Desserts for Entertaining

Finish your party menu with one of these crowd-pleasing desserts.

Easy Mocha Mousse

Photo: John Kernick

Easy Mocha Mousse

Crisp cookies and fresh berries pair nicely with cool-and-creamy Easy Mocha Mousse.

Sweet Tea Tiramisù

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Sweet Tea Tiramisù  

Tiramisù is delicious no matter what. Throw sweet tea into the mix and you'll have a to-die-for dessert.

Quick and Easy Summer Party Menu: Profiteroles with Coffee Whipped Cream

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Profiteroles with Coffee Whipped Cream  

These small cream puffs are surprisingly easy to make. They taste delightful with a simple Coffee Whipped Cream filling the crisp shell. Prepare the puffs up to 2 days in advance and store them cooled and unfilled  in an airtight container.

Pecan Cheesecake Pie

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Pecan Cheesecake Pie

This indulgent treat has layers of creamy cheesecake batter, a classic pecan pie filling, and crunchy pecans.

 

Caramelized Pear Cannoli with Praline Sauce

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Caramelized Pear Cannoli with Praline Sauce

This dessert will be a huge hit with your guests! And the praline sauce is so good, you'll want to make an extra batch to try over ice cream or brownies.

Entertaining Desserts: Lemon-Almond Tarts

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Lemon-Almond Tarts  

Vanilla wafers make a simple crumb crust for the lemon-almond custard filling of these refreshing tarts. Sweet, fresh raspberries top the custard and complete the flavor combination.

Sweet Tea Icebox Tart

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Sweet Tea Icebox Tart

A cool citrus-flavored tart with a hint of sweet tea is the perfect summertime dessert. Serve in a Gingersnap Crust, or use your favorite prepared crust for an easy shortcut.

Buttermilk Panna Cotta With Zinfandel-Poached Figs

Photo by Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Buttermilk Panna Cotta With Zinfandel-Poached Figs

Panna cotta, an eggless custard, is generally served unmolded on a serving plate. We serve it in individual glasses for casual flair, plus you can catch every last drop of the spicy syrup.

 

Fudge Pie With Bourbon Whipped Cream

Fudge Pie With Bourbon Whipped Cream

Imagine the most wickedly delicious chocolate dessert you’ve ever eaten. Then taste our Fudge Pie With Bourbon Whipped Cream. You won’t be disappointed.

Sweet Dip With Cookies and Fruit

Sweet Dip With Cookies and Fruit

Velvety five-ingredient Sweet Dip is reminiscent of butter cream frosting secretly swiped off cakes. Serve with assorted cookies, fresh berries, and dark chocolate squares.

 

Pavlova With Lemon Cream and Berries

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Pavlova With Lemon Cream and Berries

Pavlova was the  signature dessert of was former Test Kitchen Professional (and mother of current Test Kitchen Professional Marian Cooper Cairns) Jane Cairns. You don't have to be a professional to make it though. Assemble the elegant berry dessert just before serving; you can make the meringue up to two days ahead and store it in an airtight container.

White Chocolate Panna Cotta With Dark Chocolate Sauce

White Chocolate Panna Cotta With Dark Chocolate Sauce

Served in stemmed glasses, these silky smooth Italian custards make an elegant ending to any meal.

Raspberry Tiramisu

Raspberry Tiramisù

These luscious little gems are so quick to fix you can make dozens at a time. Inexpensive shot glasses sparkle as contemporary dessert dishes. For large parties, miniature (5-oz.) clear-plastic tumblers, available from party stores, are a great option.

Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Assorted Brownies

Dusted with a snowy layer of powdered sugar, lusciously moist Chocolate Fudge Brownies nestle snugly next to squares of Praline Pecan Brownies, and Caramel Coconut Pecan Brownies – an absolutely over-the-top rendition of Hello Dolly Bars.

To easily remove and cut brownies, line the pan with greased and floured heavy-duty aluminum foil, allowing several inches to extend over sides. After baking and cooling, lift the block of brownies from the pan using the foil. Press the foil sides down, and cut.

Easy Blackberry Cobbler Recipe

Easy Blackberry Cobbler

In less than an hour you can serve up this simply divine dessert. Pop it in the oven just before you sit down to eat, and your guests can enjoy it warm at meal’s end. For individual servings, bake for the same amount of time in 6 (8-oz.) ramekins on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.

Coconut-Almond Cream Cake

Beth Dreiling Hontzas / Styling Rose Nguyen / Food styling Marian Cooper Cairns

Coconut-Almond Cream Cake

This decadent cake is deliciously rich as well as moist. For a colorful presentation, garnish with kumquats, currants, and fresh mint sprigs.

Granola-Ginger Baked Apples

Granola-Ginger Baked Apples

Finely crushed oat-and-honey granola bars, chopped crystallized ginger, and thick Greek yogurt are the secrets to Granola-Ginger Baked Apples, a delectable and good-for-you dessert. Bosc pears also work well in place of apples.

 

Buttermilk-Mexican Chocolate Pound Cake

Buttermilk-Mexican Chocolate Pound Cake

Good to the last crumb, pound cakes are just as grand as a layer cake but far less fussy. A gentle tap sends them tumbling from the pan, perfectly fluted and party-ready. They freeze beautifully, feed an amazing number of guests, and, if you’re headed out of town for the weekend, they also travel remarkably well. Just don’t expect to bring home any leftovers.

Entertaining Desserts: Chocolate Truffle Bites

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Chocolate Truffle Bites

A dab of whipped cream and and chocolate shavings polish the presentation of this chocolate lovers' dessert. Refrigerated pie crusts make easy tart shells when baked in a muffin tin, and the rich filling is a decadent mixture of semisweet chocolate and whipped cream.

Warm Blackberry Sauce Over Mango Sorbet

Warm Blackberry Sauce Over Mango Sorbet

A light and refreshing dessert is the perfect ending to a delicious, laid back meal. Garnish your sorbet with crushed gingersnaps for added flavor.

Pound Cake Cupcakes with Browned Butter Frosting

Pound Cake Cupcakes with Browned Butter Frosting

Cupcakes are making a comeback, especially with recipes like this featuring Browned Butter Frosting. These easily transported mini desserts are perfect for kids or for the young at heart!

Rebecca's Black Bottom Icebox Pie

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Rebecca's Black Bottom Icebox Pie

With a rich, creamy filling and melt-in-your-mouth crust, this is quite possibly the best chocolate pie ever.

Printed from:
http://www.southernliving.com/food/entertaining/party-desserts-recipes-00400000052920/

Copyright © 2013 Time Inc. Lifestyle Group. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy ( Your California Privacy Rights). Ad Choices