The Unofficial Elf Cookbook by Jackie Alpers {Giveaway Contest}

Christmas is around the corner and like most people, one of my favorite movies is the holiday classic, Elf. Coming to a bookstore near you is “The Unofficial Elf Cookbook” which features 70+ delicious recipes inspired by the film.

It may not be December yet, but that shouldn’t stop you from whipping up some delicious dishes and yummy holiday treats! These clever and original recipes are sure to delight the taste buds of foodies and Elf fans.

Recipes include:

• Buddy’s Breakfast Spaghetti
• Cotton-Headed Ninny Muffins
• “Son of a Nutcracker” Cheese Ball
• Tri-Color Seafood Enchiladas
• Gimbels White Wine Spritzer
• and much, much more!

The book is written by Jackie Alpers, an award-winning author, food photographer, and recipe developer. Recently I had the opportunity to interview Jackie and find out what is her favorite recipe in “The Unofficial Elf Cookbook.”

What inspired you to write this cookbook?

Jackie: My biggest inspiration for writing The Unofficial Elf Cookbook was the multitude of charming and funny food references in the movie, “Elf”! The cookbook is a celebration of Buddy the Elf’s transformative, epic adventure from The North Pole to New York City with recipes and photos inspired by each step of his journey. I hope this cookbook reminds people to view the world as Buddy would – with wonderment and joy.

Are you a big fan of the movie “Elf” and/or Christmas in general?

Jackie: I am a huge fan of the movie, “Elf!” I believe in following the code of the elves and treating every day like Christmas, so The Unofficial Elf Cookbook is filled with festive recipes that can be served any time of the year.

What’s your favorite recipe from the book that fans should include when throwing a winter holiday party?

Jackie: The showstopping, monumental, “Candy Cane Forest Cake” decorated with white chocolate peppermint bark, candy canes and starlight candies, is the perfect celebration cake for a winter holiday party. It’s an easy, kid-friendly project that the whole family can enjoy.

In the spirit of Christmas, I wanted to “gift” my readers the recipe for Candy Cane Forest Cake. See below for an excerpt from “The Unofficial Elf Cookbook” by Jackie Alpers. Reprinted with permission from Media Lab Books. All rights reserved.

Candy Cane Forest Cake
This uniquely crunchy cake has all of the bark and none of the bite. OK, maybe a little bit of bite—it is peppermint bark after all.

Prep Time: 1 hour ✶ Cook Time: 1-1 1/2minutes ✶ Yield: 1 cake

INGREDIENTS

Peppermint Bark
1 (12-oz) package white chocolate chips
1 Tbsp vegetable shortening
1 cup smashed peppermint starlight candies and/or candy canes
1⁄4 cup smashed Cinnamon Imperials or Red Hots
5–7 (2-inch) mini candy canes
8–10 peppermint starlight candies
1 Tbsp white sparkling sugar

Cake
1 (6-inch-diameter) cake with white frosting
1 lb peppermint bark (see above)
1 cup royal icing (pg. 124) or cookie icing
8–10 (2-inch) mini candy canes
6–8 (5-inch) medium candy canes
1 (7-inch) large candy cane
Whipped cream, as needed
1⁄3 cup Cinnamon Imperials or Red Hots

PEPPERMINT BARK
1. To make peppermint bark, line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper or mat.
2. Microwave the white chocolate chips at 50 percent power for 30 seconds. Stir in the vegetable shortening and microwave at 50 percent power for 1 minute longer. Pour the melted white chocolate into the prepared pan and spread to 1⁄8 inch thick with an offset spatula.
3. Sprinkle all over with the smashed candies, then decorate with whole mini candy canes and starlight mints. Sprinkle the white sparkling sugar on top. Let harden completely in the refrigerator or at room temperature before breaking into large, irregular pieces with a chef’s knife or your hands. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

CAKE
1. Center the cake on a cake stand or serving platter. Attach slabs of peppermint bark to the perimeter of the cake with royal or cookie icing, covering the exposed cake exterior as shown. Working inward, poke the mini candy canes into the top of the cake to represent new growth in the forest, followed by the medium canes, then the large cane in the middle. Fill in the surface of the cake with whipped cream to cover any holes, then sprinkle liberally with Cinnamon Imperials or Red Hots around the exterior base and the top of the cake.

You’ll want to pick up “The Unofficial Elf Cookbook” by Jackie Alpers when it goes on sale on September 24th! For more information, check out the author’s website.

To celebrate the release of this book, I am partnering with Media Lab Books on a giveaway contest. How would you like to win a copy of “The Unofficial Elf Cookbook”? One Real Mom of SFV reader will win this prize! Please enter below for a chance to win.

**Winner will be chosen September 26, 2024.**

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules: United States Residents ONLY. One prize per household. One winner will be randomly selected via RaffleCopter and notified via email. Winner must respond within 48 hours to claim the prize or a new winner will be chosen via RaffleCopter. The prize will be fulfilled directly by the sponsor. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to send me an email to realmomofsfv@gmail.com.

So tell me, why do you want to win this cookbook?

Disclosure: No monetary compensation was received for this post. I received a complimentary book which helped facilitate this review. The images shown in this post are used with permission. As always, my opinions are 100% my own.