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

Trifle - can do it with oranges and cointreau
Pavlova- with chestnut puree, very rich
Spiced plums with cream (check out Nigella Lawsons recipe. Dead easy and delicious)

Queen of puddings

Oh there are loads of things! It doesn’t necessarily have to be Christmassy.
Trifle, cheesecake, Swiss roll/non chocolate roulade of some kind, lemon meringue pie, sticky toffee pudding, ginger cake, apple pie/crumble, pineapple upside down cake, any kind of pavlova. I found a recipe for mince pie icecream from Jane’s Patisserie which is to die for!

Poached pears are very Christmassy, all the more so with Xmas spices in the red wine. And they tone down the sweetness of a pavlova (maybe with hazelnut meringue instead of plain).

Otherwise something with frangipane? Anything with a touch of bitter almond is Christmassy due to the marzipan association.

One of the simplest dessert recipes I've ever made has literally NEVER not gone down a storm, regardless of event.

Lemon & lime Eton Mess semi- fredo -

Line a bowl with cling film.

In a separate bowl, Whip double cream and when stiff stir in big chunks of chewy meringue.

Marble through a good amount of lemon curd and the zest of a lime.

Tip into cling filmed bowl and flatten out top. Lay a bit of cling film over top and freeze.

Take out of freezer 20-30 mins before eating. Tip out onto plate (removing cling film, obvs!). Slice and serve with a few berries.

Win-win. EVERY time.

I made that Christmas tree pavlova a few years ago and it was lovely. Very easy too, as I made the meringue a couple of days before and left it in a flat box to dry out. On Christmas Day I just had to whisk some cream and layer it up.

If you do the burnt basque cheesecake then please serve it with a liquorice sauce- so good!

Biscoff cheesecake

Marron glacé?

Cranberry meringue parfait - meringues and cream make it indulgent with the cranberries and orange giving it the Christmas feel.
It says to take out the freezer half hour before serving but I find it often needs longer so popping a fridge will be fine
www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/desserts/cranberry-meringue-parfait

My absolute favourite is Nigella’s Clementine cake with a dollop of high fat creme fresh and raspberry coulis or just a few raspberries. A high point of Christmas for me.

Pecan pie?

Pavlova! We find it’s a nice light option after a really heavy dinner - but we still have Xmas pudding also and sometimes a choc log as well - we like options!

Make a pavlova with a sharp fruit like raspberries and it halves the sweetness
Or maybe a croquenbouche
Trifle can be any variations, mandarin and Cointreau, black cherry and rum, raspberry and sloe gin : not found a pairing for the absinthe in the cupboard yet tho 🤣

This pear and gingerbread triffle is lovely.
https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/baking-and-desserts/gingerbread-caramel-and-pear-trifle/

Yes! That's what I was imagining! I might have to make it now.

Tom Kerridge’s Christmas Cheesecake is delicious and pretty easy

Stella Parks’ baked cheesecake - sky high, perfectly creamy, not too sweet - with a cranberry-orange topping is my Christmas go-to. I like a plain digestive crumb crust with it to let the sour red berries take centre stage.

https://www.seriouseats.com/epic-new-york-cheesecake-from-bravetart

I third Nigella’s clementine cake - always a winner.

Otherwise some sort of stacked nutty meringue (not too sweet) ‘cake’ - you can vary the nuts and fruit to make it more Christmassy.

Have you considered steeping some fruits in spiced alcohol? You can make it now in a jar and it will be perfect for next month, not to mention the easiest thing to transport. Just serve with a good dollop of mascarpone or a rich cream. (Think of the old little figgy desserts you used to be able to get at Pizza Express with coffee.) Nigel Slater has the recipes in his Christmas Chronicles book.

If you weren’t travelling, I would have suggested a baked Alaska - you can have any combination of non-chocolate sponge base and ice cream flavours. Did that once for Christmas and it was delicious!!!

I think your non-chocolate dessert is going to be fabulous!

I would make a large showstopper of a pav. Nice chewy meringue base with maybe lemon curd with raspberries (or more festive topping) and maybe a decorative sound sugar topper.
Or a posh trifle.
It's hard with no chocolate. A sour cherry black forest gateau esque roulade would be lovely!

I would do something light and fruit-based. Even though it’s Christmas and the perceived need is for indulgence, a lot of people can’t cope with yet more cream/rich food (eyes husband who has a gout flare-up every winter as a result of multiple work Christmas lunches).
I’ve made a very pretty champagne jelly flicked through with edible gold leaf - obviously crémant does just as good a job as champagne - from a Waitrose recipe which was light and simple but glam and pretty. You could even do this as a layer in a fruity (I’d use clementines or blood oranges or maybe lightly poached pears) combination. Light sponge at the bottom. Array of fruit. Gold flecked jelly layer on top.
Or jelly/fruit salad with sablé biscuits alongside.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/brioche_frangipane_apple_56909

Sorry, but the Nigella clementine cake, is that the Gluten free one, made with almond flour that's being recommended?

We never have chocolatey pudding at Christmas. We do things like trifle, pavlova, sticky toffee, cheesecake, pear or plum crumble, tiramisu, banoffee pie, key lime pie etc.

Yes, I agree 100%!