mums.toyscould you please give me a recipe forpavlova stacks,havn`t attempted this before but it sounds a great idea for our christmas dessert
buzzy110,
Dec 10, 1:37am
Very good kinna but I wasn't getting at anyone in particular. I have read many threads on Xmas menus in the past couple of years and the overriding theme seems to be to do as many desserts as one could possibly imagine. I just want to know the rationale behind that sort of thinking.
I understand that Xmas is a time for feasting but 5 or 6 desserts for one meal reeks of gluttony, not festivity.
If it were me in your position I would just do each dessert as required for the occasion rather than making them all at once. How will your fridge cope!More importantly, the thought of having a series of serving platters and bowls half filled with dessert leftovers or which are days old, awaiting their next big moment doesn't sound very appetising to me.
sarahb5,
Dec 10, 1:43am
Mr 17 has just requested chocolate self saucing pudding for Christmas dessert - personally I think it's too rich and heavy for after Christmas dinner to which he has replied "fine then, I'll cook it myself on Boxing Day - sweet, works for me (he's a good cook but makes a helluva mess which he will also have to clean up as we have guests for lunch/afternoon that day)
mums.toys,
Dec 10, 1:57am
well in my house the kids are pudding mad and xmas is the season to be jolly, they rarely get pudding through the year so at xmas time i make an exception. and as they are very much normal children they would much prefer 'pedestrian' puddings than gourmet meat and veg. I can assure you they dont go to waste if thats your concern
mums.toys,
Dec 10, 1:59am
oooooh yum that sounds gorgeous I may well just add that to my list
mums.toys,
Dec 10, 2:09am
sure can, i havent made it yet but its a recipe that came in a wee book attached to the womans weekly or house n garden
4 egg whites 1 cup caster sugar 1/3 cup hazelnut meal 1/2 tsp vanilla 3/4 tsp white vinegar 300ml cream whipped with a dash of vanilla and a bit of icing sugar 500gm strawberries 250gm raspberrys 250gm blueberries take 3 sheets of greaseproof paper and on the non greasy side of each piece draw a 20cm by 20cm sized square then turn it over. beat eggwhites till soft peaks form,gradually add sugar till dissolved, fold in hazelnut meal vanilla and vinegar. divide mixture between three sheets of greaseproof paper shape each portion into an equal sized square(or round what ever you like) make sure you put the mix on the greasy side! smooth it down till its flat and as equally shaped as u can.bake in a 140degree oven for 40mins then turn oven off and leave to cool with door ajar. to assemble put one piece onto a serving plate then top with one third of the whipped cream and one third of berries reapeat till you have three layers
buzzy110,
Dec 10, 2:21am
It is kind of you to explain it to me. I'm not sure why you feel you have to be so aggressive. I'm sure your leftovers wouldn't go to waste. My query was basically because we had Christmas pudding and custard and cream for Christmas dessert for many many years and I am just struggling with the concept of more than one dessert. Surely Christmas pudding, or one favourite, festive dessert is what made the Christmas meal special based on the fact that the dessert was only ever made for and served at that one particular meal.
bedazzledjewels,
Dec 10, 2:28am
Fair enough Buzzy, but not all my family, for example, (including me) will eat a traditional Christmas pudding. So the obvious option is mixed berries and cream - or some of the stunning icecreams that you can buy.
buzzy110,
Dec 10, 2:42am
Yes. There is that element where not everyone wants a traditional Xmas pudding and so it is appropriate to make an alternative as well. But why do people set to and make up to 5 or 6 different desserts. Surely serving up pudding, trifle, pavlova, jelly and ice cream, tins of fruit, cheescake, chocolate cake, brandy snaps, meringues and various other things at the end of a family meal is way ott!
On the other hand maybe my family resent me because they were only ever given a choice between Xmas pud or trifle. I made one or the other. The concept of multiple desserts had never occurred to me and I am usually quite inventive in the kitchen.
davidt4,
Dec 10, 2:54am
That's a grim parade of pedestrian puddings, isn't it.Particularly the tinned fruit.
We only ever had one Christmas pudding, a traditional steamed one with a piece of holly on the top and a tiny amount of brandy flamed at the table.Plus hard sauce.I don't think anyone ever really wanted it but my mother thought it necessary.
ella42,
Dec 10, 3:13am
LOl, you must have come from a small, English (or similar) family buzzy. My large family and, with the advent or marriageable kids and grandkids, now very extended family, usually get together one way or another only at Christmas time. It is the time when the mums of all generations like to bring the dishes they are famous for; when the Uncle Bill's (who for example, don't like the wife's trifle, but lovethe sister-in-law's pavlova) know they can have a veritable smorgasbord of the best of family traditions and believe me, even theough the tables look like they will collapse under the weight, the whole kit and caboodle does NOT get wasted. It's Christmas; a time for family and friends, for good food, laughter, snoozes in the afternoon and back to the table later on.that is why we do it.
buzzy110,
Dec 10, 3:20am
Nicely put ella and I do understand the sentiments. We had no extended family, my father being the only person of his family to leave the Mother Country and my mother's family was too far away in those days. There were 6 of us though. Dad ruled the roost and on Xmas Day pudding was traditional in his opinion so that is what we had. Like david, it was made but not really appreciated on the day because we had just eaten a lovely meal, lovingly cooked by my wonderful mother who was an amazing, down-to-earth cook, filled with meat, gravy (lashings of gravy), roast root vegetables and masses of fresh vegetables from my dad's garden.
elliehen,
Dec 10, 3:40am
Serve with whipped cream, softened icecream or creme fraiche, as you prefer.
NON-COOK STRAWBERRY TART (serves 6)
Base ingredients
250g pkt digestive biscuits
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 Tbsp lemon juice
80g butter, melted
Base method: Crush biscuits in a food processor and transfer to a bowl.
Add lemon rind, juice and butter and stir thoroughly to combine.
Spoon mixture into a non-stick 23cm tart tin with a removable base. With the back of the spoon, press mixture down evenly, including into the fluted sides
Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Filling ingredients
200ml thickened cream
1 tsp vanilla essence
250g mascarpone
2 punnets strawberries
1/2 cup redcurrant jelly (optional)
Filling method: Whip cream in a bowl until it forms soft peaks.
Stir vanilla thoroughly into mascarpone.
With a spatula, fold mascarpone into cream.
Spoon mixture evenly into base.
Hull and halve/quarter strawberries, depending on size.
Arrange in circles on cream filling or scatter them if you prefer.
Microwave redcurrant jelly until it melts and brush evenly over berries.
Allow tart to stand for at least half an hour before serving.
Cook's tips: To hull a strawberry, remove the green stem and calyx. Either pull with the fingers (easy if ripe) or cut out with a pointed knife. Chilling kills the berry flavour. If stored in the fridge, remove at least 30 minutes before preparing.
- The Southland Times
elliehen,
Dec 10, 3:48am
Well, we all get bemused at different things, I guess.
Those who are making a wide selection of desserts might be equally bemused at buzzy110's last year's Christmas menu and wonder why she was not sticking to just one choice selection ;)
Different strokes for different folks.
mums.toys,
Dec 10, 3:59am
as i said in my post, everyone gets there favourite.i couldnt care less if its pedestrian or not, its their favourite.unless ofcourse your only allowed to post about gourmet puddings on this messageboard!
sarahb5,
Dec 10, 4:04am
My kids are the same hence the wish for chocolate self saucing pudding - they prefer fairly plain food and, like yours, don't get pudding very often during the year so that is their choice of indulgence on Christmas Day.This year's desserts will be limited by the fact that I'm doing Weight Watchers but I believe where there's a will there's a way to make a Weight Watchers version of pavlova, tiramisu, cheesecake and trifle - not all on the one day, of course, but there will be dessert on Christmas Eve (as well as Chocolate Yule Log and Mince Pies), two desserts on Christmas Day (after lunch and after dinner) and then Mince Pies, leftover desserts and now the self saucing pudding on Boxing Day when we have our very close friends here for lunch - makes for great leftovers and with teenagers and their mates in the house they don't last long anyway .
mums.toys,
Dec 10, 4:52am
well good in theory if christmas pudding is indeed your favourite.or if your whole family can agree on one favourite, i also am having trouble understanding why my choice of pudding is causing you such a problem. i was simply sharing my xmas dessert ideas.
kinna54,
Dec 10, 4:53am
Here you go: Caramel and chocolate Cheesecake:(toffee pops, or you can use the cheaper budget version) I sometimes use 2 pkts toffee pops as I like the base quite thick, and like lots of pieses thru the filling.I fdoubling the bic quantity for the base, you need to double the amount of melted butter as well. You don't need to double the filling tho!
200g toffee pop biscuits 40gms butter (melted) 250gm pkt cream cheese, softened 1/3 cup caster sugar 1/2 cup sour cream 3 teaspoons gelatine dissolved in 1/4 cup boiling water 3/4 cup thickened cream (whipped) #1 lightly grease the sides and line the base of a 22cm springform pan with baking paper or foil. Place biscuits in a plastic bag and break into pieces with a rolling pin. *biscuits should not be totally crushed*. Reserve 1/4 cup biscuits, in small chunks. Place remaining biscuits into a bowl and add butter Mix and press into base of the prepared pan. Chill. #2 Using electric beaters beat cream cheese and sugar until softened and combined. Add sour cream and beat till smooth. Fold gelatine through whipped cream and then fold through cream cheese mixture. #3 Fold in reserved biscuits. Spread mix over the chilled biscuit base. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hrs until set, or overnight if possible. Serve with chocolate sauce, cream and chocolate curls. This delicious cheesecake just melts in your mouth. divine.
mums.toys,
Dec 10, 4:58am
rotflmao!
fec2003,
Dec 10, 4:59am
Having read all this I am now trying to plan my route so I can gatecrash several homes, just to try some of the yummy food mentioned here! haahaa! xx
bedazzledjewels,
Dec 10, 5:12am
The old progressive dinner idea - only this would be progressive Christmas desserts! Blerk!
elliehen,
Dec 10, 5:22am
But it could be a degustation progression, with just a teaspoonful at each house.
By the way, I reserve a 'Blerk', as Kim Hill blerked this morning, for the description of creamed brains as being like whipped cream.
kinna54,
Dec 10, 5:26am
Thank you buzzzy. yes I have worked that out, and will be making as required.
cookessentials,
Dec 10, 5:30am
Hillarious.made my afternoon. Cant remember half of what it says most of the time, then you can always help out there ellie LOL
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