Light dessert ideas for Christmas Eve dinner?

[MANative]

My SIL and I are cooking Christmas eve dinner together and have settled on a menu - except for dessert. We're serving Roast Prime Rib, baked sweet potatoes, and Caesar salad. Appetizers will probably be stuffed mushrooms, shrimp cocktail, and a cheese tray. Since the meal is going to be pretty rich/heavy, we want to do something "light" but still special enough for a holiday meal. Anyone have ideas or suggestions? Thanks!

[Warpy]

1. Mousse au chocolat

here is a super light version made with gelatin instead of heavy cream and butter. Do NOT skip the Amaretto, though. http://www.culinarycafe.com/Desserts/Light_Chocolate_Mousse.html

You can make it a day in advance, another advantage.

[MANative]

2. Ooooh - sounds yummy!

and to make it extra-festive, I could put it in crystal glasses and top it with white chocolate curls before dusting the cocoa powder. Great suggestion - thanks!

[supernova]

3. I just had a chocolate souffle

which was very nice. It was in it's own individual serving pot, about 2 oz.

And you can cook it to a kind of molten lava status: crusty on top and gooey in the center. :9

It's not a lot, but it's just enough of a sweet thing to be enjoyable. You still have room for coffee or something else later. Usually on holiday meals, I wind up eating the main meal, then waiting a few hours for dessert.

[MANative]

4. So you'd do it in individual ramekins - I wonder if that's

something you'd cook in a water bath. I've never made a souffle before, but I'm game to try it. Sure sounds yummy!

We do the same thing - typically eat around 7 and have dessert around 10 - which would also give us time to get them in the oven to serve warm.

thanks!!

P.S..... I'm seeing a chocolate theme emerging here!

[sandnsea]

5. Pears

This one looks good, Pears Belle Helene



http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_35967,00.html

[MANative]

6. I'd LOVE this one. Sadly, my hubby will not eat

a pear if his life depended on it. One year, my SIL made a gorgeous spinach salad with pears, blue cheese and walnuts, and an orange vinaigrette dressing. It was just outstanding! He wouldn't even try it, the bum! I wonder if I could do this with another type of fruit. He'd like the concept.... maybe oranges?

Thanks!

[sandnsea]

9. OMG, that salad sounds delicious

I am definitely going to make that some time soon.

Too bad about the pears. I've been adding more fruits and vegetables because of our diabetes and so I think of fruit first when I think of desserts. Oranges sound good, or maybe peaches? Also, there's a brown pear that has a little bit of a different flavor and texture than bartletts, much much better. They aren't anjou, I forget the name. If you see them, try them, and maybe hubby will take a taste and like them.

[MANative]

10. It's just heavenly - hope you'll enjoy it!

I really like the peach idea, too. I know he likes them. I think I know the other pears you refer to - our local market usually carries about 3 or 4 varieties - can't recall the name either, but I'll check when I go shopping this weekend. He's usually pretty adventurous when it comes to food, but has a real bugaboo about pears. Maybe I can try to sneak them into something and see if he figures it out. :evilgrin:

[sandnsea]

21. I made that salad

Delicious. I'm not even a big viniagrette fan, but it was delicious with this. I served it with a pear pork chop dish, yum. Although that would be like a plateful of brussel sprouts to your hubby I'm sure. Thanks so much for the recipe.

[MANative]

25. I'm so glad you liked it!

My pleasure to share - that's why they write recipes, after all!!

[kestrel91316]

7. Why on earth would anybody want a LIGHT dessert at Christmastime???

:crazy:

I guess you all know now why I am carrying that extra 15-20 lb.....

[MANative]

8. It also explains the extra 20 on me! And the intent

here is to so totally pig out on some serious prime rib, that there won't be room for anything other than something light!! We don't eat beef very often, because DH has cholesterol issues, but a couple times a year, we'll really dig in and enjoy! :9

[wildeyed]

11. Frozen berries with hot white chocolate sauce

It is relatively light, really good *and* totally easy.

Most years I do a pie or tart, but my pastry dough is so bad, I just don't feel up to the disappointment this year. :-(

[MANative]

18. This is a great idea - could mix several

types of berries or keep it REAL simple with just raspberries - I'll bet it wouldn't take more than 10 minutes to put together, too!

My pastry dough isn't great either, but I've come to accept that the Pillsbury roll-out stuff isn't horrible in a pinch.

thanks!

[wildeyed]

20. You can freeze your own berries, which is great if you have extra

in season. But this time of year, I just buy a bag of already frozen berries from the freezer section. I put them in the desert cups after I serve the main meal to let them soften up a bit, and put out the sauce ingredients. Then, while everyone is sipping after dinner coffee, I whip up the chocolate sauce which only takes a few minutes, pour it on the desert cup and serve :9

[Hand]

12. Multi-layer Sacher Torte with chocolate and whipped cream on top.

Oh, you said light... nevermind. :rofl:

[MANative]

16. BUT! I may save this idea for New Year's!

:hi:

[NashVegas]

13. You Know, H2S Was Onto Something With Those Pears

You could bring them indoors and put them in the oven, and drizzle a little caramel on them when they come out ..

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

14. She said her husband won't eat pears.

[MANative]

19. I'd adore it - hubby, not so much

:(

He has to put up with my complete disgust for raisins, though, so I guess I shouldn't bitch too much!

Thanks! :hi:

[grasswire]

15. cranberry flummery?

It's a cornstarch thickened cranberry puree, spiced with cloves and served with a big plop of whipped cream. It's very old-timey, aromatic, and delicious and beautiful. God, we love it.

[MANative]

17. Wow- this could be a contender. Is this something

I would be able to find a recipe for on the web? Never heard of "flummery" before!

Thanks :)

[Kali]

22. If you don't do the chocolate I know a great berry desert - super easy

except you have to make meringue - the good part is you can just make it a big glop, it doesn't have to look good, because you are going to break it up into big crumbs and layer it in a nice glass dish with frozen raspberries and whipped cream. let it sit for a couple hours in the fridge, until the berries thaw and the meringue just blends with the cream and YUM!

If the berries are super tart sweeten the whipped cream just a little, but if they are good, the meringue will provide all the sweet this needs.

[luckyleftyme2]

23. here's one

my neighbor has a teenage daughter who sent over a sampler dessert. cherry cheese cake in a mini-cupcake -two bite size . light and tasteful!

[MANative]

26. That sounds delicious - and very simple to do.

We have a top contender here! :)

Thanks!

[japple]

24. How about something like raspberry sorbet and Christmas

cookies. We usually have pumpkin and pecan pies, a big bowl of ambrosia, and homemade Christmas cookies.

[MANative]

27. Couldn't get much easier! I have an ice cream maker

so I could even make a fresh sorbet. Thanks - terrific idea!

[Theres-a]

28. Raspberry Trifle

Angel food cake pieces,layered with jello/raspberries mixture then raspberry yogurt.

It's a back of the box recipe,very lo-cal,and you can mix it up and use whatever fruit-jello-yogurt flavors you have on hand.A dollop of fatfree whipped cream and maybe a handful of berries on top wouldn't hurt.

[MANative]

29. OMG - that sounds so yummy!

I love raspberries, and this would fit the bill. I can see using this dessert over and over again, and especially adding fresh raspberries in the summer.

Thanks! :hi:

[Theres-a]

31. We're going to try blueberry next

For people who want heavy you can offer them whipped cream with it.It's delicious.

[MANative]

32. I'd bet you can do this with almost any fruit/yogurt

combination. I like the blueberry idea, too. Would love to try blueberry and peaches together, maybe with a topping of crushed pistachio nuts. Yummmmmm!

[The empressof all]

30. You can never go wrong with cream puffs

Trader Joes has tiny ones that make a "light" dessert. Served with some chocolate ganache and some fresh raspberries it's simple, easy and elegant.

[MANative]

33. And lucky me - I have a Trader Joe's about 2 miles from

my house! They have lots of great frozen desserts - cheesecakes, tortes, etc. And my cats' favorite wet food too :)