn't always on December 25
While Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, there is no mention of December 25 in the Bible. Most historians actually posit that Jesus was born in the spring. And his birthday itself didn't become the official holiday until the third century. Some historian believe the date was actually chosen because it coincided with the pagan festival of Saturnalia, which honored the agricultural god Saturn with celebrating and gift-giving.
Evergreens are an ancient tradition
The tradition of Christmas trees goes all the way back to ancient Egyptians and Romans, who marked the winter solstice with evergreens as a reminder that spring would return. So if you decorate with a green tree, wreaths or evergreen garland, you're throwing it back – way back.
You can thank Prince Albert for your Christmas tree
You might want to brew a cup o' tea when trimming your tree this year to pay homage to its origins. When Prince Albert of Germany introduced a tree to his new wife, Queen Victoria of England, it really took off across the pond. A drawing of the couple in front of a Christmas tree appeared in Illustrated London News in 1848 and as we say, the idea went viral.
St. Nick was more generous than jolly
You probably already knew that the idea of Santa Claus came from St. Nicholas, but the real saint wasn't a bearded man who wore a red suit. That all came much later. According to legend, the fourth-century Christian bishop gave away his abundant inheritance to help the needy and rescued women from servitude. His name was Sinter Klaas in Dutch, which later morphed into Santa Claus. The rest of the trappings followed.
Coca-Cola played a part in Santa's image
Before Coca-Cola got in on it, Santa used to look a lot less jolly — even spooky. It wasn't until 1931, when the beverage company hired an illustrator named Haddon Sundblom for magazine ads that we got the jolly old elf. Now, kids won't get nightmares when they dream of Christmas eve.
Hanging stockings started by accident
According to legend, we hang stockings by the chimney with care thanks to a poor man who didn't have enough money for his three daughters' dowries. Generous old St. Nick (remember, that's his trademark!) dropped a bag of gold down their chimney one night, where the girls had hung their stockings to dry. That's where the gold ended up, and how the tradition began.
Rudolph was a marketing ploy
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first appeared in 1939 when the Montgomery Ward department store asked one of its copywriters to create a Christmas story the store could give away as a promotional gimmick. The store had been giving away coloring books for years, and decided to make its own to save money.
Christmas wreaths are Christ symbols
The Christmas wreath originated as a symbol of Christ. The holly represents the crown of thorns Jesus wore at his crucifixion, and the red berries symbolize the blood he shed. So when you see a wreath this season, you'll remember the reason for the season.
"Jingle Bells" was originally a Thanksgiving song
Turns out, we were originally dashing through the snow for an entirely different holiday. James Lord Pierpont wrote a song called "One Horse Open Sleigh" for his church's Thanksgiving concert. Then in 1857, the song was re-published under the title it still holds today, and it eventually became one of the most popular Christmas songs.
Astronauts broadcast "Jingle Bells" from space
This prank almost went too far. Nine days before Christmas in 1965, the two astronauts aboard Gemini 6 sent an odd report to Mission Control that they saw an "unidentified flying object" about to enter Earth's atmosphere, traveling in the polar orbit from north to south. They interrupted the tense report with the sound of “Jingle Bells,” as Wally Schirra played a small harmonica accompanied by Tom Stafford on a handful of small sleigh bells they had smuggled aboard.
Celebrating Christmas used to be illegal
By the time the Puritans settled in Boston, celebrating Christmas had been outlawed. From 1659–1681, anyone caught making merry would face a fine for celebrating. After the Revolutionary War, the day was so unimportant that Congress even held their first session on December 25, 1789. Christmas wasn't proclaimed a federal holiday for almost another century, proving that the Grinch's notorious hatred of the holiday was alive and well long before he was.
Settlers created the first American eggnog
The Jamestown settlers created the first American batch of eggnog, although it may not have tasted quite the way we know and love today. The word nog comes from the word grog; or any drink made with rum. So technically, an early nog didn't require the rich, milky base we now ladle out of grandma's cut-crystal punch bowl.
Christmas decorating sends nearly 15,000 people to the ER
If you've ever watched Clark Griswold decorate his house in Christmas Vacation, that probably doesn't come as much of a surprise. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 14,700 people visit hospital emergency rooms each November and December from holiday-related decorating accidents. So please, be careful when you're decking your halls.*source
Let's jump to the recipe!
Prep: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Level: easy
Servings: 8 portions
Calories per serving: 221 kcal
Find the recipe & nutrition facts below :
For the dough:
2 flax eggs (2 tbsp flaxseed flour + 4 tbsp of water)
1/2 cup sugar (or another sweetener)
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp vinegar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp сloves
2 small apples
For the syrup:
1/4 cup hot espresso
2 tbsp sugar (or another sweetener)
For the glaze:
50 gr. chocolate (melted)
30-40 ml. soy cream (or almond)
Method:
Step 1: In a small bowl mix flaxseed with water and set aside for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Add in the large bowl the sugar, coconut milk, oil, vinegar, and flax eggs. Mix together. Add in flour, baking powder, salt, and other spices. Mix everything together into a dough consistency.
Step 3: Add in chopped apples and mix them together.
Step 4: Preheat the oven to 180C.
Step 5: Transfer the batter into a baking tray.
Step 6: Bake for around 35-45 min. (until the toothpick comes out almost clean)
Step 7: Meanwhile prepare the syrup by simply mixing hot espresso with sugar. Mix until sugar dissolves completely. Let it cool down completely.
Step 8: Cover with a cool syrup the hot bread. Let it cool down completely.
Step 9: Prepare the glaze by mixing melted chocolate with slowly adding soy cream.
Step 10: Cover the bread with chocolate glaze.