Ideas/recipes for "finger desserts"?

Question

I am planning what I call a "pampering party" where I and all the ladies that are going to be in the wedding get together to do girly stuff. Well I am having it on a Sunday afternoon around 3 (just a way to get all of the BM's to know each ther) and well since it will be late enough in the afternoon that they will have all eaten lunch I decided to serve dainty finger desserts (you know stuff you don't have to dive into with a fork and plate, since hands will be polished, faces masked...ect.). Looking on the internet for ideas hasn't proven to be easy...any good ideas for small finger pies, cakes, cookies, tarts, frozen treats? (think outside the box of muffins and cookies...think sophisticated and dainty) recipes for them would be great too!

**Would love ideas that involve recipes. I'm MUCH more a cook than a spender :)
(I like to bake/cook and see the finished result, as opposed to paying someone for something I could accomplish (or destroy) myself)

Answer 1

This is a site I use all the time... so many useful things on it - might be worth placing in your favorites too.

http://www.pillsbury.com/Recipes

sounds like fun... sounds like you are an uptown person...

Happy Holidays Hon

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Baklava is super delicious and not too, too difficult:
1 packet phyllo pastry
1 pound of finely diced almonds, pistachios, or walnuts
1 cup of melted butter
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup honey
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon juice
1 cup water

Heat the oven to 350. Grease a ~9 by 12 rectangle pan. Unroll the pastry and cut it so it will fit the edges or your baking dish. Mix the spices and nuts. Put 4 sheets of pastry, then brush with butter, then sprinkle with nuts and spices mix. Continue til you reach the top of the pan; use any remaining butter on top. Bake for 40-ish minutes until crispy.
While that's baking, boil the water and sugar and slowly add in the honey, vanilla, and lemon. Let it bubble for fifteen minutes. Take out your phyllo, pour the sugar on top. Let it cool, and then cut into little squares.

Another idea is to make tiny sugar-free meringues. They're always super popular because they're tasty, pretty and only have 10 calories or so each. Just use your favourite meringue recipe but use Splenda instead of sugar.

Answer 4

These are easy to make, they taste wonderful and they disappear fast! They should be cut into small pieces as they are quite rich - but that's exactly what you were looking for.. right?

Pecan Dreams
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup chopped pecans
Topping:
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup almond toffee bits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Begin by greasing a 9-inch square pan.

Using a bowl, stir together the confectioners' sugar and flour. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the cream cheese and butter into the flour mixture until crumbly. Press the mixture into the pan evenly. Pour the nuts over the pressed dough and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from oven and allow to cool completely.

To make the topping, whip the cream and sugar together, using a mixer, until stiff. Fold in the almond toffee bits, and spread mixture over cake. Cut into squares and refrigerate.

Come to think of it - check Paula Deen's dessert recipes, I'll bet she has a few others that are more one bite, dainty, etc.

Answer 5

The grocery store or those bulk-warehouse type stores often carry frozen treats such as chocolate covered cream puffs, tortilla roll-ups, bite-size cheesecakes, mini-tarts, puff pastry bites that you simply just heat and serve or thaw and serve.

I've also made these and they are always a hit:

Taco Pinwheels

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup cooked and drained seasoned taco meat (ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning)
1/4 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup salsa
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped ripe olives
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
5 flour tortillas (8 inches)
1/2 cup shredded lettuce
Additional salsa

In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese. Stir in the taco meat, cheese, salsa, mayonnaise, olives and onion. Spread over tortillas. Sprinkle with lettuce; roll up tightly. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Unwrap and cut into 1-in. pieces. Serve with additional salsa. Yield: about 3 dozen appetizers.

Answer 6

Here are some ideas that I've used in the past:

1. Mini chocolate cheesecake brownies
2. Mini oatmeal cookies, half dipped in semisweet chocolate and drizzled with white chocolate
3. Lemon bars
4. Mini eclairs
5. Biscotti
6. Banana nut bread with chocolate chips
7. Coconut cream tartlets
8. Chocolate fondue fountain with pound cake, brownie bites, homemade marshmallows, cheesecake bites etc.

Answer 7

Buckeyes (Think homemade peanut butter cups!)

.5 LB stick margarine or butter softened to room temperature
1 LB creamy peanut butter
1.5 LB powdered sugar
120 toothpicks
1 pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips (milk chocolate chips will not work)
1/3 slab paraffin (wax used in canning)

Mix the butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar. The mixture will stiffen and may need kneading by hand like bread dough. It should not crumble or be too sticky. It needs to be a happy medium, smooth and creamy but it should not stick to your hands.

Roll the mixture into 1” balls and place on to a cookie sheet that has been covered in wax paper. Poke a toothpick into the center of each ball and freeze a minimum of 2 hours. (We usually leave them overnight.)

In a double boiler, melt the wax and the chocolate chips until smooth. Dip the frozen balls into the melted chocolate at an angle on both sides to create "eyelids". Set into little paper candy cups and allow them to thaw. Remove toothpick and serve.

The recipe makes from 100 to 120 candies depending on size of balls.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

How about mini ice cream sandwiches. Make your favorite type of cookie, spoon on softened ice cream and roll the sides in some type of coating. The last time I made them I made sugar cookes, filled with pina colada ice cream and rolled in crushed macadamia nuts.

Another good recipe I make is chocolate chip cookie dough on the bottom of my cupcake paper in a mini tin. The I pour about 1 tbsp of cheese cake mix. Let them cool and top with melted chocolate chips. I buy all the mixes and the cheese cake mix in the fridge section.

Another really good idea is to buy some cotton candy. Everyone loves it.

Answer 10

Miniature cream puffs (profiteroles), chocolates, cup cakes with different coloured frostings and toppings, bars and squares.