5 Thanksgiving Desserts Beyond Pumpkin Pie: Options For Your Feast
As the thanksgiving holiday approaches, so too it indicates the time to once again step into the kitchen in earnest for preparing a feast befitting the occasion.
Traditionally, a thanksgiving turkey, some sweet potatoes and yams and a classic pumpkin pie are some of the components which make up a festive meal. However, over time a host of other desserts have been slightly tweaked to give them a festive touch too, so they can be prepared either as an accompaniment to the pumpkin pie or as sweet treats in themselves, made for Thanksgiving dinner.
These desserts incorporate lots of seasonal produce such as pears, apples and cranberries and make use of ingredients like cinnamon and nutmeg that are often part of autumnal recipes. From pies to cakes to ice creams, lots of desserts can be prepared for thanksgiving which go beyond the classic fare.
Read on below to know more about some dessert ideas that can be explored along with a traditional pumpkin pie for a thanksgiving feast:
Apple Crumble And Ice Cream
A seasonal treat during the fall weather, apple crumble utilises fresh and crispy apples which are sliced and baked along with brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and tons of butter. The dessert is then made to cool before giving it a crumbly texture.
Most often, apple crumble is paired with vanilla ice cream however cinnamon or honey ice creams can also be interesting alternatives to couple with this dessert. The tart and acidic notes of the apple crumble go well with the sweetness in honey ice cream.
On the other hand, the spicier and warmer flavours of cinnamon accentuate the fruitiness in the apple crumble, making for a tasty contrasting pairing for the dessert course.
Maple Cheesecake
Yet another favoured autumnal ingredient is maple syrup which can be incorporated into dessert recipes crafted especially for festivals that fall during this season.
One such sweet treat made using this syrup that can be served as a dessert by itself or as an accompaniment with a thanksgiving pie is maple cheesecake.
Follow the classic recipe to make a cheesecake complete with dense cream cheese and a biscuit crust and finish this off with a maple syrup drizzle to add a sweeter note into the treat.
Garnish the cheesecake with caramel sauce for a more complex flavour mix.
Bourbon Pecan Pie
As pecans are used in abundance during autumns, they are often incorporated into different desserts prepared during cooler climes. A dessert offering at thanksgiving that goes beyond the classic pumpkin pie could then use pecans as the core ingredient.
Pecan pie made with the dried fruit as well as chocolate and other assorted nuts can bring a sweet and earthy crunch to the dessert course.
Add to this pie a splash of about 60 ml of good quality bourbon so that its golden hue and bitter and spicy notes seep into the pie dish, lending it more depth.
Spiced Rum Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
During the festive season, spirits such as rum are often incorporated in desserts. Rum and raisin cake is perhaps one of the more widely prepared sweet treats for the holidays.
One such cake that can be baked for thanksgiving is a spiced rum cake accompanied by a cream cheese frosting. Such a dessert is complete with cinnamon and nutmeg which give it an intense and earthy tone.
These flavours are undercut by the creaminess of the frosting leading to the making of a very well-balanced dessert. The cake can be served with vanilla ice cream after a thanksgiving meal.
Pear Cranberry Galette
A galette is a free-formed tart or cake which has a crumbly texture and a rustic look. Make use of autumnal ingredients like crispy, juicy pears and citrusy cranberries to make a fruity galette for thanksgiving in lieu of a traditional pumpkin pie.
Such a dessert offering would suit a themed gathering like a cowboy ranch thanksgiving party or a barn-themed holiday dinner. Pear and cranberry galettes can be topped off with a dollop of whipped cream for a denser, creamier touch.
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