Holiday Desserts

Of all the various rhetorical devices, techniques and skills I learned when I took debate in high school, the most important thing I learned was that in a debate (particularly a debate offering more than two points of view) you either want the first word or the last word. The first word sets the debate's tone and theme and gives you control over what comes next. The last word is what people are most likely to remember.

The same with dessert, it's your last chance to put a great spin on the meal. If you can purchase a truly great dessert from a high-quality, artisinal bakery, go for it. It's a very French approach to dessert. But don't buy a lousy pie from the supermarket. Instead make your own dessert.

One Thanksgiving a few years ago I was looking for something different to do with cranberries - something really different. Cranberry relish or jelly certainly wasn't going to cut it. I could have added the cranberries as an ingredient in another dish such as stuffing or green beans, but I wanted to feature the cranberries. Then I hit on it: dessert! Specifically cranberry mousse. This has a nice tart flavor, is made at least a day in advance, and makes a gorgeous presentation.

Sweet Potato Pie is an old Southern favorite. It looks like and is usually flavored like pumpkin pie and I've had it many times in my life - well, several times anyway. But I'd never made it until I was sent a copy of the Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook to review. Their recipe intrigued me because it included buttermilk, so I made it. It's seriously good. The recipe below is adapted from their version.

Pots de Crème are a classic French dessert custard and chocolate is the traditional flavor. They're not difficult to make but they are a bit complicated. On the positive side, they should ideally be made a day in advance to allow them to chill thoroughly. There's also the issue of what to do with the egg whites so I came up with a recipe for Coffee Meringues with Pine Nuts, these tender crunchy cookies are a perfect complement to the pots.

I love this yogurt cake. It's not too sweet and gets a delicious tang from the yogurt and lemon. The yogurt also makes the cake wonderfully moist so you can make it a day in advance and it will still be great a day later. This is a traditional French dessert that I tweak with almond flour, almond extract, and Amaretto. I like substituting 1/4 cup of almond flour for part of the all-purpose flour but you can skip it or substitute semolina flour for the texture.

Bread pudding is one of those old dishes. It has certainly been around in some form or another since bread was invented. Take some stale bread, an egg or two, a bit of milk, sugar, and a fire and cook the mixture. It's just bread baked in a sweetened custard. What could be simpler? Bread pudding with raisins and whiskey is a traditional Christmas treat in parts of Ireland but is an equally good Thanksgiving dessert. The apples are my addition as is the whiskey/cream topping.

There are few desserts more sensual than chocolate mousse. First, there's the whole chocolate/chemical thing and its mimicry of endorphins - the pleasure hormone. Then there's the rich, smooth, creamy mouth-feel. The other great thing mousse has going for it is you can make it a day in advance (allow at least four hours for chilling).

My favorite apple pie is the Dutch variety, which features a streusel topping instead of pastry. The main reason I like it is the topping's flavor. But I also, half the time I already have streusel in the freezer. Its crunch is a nice contrast to the soft apples and as the fruit settles during cooking the streusel settles with it. By the way, what we call "Dutch" apple is most likely an American invention from the German-settled areas of Pennsylvania.