Christmas Dessert - Make-Ahead

[cgraz]

Ok, so I'm going to have time on Sunday to bake or make something early in the day...then dinner at my MIL's. I need to make a dessert to take to my sister's for Christmas Day, so it has to be something that would hold up well if I make it on Sunday, then we travel Monday, and eat it Tuesday.

Any ideas? Fancy/special enough to go with a delicious Christmas dinner of roast beast? Hopefully ones that are somewhat easy to make? I am not good with pretty cakes. Rustic desserts are more my style... 

[merigayle]

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pineapple-gingerbread-cake-50400000118058/

i made this last year

http://www.culinaryconcoctionsbypeabody.com/2007/12/10/pink-marshmallow-fantasy-period/

[cgraz]

Could I make a frosted cake on Sunday that would still be good on Tuesday? Or bake it, and then assemble and frost that day...

I'm generally not great with cakes! They always look like a hot mess. But I would try something, and see how it goes.

The other thing I'm thinking is maybe a trifle, and have all the parts ready and assemble it there on Tuesday. I have made a great chocolate toffee trifle before. Even though they have cake it them, it's ok because you tear it all up and it doesn't have to look perfect!

[Magic Microbe]

I made chocolate rolls last weekend. They are fancy looking and easy.

[cgraz]

What are chocolate rolls? Sounds like it has some potential!

[Ice Cream]

Zimtstern (Cinnamon stars): Swiss Xmas treats.


Yield: about 8 dozen stars or 12 dozen diamonds
Prep   50 mins
Chill  4 hrs
Bake  300°F   12 mins
Ingredients
1 1/3 cups hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
1  cup whole blanched almonds, toasted
1  cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed almond paste
1/2 cup packed chopped candied lemon peel
1/2 cup packed chopped candied orange peel
1  tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2  large egg whites
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar (for rolling dough)
2  large egg whites
1  1 pound box confectioners' sugar
Directions
1. Process hazelnuts, almonds, granulated sugar, almond paste, lemon and orange peels, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add egg whites and process, pulsing until dough begins to clump and come together, 30 seconds. Transfer dough to a work surface and shape into a rectangle. Wrap and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.

2. Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Divide dough in half. Between 2 sheets of waxed paper dusted with confectioners' sugar, roll one piece of dough into a 12x8-inch rectangle. Cut out dough with a 2-inch star-shaped cookie cutter (or rectangle crosswise into twelve 1-inch-wide strips, then cut strips diagonally at 1-inch intervals to form diamonds). Arrange cookies 1/2 inch apart on prepared sheets. Repeat with remaining dough, rerolling and cutting scraps.

3. For meringue topping, beat egg whites and 3 cups confectioners' sugar in mixer bowl on low speed just until combined. At high speed, beat meringue to soft peaks, 5 minutes. Beat in remaining confectioners' sugar (about 1 cup) to very stiff peaks, 2 to 3 minutes more.

4. Spoon a small amount of the meringue into a pastry bag fitted with 1/4-inch star tip. Decoratively pipe meringue over cookies. Bake 12 to 13 minutes, until dough is slightly firm and meringue is hardened (just barely tinged with color). Cool cookies on wire racks. Repeat with remaining dough and meringue. Transfer cookies to an airtight container and let stand overnight. Makes about 8 dozen stars or 12 dozen diamonds.

Make Ahead Tip
Cookies may be stored in airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.
Note
Nutrition facts are per one 2-inch star cookie.
Nutrition Facts
cal.(kcal)65, Fat, total(g)2, carb.(g)11, pro.(g)1, sodium(mg)9, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

[diablita]

A trifle would be perfect if you have a bowl to put it in (doesn't have to be a glass/trifle bowl).  It gets better if it sits together for a day or two.  A cheesecake would improve over time, too.  if you can avoid eating it before it gets there...

[cgraz]

In the past I've made these individual cheesecakes that are great - but mr. cgraz is not a fan of cheesecake, so I wanted to make something he would like this time around. I do have a trifle dish, so I'll ask him what he thinks of that.

Those cinnamon stars sound really delicious! Maybe I will have to make more than one thing...

[Magic Microbe]

What are chocolate rolls? Sounds like it has some potential!

I can give you the recipe if you like but I will have to type it out as the one I use is pre-internet.

[Run Amok]

I was also going to suggest a bouche de noel. I've done martha's before. I'm incompetant when it comes to baking and managed it ok. It's really delicious, holds up well, and is pretty/festive. http://www.marthastewart.com/354925/buche-de-noel

[cgraz]

Is the chocolate roll or bouche de noel really that easy? It seems like there is potential for disaster in rolling up the cake. I have visions of making a crumbly mess. I'm a little scared of that part! But it does seem like a nice festive dessert that could work great...and decorating it to look like a log fits in with my total lack of frosting/decorating ability because it can be a little rough looking!

[diablita]

cgraz, ime it's very easy.  When the cake is cool enough to remove from the jelly roll pan, you take a slightly damp cloth towel and put it over the cake, then roll it up and let it finish cooling.  When you're ready to fill (and you can fill with whipped cream the day of, which is easy to make) you just unroll and it'll still have that rolled shape -- fill, roll back up then frost.

[cgraz]

That doesn't sound too bad...I'll have to try it.

I just talked to my niece and nephew and they have voted for chocolate chip cookie pie. So I guess this time around, the chocolate roll or bouche de noel will have to wait. The 6-year-olds have spoken. 

[Run Amok]

I will second that it's easy. I am a seriously terrible baker and even I can do it.  I usually just make the whole thing at once though. In the case of the bouche de noel, it's filled and then topped with ganache so the cake is all protected from the air, which is what makes it stale. I think it refridgerates just fine for a couple of days, but for more than that I'd just freeze it whole and I think it'd be just fine.

[Ice Cream]

Bûche = log
Bouche = mouth

Bûche de noël is supposed to look like one of the two...

[Run Amok]

you're correct, of course. Thank you for the reminder.