Suggest a dessert I can cook in advance for Christmas Day

(that isn't Christmas pudding)
(also I haven't got a lot of fridge/freezer space)

― Ned Trifle II

A frosted layer cake will keep well for 4 or 5 days if you don't cut into it. Use jam or some other non-whipped cream filling.

How about a yule log? It might not keep for 4/5 days, but a couple should be fine, and it makes a light alternative to Christmas pudding.

Truffles are pretty easy to make - some kind of liquor-spiked ganache, rolled in cocoa or get fancy and dip in couverture.

If you frosted the whole exterior of a yule log, or covered the open ends tightly with waxed paper, it would probably keep for a week.

Also: baklava

Jaq do you have a favorite spice cake recipe by any chance?

I made a really good spice cake for Mr. Jaq's birthday 2 years ago, I'll see if I can dig that recipe out tonight. The cake was nice and light, rather than dense like a carrot cake.

(If you want a nice dense spice cake recipe though, I've got one of those too - moist and full of chopped candied ginger bits and really excellent with not-very-sweet cream cheese frosting.)

I was thinking a lighter option would be nice, actually! Did you frost it?

Yep, with just a simple vanilla buttercream. I think the recipe suggested fresh orange in the frosting, but Mr. Jaq couldn't deal with that. It's in a book of southern favorites I've had for years but have only made a few things from.

you could do a napoleon well in advance i think! if you don't like them too soggy, make all the components ahead of time and assemble before serving.

why don't you just make a pie?

i feel like pie isn't fancy enough for christmas.

i need to make another pie--so much fun

dudes pie is fancy enough for any roman holiday

Mr. Que you could make a pie for next Friday!

done--i figured that's what you were asking for. if you'd prefer a spice cake, just webmail me ;)

i may make two pies

i traditionally make something insane for christmas dessert. one year i did a grand marnier candied orange layer cake that took about 24 hours :) :) :)

xpost

what should i make!?

PLS DO NOT PUT SARDINES IN THE PIE, IS ALL I'M SAYIN'

tza, will you have a kitchen to cook in?

sardine pie - well, that would be one definition of "special".

haha yeah nn rules go out the window for this i, i think!

there better be a kitchen! we'll see...

would not mind doing something sans wheat since my little sis is kind of wheat intolerant but it's not 100% necessary.

Make truffles! No wheat! (full of dairy fat but no lactose!) Only requires a stovetop!

make something with wheat so it's more cake for you

quinoa cake

spice cake suggestion seconded! perfect christmas food!

Lighter spice cake recipe, basically a variation on the old 1-2-3-4 cake. You really want an electric mixer of some kind for this.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Have all your ingredients near room temp (around 70 F). Grease and flour (or line the bottom w/ parchment and grease/flour the sides) 2 8" round cake pans.

2 3/4 c sifted cake flour (sift first, then measure w/o packing it down. Cake flour gives much lighter results than regular flour.)
Resift with:
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp mace (or nutmeg)
1/4 tsp ginger

Cream 1 c butter (2 sticks), then add 2 c sifted granulated white sugar and cream until light. (5 - 7 minutes on medium in my stand mixer)

Separate 4 eggs, one at a time, adding the yolk to the butter/sugar and beating each in well. Retain the whites in a very clean and dry bowl.
Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and beat in well.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 relatively equal parts, alternating with 1 c milk, stirring the batter smooth after each addition.

Set the batter aside and whip the egg whites until stiff but not dry.

Fold the egg whites lightly into the batter (scoop about 1/3rd of the whites into the batter bowl, cut down through the center with a spoon or spatula, cut over with the spatula under the batter, lift the batter over the whites, repeat a few times - the idea is to keep the air pockets intact if possible, continue with the rest of the whites). Divide the batter into the prepared pans, smooth, and bake for 30 - 35 min.

Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool on racks. When completely cool, fill and frost with the icing of your choice. Vanilla butter cream, cream cheese, or fresh orange butter cream would all be nice. Or, fill with marmalade or creme patisserie and frost with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

so *supposedly* the parents' kitchen will be done by the 18th... which means *supposedly* i could use the fabulous new kitchen to make something incredible... hmmmmmm.

(many xps later)

A Napoleon (which I had to look up - turns out to be mille-feuille - I guess us Britishes only want to remember Napoleon with brandy) sounds good.

On a christmassy note I have been making pfefferneusse following this recipe (there's even a video!)
http://community.rivercottage.net/users/Winters%20on%20the%20way/recipes/pfefferneusse
They are delicious but perhaps only as delicious as shop bought, but if you've got the ingredients to hand (and who hasn't got ground cloves?) it's pretty easy.

Oh! I made pfeffernüsse this past weekend, and am waiting for them to soften. When my hsuband smelled them cooking, he got this big goofy smile...

"Pfeffernüsse" is a funny word to ponder. So is the "runny honey" called for in that recipe!

Thanks for the recipe, Jaq--totally gonna make that next week!

how far in advance you need to have this done?

second truffles with various dips, btw

I love pfeffernüsse, but they kind of make me feel like I am on a long-haul ship, or stuck in the woods. They have this hardtack quality about them which I find both endearing and ponderous.

xp - all I need is to get something I can either just heat up, or put together, or just take out of the cupboard on xmas day. Got enough to do with everything else! And no-one in my family really like xmas pud (except me!).

Abbott otm re: pfefferneusse (alt.sp). They can sometimes be a chore. The ones in that recipe came out great though. I;m making another batch as soon as my banana bread comes out of the oven.

baklava - you can make it a week or more in advance, it doesn't need refrigeration, and it's so rich just one pan is plenty for a dozen or more people.

A lot of recipes will have you brushing each sheet of phyllo with butter as you assemble it, which is time-consuming crazy talk. I assemble the phyllo/nut layers completely, then cut into diamonds in the pan with a sharp paring knife, then pour a combo of melted butter and canola oil over the whole thing, letting it soak in before baking. You take it out and let it cool slightly, then pour the spiced syrup over the whole delicious thing. Letting it sit for a week makes it amazing.

Oh I love baklava but I don't know how that will go down with the parents-in-law. I just found a recipe for Trillionaires Shortbread (a kind of chocolate millionaires shortbread) that I could serve with some thick cream though. It's that or the Napoleon at the mo.

one of my biggest hits was a rose napoleon from saveur mag a few years ago. rosewater-scented custard and chopped toasted pistachios over the top. mm.

but you could flavor the custard with anything!

Damn that sounds delicious.

can send you a recipe if you want!
it's kind of a freeform thing (less dense than a standard napoleon).