5 Desserts For Christmas

These 5 desserts for Christmas will make the holiday festive. These desserts for Christmas are also easy to make. They are the perfect ending for a Christmas meal.

Christmas Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 1 graham cracker crust
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Dash salt
• 2 eggs
• Cherry pie filling

1. Beat the cream cheese until it is fluffy. Mix in the sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time.
2. Pour the filling into the crust. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until set. Top with pie filling.

Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rice, cooked
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 teaspoon mixed cinnamon and nutmeg
• 3 eggs, beaten

1. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
2. Pour into an oiled baking dish. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
3. Bake for one hour. Serve hot or cold.

Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Melt the butter and chocolate together in a double boiler.  Beat until smooth.
2. Put the chocolate in a bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks. Put into the refrigerator.
3. Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks with half of the sugar. In another bowl, beat the cream with the rest of the sugar and vanilla until it has soft peaks.
4. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate. Fold in the cream. Put into the refrigerator to chill before serving.

Christmas Cranberry Crisp

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 to 4 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 orange
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup rolled oats

1. Place the cranberries in a saucepan. Zest the orange and put into a food processor with one third cup of sugar. Process until combined.
2. Add to the cranberries with the rest of the sugar. Then add the juice from the orange, the apple cider and the cinnamon.
3. Cover the pan. Bring to a boil for three to four minutes, until the berries burst. Add the cream and boil for several minutes to thicken.
4. Process the flour, brown sugar, salt, and butter in a food processor with short pulses. Add the oats and pulse two or three times to combine the streusel mixture.
5. Butter a cake pan and press half of the streusel mixture into it. Spoon the cranberries into the pan. Spread the rest of the streusel mixture over the top.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until bubbling and lightly brown.

Christmas Fudge

Ingredients:

• 3 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup butter
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1 12-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 7-ounce jar marshmallow crème
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a pan combine the sugar, butter and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Turn to medium heat
2. Boil for five minutes. Remove the pan and stir in the chocolate chips and marshmallow crème.
3. Beat in vanilla and walnuts. Put into a baking dish and let the fudge cool. Cut into squares and serve.

References:

Branch, Susan. "Heart Of The Home."  Little, Brown and Company, 1986.

Bittman, Mark. “How to Cook Everything”. Wiley. 2003.

Child, Julia. "The Way to Cook". Knopf. 1989.