Looking for the best Christmas leftover ideas? Here are three yummy desserts you can prepare with them.
Christmas is a grand festival that is widely celebrated all over the world. It is that time of the year when we get together with our family and friends and relish a lot of delicious delicacies. Smoked ham, roast goose, turkey, panettone, custard and cakes are some popular items of the feast. All of us make sure that our tummy and soul are both satiated with the festive meal.
However, most of the time the leftovers from Christmas dinner become a problem for us. Our fridge is piled up with indulgent dishes from last eve but no one in the family wants to finish them up. So, if you want to cut down the waste, why not transform them into some yummy desserts for your next meal?
Here are three delicious desserts you can prepare with your Christmas leftovers:
Mincemeat Banana Bread
Mincemeat is a delightful filling in Christmas mince pies. Made with raisins, currants and brandy as the main ingredients, it tastes very delicious. So why waste it when you can transform it into delicious banana bread?
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup mincemeat
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- In a mixing bowl, combine bananas, mincemeat, oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the prepared mixture, stirring until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy.
Panettone Pudding
This is a fancy version of bread-and-butter pudding. All you have to do is combine panettone with a mix of eggs, cream and vanilla and bake till perfection. It is best served with a dollop of whipped cream. Do try it at home with your leftover panettone, your family will love it for sure.
Ingredients
- 50 g butter, softened
- 250 g panettone
- 2 eggs
- 142 ml carton double cream
- 225 ml milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- Icing sugar, for sprinkling
- Whipped cream to serve
Method
- Heat the oven to 160 C and grease a 1½ pint shallow baking dish with a little butter. Cut panettone into wedges, leaving the crusts on.
- Butter the slices lightly with the remaining butter. Cut them in half and arrange the slices in the dish, buttered side up.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, double cream, milk, vanilla extract and caster sugar and pour evenly over the panettone.
- Put the dish in a roasting tin and pour hot water around it to a depth of about 2.5 cm. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the pudding is just set. Dust with icing sugar and serve with spoonfuls of whipped cream.
Christmas Cake Truffles
This is the simplest way to use your leftover Christmas cakes. All you have to do is pulse the slices with a hint of brandy and shape them into balls and finally coat them with chocolate. This holiday dessert can be served to your guests as well.
Ingredients
- 1 kg mixed dried fruit
- 2/3 cup brandy
- 2 1/2 cups plain flour
- 1/2 cup self-raising flour
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 250 g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 250g dark or white chocolate
Method
- Combine the dried fruit and brandy and stand, covered overnight, stirring occasionally. Butter and line the base and sides of a 20 cm round cake pan with baking paper and preheat the oven to 140°C.
- Then sift together the flour and spices. Combine the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla essence and then gradually add the eggs, beating well. Fold in the fruit and flour in 2 batches.
- Spoon cake mixture into the prepared pan and flatten the top. Bake for up to 4 hours. Brush with extra brandy if desired. Cool in pan and then store in an airtight container until required.
- Make cake truffles by pulsing 500 g of Christmas cake in a food processor with 1 tsp brandy. Shape into balls and coat with 250 g melted dark or white chocolate. Decorate as per your choice. Serve.