Wednesday, 21 November 2012

Holiday Dessert Favourites - My Top Ten




With the American Thanksgiving upon us and Christmas just around the corner I thought it would be fun to share my favourite Holiday Desserts with you this morning. These are my Top Ten of all of the scrumminess that has been brought to life here on The English Kitchen over these past three years!



1.   Poached Vanilla Apricots -  Delicously tender apricots in a sweet vanilla syrup. Serve warm or cold with vanilla ice cream for a real treat.

 

2.  Frozen Lemon Souffles - an old favourite from my days cheffing at the Manor down in Kent.  Beautifully flavoured and the perfect "light" dessert to have after a heavy meal.



3.  Ginger Cheesecake Squares -  A smooth and creamy cheesecake stogged full of tiny bits of candied ginger, floating atop a crisp base created from crushed gingernut biscuits.

 

4.  Gingered Pear and Raspberry Pan Dowdy -  Pears and raspberries are a fabulous marriage . . . and the candied ginger in the topping is this dessert's crowning glory.

 

5.   Baby Berry Custard Cakes - Delighful little baby cakes with a delicious madiera cake custard, topping a layer of sweet berries baked in raspberry preserves.

 

6.  Almond and Custard Apple Dumplings - A fabulous cheat, scrummy apple dumplings that bake in their very own almond custard. Easy and delicious!


 

7.   Plum Crumble Tart - A delicious plum tart with a hazelnut cookie type of crust and crumble topping. Fabulous served with a dollop of creme fraiche or Greek Yoghurt.

 

8.  Spicy Cranberry, Mincemeat and Almond Eve's Pudding - Spiced fruit baked beneath a delicious almond cake topping.   Serve warm with cream or ice cream for a real taste treat!



9.  Maple Pumpkin Pie - You can't get any more "holiday" than pumpkin pie, updated with the warm flavour of maple.



10. A Simple Almond Cake - I've shown it here with an apricot compote, but you can use any fruit compote, or even jam.  Deliciously easy.

You've probably noticed that fruit figures really prominently in these . . . but that is harvest time isn't it?  

Enjoy,  and to all of my American friends and family . . . A Very Happy Thanksgiving!
at

12 comments

  1. Suze21 November 2012 at 07:51

    I feel the sugar rush just reading this post. Yum. My favourite American dessert would be pecan pie.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Andrea@Familyconnect21 November 2012 at 09:16

    My mouth is watering! Number 8 is my favourite from that list, I think, but I would be more than happy with any of them! My own Christmas table will be groaning under the weight of sherry trifle, chocolate cheesecake, tiramisu and (of course) Christmas pudding and brandy butter!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Linda Metcalf21 November 2012 at 11:58

    Oh Marie I'll take a piece of each! This year I am thankful for family and good friends near and far! I am extra thankful at this time for Mitzie's recovering...such a precious baby!

    ReplyDelete
  4. La Table De Nana21 November 2012 at 14:10

    Thank you:~All your recipes are delicious.One learns so much from you..From novice to not so novice:)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kathy Walker21 November 2012 at 16:44

    What a lovely collection of desserts! I do believe that I would be partial to the Almond and Custard Apple Dumplings.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ann21 November 2012 at 17:31

    What lovely puds. Found your site a few weeks ago and have tried your coconut and lemon cake, delish. One of the best sites on the web in my opinion. Thanks.
    Ann

    ReplyDelete
  7. Marie Rayner21 November 2012 at 17:58

    Having tasted them all I can say that they are all gorgeous!

    Ann, so lovely of you to say that. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous22 November 2012 at 01:09

    Oh my Goodness - I can't decide! what a fabulous line up of treats!
    Mary x

    ReplyDelete
  9. April23 November 2012 at 03:08

    Mmmm, they all look fabulous, of course! So many on the must try list!! Speaking of Thanksgiving, I just made the most perfect Thanksgiving turkey of my adult life thanks to your tips! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!
    Tons of Hugs, April

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous27 November 2012 at 12:51

    I really shouldn't have scrolled down and looked at this list before breakfast! Number 8 would be top of my pudding list but I have a question... Bramley Apples, loved them for cooking when I lived in England, but now I live in America and can't get them (Michigan), what would you suggest as an alternative? Granny Smith's just don't cut it for me!

    Brenda

    ReplyDelete
  11. Marie Rayner27 November 2012 at 13:08

    Brenda, I would recommend a Northern Spy or a Cortland or a combination of both!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous27 November 2012 at 17:44

    Thanks for that Marie. I thought after I posted that my choice is going to be severely limited by the Spring freeze and Summer drought that Michigan experienced this year! Might just have to go with whatever I can gt, but I'm sure it will be OK!

    Thanks,
    Brenda

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by. I love to hear from you so do not be shy!


BEFORE LEAVING A COMMENT OR RATING, ASK YOURSELF:
Did you make the recipe as directed? Recipe results are not guaranteed when changes have been made.

Is this comment helpful to other readers? Rude or hateful comments will not be approved. Remember that this website is run by a real person.

Are you here to complain about ads? Please keep in mind that I develop these recipes and provide them to you for free. Advertising helps to defray my cost of doing so, and allows me to continue to post regular fresh content.

Thanks so much for your understanding! I appreciate you!

© The English Kitchen.
Customized by My Fairy Blog Mother.