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Dessert, if you will pardon the pun, is the icing on the cake after a delicious dinner. Dessert can be as simple as a small bowl of pudding or a nice slice of store-bought pie, but the presentation of your chosen dessert can make all the difference. It does not take much to turn a simple dessert into an after-dinner show piece, sure to impress any guest.
Stuck for dessert ideas? Try these simple, yet impressive after-dinner treat ideas at your next party. The recipes are a cinch and the presentation ideas will have your guests thinking you slaved away for hours.
Parfait Perfection
Parfaits are some of the easiest, yet most elegant dessert ideas. You can layer anything in a fancy parfait glass. Fresh fruit, yogurt, puddings, candy sprinkles, nuts, granola, almost anything can be layered with whipped cream to create an eye-catching dessert in minutes. Parfaits are also a perfect simple dessert idea for guests with special dietary needs! For more impact, set up a tray with a variety of different parfait flavors and options, then cover the glass stems with fresh cut flowers, ivy or rosemary sprigs.
Edible Centerpieces
Don't have time to throw together a fancy dessert and a table centerpiece? You can combine both needs in one task. Cut a variety of fresh fruit slices, avoiding anything that might brown in the open air. Use a melon ball tool to scoop out a rainbow of melon colors. Take several dozen wooden skewers and pierce the various fruit pieces. Put a small piece of floral foam in the bottom of a colored vase or large bowl and insert skewers. Arrange to resemble a floral arrangement. You can even add artificial or fresh cut flowers mixed in for more eye-catching appeal. When it is time for dessert, your guests can "pick" their own!
Hello Dollie Doilies
Pour the chips, nuts and coconuts into pie crust in layers. Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over the entire pie. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until milk is lightly browned. Let cool for 20 minutes. Cut into small brownie-size squares. Place on individual plates lined with paper doilies. Drizzle with caramel syrup.
No Mess S'more Cups
Line cupcake pan with decorative liners to match your party's theme. Fill the bottom of liners with crumbled graham crackers. Add two or three marshmallows per cup. Set pan aside. In a saucepan, melt together butter, chocolate chips and peanut butter. Pour over marshmallows. Freeze for approximately two hours. Serve in small glass or clear plastic dessert bowls.
Fancy Fruit & Ice Cream Cocktails
Mix together the first five ingredients (including the fruit cocktail juice). Spread in an 8-by-8 inch pan. Mix together brown sugar and nuts, sprinkle over the fruit mixture. Bake at 300 degrees for one hour. Let cool completely. Fill cocktail glasses halfway with fruit, top with vanilla bean ice cream. Alternatively, top with whipped cream, drizzle with caramel or offer a variety of fruit-flavored syrups, sprinkles and other toppings in small bowls on a tray, for guest to choose their own favorites.
Editor, 12/27/2011
