Non-chocolate but still indulgent, Christmas dessert

[EweProfessorSurnameDoctorProfessor]

I'm bringing a non-chocolate dessert to our Christmas meal this year but I'm stumped. Non-chocolate and Christmas dessert seems a huge oxymoron!

I usually make entremets with layers of flourless chocolate cake, a christmas-themed fruit jelly layer, a feuilletine/crunchy layer, all wrapped in a mousse and then mirror glaze but I don't know how to make this non-chocolatey.

Current thoughts:

• pistachio tiramisu
• eggnog tart
• a gingerbread dessert (cake version rather than biscuit) of some sort
• a gingerbread entremet with a gingerbread cake, eggnog mousse, maybe pears? maybe crushed up ginger cookie layer for crunch? not entirely sure

Please help with your christmassy suggestions! We're not huge fans of Christmas puddings/steamed puddings so that's massively limiting

Banoffee pie.

Baked cheesecake. Not one of those that involves digestive biscuits.....

google Tom Kerridge’s Orange Spice Cake - it’s fabulous and soooo indulgent

I'd do a basque cheesecake, perhaps with a side of plums roasted with a drizzle of honey, cinnamon and ginger

Pumpkin pie

Raspberry Cranachan

Anything Caramel with cream and brandy

I’ve bookmarked this to make this year

www.nigella.com/recipes/no-bake-advocaat-and-ginger-cake

Clementine cake. Creme fraiche on the side spiked with Cointreau (or you could just use brandy cream)

I was going to suggest something citrus-y but if not citrus, how about a passionfruit roulade? Nice and sharp, and would cut through the richness.

Cherry clafoutis or ginger and pear pudding

I really want to make it citrussy! Maybe it won't be overkill to have two orange-adjacent desserts?

I've just had a look at my Christmas baking pinterest board and here are some things I've pinned from years ago that I've never made but might fit the bill:

https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/clementine-cardamom-ricotta-cake/

https://www.recipetineats.com/pavlova-christmas-tree-dessert/ (think I was taken in by how pretty it is!)

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/sour-cherry-marzipan-chrysanthemum

I think pavlova (could be with berries and/or passion fruit) is a nice light alternative to a chocolatey pudding

Nigella Prodigious Pavlova. Simple, stunning and glorious. You can have the chocolate pudding someone else is bringing!!

Poached pears. Lemon posset.

An old fashioned lemon soufflé. Instead of the traditional crushed hazelnuts or almonds round the top I would use pistachios.

Tarte au Citron - stencil a Christmas tree decoration on it

Croque en bouche. You can make it v spectacular, and not too sweet.

Hazelnut meringue cake with raspberries and cream instead of chicken etc.

With all the mentions of pavlova, I'm now leaning that way!

Plus the Christmas tree pavlova looks dramatic and I'm all about embracing the spectacle.

Bailey’s cheesecake

Ahhh I considered a croquembouche but my profiteroles are not dependably fill-able and as much as I love the challenge, it feels a bit risky to go with something that has failed and turned into soggy, flat messes at a fairly regular rate.

Someone i know made an amazing lemon and passionfrujt trifle once. It has limoncello in.

Speaking of choux, I had this bookmarked and I'm wondering if it can be Christmasfied without just adding lashings of chocolate sauce

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1027151-cherry-karpatka

This looks like a strong contender!

I had a delicious poached pear in spiced red wine dish, and separately a delicious peach tart with a frangipane base.

Which leads me to wondering if you could slice and soak cold pears in red wine with brown sugar and cinnamon etc etc (or poach them very lightly), then do a blind baked tart case then add a frangipane layer, top with the soaked pears and then massively reduce down the red wine mixture and use that to glaze the pears just before it goes into the oven for the second time. Shove the whole thing in for a second bake when you are at wherever you're having dinner.

Now that's a hazelnut meringue cake surprise!

Bailey's cheesecake was always a hit for us if you don't have to be alcohol free.

And, BBC website has a great Raspberry/White Chocolate semi freddo which is super easy to make if white chocolate is okay.

ooh maybe something like this? https://sugargeekshow.com/recipe/red-wine-poached-pear-frangipane-tart/

I wonder if you could serve it with an eggnog cream!