Santa’s just desserts

Five delicious after-dinner treats to offer your holiday guests

Nothing quite caps a perfect holiday — which will save you loads of time that you can gathering like a tasty treat — a sweet spend with family and friends.” tooth indulgence that exemplifies the joys of the season and the pleasure of Tracy Wilk, lead chef at the Institute of Culinary sharing goodies with good company. Education in New York City, agrees.

But choosing and making the ideal desserts for your get-together can be stressful. This year, experts recommend keeping things simple by planning ahead and offering after-dinner delights designed to please everyone in the room.

“A well-executed dessert ensures the holiday ends on a high note,” says Jessica Ellington, a Chicagobased pastry chef. “I recommend picking desserts that are easy to execute or can be done in advance

1. Easy Christmas fudge

(12 servings), suggested by Chris Riley, culinary expert/ founder of The Daring Kitchen in Rogers, Arkansas

Ingredients:

3 cups chocolate chips 1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk 4 tbsp. butter 2 tbsp. heavy cream 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract ¼ tsp. salt 3 tbsp. sprinkles cooking spray parchment paper

Directions:

Line an 8 x 8” baking pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. In a medium saucepan, melt the chocolate, condensed milk, cream, vanilla, butter, and salt together over medium heat. Stir well until the mixture is smooth, and pour into the pan. Top with sprinkles and refrigerate for 2 hours to set. Cut into squares and serve. “I like to always offer at least one chocolate option and one fruity option that can be a healthier choice,” notes Wilk. “It’s also important to keep in mind that COVID-19 will likely be with us this holiday season, which means that offering individual mini bite-sized desserts could be smart.”

Here are recipes for five acclaimed desserts

worthy of a spot on your holiday table:

2. Vanilla budino

(6 servings), suggested by Ellington

Ingredients:

1½ tsp. Kosher salt 5 tbsp. cornstarch 1 cup granulated sugar, divided 1 egg 3 egg yolks 1½ cups heavy cream 3 cups half-and-half 5 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed 1 tbsp. pure vanilla bean paste

Directions:

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together salt, cornstarch, and ½ cup sugar. Add egg and yolks to the bowl and whisk to combine. In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring cream, half-andhalf, and the remaining sugar to a simmer. Turn off heat and gradually ladle half of the hot cream mixture into the bowl of the egg yolk mixture. Whisk to combine after each ladle. Slowly add the egg and cream mixture to the saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium heat, and bring the mixture to a boil. Continue to whisk while boiling for two minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. When the butter is fully incorporated, add vanilla paste and stir. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface of the cream. Refrigerate at least 3 hours. Serve chilled and top with fresh berries and whipped cream.

Ingredients:

Crust 2½ cups flour 1 cup butter 10 g salt ½ cup water 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar Filling 16 oz. blueberries ½ cup sugar

Directions:

Mix the flour and salt. Cut the butter into cubes. Mix it moderately into the flour so some butter chunks remain. Combine the water and apple cider vinegar. Pour it into the dough mixture a bit at a time. Knead until you have a slightly broken dough. Refrigerate overnight. Remove the dough and roll it out. Shape it into the pie dish and refrigerate for another two hours. Bake crust for 20 minutes at 350°F before filling. Heat the blueberries and sugar in a large pan over medium heat for 5-8 minutes. When they are deep purple and syrupy, remove from heat and allow to cool. Scoop the filling into the baked pie crust. Use excess piecrust dough to create a top crust. Whisk egg white and brush it on the top crust. Sprinkle on some turbinado sugar. Bake for 30 minutes at 350°F. Allow to cool for at least one hour after baking.

4. Peppermint truffles

(40 servings), suggested by Wilk (recipe by the Institute of Culinary Education)

Ingredients:

1½ cups heavy cream ¼ cup light corn syrup 4 cups dark chocolate, melted 4 oz. butter, room temperature and cubed 2 tsp. peppermint extract crushed candy canes.

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap and set aside. In a small pot, combine the heavy cream and light corn syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil. Pour the cream over the melted dark chocolate in three additions, combining after each addition. Stir until the surface is smooth, then add the butter and combine until smooth. Pour this mixture (the ganache) over the baking sheet and refrigerate until slightly chilled. Transfer the chilled mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a #806 pastry tip. Pipe the ganache into small mounds. Refrigerate for 20 minutes until fully hardened. Remove the piped ganache from refrigerator and gently roll into smooth balls with your palms. Place crushed candy canes in a medium-sized bowl. Roll the truffles in the crushed candy canes, shaking off any excess. Place on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper until ready to serve.

5. Berry trifle

(8 servings), suggested by Lynell Ross, a certified health and wellness coach and nutritionist based in Auburn, California.

Ingredients:

3 cups vanilla yogurt 4 cups plain yogurt 1 cup strawberries, rinsed and sliced 1 cup blueberries, rinsed and sliced 1 cup raspberries, rinsed and sliced 2 cups frozen mixed berries, warmed in saucepan then cooled 1 angel food cake, cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions:

In a large bowl, blend the yogurts until fluffy. Using small glass cups or a large glass trifle dish, place a bit of yogurt on the bottom. Place a layer of cake cubes into the cups/dish. Drizzle some cooked frozen berries over the cake cubes. Add just enough of the juicy berries to lightly soak into the cake for color and flavor without drowning it. Add another layer of blended yogurt. Add a layer of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, making sure the berries show against the sides of the glass. Repeat all layers at least 2-3 times, using all your ingredients or what fits into your dish or glass. Top with whipped cream and a single berry.

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