Impressive Desserts Recipes Desperately Needed

[Bluebell]

My husband has invited some work colleagues for dinner. I am fine with starters and main course, but I am hopeless when it comes to puddings! I would be most grateful if anyone can suggest a recipe for an easy to make but impressive to produce dessert. Many thanks in advance.

[thugulike]

Creme Brulee takes a lot of beating.  I use a Delia Smith recipe for the custard which is really easy but is sprinkle to sugar on the top and scorch with a blowtorch.  You can add other ingredients, I have used Baileys, or add raspberries or peaches.  Brulee is good as you can make it ahead and leave it in the fridge.

[shaneystar]

In the days when we used to entertain the dreaded work colleagues I always made a fresh fruit salad laced with alcohol and served with a good dollop of thick cream.

[Clanad]

Doesn't get and easier or more elegant than this;

INGREDIENTS:

2 frozen pound cakes, thawed
12 ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
PREPARATION:
Thaw pound cakes. Remove from foil pans, place on sides, and, cutting horizontally through the whole loaf, slice first in half, then slice those pieces in half again to make four layers.
In medium bowl, combine chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk and microwave on medium for 2-3 minutes, stirring twice during cooking time, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth.

Using half of the mixture, frost the bottom layer of the pound cake, place another cake layer on the frosting, and repeat layers. Use toothpicks to keep the layers stable as you work.
Then frost the top and sides of the reassembled cake. If the frosting thickens, microwave on low for 15-20 seconds until spreadable. Repeat with second pound cake. Refrigerate until the frosting is set, then slice and serve.

OPTION 2: Use only one pound cake. Prepare chocolate mixture as directed. Measure out 1-1/3 cups of the chocolate mixture and set aside. Pour remaining chocolate mixture onto a small greased plate and set aside (that's the fudge). Frost the cake, reassembling the layers as directed above, using toothpicks to keep the structure stable. Refrigerate until firm, then slice thinly and serve.

We  decorate with strawberries and mint leaves as well...

Luck!

[Denise S.]

My cheesecake recipe is a family favourite. Crush 10 digestive biscuits with 2 oz. melted butter and 2 oz. caster sugar and line loose bottom tin.   Chill well.   Beat 8 oz. Philly Cheese with 3 oz. Caster sugar until creamy, SLOWLY add 2 large beaten eggs (do not curdle)  Mix well.  Add 1 teasp. vanilla extract (not essence) Add to base and bake for 20 min. 190 deg. C.  Cool.  Then mix 5 oz. carton soured cream with 2 tablespoons caster sugar and 1 teas. vanilla extract. and pour onto the cooled baked filling.  Put back into a hotter oven (220 deg. C) for 10 mins.   Chill well - overnight preferably.    I put rasps or strawberries on the top.  This is delicious!!

[nfn]

dead easy. cheese and biscuits. get loads of different cheeses from the deli counter in your supermarket, a box of variety crackers for cheese and a bunch of grapes! Put the whole lot on a bread board or large plate. Lots of supermarkets sell cheese knives if you don't already have some. you could chuck a few different smallish fruits on the board too. cherries, syphallis, halves of kiwi, passion fruit etc.

[Pinotage]

I'll second fruit salad. Soft fruits are in season and make an attractive display, e.g, strawberries (halved), blueberies and blackberries, just mix up and served with a choice of top quality vanilla ice cream, greek yoghurt or cream.

For added interest you could pour some liqueur over the fruit and let them soak, turning them every now and then.

[Bluebell]

Thank you all very much for the Puds ideas and recipes. The Creme Brulee appeals, particularly the Baileys bit! I am certainly going to use a combination of Shaneystar's and Pinotage's well doctored fresh fruit salad...I shall be in need of the 'Doctoring' by then, and will finish with the cheese board as suggested by nfn. I am going to make a dummy run of thugulike's cheese cake as that sounds easy. Clanad, your suggestion sounds very impressive, and I would love to give this a dummy run too, but apologies for being a bit dim,  what are pound cakes?

Once again, thank you for all your suggestions. They have been greatly appreciated.

[Clanad]

Hmmm... I didn't take into consideration differing terms in U.S. and England for pound cakes...originating in England, they were popular by the mid 1700�s. The name refers to the ratio of butter to sugar to flour�a pound of each. Old recipes called for lots of eggs to balance all that butter. Modern recipes, though still rich, call for less butter. Perhaps they are called Bundt cakes.  They are quite rich and fairly heavy, hence they are and remain moist... sorry I couldn't come up with a brand name in Britain...

[Bluebell]

Hi Clanad

Thank you very much for coming back with your answer so speedily. I have just come back from Waitrose with the ingredients, and I'm going to try out your recipe. I'm not even looking at the amount of calories, as you suggest serving with strawberries, it must be healthy!!

Kind Regards.

[Solitaire]

angel delight!!! simple but sweet heres wat u do:

get ur angel delight and do wat it says on the packet

get ur poshest bowls and put in angel delight.

get whipped cream and squirt it on top.

put some booze on it,them with a blow torch burn it so its golden.

add a sprig of mint.and ur done!!!!!