Have a Sweet Christmas

Christmas Day, you can put in all of the work you want on Christmas dinner and gathering your friends and family for a special day. No matter what though, come that evening, no one cares about anything quite as much as what is for dessert. Many families have items that are traditional dessert items based on either cultural heritage or their own personal family history. One thing that was particularly tempting growing up in my large Italian family, was looking at the untouchable dessert table all day, as the hours and minutes dwindled by toward the time at which we would actually be able to eat the delicious concoctions. Here are a couple of simple ways to tempt your eager guests.

Eggnog Cheesecake: A new twist on an old favorite, substitute milk for egg nog in your favorite cheesecake recipe. Be liberal with seasoning the mix with cinnamon, nutmeg, and other apple-pie like spices. Top the egg nog cheesecake with dollops of whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon sugar or nutmeg. This is a great way to work some of the flavor of the season in to a tried and true family favorite.

Chocolate Cake Pudding Trifle: A favorite in my family for years, this simple recipe is rich, filling, and a little bit different for those craving a change from the norm. Bake two chocolate cakes layers, either round or square, about nine inches in diameter. While these are cooling, make about 8 cups of chocolate and vanilla pudding in equal parts. Do not mix the chocolate and vanilla puddings together. In a large bowl, put about an inch of chocolate pudding in the bottom. Tear bits of cake to create a layer of cake above the pudding about equal height. Next create a one inch layer of vanilla pudding on top of the cake. Repeat the cake layer, and alternate between chocolate and vanilla pudding until you reach the top of the bowl. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings for a dessert sure to dazzle any chocolate loving audience.

Saltine Sugar Candy: Take a large glass oven pan, about nine inches by fourteen inches, and coat it well with margarine or vegetable oil. Coat the bottom of the pan with saltine crackers, over which you are going to pour about a quarter inch think layer of milk chocolate. You want to refrigerate this chocolate and saltine mix until it is hardened, and then take it out and break it in to smaller candy sized pieces. In a separate bowl, mix melted butter and sugar, and then simmer until caramelized. Dip each piece individually in the caramel solution and then set out to cool. Once these are cool, you have a delicious toffee chocolate treat that is sure to horrify any dentist and tantalize any taste bud.

There are a lot of ways to make your Christmas dessert table stand out. The best is to just be yourself. Modify classic recipes, or come up with your own. Cook to taste, that way, you know someone will like it.