Experts issue warning about eating these 6 desserts over Christmas which could lead to your arrest
The Christmas period is the peak season for people being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, but it is not just those who have finished off too many eggnogs who might want to consider sleeping it off before getting behind the wheel.
Getting a DUI would be a lousy way to end 2025, with a hefty fine and an impounded vehicle - the likely consequence of driving your car after the work Christmas party. But many are unaware that they need to keep track of more than just what they drink.
Many of our favorite festive treats also have the potential to land you in trouble with law enforcement, as many of the rich and luxurious Christmas foods we treat ourselves to this time of year also contain a considerable amount of booze.
Though most foodstuffs that contain alcohol will have burned off the intoxicating chemical as part of the cooking process, some treats can leave you a bit unsteady on your feet, and even make you fail a police breathalyzer test.
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Travel experts are warning potential drivers this Christmas about six desserts in particular that could see their blood alcohol content breach the 0.08 percent legal limit in place in many states.
Ash Young, car cleaning expert at 1dot, has issued the following warning to UK drivers: “It’s obvious and well-documented that drink driving is illegal, with many complying with the rules. But awareness around the amount of booze in foods isn’t as well-known. Although it’s unlikely to push people over the limit, it can sometimes trigger the breathaliser.
“That’s why, especially at Christmas, being surrounded by alcohol-infused foods, it’s important to be aware of the dangers around it - because no one wants to lose their licence over having too many rum truffles.”
What are the six desserts to watch out for this Christmas?
There are six desserts and sweet treats in particular that you should be wary of before getting behind the wheel this Christmas, especially as you do not need to blow over the limit to get a DUI.
In most states, if a police officer observes you swerving in the road or otherwise driving dangerously, you can still be found to have been drink driving if there is any alcohol in your system - so keep these six boozy sweet treats in mind before heading out on the road.
Canelés de Bordeaux are a classic French pudding, with a chewy outside caramelized in beeswax-lined copper moulds, with a custard-y taste and texture on the inside. Paired beautifully with these vanilla flavours is the dish's other main component - lashings of rum.
While you might assume that this rum would be cooked off during the baking process, alcohol has to reach 173F for several minutes to evaporate and will happily bind to the sugars and fats in a dessert. Sadly, this makes it almost impossible to have an entirely alcohol-free boozy dessert, with 25 to 40 percent of it remaining in the finished product.
This is why any treats cooked in wine, including the ever-popular poached pear, can be enough to make you blow over the limit. Cooking for longer can lower the remaining alcohol content, but the flesh of the fruit will retain a booze level of around 10 percent.
And don't think you can get away with the innocuous classic Christmas treat, the beloved mince pie. While many will not contain any alcohol, home cooks and premium food producers have a tendency to pour brandy into the mix with a heavy hand.
This means that cramming a few too many pies into your mouth before driving your vehicle could land you in trouble with the law.
Similarly, you should be cautious of scoffing too much of the Christmas pudding if you are about to jump in the car. This is because alcohol is added at almost every step of the fruit-rich pudding's months-long journey to the big day.
Cooks are advised to regularly 'feed' a Christmas pudding with a couple of tablespoons of brandy in the weeks leading up to the 25th. And then on Christmas Day, many will drench it in yet more booze, drastically increasing the risk of pushing your blood alcohol level over the legal limit.
But if a warm pudding is not your treat of choice this year, there aren't so many safe options. Another comfort favorite at this time of year is the English trifle or tiramisu, both of which can contain a serious amount of booze, with Italians soaking their dessert in lashings of Marsala wine.
The final foodstuff that travel experts are warning drivers about this Christmas is perhaps the most obvious for those cautious about driving over the limit - chocolate liquers.
Laying back after a hefty dinner with a tray of Irish cream chocolates might seem like a tasty 'digestif', but if you are about to drive your car, you might want to stay firmly planted on the sofa.
Car cleaning expert Ash Young advises that motorists wait 'at least 15-20 minutes' after eating to drive their vehicle, or to just avoid booze-soaked puddings if failing a breathalyzer test is of particular concern.
Topics: Alcohol, Food and Drink, Police, Christmas, Community, Health
William Morgan