Christmas Dinner Dessert Ideas?

[ray7694]

Need a dessert for xmas that isn't too complicated. TIA!

[SnuggleBuggles]

I was thinking about a chocolate bread pudding. Assemble ahead of time, put in the oven and serve with iced cream, caramel... I am still looking for a recipe.

Beth

[karstmama]

a trifle looks lovely & is really easy -

make or get a yellow sheet cake. crumble into a punch bowl. top with different fruits like cherry pie mix, pineapple tidbits, maybe coconut shreds. top that with vanilla pudding and cool whip. very yummy.

[crl]

Cherry pie? A bit fiddley if you make your own crust, but can do it all ahead of time. Served with whipped cream and ice cream.

Catherine

[theriviera]

I was thinking about a chocolate bread pudding. Assemble ahead of time, put in the oven and serve with iced cream, caramel... I am still looking for a recipe.

Beth

that sounds yummy! especially with the TJ's fleur de sel caramel.

[urquie]

This flourless chocolate cake is amazingly rich, delicious, and with five ingredients, quite easy. Dressing it up a bit makes it all the more impressive with out too much more effort. I'm no coffee fan, but the coffee flavor is not too strong. This is sooo rich that the pieces should be fairly small, maybe an inch wide at the crust and can easily serve 20+ people. It is also a great make ahead dessert - store it in the freezer until the day you want to serve it, then defrost in the fridge.


Panache Truffle Cake

Melt in microwave (or double boiler):
8 ounces semi-sweet pure chocolate
1 cup sugar
1 cup unsalted butter (salted butter is fine)

When cool stir in:
1/2 cup brewed coffee

Beat in:
4 eggs

Pour batter into a foil lined and heavily buttered 8 1/2 inch spring form pan. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a crust forms. Cool to room temp and refrigerate overnight. Remove from pan. Can freeze up to 3 months.


Serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top:
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 ts pure vanilla

To really fancy it up in looks and taste:
1 can frozen sweetened raspberries (thaw and blenderize)

Spoon spread raspberry sauce on individual serving plates before putting a slice on them. And maybe a drop of sauce on top of the whipped cream. The raspberry flavor adds so much to balance out the richness of this dessert.

[speo]

I have been making this raspberry, white chocolate trifle for 5 years now to rave reviews. You can make it the day before.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Raspberry-White-Chocolate-and-Almond-Trifle-233432

[TamiRuns]

Here are the 2 desserts I made for Christmas. They are in the freezer....love advance prep!

PW raspberry cream pie: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/08/raspberry-cream-pie/

White chocolate cranberry cheesecake:
http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/688340-PHILADELPHIA-White-Chocolate-Cranberry-Cheesecake

Both are super easy, especially the first one.

[MrsZaz]

This flourless chocolate cake is amazingly rich, delicious, and with five ingredients, quite easy. Dressing it up a bit makes it all the more impressive with out too much more effort. I'm no coffee fan, but the coffee flavor is not too strong. This is sooo rich that the pieces should be fairly small, maybe an inch wide at the crust and can easily serve 20+ people. It is also a great make ahead dessert - store it in the freezer until the day you want to serve it, then defrost in the fridge.


Panache Truffle Cake

Melt in microwave (or double boiler):
8 ounces semi-sweet pure chocolate
1 cup sugar
1 cup unsalted butter (salted butter is fine)

When cool stir in:
1/2 cup brewed coffee

Beat in:
4 eggs

Pour batter into a foil lined and heavily buttered 8 1/2 inch spring form pan. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a crust forms. Cool to room temp and refrigerate overnight. Remove from pan. Can freeze up to 3 months.


Serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top:
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 ts pure vanilla

To really fancy it up in looks and taste:
1 can frozen sweetened raspberries (thaw and blenderize)

Spoon spread raspberry sauce on individual serving plates before putting a slice on them. And maybe a drop of sauce on top of the whipped cream. The raspberry flavor adds so much to balance out the richness of this dessert.


What type of chocolate do you use and where did you buy it? This sounds amazing!


Colleen

[pinkmomagain]

This flourless chocolate cake is amazingly rich, delicious, and with five ingredients, quite easy. Dressing it up a bit makes it all the more impressive with out too much more effort. I'm no coffee fan, but the coffee flavor is not too strong. This is sooo rich that the pieces should be fairly small, maybe an inch wide at the crust and can easily serve 20+ people. It is also a great make ahead dessert - store it in the freezer until the day you want to serve it, then defrost in the fridge.


Panache Truffle Cake

Melt in microwave (or double boiler):
8 ounces semi-sweet pure chocolate
1 cup sugar
1 cup unsalted butter (salted butter is fine)

When cool stir in:
1/2 cup brewed coffee

Beat in:
4 eggs

Pour batter into a foil lined and heavily buttered 8 1/2 inch spring form pan. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a crust forms. Cool to room temp and refrigerate overnight. Remove from pan. Can freeze up to 3 months.


Serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top:
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 ts pure vanilla

To really fancy it up in looks and taste:
1 can frozen sweetened raspberries (thaw and blenderize)

Spoon spread raspberry sauce on individual serving plates before putting a slice on them. And maybe a drop of sauce on top of the whipped cream. The raspberry flavor adds so much to balance out the richness of this dessert.

Thank you so much for this! Exactly what I needed: gluten free/grain free dessert!
Would love to know brand of chocolate you use too...

[urquie]

Thank you so much for this! Exactly what I needed: gluten free/grain free dessert!
Would love to know brand of chocolate you use too...

Any kind really. I usually use baker's chocolate, simply because the box is 8oz, no measuring required. :) Chocolate chips work too. Next time, I think I'll use trader joe's pound plus bar... it's made by a fancy brand, Callebaut.

[urquie]

To really fancy it up in looks and taste:
1 can frozen sweetened raspberries (thaw and blenderize)

Spoon spread raspberry sauce on individual serving plates before putting a slice on them. And maybe a drop of sauce on top of the whipped cream. The raspberry flavor adds so much to balance out the richness of this dessert.

To make this optional step easier, you can use raspberry jam. :)

[lmh2402]

i've made this the last couple of years and it's always well received. i like it b/c the recipe makes two loaves and i freeze one. i serve it with a scoop of vanilla or caramel ice cream.

Starbucks Chocolate Cinnamon Bread
Ingredients


3 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
3 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs, room temp
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-3/4 cups Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cocoa-Spice Sugar Crust


1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder
pinch ground ginger
pinch ground cloves
1/4 cup decorating or sparkle sugar

How to make it





Preheat oven 375 F. Grease two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.
Make the Chocolate Batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar with the paddle attachment on medium speed, until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating until each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next and scraping down the sides of the bowl several times.
Meanwhile in a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, water and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to butter, beginning and ending with the flour and beating just until blended. Divide the batter between the two pans, shake the pans to even the tops and set aside.
Make the Cocoa-Spice Sugar Crust. In another small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, cocoa, ginger and cloves. Sprinkle the surfaces of both batters with the decorating sugar. Sprinkle with the cocoa sugar mixture, dividing evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes. Let cool completely, run a thin knife around the sides to release the breads and remove from pans.

[brittone2]

I'm making a LC boston cream pie (made it a few weeks ago and we really liked it), and probably a LC cheesecake. I have several quick store bought desserts on hand too. I'll probably make a regular quickbread or two as well.

[amldaley]

I just do a basic bread pudding every year. You can dress it up by using a Pannetone for the bread. If you are feeling ambitious, you can do a hard sauce with it. Basic bread puddings are very simple and pretty hard to mess up!

Here is a link to a simple recipe. You can also do evaporated milk to make it more dense and creamy.

[elephantmeg]

we make brownie pudding every year. YUM

[jammytoast]

I usually make chocolate mousse (sometimes toblerone mousse!) but going for espresso marscapone this year: http://www.nativefoodandwine.com/features-journal/mascarpone-with-espresso.html

BOth are nice and relatively non-fussy, yet special. I'm all about no-bake desserts after the workout my oven gets earlier in the month. both of these Go well with cookies, too.

I've done a red velvet cheese cake in the past which has gone over well, too.

[pinkmomagain]

I usually make chocolate mousse (sometimes toblerone mousse!) but going for espresso marscapone this year: http://www.nativefoodandwine.com/features-journal/mascarpone-with-espresso.html


Thanks for posting! This is another glutenfree/grainfree dessert I'll have to incorporate into my menu! Yum!

[urquie]

Darn it - half my post got erased... Will have to update from the computer.

[Tondi G]

I was thinking about a chocolate bread pudding. Assemble ahead of time, put in the oven and serve with iced cream, caramel... I am still looking for a recipe.

Beth

my mom makes Chocolate chip bread pudding with kings hawaiian rolls .... involves half and half and heavy cream and semi sweet chocolate chips.... definitely not a low fat dessert but it is sinfully delicious!

It comes out looking similar to this

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/ooey-gooey-chocolate-chip-bread-pudding-685506/

[cono0507]

We are having a quiet Christmas dinner with just DH, me and the kids. We are having lobsters and then I'm making peppermint ice cream for dessert. Simple and easy!

[elephantmeg]

my IL's make this cake (remembered it when they brought it over a few min ago!)

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Williamsburg-Orange-Cake/Detail.aspx?prop24=etaf

[SnuggleBuggles]

My chocolate bread pudding was so good! I forgot the caramel and, with the Christmas craziness, I opted not to make any extra sauces. So, it was just the bread pudding served with vanilla ice cream and bananas that I sliced and sauteed. The bananas were sauteed in butter and brown sugar and absolutely made the dish!
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chocolate-bread-pudding-with-bourbon-caramel-sauce

[MommyAllison]

Growing up, we always had Swiss pudding with berries for Christmas dessert - it was a tradition in my mom's family. We just had it again tonight - soooo good!

[lmh2402]

This flourless chocolate cake is amazingly rich, delicious, and with five ingredients, quite easy. Dressing it up a bit makes it all the more impressive with out too much more effort. I'm no coffee fan, but the coffee flavor is not too strong. This is sooo rich that the pieces should be fairly small, maybe an inch wide at the crust and can easily serve 20+ people. It is also a great make ahead dessert - store it in the freezer until the day you want to serve it, then defrost in the fridge.


Panache Truffle Cake

Melt in microwave (or double boiler):
8 ounces semi-sweet pure chocolate
1 cup sugar
1 cup unsalted butter (salted butter is fine)

When cool stir in:
1/2 cup brewed coffee

Beat in:
4 eggs

Pour batter into a foil lined and heavily buttered 8 1/2 inch spring form pan. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a crust forms. Cool to room temp and refrigerate overnight. Remove from pan. Can freeze up to 3 months.


Serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top:
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 ts pure vanilla

To really fancy it up in looks and taste:
1 can frozen sweetened raspberries (thaw and blenderize)

Spoon spread raspberry sauce on individual serving plates before putting a slice on them. And maybe a drop of sauce on top of the whipped cream. The raspberry flavor adds so much to balance out the richness of this dessert.

i was in a bind today - needed to suddenly make dessert for a pop-up afternoon dinner gathering. i remembered seeing this and it looked so easy

i made it this morning and we ate it around 4pm, so it only refrigerated for about five hours. and it was so, SO delish. thanks for sharing - definitely a go-to for something quick!