These two festive dessert recipes will make your Christmas dinner extra special

Looking for a Splash of Magic in your dessert this Chirstmas? Avonmore Cream can help you with that.

Dessert is an essential part of any Christmas meal and with Avonmore Cream, you'll have all the ingredients you need to make yours perfect this year. Avonmore's Festive Cream range consists of Freshly Whipped Brandy Cream, Baileys Whipped Cream, and Caramel Whipped Cream, so there's something to have the whole family licking their lips this festive season. Once you've got your fridge stacked full of delicious Avonmore Creams, you'll be looking for ways to put them to use by creating some mouth-watering Christmas desserts to indulge in. That's where we come in. Lovin's very own Alan Fisher and Lynda Keogh took each other on in a series of cooking challenges, starting with Christmassy desserts. Alan chose to go with the Gingerbread Cheesecake while Lynda's challenge was to make Mince Pie Chocolate Brownies with Avonmore Whipped Cream. Which one comes out on top? That's up to you! Before seeing how they got on, you'll need the ingredients:

For the Gingerbread Cheesecake with Avonmore Double Cream and Avonmore Sour Cream...

And for the Mince Pie Chocolate Brownies with Avonmore Whipped Cream...

• 180g Avonmore Unsalted Butter
• 100g quality dark chocolate 
• 80g of milk chocolate of choice 
• 3 eggs
• 270g light brown sugar
• 85g plain flour
• 40g quality cocoa powder
• 6 store bought mince pies
• Avonmore fresh whipped cream for serving
• Icing sugar for dusting

You'll see the methods each contestant used in the below video but here they are in writing...

Alan's Gingerbread Cheesecake:

Line the base and sides of a 23cm springform cake tin with baking paper and grease the sides with butter. Preheat the oven to gas 3, 160°C, fan 140°C.

1. Melt the butter over a low heat. Once melted, remove from the heat. Tip in the crushed biscuits and stir into the melted butter. Press into the base of the tin with the base of a glass, then use your fingers to press up the sides. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
2. Gently whisk together all the filling ingredients in a large bowl until combined. Try to mix as little as possible as this will help keep the cheesecake creamy and smooth. Pour over the biscuit base. Bake for 50 mins until the sides are puffing up and appear firm, but there’s still a wobble in the centre about 8cm wide.
3. Turn the oven off and open the oven door half way. Cool the cheesecake in the tin, inside the oven. This gradual cooling helps to avoid a cracked cheesecake. Once at room temperature, remove from the oven and chill in the fridge for 2 hrs.
4. To make the caramel sauce, melt the butter and brown sugar over a low heat. When the sugar has dissolved, add the cream, stir and turn up the heat. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer for 5 mins, stirring all the time. Remove from the heat and leave for 15 mins to thicken and cool.
5. Drizzle the caramel over the top of the chilled cheesecake and scatter with the chopped ginger. Unclip from the tin and serve immediately with any remaining sauce on the side or store, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Lynda's Mince Pie Chocolate Brownies with Avonmore Whipped Cream...

1.  Pre-heat the oven to 160 for fan
2. Cut Avonmore unsalted butter into cubes, add to a bowl with the chocolate
3. Cover with cling film & pierce - 45 secs & stir, continue until melted
4.  Once melted together, leave to the side to cool
5. Add eggs & sugar together, whisk using an electric whisk - to get air bubbles in
6. When the chocolate butter mixture has cooled, add this to the whipped eggs and sugar
7. Then sift in the cocoa powder and flour
8. Gently fold in the dry ingredients into the wet mixture
9. Combine until just mixed
10. Add half of the brownie batter to a lined tray
11. Add your mince pies - leave whole or slightly smash
12. Add the other half of the brownie batter to the top
13. Into the oven for 25 minutes, depending on the depth of your dish this may need extra time
14. Remove from the oven when the mixture no longer wobbles in the middle. The batter should have slightly flaked on top
15. Leave to cool in the dish
16. Serve with a dusting of icing sugar, a dollop of Avonmore whipped cream and enjoy

Now that you have all of that ready to go, you can see how Alan and Lynda got on in the below clip...

Either one of those would make for a super-indulgent Christmas dessert but which one gets your vote? Alan's Gingerbread Cheesecake or Lynda's Mince Pie Brownies with Avonmore Whipped Cream? Be sure to cast your votes in the comments below this article! Avonmore’s Festive Cream Range is the perfect way to Add a Splash of Magic this Christmas, and is available in stores now. For more mouth-watering Christmas desserts, why not check out www.cookwithavonmore.ie We'll be back soon with another recipe challenge.