Seven Festive Holiday Dessert Ideas

Seven Festive Holiday Dessert Ideas

With the holidays coming up, people everywhere are turning to their recipe boxes to make treasured Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas favorites. Some of those people are listening to that quiet little voice in their heads saying, "I'd like to try something new this year." If you are looking for a new idea to wow your guests, one of these just might fit the bill.

Eggnog Custard: Take a basic baked custard recipe and add a healthy dose of fresh nutmeg. Bake the custards in oven safe glass punch cups in a water bath and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg for an authentic look. Need some crunch? Pair your eggnog custards with gingersnaps or pfefferneusse.

Pumpkin Pound Cake with Caramel Buttercream: Fall flavors come together in this lovely pairing. Go all out and add chopped spiced pecans and garnish with spiced pecan halves.

Pear and Cranberry Tart: Combine the sweetness of pears with the refreshing tartness of cranberries in a Linzer-type tart. Cook the fruit down into a jam consistency with some sugar, a pinch of salt, and maybe some Riesling. Try a ground pistachio crust for a subtle green and red holiday theme.

Raspberry and Chocolate Trifle: Festive for any holiday meal, cube up your favorite pound cake or sponge cake and layer with raspberry jam and chocolate custard. Lace the cake with some cream sherry for a little alcoholic kick. Garnish with whipped cream, chocolate shavings and whole raspberries.

Benne Brittle: Take your best peanut brittle recipe and make it with sesame seeds. A delicious nod to African roots, it can be eaten on its own or crumbled over ice cream for a crunchy contrast.

Sesame lace cookies: Make a Florentine cookie with sesame seeds. While the cookies are still pliable, mold them over a muffin tin to make small cups. Add a scoop of ice cream and some peanut butter-fudge sauce for an easy but impressive finish to a meal.

Honey Roasted Fruit: For a light end to a heavy holiday meal, peel pears, apples and apricots (if they are in season in your area). Brush with melted butter, drizzle with honey mixed with a little cinnamon and roast until softened and caramelized. Serve with honeyed mascarpone or honeyed crème fraiche.

Delicious and unexpected ends to festive holiday meals could be your new signature. Perhaps one of these ideas will become your family's new holiday favorite. Happy baking, and happy holidays!

Jennifer Field spent years as a special education teacher until she left education to pursue a culinary career. After graduating from Orlando Culinary Academy Le Cordon Bleu Program with a degree in Patisserie and Baking, Chef Jennifer worked in professional fine dining kitchens as pastry sous chef and pastry chef. She currently marries her two passions, teaching and baking, through her website http://www.pastrychefonline.com/

View her new blog here: http://onlinepastrychef.wordpress.com/

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