Light Christmas desserts

A dinner isn’t complete without a good dessert. But what’s best to serve after your multi-course Christmas dinner? We’re giving you a number of delicious recipes that you’ll still be able to manage after a food fest.

Pavlova with lemon curd and almond flakes

A pavlova is a light and sweet dessert made from a meringue of whipped egg whites and sugar. In this recipe by TV chef Nigella Lawson, it’s combined with lemon, a deliciously fresh and tangy counterpart, but you can also add other fruit of your choice (tropical or berries). The crunchy almond flakes finish it off perfectly.

Eton Mess with rosewater and raspberries

Did you try to make a pavlova but did it fail and collapse? You can always turn it into an Eton Mess. After all, all the ingredients are deliciously mixed together. In this recipe by Denise Kortlever, half of the cream is replaced with yoghurt, making it taste a little fresher and lighter.

Poached pear with crème fraîche

A luxurious interpretation of the good old stewed pear. Light and delicious thanks to the white wine, and spiced with cardamom and saffron. Easy to prepare a few days in advance and store in the refrigerator. Reduce the liquid in which you stew the pears well, and you’ll have a golden-yellow syrup to pour over them.

Orange panna cotta

This silky-smooth panna cotta contains classic Christmas ingredients such as orange, cinnamon and cloves. And thanks to the handy trick explained in the recipe, it also looks absolutely beautiful in a glass.

Affogato al caffè

Coffee or dessert? With this recipe, you don’t have to choose. A generous scoop of ice cream (homemade zabaglione ice cream or good-quality ready-made vanilla ice cream) served in a shot of strong espresso—sometimes it can be that simple.