Creating Dessert Spreads
June 25, 2008 by admin
Filed under Entertaining, Food Articles
Creating A Dessert Spread They Won’t Forget
If entertaining your guests in Martha Stewart fashion isn’t your strong suit, but you want to dazzle some guests for your next special occasion we’ve got a great place to start. Create a dessert spread that is to die for and guests will talk about the gathering for years to come.
There are three main options for creating an excellent dessert spread. The first, of course, involves doing all the whipping up, baking and crafting yourself. The second requires a phone call to the local bakery. The third is a great combination of the first two.
If you choose the first route, don’t worry, some desserts really lend themselves to being made in advance. You can store them quite well for several days in airtight containers, in the refrigerator or freezer. Should the second or third appeal – you’re not alone. Some people simply adore baking, but others hate it. Some don’t mind baking, but hate the clean up. Having a baking phobia does not have to exclude you from putting on an incredible spread.
What exactly goes into creating a stunning dessert display? The first thing is to keep visual appeal in mind. Even if your cookies, cakes and pies are visually appealing, having the right serving trays and plates can really lend to the overall experience. Consider tiered cookie and cake slice holders for some desserts, silver platters for others and even elevated cake holders. Create several visual layers of desserts on a well-decorated table and the display will not fail to capture attention.
Now, to make the display also please the taste buds, you’re going to need to keep one word in mind. Variety! The simple truth is that if you pack 30 people into a party, they are all going to have their own ideas on what constitutes an excellent dessert. Ideas for making this happen include:
Cookie assortment – Use those tiered holders to offer up a wide selection of cookies. If the idea of making dozens of different flavors doesn’t appeal, bakery purchases work very well here. Ordering cookies from a bakery also ensures that you get a bigger variety. When you bake them yourself you end up with dozens per recipe, you can order as few or as many as you want from the bakery.
Cakes – Offer up a plain cheesecake, a luscious chocolate cake and maybe some sinfully delicious angel food cake with fresh fruit garnishes. Baking these with a good outcome is not as difficult as some might think. Offering some fancy sauces goes a long way to creating multiple desserts with only one baked item. You can also add sprigs of mint and fresh berries to any sauces for a more elegant look.
Pies – Adding a pie or two and some fresh whipped cream to top it off can very much add to eye and stomach appeal of a dessert table.
Petit fours and other fancy items – You might want to call on a bakery if you decide to add more complicated items to the menu, but they can really bring a lot to the tasty landscape. If you adore baking, these items can present a fun challenge. There aren’t many chances that something so fancy is called for so take the chance to create something new.
Candy – A dish or two of assorted candies – homemade or not – can please those with a sweet tooth, but not a big appetite.
Fruit – Not everyone wants their sweets to contain a ton of calories. Offering a healthier alternative is an excellent way to score with guests who are so inclined.
Creating a dessert spread can turn an ordinary entertaining experience into an extraordinary one. By offering up a variety of flavors, you are more assured of dazzling guests and finding just the right flavors to make their mouths water and their tongues wag about your elite hosting skills for years to come.
