what do you all make for people who don't do dried fruit?

[Notmyidea]

We have an extended family which includes several kids/teenagers who don't like traditional Christmas cake and puddings, and mince pies, but can demolish a double Nigella yule log in under half an hour. Given that we need to keep them fed for four days I'd really appreciate some recommendations for alternatives please, especially ones which can be made well in advance. Thanks

Nigella also does a dish with crepes and nutella I think that is really quick and easy.

The old stand by of Trifle?

Sticky Toffee pudding without dates (treacle pudding?)

Some kind of baked cheescake.

Or just buy a ton of muffins and doughnuts and punt them in the freezer and defrost as required and serve with either custard or chocolate sauce

I'm one of those who doesn't do dried fruit (though could demolish a Nigella Choc log on my own :)). I make pear and cranberry pies instead of mince pies - a Good Food mag recipe from ages ago that I will dig out if you want, an ice-cream bombe instead of Christmas pudding and a variety of cake depending on favourites at the time.

Apple pie or crumble?

It has got to be a yummy homemade trifle on standby in the fridge, and I am planning on Eton Mess for Christmas Day pudding this year as it is only me and the kids and none of us do Christmas pud.

Just to join the Nigella fan club ...she does a fruit haters Chocolate Christmas pudding - which is still a steamed pud but can also be cooked ahead and frozen. The choc sauce looks delish too.

I quite fancy her Choc chestnut cups too.

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-1094188/Chocolate-pudding-Christmas-pudding-haters.html

Please excuse the DM link, but it's the only one I can find outside of buying the book...

I usually make
mini apple pies along with the mince pies,
a couple of big bake well tarts as they keep quite well,
An apple cake which takes hardly anytime to make and is lovely warm or cold with custard or cream,
Trifle,
Pumpkin pie is good and it tastes like Christmas.

Mini chocolate Christmas puds stollen from here a few years ago. Basically mix crushed digestive biscuits and melted chocolate. Form into balls and leave to set in fridge (egg sized is ideal and can put into egg boxes to store/transport). When cold pour melted white chocolate over and add marzipan holly to look like Christmas pud. Not a raisin in sight!

Tiramisu, chocolate pie and pumpkin pie. They are special occasion-ey enough to go down well at Christmas. All three can be made in advance too, so that's a plus, but they have to be refrigerated, which isn't so great if you already have a lot in the fridge.

Eclairs are also yummy and can be made in advance and then filled on the day.

Thanks, all of you! (would love that cranberry and pear recipe too, please, feet!

Sorry, bit late:

I make mini mince pies and fill half the load with raspberry jam (lidl) instead. Buy individual Christmas puds and chocolate or sticky toffee puds for fruit haters instead. I made melting middle choc puds last year - i think they were a hairy bikers recipe, and they may well be called 'chocolate fondants'. For a grand dessert I made nigellas passion fruit pavlova and it was a hit and very impressive. (half a recipe still fed 8)
Cake - I make a simple vanilla loaf cake (type light fruit cake or Madeira cake)and add choc chunks instead of raisins or dried fruit.

I have a ring tin and make a sponge in that, decorate it as a wreath and stand a candle in the middle, thus making small people Xmas cake.

Notmyidea - here goes

Pear and Cranberry Pies

Almond pastry
350g/12oz plain flour
85g/3oz ground almonds
140g/5oz caster sugar
225g/8oz butter
1 beaten egg

Filling
400g/14oz cranberries, fresh or frozen
50g/2oz caster sugar
25g/1oz cornflour
325g orange curd
450g/1lb just ripe pears, peeled, cored and chopped

1.Put flour, almonds, sugar and butter in food processor and pulse until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 5tbsps or so of cold water until it forms a dough. Wrap and chill for at least an hour.
2.Add cranberries, sugar and cornflour and stir well. Add orange curd and cook for a few minutes until it has thickened. Add pears and cook for few more minutes, stirring often.
3.Oven 190/170 fan/gas 5.
4.Can either make 10cm pies, mince pie-size pies or mini-muffin-sized pies. Line tins, add filling and put lids on. Brush top with egg and dredge with sugar.
5.Cook for about 15-20mins until golden – depends on size of pies and your oven!

• I make mini muffin-size ones which means I have lots of filling left over to make even more!
• Works just as well with short-crust pastry
• Both pastry and filling freeze well separately but I tend to make them up and then freeze. Just need to take a few out when you need them, cook and eat!

Thank-you so much for typing that out. They sound even yummier having read the recipe and I am definitely giving them a try this year!

Feetheart, that is a gorgeous recipe. I am going to print it. Thank you for sharing it.