christmas dinner dessert

We always go to my sister-in-law’s for Christmas morning. It’s tradition that we get there early, have coffee and scones or sweet rolls, then open presents, which can take a long time (and which leaves the living room looking like a wrapping paper slaughterhouse). After that we sit down to breakfast. There’s always strata, sausage, and fruit.
There doesn’t seem to be a tradition regarding Christmas dinner, so I thought I’d volunteer this year. I didn’t want my sister-in-law to feel obligated to do yet another big meal for everyone. Well, my timing proved impeccable–it turns out my brother-in-law bought a prime rib intended for Christmas dinner the DAY BEFORE I volunteered. I am off the hook for dinner, but I will be bringing dessert. I haven’t decided yet what to make. Any suggestions? Does your family have a traditional Christmas dinner dessert?

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8 Responses to christmas dinner dessert

  1. kerrie says:

    Traditional UK Christmas desert is Christmas pudding with brandy butter and cream. You pour some brandy over the top of the pudding before you serve it and then set it on fire. Very dramatic.
    I’m sure there’s a recipe on deliaonline.com (Delia Smoith – my hero!)

  2. Sara says:

    No tradition exactly (my family, sadly, isn’t so into the desserts) but for the past couple of years I’ve made a Pumpkin Marble Cheesecake for every major holiday function (from Thanksgiving dinner to the office Christmas party). It’s not that hard to make and the results are impressive. The recipe is at epicurious.com.

  3. June says:

    Creme brulee! Super easy to make (I use the recipe in Emily Luchetti’s Stars Desserts) and very impressive when you carmelize the surface with a butane microtorch! I’ll email you the recipe if you decide you’re interested.

  4. Karen says:

    well, i’ve been lurking and reading your blog for a while and am inspired by all the things you make!
    but speaking of desserts, my family has a buche de noel every christmas. it’s just a cream roll cake decorated to look like a log and it’s very impressive. we always decorate it with meringue mushrooms. there is a recipe for those mushrooms in the december martha stewart living i think.
    good luck with the dessert!

  5. beth says:

    Don’t rule out cranberry stuff! This Thanksgiving Cath made some in big parfait glasses and it was SO bee-yoo-tiful. I’ll have to send you a picture. (Not quite as classy as a lot of desserts, I know, but you know its place in my heart…)

  6. melissa says:

    i made this chocolate pecan tart for the holiday work luncheon this week:
    http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=108982
    it was chocolatey, caramel-gooey, nutty good!

  7. Rachael says:

    Yep, we have the flaming plum pudding, too, like kerrie. You put a thrippence in while cooking it, and whoever gets it (hot and metally) in their bowl gets good luck for the rest of the year. Whee! But the blue flames (when the lights are off) are the best part.

  8. claudia says:

    My Danish MIL makes rice pudding. Whoever gets the one whole almond gets the prize (usually lovely chocolates). I happen to love rice pudding, but my hubby won’t eat it. But, hey. You asked for tradition!

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