Dessert

Calendargirl

Don’t want to sound rude Ladyleftfieldlover but I would be disappointed to go out for an evening meal and be offered fresh fruit and cheese and biscuits. Perhaps to finish off with, but I like a nice pud first.

I was thinking of something for a non-cook to prepare! I do things like chocolate cheesecake, homemade ice-creams, tarts, flans, lemon meringue pies… never cheese!

Do you have a cook shop near you
All their desserts are yummy and very good quality

Fruit kebabs. Dip different small fruits (strawberries, grapes, raspberries, etc) into melted chocolate - only dip the bottom half of the fruit in the chocolate, (so the top of the fruit is left exposed) and thread on skewers, then leave to set. Quite healthy and very easy.

Cook do a good crumble if you want something hot.

And because they are frozen you can man-hanfle things into your own dishes for cooking!

... Cheating but hey! Who cares

Walls Viennetta. Now that's really cheating but I've always loved it

Or M&S New York style cheesecake and arrange fruit/chocolate(Flake, Maltesers, buttons)/honeycomb(smashed up crunchie) etc. Not really cheating just being imaginative

At this time of the year I love to make a burnt basque cheesecake (you’ll find lots of recipes on YouTube). It’s a really easy recipe and served with a raspberry and blackberry compote it’s delicious and always brings the wow factor.

Otherwise there are lots of brilliant recommendations up thread for bought puds that save time and taste delicious.

GA, I've had a look at the Burnt Basque Cheesecake recipe and it looks delicious - but I don't suppose there is a lower fat version? I'm watching my gall bladder!

Cheese and crackers. Can get them almost ready made as in various types of crackers and cheese and throw a few grapes and olives in for good measure. Yum ?

Whip a bowl full of cream with vanilla. Stir in green grapes and flaked almonds. Serve with sponge fingers.

Buy some mini pavlovas or one large one and cut into single serve size. Put on a board and add all sorts of toppings such as, berries, passionfruit, crushed up peppermint crisp bar, lemon curd etc. and some whipped cream. Let everyone add their choice to make their own pavlovas.

This is so simple but tastes delicious and much more interesting than it sounds- stew bramley apples,sweeten slightly and mash out lumps. Leave to cool then top with a good thick layer of equal quantities of Greek yoghurt and whipped double cream mixed together. Put a generous sprinkle of dark muscovado sugar on top. Leave in fridge for few hours for sugar to melt. It's delicious and looks attractive if made in individual portions in wine glasses or glass dishes.

Callistemon

The only recipe I usually follow exactly is a Christmas cake recipe but the year I made Jamaican Black Fruit cake and sloshed in the rum etc was the best one!

I haven’t made black cake in years Callistemon, in fact I no longer have a rum pot on the go (dried fruit soaking in rum). It was useful for instant desserts too, just pour a couple of tablespoons full over good quality ice cream. Mmmmm.

Random comment I know..........I saw an M & S food advert on tv last night. They made mini pavlovas.........just looked like a tidy Eton Mess ???

I would do Eaton mess or a trifle, easy and can be prepared in advance

Esspee I had a rum pot as well but sent it to the charity shop.
One of my regrets!

I used a very old glass Roses chocolate jar to soak the fruit in the rum for the cake.

Very easy no churn ice cream - 1 tin of condensed milk plus equal quantity of double cream. Mix and then add whatever flavourings you fancy, such as chopped up salted peanuts, chopped chocolate, crushed amaretti biscuits etc etc. I have also sirred in a quantity of homemade marmalade. Remember that once frozen it doesn't taste as sweet as when you are mixing it.

PS - pour into a loaf tin lined with clingfilm and cover with cling film. Then freeze.