Any ideas for a dinner party dessert?

Question

I have served trifle, bananas foster, cheesecake, pineapple upside down cake and apple crisp in the past and now I need a new idea. I am not worried about the recipes, I can research those, what I need is an idea to start with. Something a little unusual, but not terribly time consumming.

Answer 1

CHOCOLATE FRUIT!!!! Quick, easy, and tasty.
Get yourself some strawberries, sliced bananas, and dried apricots.

Heat some DARK chocolate in a bowl until it is melted, though not burnt.

Dip the fruits in half way and put on non-stick paper to cool.

Serve with whipped cream as a dip and your guests will love them.

BEST part is it only takes 10-15 mins to prepare.

ENJOY!!

Answer 2

Depends on the size of the dinner party. I love the idea of fondue and I just bought one of those silly chocolate fondue fountains for my next event... you just run the chocolate and serve with strawberries, banana chunks, marshmallows, chunks of pound cake, etc that folks can dip themselves.

Another thought is something I did years ago that was really cute:

Make that "Dirt Cake" that's layered chocolate pudding and chocolate cookie crumbs etc, ending with a layer of chocolate cookie crumbs... but make it in flowerpots... add some artificial flowers arranged into the pot... use them as decoration on your tables or buffet table. At dessert time, bring out a gardening trowel and the dessert is served with that! You should have seen the looks I got when I started pulling the flower arrangement apart and licking the flower stems - lol

You could do a large long one in a windowbox too... most folks really don't notice that it's not dirt! You could make it look like an herb garden by buying fresh mint and "planting" it in the mixture... then serving the mint on top of the chocolate goodie when it's plated up.

I've also done a beach themed party... all cookout food... and had "sandpails" sitting out filled with the vanilla version of the dirt cake using vanilla pudding and vanilla wafers... topped it with seashells and gummy starfish and served it with a little plastic shovel :)

Answer 3

Panna Cotta

Creme Brulee

Semi freddo (Giada has a good recipe)

Chocolate Souffle

Pumpkin Souffle

Pumpkin Flan

Chocolate bowls (filled w ice cream or choc dipped strawberries) - The bowls are made by melting chocolate, dipping the end of blown up balloons into the choc, & freezing. Fill the chocolate bowls w anything you like.

Tiramisu

Ice Cream Cake or Ice cream pie

Chocolate Angel food cake - slice in layers, and spread with fruit, pudding, or custard layers

(Coffee) Granita

Cannoli (dipped in coffee or pistachios)

Brownie ice cream sandwiches

Poundcake - Anything's good on pound cake - check out the haagen Daz site

Have a great party :-)

Answer 4

Something you can make ahead, for the most part, that is very, very good and a bit unusual, is Milk Chocolate Creme Brulee. You will need a blow torch to carmelize the sugar last minute but otherwise is make ahead. I add mix of milk, semi & bitter-sweet chocolate. About a cup, or more for 8-10 servings. Good luck.

Answer 5

A nice cake or other pastry is always classy. You might also look into the very popular cheese cake. A nice cheese cake can go along way if you are trying to make a good impession. I know it sounds funny, but it works. Dont try anything to "fancy", dont forget, usually the fancier it is the less people will feel comfortable eating it.

Good luck.

Answer 6

Here’s one for Tiramisu, my family has been making for many a generations and it’s become a staple for us. Most people think it’s a lot more difficult than it truly is.

Ingredients:
1 pound mascarpone cheese
¼ cup sugar
4 tablespoons Kahlua
1 ½ cupr heavy cream
1 large pack of Ladyfingers
1 cup of brewed coffee at room temperature
1 tablespoon of vanilla
1 large chocolate bar
2 egg whites

Instructions:
Mix mascarpone, sugar, and egg whites in a large bowl until smooth
Beat heavy cream, vanilla, and sugar in a chilled bowl until it becomes whipped cream
Add the whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture
Add Kahlua to the coffee
Quickly dip Ladyfingers in and out of coffee mixture, careful not to let them become soggy
Place in rows in an 8 x 10 inch cake pan
Spread mascarpone mixture over the lady fingers
Shave Chocolate bar over the cream
Repeat until ingredients run out
Cover and chill overnight

Answer 7

Rhubarb and Stawberry Crumble

1 big bunch rhubarb, cut into 2 cm slices, discard leaves
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest
2 Tbl fresh orange juice
pinch of salt

crumble topping:
6Tbl unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 tsp finely grated orange zest
1 cup all-purpose flour
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 190 degree C. Stir together rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, orange zest, orange juice and salt in bowl. Let stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To make crumble topping: Cream butter, sugar and orange zest in a bowl, then rub through flour and salt until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.

Place rhubarb mixture in baking dish (pie, 8x8, or 6 individual dishes) and sprinkle crumble mixture on top.

Bake until topping turns golden and juices are bubbling, 30-35 minutes. Let cool and serve with vanilla yoghurt or ice cream.

Answer 8

You could do something like a fudge volcanoe cake. I made on at a party last year and it was a huge hit.

If you have people who don't like chocolate, try making butterscotch, strawberry, vanilla, or even peanut butter. :)

Recipes are available all over the internet, you said you didn't want them posted, so have fun and good luck!!

Answer 9

if you want something else I'd be happy to share... I have tons of recipes from easy to elegant.
Cream Puff Squares

Crust:
3/4 c water
6 tbsp butter or margarine
3/4 c all purpose flour
3 eggs

Filling and Topping:
2 c cold milk
2 pkg (3.4 oz each) vanilla instant pudding
1 8 oz container frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
2 1 oz squares of semi sweet chocolate for baking, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. For crust, heat water and butter in saucepan over medium high heat until butter is melted and mixture comes to a boil. Stir in flour all at once using bamboo spoon. Reduce heat to low and stir mixture vigorously about 1 minute or until mixture leaves sides of pan and forms a ball. Remove pan from heat; let stand 5 minutes.

2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until mixture is smooth. Spread mixture over bottom of rectangular baker using large spreader. Bake 20 minutes. Surface will puff unevenly. Prick 10-12 times to release steam. Continue baking 5 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cool completely.

3. For filling, pour milk into classic batter bowl. Add pudding mixes; whisk two minutes until thickened. Fold in two cups of the whipped topping. Spread mixture evenly over cooled crust. Refrigerate one hour.

4. For topping, place chocolate and remaining whipped topping in small micro cooker. Microwave, uncovered on high for 30-40 seconds; stir until smooth. Pour chocolate mixture into small resealable plastic bag. Close bag. Cut dessert into 15 squares. Cut off very tip of one corner of the plastic bag with kitchen shears. Garnish with a drizzle of chocolate. Refrigerate until ready to serve or serve right away.
A cream puff pastry (also called a choux paste or pâte à choux) makes the special crust for this dessert. During baking the eggs cause the crust to puff irregularly. Once cooled, the crust is spread with a creamy vanilla filling and the top of the dessert is smooth and even.
Chocolate will melt quicker when chopped in smaller pieces. Use the crinkle cutter to coarsely chop the chocolate squares before melting

To release the steam created in the cream puff during baking, prick the surface using the Hold N Slice. This handy tool can also be used for pricking pastries and pie crusts.

Answer 10

a chocolate fondue party... purchase a chocolate fountain or u can just melt lotsa chcolate and line up all those food u want to dip... or accompany with chocolate brownie, chocolate cookies, chocolate ice cream

or you can serve a fruit dessert party. make it all fruit...fruit puree with vanilla ice cream, fruit salad, turkey and apple sandwich, crepes with fruit stuffing