If you don't like Christmas pudding, what do you have for dessert?

[buzzgirly]

I am hosting this year, first time in five years as I got very drunk the last time and my mum and mil had to finish dinner.

Nobody likes Xmas pudding, so any other suggestions for an easy dessert? I looked at Nigella's steam chocolate pudding but it seems a bit of a faff. I thought about meringues, how far in advance could I make these?

whoknows that does sound good. I like baked Alaska too, easy to to the last minute bit with meringue and ice cream and it always gets gasps of delight!

I'm from Canada, we have a chocolate log with roast chestnut cream filling instead of normal filling. You can get chestnut cream at waitrose. Absolutely delish and easy to make but has to be baked on the day it goes off quickly. Basic swiss roll recipe. THe kids love to decorate it.

In Nigelka's Feast, there are lots of ideas for those who don't like dried fruit (like me ). So far,I have made chestnut cheesecake (now an annual institution at the request of friends and family), cranberry and orange pudding (easy and light) and cranberry bakewell. Google any of them for recipes.

buzzgirly if you make a cheesecake go for a different biscuit base. I use ginger nuts at Christmas, makes it more festive. I've got the recipe stored electronically if you want it

we were just discussing this, I think I'll do a lime cheesecake with a gingernut base which I can knock up in about 20 minutes on Christmas eve, yet tastes quite like I've made effort.

Nigella's spiced chocolate cake. It's a gooey, soft pudding type cake with a nice hit of spice and orange. Fucking amazing.

We just have a big plate of cheese and biscuits with fruit, nuts and chutney. A bowl of lindor chocs too and put them in the living room to munch on during the evening.

A fruit brûlée like this might be quick and light
www.deliaonline.com/recipes/cuisine/european/french/summer-fruit-brulee.html

My Gran used this recipe. It's sooo easy and I've passed it on several times:/
www.mumsnet.com/Recipes/i/2561-Jamaican-crunch-pie

This is nearer to the version I have written down- and can't seek out at mo.
Lemons listed as 3 rather than 1/2 a cup
thecookthebakerandthebiscuitmaker.wordpress.com/2011/08/06/jamaican-crunch/

We used to sprinkle flakes over the top- a few redcurrants might look festive.

We have a bread and butter pudding made with panettone but this year I'm going to do Frangelico Tiramisu as well. Both can be made well in advance.

I like cheap ice cream after a heavy meal. Vienetta! (am not joking).

we have lemon meringue ice cream, which is really easy to make. Just add double cream, lemon curd and crushed up meringues to a bowl and freeze. When it is turned out of the bowl it has the same shape as a christmas pudding. Serve it with raspberry coulis. We also have christmas pudding (I am the only one in our house who doesn't like it) so I also have some brandy butter with it

we usually have pavlova as I don't like it and last year I made Key lime pie which was quite moreish.

Apple crumble but with cinnamon to make it taste Christmassy :)
Berry and cream roulade
Selection of cream cakes
Best thing ever is novellas being day egg and bacon pie.....yum yum

Eh?
Nigellas Boxing Day pie!

delia's chocolate truffle torte, or nigella's molten chocolate babycakes - they are both so much easier than you would guess from the results, and both can be made on Christmas Eve
there's christmas cake and cheese for those who don't do chocolate

Isn't pavlova meant to be made with raspberries? That's what I always use. I get the frozen ones from Tesco.

That BBC chocolate Christmas pudding looks amazing! That's my meal sorted now.

I can't stand Christmas pudding so either trifle or cheese cake for us

DId not grow up with Christmas pudding, and I find it too sweet and stodgy. I usually make a pannetone bread pudding with minced pie ice cream.

I dont like christmas pudding at christmas but love it in January :o

Last year I made raspberry ruffle cheesecake.

This year I havent a clue what to make, watching this thread for ideas!

I fancy ginger puddings with roasted pears and mascarpone ice cream but also have a hankering to try Nigel's marmalade & dark chocolate ice cream and serve it with shortbread or some kind of biscuit thin.

Chocolate and cherry trifle. Is super quick, no cooking, non of the regular horrid jelly like a normal trifle. Feeds loads

How do you make the chocolate and cherry trifle?

I like the sound of the choc and cherry trifle too, I'm not keen on the conventional type.