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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Do I have to provide pudding?

24 replies

Whyarealltheusernamestaken · 11/12/2018 02:43

Does anyone actually like Christmas pudding or cake? Trifles seem a lot of work, can I just buy a cheesecake or Yule log? I’m already cooking a main course, can I cheat on dessert?

OP posts:
TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 11/12/2018 02:47

Definetly ok to buy it in! I'm making a cheesecake, but that's because I'm not making dinner so taking a homemade dessert to my SIL is my contribution.

TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 11/12/2018 02:48

Oh, and I hate both Christmas pudding and Christmas cake, but do enjoy a slab of Yule log though!

BeanBagLady · 11/12/2018 02:51

We love Christmas pud, and bringing it it flaming is part of Xmas dinner.

But if your family don’t like it, don’t bother!

Whyarealltheusernamestaken · 11/12/2018 02:58

Think I’ll go with a Yule log then, pleases all and no extra work for me :)

OP posts:
BikeRunSki · 11/12/2018 03:18

I know lots of people (including myself), who would be very disappointed not to have Christmas pudding for Christmas Dinner. Could you not offer CP and an alternative ? Vc

vinegarqueen · 11/12/2018 03:21

Buy it! Nice yule log or mince pies or Christmas cake - can be prettied up and left on a table for anyone who has an extra pudding stomach. I always think masses of effort for Christmas day pud is a bit of a waste as everyone is already stuffed with turkey and chocolate coins.

Tattybear16 · 11/12/2018 03:30

Yes, YABVU, Terrys Chocolate orange trifle is outstanding, and keeps for 3 days in the fridge but not in our house Here you go....

Serves 12 | prep 25 mins | total time 25 mins, plus cooling and chilling. Make the day before and chill overnight. It will keep for 3 days in the fridge.

Ingredients

100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped
500ml ready-made custard
300ml whipping cream
1 orange, finely grated zest
2 tbsp icing sugar
1 x 375g jumbo chocolate Swiss roll, cut into 2cm slices
2 x 298g tins mandarin segments in fruit juice
50g marmalade
1 x Terry’s Chocolate Orange, broken into segments

Method

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (be careful that the bowl doesn’t touch the water) or in a bowl in the microwave in short blasts, stirring regularly. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then stir through the custard.

Meanwhile, put the cream in another large bowl with the orange zest and icing sugar. Whip, using electric beaters, until you get soft peaks.

Start building the trifle in a large trifle dish or glass bowl. Lay the Swiss roll slices across the base and up the sides of the dish. Drizzle over the juice from 1 tin of mandarins to soak into the sponge. Spread the marmalade over the sponge with the back of a spoon and scatter over the drained mandarin segments from the tin. Spoon over all of the chocolate custard.

Drain the other tin of mandarins, discarding the juice, and layer the fruit on top, reserving six or so segments for decoration. Then layer on half of the chocolate orange segments. Spoon over the whipped cream and decorate with the reserved mandarin segments and all but one of the remaining chocolate orange segments. Use the remaining chocolate orange segment to grate over the top of the trifle. Chill for at least 4 hours or until ready to serve.

NoWordForFluffy · 11/12/2018 07:08

I barely know anyone who likes Christmas pudding, so I don't make one (but then we also don't do a roast dinner on Christmas Day itself either; buffet on CD and roast on Boxing Day). I've done a chocolate and cherry pudding this year, so hopefully that'll go down well.

MeetOnTheSIedge · 11/12/2018 07:14

I always buy a Christmas pudding but sometimes it doesn't get used at all, sometimes a couple of people have a tiny portion. Ditto Yule log and Christmas cake. I'm not making trifle as probably only one or two would eat that too and I certainly wouldn't, I can't stand it. We're not great pudding eaters TBH. So I've pretty well stopped bothering, we get in a tiny Christmas pudding just in case anyone wants some, make mince pies and buy a couple of flavours of nice ice cream.

apostropheuse · 11/12/2018 10:19

M and S trifle and Yule log rooftop thingy for us this year. There's enough cooking for the main course! We have a small slab of christmas cake and some mince pies too, which will be opened at some point over the festive period.

Whyarealltheusernamestaken · 12/12/2018 00:19

I may have just been converted with the terrys chocolate orange trifle....I do love chocolate orange!! Although being lactose intolerant not sure I’d be good company after eating this!! 😂

OP posts:
Oysterbabe · 12/12/2018 06:12

I'll buy a small one as FIL likes it. Can you ask your guests if anyone like it?

Chimchar · 12/12/2018 06:17

At our table 9, only one person likes it. I buy an individual one and microwave it, and the rest of us tuck in to something else...I'm thinking Yule log this year.

That recipe sounds amazing...but I'm the only one who likes trifle. I could probably do the whole thing in one sitting! WinkGrin

Misty9 · 12/12/2018 07:53

I love a bit of Xmas pud - but ime people are so stuffed from the main course that pudding gets entirely overlooked until cheese and leftovers in the evening. So I wouldn't worry too much. A fresh fruit salad might be a nice contrast? Or pavlova if sweetness is wanted?

ifiwasabutterfly · 12/12/2018 07:55

But some individual ones and donate to a food bank in the new year if you don't use? They often have a shelf life of 2 years. We are having one that I must have bought for last Christmas (found in cupboard the other day!) has a BB of end of next year on it.

HolgerLowCarbingLoser · 12/12/2018 07:59

We really like the M&S orange trifle. It’s got mandarin pieces so a lovely Christmassy note to it, and it’s nice and light after a heavy meal. £3 for a trifle which feeds four people comfortably. Last time we had it we said it would make a great pudding for Christmas Day.

We always get a little one-serving Christmas pudding for my OH as he is the only one who likes it.

NotCitrus · 12/12/2018 08:25

Find out what people like - they love or hate puddings, ditto trifle. I buy a Christmas pud and mean to make a Yule log but end up buying one. My MIL used to make trifle until everyone convinced her they hated it (at least how she did it...)

Kintan · 12/12/2018 08:43

If you did feel like making your own Yule log, Nigella’s recipe is pretty easy. If you want to buy a dessert can I recommend Cook’s spiced plum pavlova - we had it last Christmas and it was a real hit! This year we have ordered their Black Forest cheesecake 😋

macnab · 12/12/2018 13:32

I thought by pudding you meant dessert in general, and obviously you can't have a special meal without a dessert! but it certainly doesn't have to be Christmas pudding, it never has been on our table as none of us like it. I'm doing a trifle, a lemon meringue roulade and a chocolate & honeycomb semifreddo. I enjoy doing desserts, but if I didn't I'd absolutely buy them in as I think no good meal is complete without one!

Chewbecca · 12/12/2018 13:36

Depends on your guests.

If all don't like Christmas pud, then definitely don't provide it. I love it and eat it just once a year so would be disappointed if it wasn't available.

Personally I wouldn't buy a pud for Christmas day either, for me it should be the best, or one of the best meals of the year and a shop bought dessert doesn't fit with that vision. But I am a very keen cook. If you don't want to make one (which is fine, you probably have loads to do), can you ask a guest to make and bring one? I would much prefer to be asked to bring one than to have a shop bought one.

Hofuckingho · 12/12/2018 13:42

I think you need to provide a pudding of some sort and it's fine to buy it.

NoWordForFluffy · 12/12/2018 13:42

At least you'd take one, Chewbecca, and not pissed off and bitch at not getting one!

Those others saying it would be disappointing, would you also offer to take one? I think it's quite ungrateful to be hosted and then moan about what's offered food-wise. If you want to have something specific, either host yourself or offer to take whatever it is you can't bear to be without along with you!

BeanBagLady · 12/12/2018 21:43

I have never made a Christmas pudding, a family member makes ours. It is light and moist and v rich and fruity and served with proper home made brandy sauce.

Shop bought puds seem cake-y and dense and a bit bitter.

But it’s easy for me, I don’t do the bulk of the cooking.

Ggirl27 · 13/12/2018 08:23

We have apple pie - Mum makes it and we all prefer it, no-one would be disappointed with a lack of Christmas pudding in our house...

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