Non Cookie Christmas Desserts

 Cookies have always been a staple of the Christmas table. Yet a plate of them may not be that satisfying  as a holiday dessert.There's something about a trifle or a Yule log that's perfect after a turkey or a ham. A bowl or slice is the perfect sweet ending to a festive.

Yotam Ottolenghi and Melissa Clark gave some interesting recipes in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. Chef Ottolenghi is well known for his sweet treats and even  has written a book Sweet about baking. He offers his riff on the classic Buche de Noel,  a brown sugar roulade with burnt honey apples. The roulade is a kind of brown sugar based meringue, spiked with cinnamon. The apple filling consists of a thick almost caramel like cooked honey spiked with bay leaves and cinnamon. The honey is cooked until almost burnt. Braeburn apples and olive oil are added to this syrup and then put in a very hot 425 degree F oven for twenty minutes. It's layered with a cream that's part marscapone and part cold whipping cream. Confectioners sugar melds the two together.Orange zest gives it some zing.It's then layering the three components and rolling the roulade with a tea towel. with the longest part towards you. Reserve any liquids from the apples for another project. You don't want it soggy. The roll is decorated with bay leaves, vanilla pods and cinnamon sticks.

If this is too complicated, then try trifle. Melissa Clark gives a classic one with berries or oranges. It's an easy mix of store bought cake as a base, fruit and cream. As for the cake, lady fingers or boudoir biscuits are preferred but sponge cake also can be used. Panetone or pound cake also make a good base.for the fruit think something relatively tart to offset all that sweetness. Strawberries are a good choice but so are blackberries. Oranges are also good.The fruit and biscuits are then covered with a homemade egg custard (if you're pressed for time, instant vanilla pudding will do) .It's rich with whole cream and milk and flavored with orange or lemon zest. The fruit has to be prepared too,The berries have to be macerated in sugar while the oranges need to be supremed. This is cutting the ends off the fruit , squeezing the juices out of the severed pieces. It's then cutting the peel and pith , letting the juices run into a bowl. slice the fruit away from the membrane . Add sugar. To assemble the trifle, spread the jam on the lady fingers, putting them jam side down in the trifle dish. Then sprinkle whatever boozy liquid, whether it's brandy or sherry , Madeira or any dessert wine. spoon the fruit on top of this and top with custard. Put in the fridge for three to twenty-four hours. The last step is topping with homemade whipped cream and serve.

Cookies are delicious but a true holiday meal deserves a true holiday dessert. Think a variation of trifle or Buche de Noel. They're a festive way to end a Christmas dinner.