Christmas Desert Recipes Made Easy

As I recalled in one of my posts last year, my Mother’s frozen blueberries were better than any I’ve ever tasted. They were big and plump and seemed fresh months after being picked. Our traditional dessert on Christmas was parfaits consisting of layers of raspberry sherbet, and those berries topped with whipped cream, accompanied by homemade Christmas cookies. It was light and satisfying after the big dinner. I really hope to duplicate it, granted using commercially frozen blueberries, in the future, because it was the perfect ending to the meal, and if you can serve this, do so .It’s a real treat!

However, Mother didn’t have to cope with a troop of children itching to get to the gifts, dragging the adults with them. Parfaits are better served to people seated at a table than buffet style. Then too, as families blend, traditions merge and we now leave the table after the entrée to have coffee and dessert while the children open presents. A self-serve dessert table is more practical, but to make it work, I’ve developed a selection of choices which include the most traditional Christmas flavors, any of which would make a good dessert in itself. All can be simply made from mixes, keep well and can be recycled for other holiday events—and beyond.

Usually setting up a dessert table brings its own set of problems. It entails more work, more expense, and implies even more leftovers to deal with, fattening ones at that. The three recipes below offer solutions, at least for me.  I make them well in advance, take them out of the freezer a couple of hours before dinner, and return the leftovers to the freezer right after to deal with later. I also chose them because they are easy to make; a bonus for busy people or those not familiar with baking.

First a couple of notes:

1. One of the directions, as do many baking ones, calls for greasing the bottom only not the sides of the pan. The reason for this is that if the edges can’t stick to the sides of the pan, the baked product will rise higher in the center, making it harder to roll or to balance layers when frosting them.
2. With the log, I tried many recipes for other cake mixes and they all were too thick to roll well, cracking badly and needing too much filling and/or icing to make them presentable, thus making them too sweet.  After several experiments including chocolate, spice, and red Velvet cakes, I now stick to gingerbread. 
3. The wine used as an ingredient in the fruitcake is undetectable, making the cake child-friendly, but acts to preserve it so that it can be made even a few months in advance. Any other alcoholic flavorings are achieved by repeatedly sprinkling it with liquor and re-wrapping. It will keep in the refrigerator for several months. Without the applied liquor, it makes wonderful holiday brunch bread.

YULE LOG—Serves 16-18
Using a boxed Gingerbread cake mix, I replace half the water with applesauce, add ¼ cup oil and use 2 eggs. Beat only until well incorporated – about 2 mins.
Grease the bottom only of a 19 x 11 inch jelly roll pan. Line it with parchment paper and grease the paper.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and bake on the middle rack for 16 to 18 mins. until it springs back when poked lightly with a finger.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar. Cover with a tea towel, and using a board as a brace invert the cake. Peel off the parchment and roll the long side of the cake in the towel. Resting the edge on the bottom let the cake cool completely.
Meanwhile, beat 8oz. cream cheese with 8oz. Cool Whip until smooth adding flavoring and nuts to taste.
Carefully unroll the cake and fill with the cheese mixture. Re-roll. Trim ends evenly.
Cut a piece about 3inches long from one end on an angle and position it along the “trunk” to form a branch. Secure it with a bit of frosting.
Frost the cake and add any decorations. Freeze until ready to serve. Allow to thaw 30 to 45 mins.

Crazy Cake Recipe

CRAZY CAKE- Serves 6-8
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1 ½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
3 Tbs. oil
1 Tbs. vinegar—preferably white
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup cold water
Sift all dry ingredients together, before putting  into an UNGREASED  9” cake pan. Make 3 holes in the mixture and pour the oil in one, vinegar in a second and vanilla in the third. Pour the water over all and stir with a fork until blended. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 mins. This recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9”x13” pan to make a sheet cake.
Regarding icing for party presentation, I have discovered that microwaving a can of commercial frosting 30-45 sec. liquefies it so it can be spooned over the cake as a glaze and it cools to a shiny finish. Also optional is the addition of ¼ to 1/3 cup of white or dark chocolate or butterscotch chips, per recipe.

CHRISTMAS BREAD:
This is kinda cheating because it’s based on two boxed Quick Bread mixes. I like Cranberry and Pumpkin, but have used Date and Nut as well. In fact, I might add them if I were to make more than 2 loaves. I do add dried fruits and nuts to the mixes anyway, and don’t really measure. I combine the dry mixes of the same brand, in a bowl and substitute red wine for half the water required then add the other ingredients and any add-ins. I decorate and bake as directed in two loaf pans-one per box of mix used. When the loaves are cool, I sprinkle the tops with about 2 Tbs. of whiskey, cover them in plastic wrap and put them in the refrigerator. I bake them in October and over the next months I repeat the whiskey “shower” every couple of weeks. However, these also make excellent breakfast bread. The loaves I intend for that I don’t sprinkle with whiskey, depending on the wine used in the mixing to preserve them. People who normally hate fruitcake, like this, especially with a cup of coffee or tea, because it has a lighter texture—half way between bread and cake.

Tips for serving and for the leftovers:

1. If you want to preserve some of these cakes for another occasion, positioning them on the table is important. It guides people away from cutting into them willy-nilly. I often cut a slice or two from one end, or from the trunk of the log to give direction.  The layered cake can be re-dressed by heating and spooning more frosting over it. If too much is consumed to maintain the original shape for another occasion, simply slice the remainders while in frozen state and arrange them on a plate. The log can usually be presented in its original form, but it too can be sliced to share the plate with the other cake. If you need more, buy a pound cake, treat it as you did the Crazy Cake and make it the center of a large platter, surrounded by the slices of the other cakes.
2. Please remember the fruit bread is stored in the refrigerator not the freezer. Cut the remainder of the fruit “cakes” into interesting shapes or fingers, and present them plated with small squares of a quick muffin fruit mix, like Jiffy, baked in a loaf pan, with sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top. It creates an economical, efficient and attractive presentation

Hope this helps solve some problems to make entertaining easier for you.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!!!