Christmas dessert SOS!!!

[duckbilled]

Arrived at the inlaws last night in preparation for the big day, everything was sorted and planned.... Until....
Was told ten minutes ago that I am responsible for making dessert for 10 people . I need to be able to prepare it on Christmas Eve so that I can stay out the way. Can anyone offer any suggestions?? Thank you

A chocolate ganache tarte is very very easy and looks much fancier than it is:

• Blitz about half a pack of biscuits (i like ginger nuts) with about 50g of melted butter, press into a greased 9 inch springform tin. Fridge.
• Heat up 500 ml of double cream to 'fairly hot' - not boiled, but pretty warm. Chuck in 300g of dark chocolate and 200 g of milk, a good pinch of salt, a skimpy 50 ml of very strong slightly cooled coffee and some booze if you fancy.

-Stir til the chocolate has melted.

• Pour this onto the base, and fridge again.

Done. You can spread some caramel over the base if you want to. I rarely bother! To get it out, run a hot wet knife round the tin and pop it open, or if you have a culinary blowtorch, use that to run round the tin to loosen.

It keeps for at least 4 days (i have no data beyond that point...) It takes about 45 mins all told and you can do it tonight.

Although this also looks amazing and is more Christmassy, especially with no xmas pud Mary Berry Ice cream Xmas Pud It would be even easier if you just use normal vanilla ice cream rather than making the ice cream (also contains uncooked eggs)

www.waitrose.com/content/waitrose/en/home/recipes/recipe_directory/p/paula_s_lemon_pudding.html

This is very, very, very easy. Very. Cannot go wrong. And lush.
And wonderfully fresh after a big meal. Needs to be done the night before.

Here's a method for crystallising citrus peel. It takes a while and is a bit of a faff, but you could do it tomorrow.

Oops, forgot the link! www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/candied-citrus-peel

Or several boxes of frozen profiteroles (this is what I would do).

You could do a banoffee pie easily - melted butter and crushed up biscuits for the base, and that can travel with you as is or be done on Xmas eve. Then, open a few runs tins of caramel condensed milk and plop over and fridge for a bit, then chop bananas at serving. Add on crumbled chocolate and whipped cream if you wish.

Or that super easy lemon tart thing?

I'd probably do a pavlova, again the meringue can be made a few days in advance as PP says and assembled at last minute. Or profiteroles. Can make the pastry and cook in advance. Then fill with whipped cream sometime in day, and do a v quick chocolate sauce (melt choc, cream, splodge of golden syrup and serve warm). Or fill profiteroles with ice cream and serve frozen, with same sauce.

This is also amazing if you can face buying fresh strawberries in December - replace the graham crackers with digestives (I mix in a few crumbled ameretto biscuits too) We call it strawberry lasagne. Again it needs to be prepared the day ahead and looks really pretty in a big glass bowl

www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/09/no-bake-strawberry-ice-box-cake.html

Things that will help you dress up your simple pudding so that it looks as though it took a lot of effort are
Bought orange and lemon peel in quality dark chocolate.
Halves of walnuts or pecans you've toasted in butter and brown sugar
Good quality florentines
A scatter of rose petals

I like the lemon sorbet idea, you could serve it with chopped crystalised ginger, or as a float in glassses with prosecco.

Please, please, please buy a Peter Andre Iceland special.

It would be like the Pombear dinner party all over again!!!!!

Nigella lawsons chocolate pavlova is simple and a crowd pleaser and doesn't take up much space in fridge.

I'm doing dessert for 20+ on Christmas day. I'm making:

Christmas pudding and custard
Trifle
Pavlova
Yule Log
Rocky Road
Rice Krispie cakes (the kids have requested these)

It'll be okay. You just need to get a plan together, and it'll be fine.

For 10 I'd go for trifle and pavlova. If you make your own custard for the trifle, you can use the egg whites to make the meringue.

Fruit salad here too or a nice spoke and berry crumble is so simple to make. Mix some flour , butter to a breadcrumb consistency , add sugar and then pop over some fruit and sugar in a deep dish. Bake and serve with ice cream

I want to say a massive thank you to you all for taking the time to help me, it is massively appreciated .
Yep I am peeved with both mil and dh, who said it was fine and I could always knock something up..... Both of them are getting a from Santa!
All the ideas are lovely, but I think I am going to go for the chestnut mousse (and sprinkle white chocolate stars from Asda over the top) and a key lime pie with pouring cream. Then I will buy a selection of biscuits and shortbread for later.
Do you think this sounds ok? I am normally a competent cook, but I am out of my own kitchen and under a bit of pressure

Sounds perfect. I would be delighted if they were on offer.

Just to get his straight... Are you saying you have arrived at MiL already and there now through to t'other side of Christmas Day??

Appreciate slight tangent to the dumped on pudding malarky but curious!

Plenty of time as Christmas is still 4 days away. I would be inclined to buy a platter of fresh fruit, lovely thick cream, posh ice cream and mini mince pies. Fresh, light and not to much effort.

The key lime pie is lovely, my sil made it for Christmas once and it was refreshing after the heavy meal. Definitly go for a citrus based dessert as they are good palate cleansers and easy on the tum.

www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/limeandcranberrybrea_92670

Levi Roots lime & cranberry bread & butter pudding

I think they sound lovely! Hopefully your DH will make sure your glass is topped up with something nice while you're cooking!

sounds like a good combination, especially as I know how good that key lime pie is; it is now the standard request for all celebrations in our family (I usually do it without chocolate, but next time...) and as MsAsprey says it's lovely and sharp after a rich meal.

And whilst I second DH being on hand to top up your glass, maybe that's only AFTER he makes the chestnut mousse, as obviously you'll be busy preparing the ingredients for the pie...!

sounds great! I was going to suggest a panatone bread and butter pudding (buying the custard done), but your suggestions sound great. Make sure your DH has to help.