There is a great variety of traditional desserts to try during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Certain preparations start as early as September for the traditional Christmas cake in Britain. Check out various options try bring up your holiday cheers the British way !
Best Christmas Desserts:
Christmas Cake:
On Christmas Eve, it’s the tradition in Britain to have a slice of Christmas cake, which was called plum pudding in olden times. Its origins supposedly go back to Medieval Italy . When in the Twelfth Century Charles the Great in Germany took over the city Palermo, which had similar traditions. The cake or pudding contains dried fruits marinated in brandy or rum, spices, raisins, almonds, oranges and apples. It is very rich with candied peel and whole spices, which gives it a wonderful flavour.
Looking for an alternative cake then a Scottish Dundee cake would be great. It is packed with fruits and nuts and is less heavily flavoured with spices. It’s not as heavily spiced as a classic British Christmas cake. So if you’re looking for a more subtle Christmas cake, try a Dundee.
Mince Pie:
Traditionally eaten after Christmas dinner, mince pie remains the second most popular treat to serve during the Christmas holiday in Britain. Fruits and spices, are used together with suet and wrapped in light, melting pastry.
For a festive twist on a traditional mince pie, try a frangipane mince pie. It is similar like the traditional mince pie and has a welcoming cover of almond-flavoured cake. It’s topping provides a unique flavour combination.
British Christmas Pudding:
There is no better way to kick off your holiday season than with a traditional English Christmas Pudding. American puddings are dark, sticky, and dense sponge. It looks like a fruitcake, with mixed dried fruit, candied fruit peel, apple and citrus zest. The use of Brandy and spices provide a deep, complex flavour and signature dark colour.
Although the number of ingredients may seem daunting, the recipe will come together easily if you prep everything ahead of time. Christmas pudding is best enjoyed after it sits for a few weeks so the flavours can mingle and mature.
Trifle:
A British dessert of a ‘trifle’ is a quintessential treat that has graced British tables for hundreds of years. It is simply luscious and usually includes alcohol, while the fruit can be an acquired taste for some.
An English trifle is made with Sponge fingers or pound cake, soaked in sherry, jelly, a thick layer of creamy custard, and lightly whipped fresh cream. The rest is all about personal preference. A delicious trifle is made with jelly, so that children can enjoy it as well as the adults because it gives the cake more texture. If you prefer a trifle without jelly, proceed without it—this will be quicker to make because it doesn’t need to be set up in the fridge. Both are equally delicious.
Scottish Shortbread:
Butter was a luxury item before the invention of margarine, which allows us to make shortbreads more often. Scottish Shortbread is eaten around Christmas and an essential part of Hogmanay. Shortbread is made using a lot of butter,so it was considered a special treat.
Scottish shortbread cookies are made for snacks any time of the day. The success depends on handling the dough with care and working it as little as possible. For storing the shortbread, choose an airtight container and keep it in a cold place for a week or ten days in the fridge.
Yule Log Cake:
A classic Yule Log Cake is served throughout the Christmas in Europe as a traditional cake. This recipe is a classic version using a chocolate sponge cake and Italian buttercream. It can be made with sponge cake, and flavoured and filled with ice cream, whipped cream, mousses, ganaches, fruit, and more. The variation might change, the technique is the same. A simple filling that is rolled as a swirl and decorated with buttercream.
Stollen Cake:
Stollen cakes are quite popular around the Christmas holidays. We should eat it at other times as it is utterly delicious. It’s filled with almonds, dried fruit, and citrus peel inside a rich pastry dough.
These are some of the best desserts that are served during Christmas time. This special occasion is filled with love, family, friends, drinks and food. Let’s check out the dessert list Brook pub in Cambridge has to offer during this Christmas season. We have come up with a special Christmas menu with new recipes to make your holidays even more special. It will be available from the 25th of November to the 30th of December. So don’t wait till the festival is here enjoy our food and keep coming again !!