Puddings

Definitely Christmas pudding. I always make 3. 1 for DD and on for us for later in the year. Also having a cream and crystallized ginger Pavlova. This was my MiLs speciality and DH loves it. So will give it a go in her memory this year.

Life's too short for making Christmas puddings, mince pies or Christmas cakes, most of which ended up in the bin when I used to make them for my family! I now buy a pack of mince pies and a Christmas pudding, just in case, most of which end in the bin any way but so much less effort! Two years ago I bought two for one Christmas puddings and the second did for the next year as it wasn't out of its sell by date!! Favoured pudding is Vienetta which I actually found quite difficult to buy last year.

They still all want a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings however, when I long for beef or lamb which are actually much more expensive and special now IMO.

I need a different pud to the rest of the family as I avoid gluten. Last year I made a Mary Berry lemon cheese cake, it was popular with everyone. This year I am making myself a Sticky Toffee Pudding, and I do not think I will share it!!

I make a pavlova for Boxing Day. It goes down well with everyone. I usually make a meringue shell about the size of a large dinner plate, with a fairly high raised edge, swirled around the top. When ready to serve, I fill it with whipped cream and fresh fruit, mixed summer berries are the favourites, but I have put in canned peaches.

Thanks, Joelise

Nobody at our gathering likes Christmas pudding. Today I have purchased, from Iceland, a Red Velvet and White Chocolate Present. It's described as 'red velvet sponge, topped with white chocolate mousse, encased in a white chocolate shell, with raspberry sauce and a pearlescent lustre' .

Thanks Grannyknot
It sounds delicious, just up my street. I shall give it a trial run this weekend.

So many pre-prepared, pre-ordered choices in Tesco, Waitrose and M&S food magazines that I'm making my contributions through those channels.
Saves slaving.
I've bought some Heston single serve hidden clemantine puddings and hot toddy puddings from Waitrose to give to my single friends both male and female, along with luxury chocs, bubbly/wine and a magazine subscription. They are always well received.
I myself don't like Christmas cake, pudding, mince pies, stollen, pannetone or anything with mixed fruits, candied peel or alcohol. I'll enjoy a little of everything else.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Hi everyone, I had a request for the recipe for the Brown Sugar Pavlova, so I have posted it in the Food section for ease, here's the link:

www.gransnet.com/recipes/dish/6629-Brown-Sugar-Pavlova

I forgot to mention earlier that it has cinnamon in the whipped cream, so yummy, I want to make it again right now!

Homemade Chr. pud, flamed as it comes to the table. I get someone to turn dining room lights off, for the best effect. Brandy butter and cream.

Cheese/grapes etc. for anyone who doesn't like it, though that is rare. As well as pud, Dh's family always had trifle, made by FiL, but since I really don't like cream I've never made one, and dh has never suggested it or offered to.

We usually have an interval between turkey and pud, people are often too full to manage it otherwise.

Pavlova and or ice cream Christmas pud

Lidl luxury Christmas pud from the de-luxe range with warm brandy, set it alight then serve with either hot brandy custard or ice cream-

home made meringue, broken up and served with hot berries and cream

My family don't like Christmas pudding, so I make a sticky toffee pudding in a pudding basin so it looks like a Christmas pudding. I always make a lemon meringue pie also as my SIL loves it more than any other dessert.

I love Christmas pudding, but I have yet to meet anyone under the age of say early 30s who thinks it's anything other than disgusting Husband and I will definitely share one with a generous dollop of Brandy cream sometime over the Christmas period. Other than that on Boxing Day might make something light like a Pavlova and fill it with oranges, black grapes and Kiwi fruit. I'll also make a lemon cake with drizzle icing because quite a few of us like that and it doubles up as a birthday cake as one of our guests has a birthday on Boxing Day, I'll serve it with raspberries on the side and pouring cream. I also bought a half price Stollen in Waitrose a couple of weeks ago, again, also disgusting to some of the family it's the marzipan I gather. Strange people!

Thanks to all for some great suggestions.
It seems our age group like Christmas pud and trifle, but not the DC or DGC.
I usually make trifle using summer fruits and don’t do jelly ( I don’t like it.) Layers of cake, summer fruits with a splash of brandy and whipped cream, it makes a light trifle.

I once ruined a molded dessert that was to be the perfect ending for my holiday dinner party and instead resulted in a runny mess.

At the eleventh (desperate hour), I pulled two boxes of 'Devils' chocolate cake mix from my pantry. While still warm, I infused the cakes with Brandy. When they got to room temperature, they went into the freezer overnight. In the morning, they had to be coaxed out of the molds, but I still managed to get the two large cake rounds removed in one piece. Cakes don't really freeze completely, so the two layers were cold yet frost ready right away.

After a few more toothpick stabbings and more brandy, I decided to go with Mocha frosting! I mixed butter, cream cheese, vanilla, cocoa powder, one tbsp. of strong instant coffee, and a bit more instant coffee powder (as needed) all combined with powdered sugar.

Sprinkled top with chopped nuts to garnish. I surrounded the cake with a few sprigs of well placed greenery and two or three fake poinsettias thus giving it the 'Christmas' touch.

Dessert looked amazing and was so delicious, people still ask me for it today

Sorry about double message - gremlins in the lap-top (or in my brain!).

Try a classic unbaked cheesecake, always popular and you can serve it with a fruit topping or with fruit on the side. By the way it doesn't taste cheesy.

Waitrose have some lovely desserts have a look on line.

Hestons satsuma Christmas pudding from Waitrose for us, I know it’s smallish but we like it better than the larger orange one, Iceland’s chocolate Christmas tree shaped ice cream lollies for the little ones and I will probably make a fruit pavlova for the Christmas pudding haters

The pudding I make came from an old Home & Freezer Digest Christmas cookery book. It is called raisin capped Christmas pudding and contains raisins, apricots, cherries and crystallized ginger topped with golden syrup. Lighter than conventional Christmas pudding and preferred by DH. I got the ingredients today, will make it tomorrow and it will be frozen until required.

Here is the link to a Jamie Oliver "cheats" recipe which can be (adapted and) made in advance and looks really good:

goodfood.uktv.co.uk/recipe/winter-pudding-bombe/

Christmas pud for my daughter and me - but the grandkiddies are not keen so they will probably just help themselves to the fruit bowl instead!