After rich Christmas meals, not everybody wants panettone or pandoro. Some diners prefer something cool and creamy, maybe tasting of chocolate or as easy to eat as pudding. A cause for panic? Hardly. Just scan our recipes for refrigerated (and other) Christmas desserts to please everyone at the table, including those who want something traditionally Italian.
Traditional chilled Christmas desserts
There are plenty of classics to choose from if you don’t want to use the oven. The Mont Blanc, a triumph of chestnuts and cream, is often associated with the winter holidays because of its richness.
There is also biancomangiare, a pudding made from almond milk that is popular in Sicily, Sardinia and the Aosta Valley. It can be served with pistachios and minced chocolate on top to look suitable for a Christmas table.
Tiramisù, which is not specific to the holidays, usually makes everyone happy, and for a holiday touch it can be made in single-serving ramekins using slices of pandoro or panettone in place of the savoiardi biscuits.
And don’t forget bonet, a confection from Piedmont made with cocoa, amaretto cookies and zabaglione.
Stovetop treats
In addition to chilled Christmas desserts, there is a series of delicacies that can be made without the oven or even the refrigerator: carteddate from Puglia and Neapolitan struffoli are fried Christmas desserts. And then there is the wide world of torrone, almond crunch or sesame brittle, candied orange rind, and dates or figs stuffed with walnuts and mascarpone cheese.
Surprising cold Christmas desserts
If you want to surprise your guests, make mousse in single-serving cups that chill while you are eating dinner: make a custard and cook it until firm. Add some nougat squares (torroncini) chopped fine in a food processor and a drop or two of your favorite liqueur. Fill glasses with this rich custard, perhaps using a pastry bag for a neater presentation, and chill them in the refrigerator. Just before serving, garnish with melted dark chocolate, chopped nougat and perhaps a few pieces of diced, toasted panettone or crumbled Christmas cookies.
And who can resist chocolate? Chocolate “salami” rolls are always a hit, including a vegetarian version that anyone can enjoy, made with Christmas cookies instead of the classic dried biscotti. Perhaps the hardest part will be choosing which no-bake Christmas desserts to serve!