Story by Stephanie Lyew
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. The groceries have been purchased for the mouthwatering menu of roasted chicken, baked ham with the and cherries on top, pot roast beef, gungo rice and peas, baked macaroni and cheese, potato salad, and the sorrel. But wait! Something is still missing…you have enough liquor and you know that party animal uncle of yours is coming with more. What happened to dessert! The traditional fruitcake and puddings aside, the best way to deck out a dinner table is with desserts that are festive that will have family and friends feeling the Christmas spirit. Here are some desserts to make the holiday season and your table, bright – and some of them won’t even require you to turn on the oven.
Coco-Nutty rum balls
This is a celebrated dessert on some holiday tables and while it’s so simple, it looks like fancy truffles that come with a hefty price tag. It’s usually made from crumble cookies or wafers, butter, cocoa powder, chocolate and yes, rum! Add a little nut – pecans or walnuts are easier to crush – and roll the mixture into balls then dust with coconut flakes and you have an easy Christmas-themed dessert. Pack into an airtight container and leave to chill
Fruity oatmeal cookie trifle
A trifle is a dessert that requires no-fuss to put it together – layered with fruits and custard in a cup. Many will use pieces of plain vanilla cake for the base but for this try crumbled oatmeal cookies and instead of berries or fruit cocktail use some left over fruits that were soaked for those special Christmas cake recipes – prunes, raisins and maraschino cherries. Start with the cookies, then pour the fruity mixture on top, then comes the custard, another layer of cookies, fruits, custard and top with fruits. Chill the cups and when dinner is done add the whipped cream and reveal to everyone..
Sweet potato pie
One of the most underused ground provisions is the sweet potato. There is always sweet potato pudding but it can be used in tarts, juices and it also makes a great pie. All it takes is some store-bought pie crust and the classic Jamaican spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract. Boil the potatoes whole in skin, peel, mash with butter, brown sugar (if potatoes are not sweet enough), eggs and milk and then pour mixture into the crust and bake for about 50 minutes.
To read more, please purchase a copy of Buzzz Caribbean Lifestyle Magazine Vol 11 #2 at any supermarket, pharmacy or book store near you.