Bring the magic of Christmas to your home with a thoughtfully curated selection of easy festive dessert recipes from leading hotels. Created for modern hosts who want indulgent flavours without the complexity, these desserts make holiday entertaining effortless and elegant. Whether you’re planning an intimate celebration or a cosy gathering, this collection helps you serve up Christmas cheer with warmth, style, and ease.
Christmas Special Panettone
by Executive Chef Shivaramakrishna J, Novotel Vijayawada Varun
Ingredients
- Flour – 600 g
- Salt – 12 g
- Yeast – 15 g
- Bread improver – 5 g
- Butter – 200 g
- Eggs – 350 g
- Water – 200 ml
- Raisins – 300 g
- Almond flakes – 250 g
- Black currants – 40 g
Method
- Weigh flour, salt, yeast, bread improver, butter, eggs and water. Place all ingredients in a dough kneader and knead on low speed for 2 minutes, followed by high speed for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Add almond flakes, black currants and raisins. Knead for an additional 3 minutes until evenly incorporated. Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover and rest in the refrigerator for 1½ hours.
- For mini panettone, portion the dough into 60 g balls and place into panettone paper moulds. Cover lightly and proof for 40 minutes.
- Brush the tops gently with egg wash. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 20 minutes, until golden brown on top.
Christmas Special Chocolate Indulge
by Chef Soham Dhar, Chef de Cuisine, CUR8, Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru
Ingredients
Chocolate Dacquoise & Crunchy Praline Base
- Egg whites – 150 g
- Caster sugar – 75 g
- Almond flour – 90 g
- Icing sugar – 90 g
- Cocoa powder – 15 g
- Milk chocolate – 120 g
- Praline paste (hazelnut/almond) – 60 g
- Feuilletine flakes – 60 g
Strawberry Champagne Éclat & Chocolate Whipped Ganache
- Strawberry purée – 200 g
- Sugar – 40 g
- Champagne / sparkling wine – 40 g
- Gelatin – 6 g (3 sheets), bloomed
- Dark chocolate (60–70%) – 200 g
- Fresh cream (35%) – 300 g
- Hot cream – 150 g
Method
- Whip egg whites to soft peaks, add caster sugar gradually and whip to stiff, glossy peaks. Sift almond flour, icing sugar and cocoa powder together and gently fold into the meringue. Pipe or spread to 8–10 mm thickness on a silicone mat. Bake at 170°C for 12–15 minutes. Cool and cut to size.
- Melt milk chocolate, mix with praline paste and fold in feuilletine flakes. Spread thinly and press dacquoise on top or cut into discs; chill until set.
- Heat strawberry purée with sugar until dissolved. Remove from heat, add champagne, then melt in bloomed gelatin. Pour into a shallow tray or insert mould (3–4 mm thickness) and freeze until firm.
- Pour hot cream over dark chocolate and emulsify until smooth. Add cold cream, mix well and refrigerate 6–8 hours. Whip to a light, pipeable consistency before assembly.
Christmas Stollen
by Calvin Castro, Executive Sous Chef, THE PALMS, OZEN LIFE MAADHOO
Ingredients:
- Dark raisins – 80 g
- Golden raisins – 80 g
- Currants – 12 g
- Candied orange peel or apricots – 120 g, diced (6 mm)
- Dried cranberries or cherries – 160 g, diced (6 mm)
- Whole almonds – 120 g
- Dark rum or brandy – 120 ml
- Orange juice – 60 ml
- All-purpose flour – 600 g
- Instant dry yeast – 7 g
- Warm milk – 300 ml
- Kosher salt – 5 g
- Ground cardamom – 2 g
- Ground cloves – 1 g
- Ground nutmeg – 1 g
- Lemon zest – 1 lemon
- Unsalted butter – 225 g, softened
- Egg yolks – 2
- Sugar – 65 g
- Oil – 10 g (for greasing)
Method
- Combine the dried fruit with rum and orange juice. Cover and soak overnight.
- In a stand mixer, mix 250 g flour with yeast. Add warm milk and beat for 1 minute. Cover and rest for 1 hour. Whisk the remaining flour with salt and spices. Add lemon zest, butter, egg yolks and sugar to the sponge, then gradually incorporate the flour mixture and knead until smooth.
- Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover and proof for 1½ hours, or until doubled in size. Drain the soaked fruit and knead into the dough.
- Divide the dough into 4 portions, shape into loaves and place on lined trays. Cover and proof for 1 hour, or until doubled.
- Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 40–45 minutes, until golden brown. Brush the hot loaves with melted butter, sprinkle with spiced sugar, cool completely and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Home Grown Beet Tosser
by Avijit Deb Sharma, the Executive Chef at Raaya by Atmosphere
Ingredients
- Beetroot – 90 g
- Feta cheese – 50 g
- Butternut pumpkin – 40 g
- Walnuts – 20 g
- Rocket leaves – 1 g
- Green oil – 20 ml
- Balsamic reduction – 20 ml
- Olive oil – 20 ml
- Salt – to taste
- Black pepper – to taste
Method
- Roast the beetroot until soft, then let it cool and cut into dice.
- Cut the feta cheese into dice.
- Cut and dice the butternut pumpkin, roast it in an oven, and let it cool.
- In a bowl, take the beetroot and season it with salt and pepper.
- In another bowl, take the pumpkin and season it with salt and pepper as well.
- Take a wooden plate, arrange the beetroot, feta cheese, walnuts and roasted pumpkin.
- Garnish with rocket leaves and finish with green oil and balsamic reduction.
Classic Plum Pudding
by Chef P. Ramana, Sous Chef, The Bheemili Resort, Managed by Accor
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour – 75 g
- Bread crumbs – 75 g
- Suet or butter – 100 g
- Brown sugar- 100 g
- Mixed dried fruits (raisins, currants, sultanas)- 200 g
- Candied peel – 40 g
- Chopped nuts (almonds or walnuts) – 50 g
- Apples, grated – 1 medium (about 120 g)
- Eggs – 2 nos
- Milk – 100 ml
- Orange and lemon zest – 1 ½ tsp
- Mixed spice / cinnamon / nutmeg – 1 ½ tsp (total combined)
- Vanilla essence – 1 tsp
Method
- Combine the dried fruits, candied peel, grated apple, nuts and citrus zest with brown sugar and spices, allowing the flavours to mature.
- Fold in the flour and breadcrumbs, followed by suet or butter for richness. Gradually add the eggs and milk to form a thick batter, finishing with vanilla essence and a splash of brandy or rum.
- Transfer the mixture into a greased pudding mould, cover securely and steam gently for several hours until dark, rich and moist. Once cooked, allow the pudding to rest, which further enhances its flavour and texture.
- Reheat gently before serving and present warm, traditionally accompanied by custard or vanilla sauce.
