Favourite gateaux/dessert for Xmas buffet

[tintinandhisdogsnowy]

Every year since time began I have made delia Smiths chocolate truffle torte at Xmas. It's very nice but I'm absolutely sick of it. There's almost a riot by my family if I say I'm not making it this year, so I'm going to make it along with something else.

Does anyone have any fantastic/easy/delicious recipes that aren't chocolate?

Christmas cakes - alternatives to fruit | Mumsnet

In addition to some suggestion I made in the above link, this hazelnut meringue is delicious. I usually do 3, thinner layers though, but depends if you have enough pans the same size.
Strawberry hazelnut gateau | Australian Women's Weekly Food (womensweeklyfood.com.au)

I'd do a pavlova (proper pavlova, with vinegar and cornflour), and decorate with berries as per.

Or a lovely roulade of some description - we had a delicious caramel and hazelnut roulade one year that was just gorgeous.

I love that truffle torte! But can appreciate you might want to make something different.

Simon Hopkinson's sticky toffee pudding has become my new 'go to' - and is always demanded for Christmas!

It's something you can make in advance (I make the sponge and freeze it, then do the sauces on the day I'm going to serve it), and I serve it with vanilla ice-cream. (I make it myself, but a good store-bought one would be just as lovely!)

Baked New York cheesecake

Meringue with fruit and whipped cream (and grated chocolate of chocolate). BBC good food ultimate meringue recipe is great and can be made a day or 2 before hand. It's nice and light after the main dinner. I make chocolate meringues which are amazing but normal meringues would meet the no chocolate criteria for you

Fancy apple tart? Can cheat with a decent premade base, frangipane and then thinly sliced dessert apples. Looks much more impressive than it is

That should just say grated chocolate.... not chocolate of chocolate 👍

Our family traditional Christmas dessert has somehow evolved into being Mint Vienetta… Which I’m quite pleased about, no prep, cheap and very yummy!!

Christmas pudding?

Thanks everyone. Some good ideas. Hadn't thought of meringue, although I'm tempted by Vienetta!
This isn't for Xmas lunch, it's for a buffet tea.

Pavlova (my dads favourite)
sticky toffee pudding
cheese cake (dd’s favourite).

For me pudding is the most important course but usually after eating a big roast no one else wants pudding so we often have it later in the evening.

Oohhh, following!
I'm in a definite baking rut at the moment.

Love a pav.

My mum used to make an amazing fruits of the forest creme brulee (might have been a Delia recipe). The sharpness of the berries cuts the sweet cream.

Another vote for pavlova.

It must have been this one: www.deliaonline.com/recipes/international/european/french/summer-fruit-brulee

Tiramisu or black forest gateau. Or profiteroles.

The other thing you could do, which you do in individual dishes, is lemon posset. It's probably the easiest dessert in the whole world!

Recipe here

When I make it, I only use the lemon juice and leave out the zest. It's not only about making it easier to make, I prefer the texture without it.

And I buy little mini Scottie dog shortbread biscuits from Sainsbury's rather than making my own

Mascarpone and lime torte, from a Sainsbury's recipe card many years ago. Really easy and very good.

https://www.sainsburyarchive.org.uk/catalogue/search/samarkadv343117-sainsburys-recipe-for-mascarpone-lime-torte-recipe-card

That looks bloody gorgeous!

We dont usually have pudding xmas day as we're all usually too stuffed from the roast and there are always boxes of chocs to graze on....

But boxing day we do a pavlova and I love it.

I cant stand Christmas pudding! One of the benefits of taking over hosting duties from my mum is getting rid of it (except a mini one for her :))

Pavlova is my go to no chocolate dessert to take to gatherings.

Haha I was coming to say the delia truffle torte! Mil made it for years at Christmas and then one year she didn’t 😱 I’ve never gotten over it 😂
We always make chocolate fondant with salted caramel filling and with the extra salted caramel we do profiteroles. Delicious but maybe not quite right for a buffet sort of thing.

My absolute go to is this https://www.janespatisserie.com/2021/12/18/after-eight-tart/ super easy and so gorgeous. Or a pavlova and sometimes this bestie it’s so bloody gorgeous and easy https://www.janespatisserie.com/2016/07/14/easy-fruit-tart/ I always get Boxing Day so I need easy and quick. This always goes down too though, usually have blackberries in the freezer https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/food/recipes/a562847/blackberry-meringue-roulade/

Some of the ones ive made that went down well.

Mini apple pies with an oaty crumble topping.
Blueberry and white chocolate baked cheesecake.
Pecan pie.
Raspberry pavlova with lemon cream and ginger crumble.

Roulade with ice cream filling in this house. Means you can make it yonks in advance and keep in the freezer. Vary your ice cream for kicks.