AIBU to think that, Italy, hands down, wins the international battle of the Christmas cake.

[KenDodd]

British, heavy fruit cake, just horrible.
Germany, stollen, not much better.
France, chocolate log, very nice but not very christmassy.
Italy, panettone, just delicious!

What I don't understand is why you want a heavy cake right after having a Christmas feast

In the US we don't have one classic Christmas dessert, but people tend to have something a bit lighter like a cheesecake, or just fancy cookies and chocolates to nibble on

What I don't understand is why you want a heavy cake right after having a Christmas feast

It's part of the feast! In fact I don't understand why you'd fill yourself up with turkey and brussel sprouts and spoil your appetite for the cake.

I love Christmas cake, I love panettone (panettone Christmas pudding 😍) but mince pies from my bakers are unbeatable!

Honourable mention kruden note (spelling?!) which I scoffed bags and bags of when I lived in the Netherlands.

We don't eat Christmas cake after Christmas dinner. In fact, in Scotland, it's often only broached on Hogmanay, by the first footers, along with the black bun.

I agree pannetone is best. (Have only ever had the Lidl one. Hate Christmas fruit cake. Although it's OK hot with custard or ice cream, as long as you wait several hours before eating it. But an apple pie or strudel would be a much better hot dessert.)

The problem with Stollen in the UK is that it doesn't usually resemble proper Dresden Stollen very much at all! It's usually too dry or too fluffy or too sweet. I don't mind it with marzipan in, but really, that's an optional, fairly recent addition.

We usually have it Christmas Eve late in the evening: there's sausages and potato salad at some point, a church service usually in the early evening, tree candles and presents after that, and then finish off the evening with Stollen. That way, you're not too stuffed.

I still have two in my cupoard: a small home-baked one from a friend, and a hazelnut one from Lidl that will likely be too sweet (and purists would say no hazelnuts should be in it), but I can't resist hazelnuts.

I was so disappointed when I tried panettone. Just rather dry and boring but maybe I tried a bad one. Love Stollen and Xmas cake though. Lidl Stollen bites are amazing, can munch my way through a whole pack of those!

@dreamingbohemian

What I don't understand is why you want a heavy cake right after having a Christmas feast

In the US we don't have one classic Christmas dessert, but people tend to have something a bit lighter like a cheesecake, or just fancy cookies and chocolates to nibble on

Nobody eats Christmas cake as a Christmas Day dessert, it’s just eaten round about Christmas time, usually just as a snack.

I’ve had the supposedly good panettone... it’s not much better than supermarket ones, I mean I don’t hate it, it’s cake, but I wouldn’t ever choose it over the other options.

Panettone bread and butter pudding with golden syrup and clotted cream. That’s amazing

Christmas cake, wedding cake and all iterations of fruit cakes are an abomination.

We have home made pavlova

Nope. A winter fruit flan is hands down the best Xmas dessert with a side of trifle.

I do love a properly made chocolate log with whipped cream and cherries to fill it rather than chocolate ganache or butter cream that can be over powering and cloying.

No no no, panettone is only good for making bread pudding

I'm eating a slice of panettone from the shop Martesana in Milan, dark chocolate covering with huge chunks of apricot inside. The food of gods....

I was just thinking how much I love all four kinds of Christmas cake and how could I possibly choose between them and then someone mentioned trifle and I think I need to do more research.

Not another Panettone thread! 😂

Any way YABU! Panettone is not a cake. It's made from dough and is a bread. So nerr.
YANBU, that it is delicious especially toasted with butter.

Yes you're right OP but the evry best if the one from Cost Co

YABVU. French or Belgian yule log is by far the best. And proper one, not the poor copies you get in supermarkets here.

@ochonAgusOchonOh

Haven't got a recipe as such as originally made it years ago, but basically roll out puff pastry to a long thinnish rectangle.

Sprinkle with dried fruit (I use cranberries, raisins and dried apricots pre soaked in brandy) and pistachios.

Roll out a log of marzipan to match the length of pastry, place it in the middle and roll the pastry round, sealing it with a little water or beaten egg.

Shape into a circle and make slashes all the way round to form a wreath, brush with egg and bake according to the pastry instructions.

Once out and still a bit warm, glaze with apricot jam, drizzle with water icing and sprinkle with toasted flaked almonds.

Have to admit that this year's favourite has been mincemeat shortbread.

YABU Panettone is only any good if you slice it up, toast it and slather it in butter. Dry, dry, dry else.

A decent fresh yule log is a thing of beauty.

I don’t like dried fruit, but do bake Christmas cake for friends each year.

Nope! Murrumbidgee cake all the way - delicious😋😋😋

I love them all

YABU Panettone is vile.

People who find panettone dry etc probably haven't had the right one yet. We had one from Costco that was sooooo good and one from tesco that was dry and awful. If the tesco one had been my first taste of panettone, I'd think I didn't like it.

[quote AfterEightMintyCedric]@ochonAgusOchonOh

Haven't got a recipe as such as originally made it years ago, but basically roll out puff pastry to a long thinnish rectangle.

Sprinkle with dried fruit (I use cranberries, raisins and dried apricots pre soaked in brandy) and pistachios.

Roll out a log of marzipan to match the length of pastry, place it in the middle and roll the pastry round, sealing it with a little water or beaten egg.

Shape into a circle and make slashes all the way round to form a wreath, brush with egg and bake according to the pastry instructions.

Once out and still a bit warm, glaze with apricot jam, drizzle with water icing and sprinkle with toasted flaked almonds.[/quote]
Sounds amazing. Thank you. I have some homemade (not by me) puff pastry in the freezer. I'll give it a go. I'll make the marzipan though as it's much nicer. I add lemon juice and whiskey which gives it a depth you don't get in the bought stuff or a lot of recipes.