How to Cheat at Making Dessert
Create Elegant After Dinner Treats to Impress your Guests
Extremely simple dessert tips for people who are short on time, or talent in the kitchen. Guaranteed to please even the toughest critics.
Imagine you've got an important date, or perhaps a small dinner party to plan for and you haven't the foggiest idea of what you're going to make. There are many ways to cheat your way through an impressive menu, and leave your guests raving about your phenomenal talent and ingenuity. Desserts are the last part of a meal, and the one most likely to leave a lasting impression. The following suggestions are guaranteed to give a flawless finishing touch to your meal with absolutely no talent or expertise required.
Turtle Fruit
In the era of chocolate fondue being so popular, this dessert is an absolute hit and no one would ever guess it to be so simple. Purchase a package of chocolate turtle candies from the store. If you prefer peanuts over pecans, select Snickers Bars. They work just the same. Grab a tub of strawberries and a ripe bunch of bananas. Cut the strawberries into halves, and the bananas into bite size circles. Be sure to keep the fruit cold until it's time to serve. Place the candy of your choice in a bowl, and microwave until completely melted. For best results, check on the candy every thirty seconds and stir. Drizzle the warm melted chocolate, caramel and nut mixture over the cold fruit and serve with pretty fondue picks. A nice touch is to garnish with tiny squares of vanilla pound cake for dipping. The entire dish can be dusted with a light smattering of powdered sugar for an elegant look. The result in this amazingly simple concoction is a wonderful texture and temperature mesh of cold fruit and warm chocolate, with caramel and nut accents.
Divine Petite Cheesecake
In under five minutes you can have this dessert on a plate and in front of your guests with a presentation fit for a cuisine centerfold. In the cold section of your local grocery store you can find Philadelphia Snack Bars by Kraft Foods. Adorable little single portion cheesecakes and marbled brownies already ready to serve. A good crowd pleaser is the raspberry cheesecake flavor. Select a solid color plate, and drizzle chocolate syrups in delicate swirls over the dish. Place the miniature cheesecake in the center. Add three of four fresh raspberries for garnish, and a dollop of whipped cream. Dust with cocoa powder or powdered sugar, lightly, for aesthetics. For an extra special twist, dip the spoon or fork intended to accompany the dessert in chocolate syrup and freeze before serving. Cold plates and utensils add a certain elegance to a cool summery dessert.
Parfait Style Strawberry Shortcake
Another five minute dish, this classic dessert is all about presentation. Grab a vanilla pound cake from the grocery store, a tub of fresh strawberries, a box of frozen strawberries, a tub of cool whip and a pint of vanilla ice cream. Cut the pound cake into squares no more than an inch thick and small enough to fit into a wine glass. Choose a pretty stem glass and press a piece of pound cake into the bottom of the glass with the rounded side of a spoon. Press into the pound cake about a tablespoon of ice cream, add a tablespoon of defrosted strawberries and smooth over the layers with whipped cream. Repeat the layering until the glass is full. Drizzle the juice from the defrosted strawberries around the inside edge of the glass for color. Top the entire dish with whipped cream and garnish with a full sized fresh strawberry. Keep these cold until you're ready to serve.
You don't have to be a whiz in the kitchen to produce delicious after dinner treats. Experiment with prepackaged goods and see what sort of embellishment you can provide to turn a treat into a temptation. For help with after dinner drinks be sure to check out How to Cheat at Elegant Cocktails. For other helpful hints, check out How to Cheat with Fancy Appetizers.
