Cooking a Christmas dinner is stressful enough without having to consider dessert as well. And if you have fussy guests who aren’t fans of a Christmas pudding, or you just want a variety to offer, this can be hard to organise.
Many will forgive even the most diligent of hosts a cheeky store-bought dessert to round off a festive spread. And Iceland have a number of new puddings perfect for Yuletide. I was lucky enough to sample four of the best on offer for 2025 and there are some big hits here, and one I think you should skip to avoid disappointment on December 25.
Belgian Chocolate Profiterole Star – was £10, now £5
For a defrosted pastry, this remains nice and light, with the lovely chewiness characteristic of choux pastry. The chocolate sauce on top has a nice flavour, but it could be better quality chocolate, I think.
The profiteroles are really well filled with a fluffy cream, and you could happily eat three without noticing. I liked the presentation and ease of simply defrosting and they are ready to go.
The chocolate sauce is slightly less on the profiteroles underneath, but this is a fab dessert for a party table that guests will love.
8/10
Iceland Strawberries and Cream Bauble – £4.75
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this, but I liked how festive it looked. Again, another really easy dessert, simply pull it out of the freezer six hours before serving.
It comes well wrapped, so was perfect when I unboxed it. It is easy to cut into and I could definitely see it serving eight, as suggested.
It has a dense sponge base and a super light sponge on the top and through the centre.
This is basically a trifle without the fruit pieces and I love it. It feels nostalgic, yet I have never had it before.
The soft, almost custard-like cream is yummy and the strawberry gel is lovely and sweet.
This would be great for people who pass up the Christmas pudding on December 25.
8/10
Luxury Raspberry and Pistachio Pavlova Tree – was £12, now £6
I love pistachios, but often find them over-sweetened in store-bought products. But not here.
This has a great, nutty flavour that complements the fresh sharpness of the raspberries.
The light, sweet meringue is wonderful with the cream – when isn’t it!? The tree presentation is darling and would look perfect after Christmas dinner or on a party table. I loved this so much kept going back for more.
But one thing I wish Iceland would consider for next year. Please pack the macarons separately and have the customer add them at home once defrosted.
My only issue with this is that as it defrosts, the bottom of the macarons goes soggy because they can’t thaw properly and are too close to the cream, which lets down what would be my favourite of the bunch.
7/10
Luxury Sticky Toffee Cottage – £8
This looked impressive, like it was going to taste like deep, dark and delicious caramelised sugars. But in proof you can’t do everything right all the time, I didn’t care for this.
You simply defrost the cake and then heat the sauce, pour it over and serve. This looked great out of the box, and I enjoyed the theatre of pouring the caramel over the cake.
My problem was that even after it was defrosted, the cake was too dense to be enjoyed. And I felt it was lacking in flavour in general.
The sauce was needed and did lift the overall experience; however, while it had a nice little ginger kick, it was way too sweet for me. This is one I would leave in the freezers.
2/10
All desserts and party foods for the festive season are available online and in store now.
