Does anyone have a good Holiday desert recipe.?

Question

I would like something really special.

Answer 1

This takes a little time to make but is so worth it. I have gotten rave review on it, both for taste and presentation. Happy Holidays!!!

Chocolate Truffle Dessert Cake

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• TRUFFLE MOUSSE:
• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1-3/4 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
• 5 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1/3 cup cold water
• 14 to 16 Pirouette cookies, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces

DIRECTIONS
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add chocolate; mix well. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add milk and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into chocolate mixture just until blended.
In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into batter. Pour into a greased and floured 9-in. springform pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
In a small saucepan, combine chocolate chips, 3/4 cup cream, sugar, butter and coffee granules. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved and chips are melted. Stir a small amount of hot liquid into egg yolks; return all to the pan. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla.
Sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute. Add a small amount of hot liquid to gelatin; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir into chocolate mixture. Pour into a large mixing bowl. Set the bowl in a larger bowl of ice water; stir occasionally until thickened, about 30 minutes.
Remove sides of springform pan. Cut a hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; fill bag with 1/4 cup mousse. Set aside for garnish. Spoon half of the remaining mousse over brownie layer, spreading evenly over top and around sides.
In another large mixing bowl, beat the remaining cream until soft peaks form. Add a third of the whipped cream to the remaining mousse; beat on low speed. Fold in remaining whipped cream. Spread over truffle mousse layer.
Gently press cookies into sides of dessert. Pipe reserved mousse on top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 5 minutes before cutting.

Answer 2

I've made this REALLY yummy cake for some holiday parties and it's shockingly easy. What you need is one cake mix box (any flavour, I've used chocolate), one jar of jam/preserves, and either a recipe of homemade cream cheese vanilla frosting or store bought (homemade is better though). Bake the cake in 2 round layer pans as directed on the box. Then, after they cool, CAREFULLY slice each layer in half lengthwise so you're left with 4 thin slices of cake (2 from each layer). Spread the jam on 2 of the slices (cut side) and then put the tops on them, like a cake/jam sandwich. Then, put one of the "sandwiches" on your serving plate. Put a layer of frosting on top. Place the second "sandwich" layer on top of that. You might need to flatten out the first layer so your second layer doesn't slide off. Just use a bread knife and slice off the "domed" part that happens when baking sometimes. Then, frost the whole thing with the rest of your frosting. Let it sit out for a bit, at least while you're eating dinner, so the jam/preserves has a chance to soak into the cake and get the flavors all combined. It's SO Easy and everyone will think you're a pro!

After the frosting is on, you can also decorate it with some fresh fruit. Maybe a slice of peach on each "slice" section, since you're using peach preserves, but I've used raspberries and strawberries when using raspberry and strawberry jam! Enjoy :)

Answer 3

Christmas Chocolate Trifle
1 box chocolate cake mix (recommended: Duncan Hines or brownies mix)
1/2 cup coffee liqueur (Kahlua)
2 cups fudge sauce, recipe follows, or 1 (16-ounce) jar fudge sauce
3 chocolate covered toffee candy bars, broken into pieces (Skor bar works best)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream whipped and sweetened with 1/3 cup sugar

Prepare the cake according to the package directions for a 9 by 13-inch cake. Cool thoroughly.
Prick the entire top of the cake with a fork. Pour coffee liqueur over the cake and allow it to soak in. Wrap the cake with plastic and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Slice the cake into 1-inch thick pieces.

Line the bottom of a large glass bowl with a single layer of cake. Pour 1/4 of the fudge sauce over the cake, top with 1/4 of the candy bar-bits then 1/3 of the whipped cream. Repeat layering 2 more times ending with fudge sauce and candy bits. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Assemble the trifle shortly before serving or it will get soggy.

Hot Fudge Sauce:
1 (4-ounce) bar chocolate
1/2-ounce unsweetened chocolate
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1 2/3 cups evaporated milk
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
To make the sauce: Melt the chocolate with the butter in a saucepan over very low heat. Stir in the powdered sugar, alternating with evaporated milk and blending well. Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until the mixture becomes thick and creamy, about 8 minutes. Stir in the vanilla.


Family have raved about this dessert for years.

Answer 4

This cake is spectacular for christmas, as it's not only a delicious red devils food, but the cake is bright red and beautiful against the stark white of the icing. A very lovely christmas cake and an unforgettable flavor. I serve it for christmas dessert along with peppermint stick ice cream

Red Velvet Cake

2 ounces red food coloring
3 tablespoons hot cocoa mix
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cups buttermilk
2 1/4 cups flour
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Mix food coloring and cocoa mix and set aside. Cream shortening and
sugar. Add eggs and mix. Alternate flour and
buttermilk and salt, mix well. Add vanilla, vinegar and soda. Add
cocoa mixture to this and beat. Pour in two 9 inch cake
pans and bake at 350 degrees for
30 minutes.


Heavenly Icing:
1 cup milk
1/4 cup flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cook milk and flour until thick. Cool and set aside. Beat sugar,
shortening, and butter until fluffy. Add flour mixture and
vanilla and beat until thick.

Answer 5

Flan
Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
1 (14-ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. In heavy skillet, over medium-low heat, cook sugar, stirring constantly, until melted and caramel-colored. Pour into 9-inch round dish or baking pan, tilting to coat bottom completely.
In a medium bowl, beat eggs; condensed milk, evaporated milk vanilla and salt. Pour over caramelized sugar; set pan in larger pan. Fill larger pan with 1 inch of hot water.
Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until center is just set (mixture will jiggle). Move dish from larger pan to a wire rack; cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
To unmold, run a knife around edge and invert onto a large rimmed serving platter.

Answer 6

Check out this Martha Stewart recipe for a gingerbread cheesecake. It's such a pretty cake, and the cookies used to decorate the cake were made with the same ingredients as the crust.
http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=cc159027de9b5110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&lnc=bb182798cf2ee010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=taxonomylist

Answer 7

lemon cheesecake with strawberries and port glaze

Crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Filling
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature

Topping
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Port Syrup
1 750-ml bottle tawny Port
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

8 large strawberries, unhulled, halved through stem

For crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend graham cracker crumbs and sugar in processor. With machine running, add melted butter and lemon juice; blend until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Freeze crust 15 minutes. Bake crust until set, about 10 minutes. Cool completely. Maintain oven temperature.

For filling:
Using electric mixer, beat first 3 ingredients in large bowl until fluffy and smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add sour cream, whipping cream, lemon juice, and vanilla and beat just to blend, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just to blend after each addition.

Pour filling into crust (filling will just fill crust). Place springform pan on rimmed baking sheet. Bake cheesecake until top appears set, puffed, and golden at edges but still moves slightly all over when shaken, about 55 minutes. Cool cake 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare topping:
Mix sour cream, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl.

Spoon topping over hot cake, spreading to edge of pan and covering completely. Bake 10 minutes. Transfer cake to rack; cool 10 minutes. Run sharp knife around top 1/2-inch edge of cake to loosen. Place hot cheesecake directly in refrigerator; chill uncovered overnight.

For port syrup:
Stir Port, sugar, and vinegar in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Boil until liquid is reduced to 3/4 cup, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Cool. Mix in lemon peel. (Cake and syrup can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover cake and keep refrigerated. Cover syrup and let stand at room temperature.)

Starting below stem end of each berry half, make 3 lengthwise slits through tip. Fan berries and place around edge of cake. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)

Release pan sides. Slice cake and drizzle with Port syrup. Serve syrup alongside.